Plateau - would love some advice
samiisaurus
Posts: 10 Member
Hey everyone, I've been plateauing for 3 weeks now - can't stand it. I've been on low-carb and the classic 1200 calories. I know that it's technically a pretty low number and that could be the reason for plateauing. The thing is, I've been feeling fine. No lethargy, hunger etc. Starting from today, I've upped my calories to 1350 and not going to lie, the idea of that scares me a bit. Seems counter-intuitive. I guess I just want to know if anyone has a proper explanation as to my plateauing? Is upping my cals the way to go? Any help is greatly appreciated 
Hope everyone's journeys are going great, you can feel free to add me.
Things you might need to know:
- I do weigh everything that I make (my diary should be public)
- I am 170cm 75kg / 5'7 165lbs
- I'm at the gym 5-6 days a week, usually doing 200-300 cals on cardio machines then lifting
- Sundays I do 1000 calorie workouts but I make sure to eat extra on those days
Hope everyone's journeys are going great, you can feel free to add me. Things you might need to know:
- I do weigh everything that I make (my diary should be public)
- I am 170cm 75kg / 5'7 165lbs
- I'm at the gym 5-6 days a week, usually doing 200-300 cals on cardio machines then lifting
- Sundays I do 1000 calorie workouts but I make sure to eat extra on those days
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Replies
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Could be water weight influx. I imagine if you are going low carb your fats are much higher now and your diet in general so that could easily cause an influx for various reasons, increase in sodium etc.
I don't know where this number 1200 comes from lol. Did someone one day just decide to pull it out of a hat or something?0 -
I used to be critical of the "plateau" as my weight loss was really consistent for ages. Then I entered the "plateau". Without a doubt, I must underestimate the amount of Cals that I eat and despite using apps like strava rather than map for calories burnt during exercise I am convinced that these are over estimates too. However I exercise more and my weight isn't at the lowest it has ever been BUT my waist size is the same and I feel better and just as slim.
Don't give up.
Weight will come off if you can be accurate or it may turn to muscle instead0 -
Maybe you've been doing the same thing for too long? I plateaued once when I just kept to the same work out routine, then I started things like swimming and high intensity interval training.
I think you should definitely try some HIIT for like 2 weeks.0 -
JakeBrownVB wrote: »I don't know where this number 1200 comes from lol. Did someone one day just decide to pull it out of a hat or something?
Lol, I pulled out of the same hat!
@samiisaurus I just discovered my sedentary BMR is 1423. I've been losing weight with 1200 cals but feel I could use a boost. I'm following your lead, will bump up to 1400 calories tomorrow.0 -
A Plateau is just maintenance in disguise. I would guess for most people it's just that they need to tighten their logging up a bit ( back to weighing properly , not eyeballing out of laziness ) and re adjusting their calorie burns.
I do a lot of walking , when my loss started to taper off , I realised that my body had become used to it and needed accounting for. Reduced those burns and then the loss started up again. Your body adapts to whatever you do, which is why progressive weight lifting , rather than the same weigh over and over are often mentioned. Walking 5 miles a day on day one may really make you sweat, but 20 days later ? Not so much
Reduce your burns , re-check your weighing and if necessary , re-visit in a month and than shake up your routine if you are still struggling0 -
JakeBrownVB wrote: »Could be water weight influx. I imagine if you are going low carb your fats are much higher now and your diet in general so that could easily cause an influx for various reasons, increase in sodium etc.
I don't know where this number 1200 comes from lol. Did someone one day just decide to pull it out of a hat or something?
I actually have a hard time meeting my fats. By low carb I mean about 60ish grams a day, not like keto.
Hahaha the magical 1200. MFP picked it for me and I figured since it's so popular it must work. It did for about a month.glenelliott5872 wrote: »I used to be critical of the "plateau" as my weight loss was really consistent for ages. Then I entered the "plateau". Without a doubt, I must underestimate the amount of Cals that I eat and despite using apps like strava rather than map for calories burnt during exercise I am convinced that these are over estimates too. However I exercise more and my weight isn't at the lowest it has ever been BUT my waist size is the same and I feel better and just as slim.
Don't give up.
Weight will come off if you can be accurate or it may turn to muscle instead
Thank you I definitely have to be doing something wrong, but it sucks that I can't figure out what.Maybe you've been doing the same thing for too long? I plateaued once when I just kept to the same work out routine, then I started things like swimming and high intensity interval training.
I think you should definitely try some HIIT for like 2 weeks.
It's really dumb I know, but HIIT is so awkward for me to do at the gym. I have to slowly put the treadmill speed down or jump to the sides and I'm too clumsy to do that from a sprint. I do HIIT outside sometimes I've gotta try it at the gym though. Get over my silly insecurities. 0 -
Did you change your workout three weeks ago? Added something new, made something more strenuous etc?0
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Try different exercises on different days, and swap them around a bit. Also try swapping the time of day now and then if you can - maybe get up early to do something on the way to work, or before breakfast. Also mix your food up a bit - when you're on very low it can get monotonous, try and save up a few calories for a nice meal out, or an extra treat a couple of nights a week.0
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I'm so grateful for these replies Thanks guysJakeBrownVB wrote: »I don't know where this number 1200 comes from lol. Did someone one day just decide to pull it out of a hat or something?
Lol, I pulled out of the same hat!
@samiisaurus I just discovered my sedentary BMR is 1423. I've been losing weight with 1200 cals but feel I could use a boost. I'm following your lead, will bump up to 1400 calories tomorrow.
Haha yay join me. Be careful of those "cups of oil"
I had a good laugh when you told me.A Plateau is just maintenance in disguise. I would guess for most people it's just that they need to tighten their logging up a bit ( back to weighing properly , not eyeballing out of laziness ) and re adjusting their calorie burns.
I do a lot of walking , when my loss started to taper off , I realised that my body had become used to it and needed accounting for. Reduced those burns and then the loss started up again. Your body adapts to whatever you do, which is why progressive weight lifting , rather than the same weigh over and over are often mentioned. Walking 5 miles a day on day one may really make you sweat, but 20 days later ? Not so much
Reduce your burns , re-check your weighing and if necessary , re-visit in a month and than shake up your routine if you are still struggling
I think I can safely say it's not from my laziness in logging. I meal prep and measure everything out. If I randomly walk past the kitchen and grab a bite of something, I'll track it as extra just to be safe.
I'm thinking I want to focus more on strength, because even now, that's progressive. The routines are a bit repetitive but the weights grow. Again, think I'll try HIIT for cardio.GreenIceFloes wrote: »Did you change your workout three weeks ago? Added something new, made something more strenuous etc?
Nope. I decided to have some ice cream one day, gained about 2kg from 2 scoops haha (water weight I assume and I'm not the best with lactose), and I've been plateauing around there since.0 -
OMG! This is me for the past 3 months! Can't dzeal dzahling! I'm 1.64m and 65kg but cannot get below 65! Too tragic! Also anal about logging, strength training and cardio (I change my workout routine every 2-3 months). I need a magic wand!0
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samiisaurus wrote: »GreenIceFloes wrote: »Did you change your workout three weeks ago? Added something new, made something more strenuous etc?
Nope. I decided to have some ice cream one day, gained about 2kg from 2 scoops haha (water weight I assume and I'm not the best with lactose), and I've been plateauing around there since.
I'd give it more time. I've been doing this for over a year, and have month-long stalls all the time. In fact, half through April half through May I had lost only one pound in all, and last week I lost a bunch. As long as you are accurate about your measurements and logging, keep doing what you are doing. You've bumped up your calories, so that will probably result in some water weight temporarily; you are low-carb, so you can expect a rise in weight every time you have something with high-ish carbs.
Also, this something we shouldn't forget: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
Edited to correct typo0 -
JoashNarainsamy wrote: »OMG! This is me for the past 3 months! Can't dzeal dzahling! I'm 1.64m and 65kg but cannot get below 65! Too tragic! Also anal about logging, strength training and cardio (I change my workout routine every 2-3 months). I need a magic wand!
HAHA OH GOD We have such similar diets!! Had a quick look at your diary. Also it would be so hard for you since you're not even remotely heavy at all!GreenIceFloes wrote: »samiisaurus wrote: »GreenIceFloes wrote: »Did you change your workout three weeks ago? Added something new, made something more strenuous etc?
Nope. I decided to have some ice cream one day, gained about 2kg from 2 scoops haha (water weight I assume and I'm not the best with lactose), and I've been plateauing around there since.
I'd give it more time. I've been doing this for over a year, and have month-long stalls all the time. In fact, half through April half through May I had lost only one pound in all, and last week I lost a bunch. As long as you are accurate about your measurements and logging, keep doing what you are doing. You've bumped up your calories, so that will probably result in some water weight temporarily; you are low-carb, so you can expect a rise in weight every time you have something with high-ish carbs.
Also, this something we shouldn't forget: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
Edited to correct typo
Should I up the carbs in general to avoid water weight from days when I have a bit of a bigger intake? Sometimes I up the carbs if I know I'm aiming for a big record at the gym.
I really do have to keep the non-linearity in mind. Nothing kills motivation quicker than thinking you're not working enough/doing the right thing. Thank you.0 -
Personally I like carbs because I tend to underperform at the gym and generally lack energy if I go low-carb. But you needn't stop low-carb just because of water weight fluctuations, as long as you can differentiate them from actual weight gain.
And it's easy to get demotivated if one doesn't get validation for one's efforts, which why it's best to use the scale as just a guideline. It can have a pretty negative impact sometimes, especially in the beginning. Setting goals other than weight loss goals (NSVs) really helps. As long as you are burning more calories than you are consuming, you will definitely lose weight. 0 -
Have you been measuring only your weight? Because if you're training a lot, it is possible that you have been burning fat, but gaining in muscle, keeping your overall weight constant. Measuring your waistline might give more info.
And of course water retention is always a plausible reason.
My personal experience with successful weight loss was when I didn't follow a constant diet, but ate very little on some days, and more on others. On average I ate the right number of calories to lose weight, but not constantly the same.
In any case, don't be demotivated, because healthy eating is doing your body a lot of good, irrespective of whether the scales show loss in weight.0 -
@markiendA Plateau is just maintenance in disguise.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Same foods, same calories, same exercise, same amount of sleep, different results:
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