weight loss plateau even on fewer calories

Earth_Lily
Earth_Lily Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been stuck on 54kgs for 3 weeks now and I keep lowering my calorie intake from 1300 till the point that I eat only 800 a day, but my weight still isn't moving. I do a lot of weight training and swimming, so I'm active 5 times a week. I eat protein rich foods. Could it be muscle mass that's keeping me at this weight? Should I eat less? Or do more cardio?

Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    From your profile you don't have much to lose. That makes it harder, since you have to really watch everything. I switched to the TDEE method and it got me going again. Do a search if you're interested, since it's been fully explained alot on the boards.
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    Is that net cals? Are you over-estimating your calorie burns?
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    It's only been 3 weeks, a plateau is usually considered at least 5 weeks or more. Keep eating 1300 (you're doing yourself no favours eating 800) and carry on for a bit longer, it's common to stall for a few weeks every now and again (especially if you're weighing weekly instead of daily).

    Other than that, do you weigh everything you eat? If not, you could be underestimating how much you're eating.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Pump iron, and do less cardio. Set calories at 1150 (no less). Keep carbs low, and get .9 grams protein for every pound of LEAN body mass. :)
  • unigirl143
    unigirl143 Posts: 126 Member
    I hit a 2 month plateau a while back when I was eating about 1000 cals and my weight was up or down the same pound consistently. I have since increased my calories by 400 and have started losing .5 to 1 pound per day. If you are exercising and eating very little it could be the solution to eat just a little bit more to get you through the plateau and not eat less.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Do less cardio ( twice a week, 20 min each). Pump iron twice a week (30-40 min ea). Eat low carb (less than 100/day). :)
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    Eating more will not cause weight loss. Accurate weighing and logging will. I am down to the last ~10 pounds and it's getting tough. If I have a day where I don't weigh stuff and just log estimates or go over by too much (Like I did last Sunday) I stall for a week or so, due to water and possible small amount of actual fat gain. (Darn you, delicious Kahlua!)

    Accurate logging is key when you are very close to your goal weight. You should not eat below 1200 calories, so if you think you're only eating 800 calories but not losing, you're not being accurate enough and you're eating more than you think. I am 5'1" and 44, and I lose on 1200 calories without exercise.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You shouldn't be eating below 1200 calories....could you be eating more than you think? our logging can be inaccurate at the best of times and it takes being more vigilent, weighing and measuring foods etc to be as accurate as possible...

    Although I'm at maintenance now when I was losing I lost eating 1600-1800 calories, I'm 5ft 2"/46yrs/Active.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    I have heard about adding a little salad of shredded cucumbers and vinegar when you've been stuck at a plateau for a while (near your goal weight particularly), plus increasing water if possible. This has worked for me.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    do you use a food scale OP?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    mylittlerainbow wrote: »
    I have heard about adding a little salad of shredded cucumbers and vinegar when you've been stuck at a plateau for a while (near your goal weight particularly), plus increasing water if possible. This has worked for me.

    how would eating salad increase weight loss???
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    unigirl143 wrote: »
    I hit a 2 month plateau a while back when I was eating about 1000 cals and my weight was up or down the same pound consistently. I have since increased my calories by 400 and have started losing .5 to 1 pound per day. If you are exercising and eating very little it could be the solution to eat just a little bit more to get you through the plateau and not eat less.

    you don't stop losing weight be eating too little. If that was the case then no one would ever die from starvation….
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    unigirl143 wrote: »
    I hit a 2 month plateau a while back when I was eating about 1000 cals and my weight was up or down the same pound consistently. I have since increased my calories by 400 and have started losing .5 to 1 pound per day.If you are exercising and eating very little it could be the solution to eat just a little bit more to get you through the plateau and not eat less.

    That's a nope, especially half a pound to one pound per DAY. Unless you meant a week, because if you meant a day then lol, just...no.

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    edited December 2015
    Not a plateau and eating too little REDUCES your current metabolic rate even more. Your body will adapt quickly by reducing it's metabolism to compensate for lack of calories. Don't eat under 1200 especially if you're exercising the way you are.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

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