3-month Plateau

ElishaEp
ElishaEp Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!

Looking for some advice. I have lost 38 pounds since April but started to stop dropping any weight since October. I only have about 10-15 more pounds I want to lose but I'm feeling very stuck! I've read all the advice to lower calories (I'm already pretty low) and to increase work outs. I'm exercising 6 days a week consistently! I'm looking for advice, support and above all very specific things I can do that will help!

Thanks!
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? how do you calculate your calorie burns? That are over inflated on MFP and machines.
  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
    It sounds like you know what you're doing. Since you've lost weight, have you recalculated your goals? Your caloric needs change as you lose weight.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    The first thing I would look at is accuracy. Are you weighing everything and are you logging accurate. If you are, how many times have you "cheated" or had a high calorie day? If it's been a while then you might need a refeed or simply a diet break for a while.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Congrats on your loss to date! It sounds like your rate of loss had slowed and that is perfectly normal. The closer you get to goal, the harder it is to lose. Some people lose only .5 lb per week when they get within 10-15 lbs. So in addition to the advice above, my suggestion is "patience ".
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? how do you calculate your calorie burns? That are over inflated on MFP and machines.
    pollypocket1021 wrote: »
    It sounds like you know what you're doing. Since you've lost weight, have you recalculated your goals? Your caloric needs change as you lose weight.

    100% this.

  • brownels
    brownels Posts: 29 Member
    Unfortunately, if everything else is in place, you might need to cut more calories.
  • ElishaEp
    ElishaEp Posts: 9 Member
    I
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? how do you calculate your calorie burns? That are over inflated on MFP and machines.

    I sometimes use my food scale but I could be more consistent. That might help! I don't add in my exercise at all so I don't have to worry about the calorie adjustment there. I've been at 1200 calories roughly for six months and I don't want to go lower than that!
  • ElishaEp
    ElishaEp Posts: 9 Member
    Does anyone have suggestions on how to accurately stay within calorie goals? Weigh food, etc?
  • clarelara24
    clarelara24 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm similar as I lost 12 pounds steadily and want to lose another 5 but haven't lost anything for a couple of months! I'm also on 1200 and exercise regularly. I have lost inches but not weight which is strange! I have an electric scale and like you I could be more accurate with it - going to make a concerted effort to use my scales more and hope this helps me.
  • HealthyVitamins
    HealthyVitamins Posts: 432 Member
    How many calories are you eating in total? so its 1200 but then you exercise and don't eat those back?
  • JennifrClaire
    JennifrClaire Posts: 141 Member
    This is me exactly. From April to October it was great -7 pounds a month lost on low carb. Then when the weather turned bad I think I stopped getting as much excercise,and I've been on this plateau since. I've only 10-20 pounds to go to be a healthy weight.
  • eviegreen
    eviegreen Posts: 123 Member
    ElishaEp wrote: »
    I sometimes use my food scale but I could be more consistent. That might help! I don't add in my exercise at all so I don't have to worry about the calorie adjustment there. I've been at 1200 calories roughly for six months and I don't want to go lower than that!

    If you don't use a food scale consistently, how do you know you're only eating 1200 calories? When you get to the last 10-15 lbs, accuracy is really important. Use the food scale consistently, every day, for every meal. That's how you'll break your plateau.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    ElishaEp wrote: »
    I
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? how do you calculate your calorie burns? That are over inflated on MFP and machines.

    I sometimes use my food scale but I could be more consistent. That might help! I don't add in my exercise at all so I don't have to worry about the calorie adjustment there. I've been at 1200 calories roughly for six months and I don't want to go lower than that!

    How tall are you? How many calories (approximately) do you burn for a workout? And you say October? October 1st or 31st? If you can answer these questions it helps to figure out where you are and what might be some of the issues you are facing.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited December 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale to weigh all solids? how do you calculate your calorie burns? That are over inflated on MFP and machines.
    pollypocket1021 wrote: »
    It sounds like you know what you're doing. Since you've lost weight, have you recalculated your goals? Your caloric needs change as you lose weight.

    100% this.

    +1 the rule of thumb is if you haven't lost in a few weeks that something's not right, you are taking in more calories than you are burning...
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    eviegreen wrote: »
    ElishaEp wrote: »
    I sometimes use my food scale but I could be more consistent. That might help! I don't add in my exercise at all so I don't have to worry about the calorie adjustment there. I've been at 1200 calories roughly for six months and I don't want to go lower than that!

    If you don't use a food scale consistently, how do you know you're only eating 1200 calories? When you get to the last 10-15 lbs, accuracy is really important. Use the food scale consistently, every day, for every meal. That's how you'll break your plateau.

    I agree with this

    The op stated she was not weighing foods consistently. She could be consuming more then she thinks. Its likely that she's not really eating 1200.
    When I first started, I made the same mistake. The closer to goal, more accuracy is needed. She could be wiping out her deficit and doesn't even know it.
    ( op this is a common mistake, in fact I've made it myself just get your food scale out and weigh everything you consume. Like everything! Liquids use a measuring cup. I track everything like katsup, butter, oil and all !)
  • smotheredincheese
    smotheredincheese Posts: 559 Member
    I had a three month plateau from August to November. The reason - I was busy and lazy and wasn't weighing everything, was estimating a lot of things and not logging as consistently as I should. My estimates were out enough that I had been eating at maintenance level without realising it and my weight didn't move at all.
    Once I got it together and really, really started logging properly again my weight started to move.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    You're eating more than 1200 calories without realizing it.
  • ElishaEp
    ElishaEp Posts: 9 Member
    smotheredincheese wrote: »
    I had a three month plateau from August to November. The reason - I was busy and lazy and wasn't weighing everything, was estimating a lot of things and not logging as consistently as I should. My estimates were out enough that I had been eating at maintenance level without realising it and my weight didn't move at all.
    Once I got it together and really, really started logging properly again my weight started to move.

    I think this is exactly what I am doing wrong but didn't really want to admit it! In the beginning it was really easy to lose the weight so I guess I figured I could keep doing what I had been doing and not have any issues. Boy was I wrong as my three-month long plateau will tell. I'm going to blame this busy holiday season for not being so consistent with my meal planning. I guess there's the plus side that at least I haven't gained any weight. :smile:
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
    Awesome attitude! You've got this!! I was the same, I was not willing to admit my small snacks were hurting me. Ohh yes they were!! So really deciding to tighten my logging as much as possible is key, I'm dropping water again and I know I'll finally get fat loss going! I set out to stay under my goal for 2 weeks. I can do anything for two weeks, and then I'll have some indulgence and probably eat closer to maintenance just to keep myself from feeling too deprived. We can both do it!!
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    I admire your attitude SO MUCH!! I am in your same position - long plateau period, but I totally know what caused it - I've been travelling, working hard, not taking my scale with me everywhere, so just eyeballing things a lot of the time for the last couple months. I feel great, actually, that I haven't put on weight and that MFP has helped me re-gauge what is a normal amount for me to eat. I think this means I've been eating at maintenance - so now that I'm home for the next couple months I know I can be more dedicated to the everyday necessity of weighing absolutely everything.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    The first thing I would look at is accuracy. Are you weighing everything and are you logging accurate. If you are, how many times have you "cheated" or had a high calorie day? If it's been a while then you might need a refeed or simply a diet break for a while.

    I'd like you to elaborate on this, please. It does not make sense have a "cheat" day or a "refeed" if you are not already lose weight.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    edited December 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    The first thing I would look at is accuracy. Are you weighing everything and are you logging accurate. If you are, how many times have you "cheated" or had a high calorie day? If it's been a while then you might need a refeed or simply a diet break for a while.

    I'd like you to elaborate on this, please. It does not make sense have a "cheat" day or a "refeed" if you are not already lose weight.

    IF she's being 100% accurate, which she's not, then a plateau with low calories and high amounts of exercise indicates hormonal imbalance (leptin being the main one). Adding a higher calorie day or a high calorie with high carbs (which is what an actual refeed is) can bring balance back to hormones. I'm sure you've seen many threads on here from people talking about how they stuck to their diet for months, but saw a huge drop after a cheat day.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ElishaEp wrote: »
    Does anyone have suggestions on how to accurately stay within calorie goals? Weigh food, etc?

    use your food scale for everything at home.
    make sure that you are logging EVERYTHING to the best of your ability...

    I would also make sure that you are using correct MFP entries from their database and cross check it with a site like self nutrient data…

  • tmn2016
    tmn2016 Posts: 159 Member
    Look at what you are eating. Change it up or eat less carbs. Change the workout maybe to shock your body a bit. Those are the things I've heard helps when you reach a plateau. And yes weight in everything and every morsel that goes in your mouth. You may be eating more than 1200 calories without realizing.
  • toe1226
    toe1226 Posts: 249 Member
    Changing the workout really has always helped me with plateaus - adding HIIT or increasing resistance training, adding a longer run...also- especially if you feel burnt out, taking a training break and THEN coming back fresh and changing up your schedule can be a real boost.
  • ElishaEp
    ElishaEp Posts: 9 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    The first thing I would look at is accuracy. Are you weighing everything and are you logging accurate? If you are, how many times have you "cheated" or had a high-calorie day? If it's been a while then you might need a refeed or simply a diet break for a while.

    I'd like you to elaborate on this, please. It does not make sense have a "cheat" day or a "refeed" if you do not already lose weight.

    IF she's being 100% accurate, which she's not, then a plateau with low calories and high amounts of exercise indicates hormonal imbalance (leptin being the main one). Adding a higher calorie day or a high calorie with high carbs (which is what an actual refeed is) can bring balance back to hormones. I'm sure you've seen many threads on here from people talking about how they stuck to their diet for months but saw a huge drop after a cheat day.

    This is pretty similar to what my trainer has told me too and when I was losing weight I noticed the cheat days actually helped. He simplified it for me by telling me I'm keeping my metabolism up by having a cheat day no more than once every 7 days. Of course, I don't go overboard on cheat days! I just am able to indulge a little where I couldn't before! As far as workouts go, I change my cardio and strength routines every four weeks so I think in that aspect, I am doing pretty good!

    I seriously think it's motivation and getting advice from everyone is definitely a motivator to keep going and utilize the great advice everyone has! Here's to losing weight over the holiday season and hotting my goals!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    tmn2016 wrote: »
    Look at what you are eating. Change it up or eat less carbs. Change the workout maybe to shock your body a bit. Those are the things I've heard helps when you reach a plateau. And yes weight in everything and every morsel that goes in your mouth. You may be eating more than 1200 calories without realizing.

    The only thing I agree with is log accurately and weigh.

    You can't shock your body and carbs are fine unless op has a medical condition...
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Every time I plateaued or stalled I could trace it back to my logging getting slack. I wouldn't add the chocolate after dinner or the second serving of whatever etc etc etc
    Once I tightened up my logging and was honest and accurate the weight started shifting again. Weigh everything you eat on a food scale.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,968 Member
    Start first with CONSISTENCY and ACCURACY.
    Also, you're on 1200 and not counting the exercise calories against it? Classic reason for metabolic rate to drop further and also a good reason as to why weight loss would stall IF the two above were applied.

    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
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  • BPCycler
    BPCycler Posts: 92 Member
    Some people are eating too few calories. 1200 calories is probably putting your bodies into "starvation mode" and starts retaining fat. You need enough calories. Just also need the right amount of cardio and general exercise.

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