Starting to plateau - How did you get past it?

ThermoDust
ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am starting to plateau in my weight lose. How did any of you get past this part? Did you make changes to your diet or did you change your workout routine?

Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    A plateau is no movement in weight for 6-8 weeks.
    If your loss is slowing or stalling have you adjusted your calorie intake since losing the last 10 lbs?
    Eventhough MFP does remind you to do so, it isn't automatic.
    As you have lost weight, you need less calories than before.

    Do a couple of weeks of really tight logging. I think after a while we can all get a little lax. I tended to average out my fruit. If I got a slow down I would go back and weigh each piece individually. It is often the 10 cals here, 30 cals there that catches us. Not missing a whole tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil.

    Cheers, h.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    Ah, just based on what you were saying in the amount of weeks then I am not plateauing. I am just being picky.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Many times if one's goal loss per week is too aggressive, homeostasis sets in faster and many conclude it's a "plateau" or stall. Plateaus are rare and stalls can be fixed if one is honest.
    So how many pounds a week are you trying to lose?

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  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    I don't have any set amount. I only start to get bothered if it doesn't move at all or goes up by a bit.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Be patient and if it persists, tighten up your logging by using a food scale and checking to make sure your database items are accurate, activity level settings are accurate, etc.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    Only went 4 days without logged in the last 80ish days. Food scale every day :) Patients is not something I have but I know it will take time as it took so long to put on it will take a while to come off.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    ThermoDust wrote: »
    Only went 4 days without logged in the last 80ish days. Food scale every day :) Patients is not something I have but I know it will take time as it took so long to put on it will take a while to come off.

    If what you're doing has been working, then hang in there! Sometimes the road gets rough, but it's worth it. Have you recalculated your goals for your current weight recently?
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    Yes, MFP just had me do that. I've been around 1200-1400 since August. MFP tells me I can do more and still hit my goal just I got so used to the type of food I have a hard time increasing it. What I know I need to do is focus more on macro and the type of calories I am taking in since I started to weight lift and workout more with a trainer in the last few months.

    My biggest worry is muscle lose due to the wrong foods coming in.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    edited January 2016
    I found switching to 40 carb, 30 protein, 30 fat worked well for me when I upped my exercises and started lifting. Do make sure you eat back a percentage of your exercise calories. You need the extra fuel to perform well.

    Have you established a weekly weight loss goal yet?
    Here is a good rule of thumb:
    0-25 lbs lose .5 a week
    25-50 lbs lose 1
    50-75 lbs lose 1.5
    75-100 lbs lose 2
    There is wiggle room, it is a guideline.

    Cheers, h.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    No, but with more than one of you asking it sounds like I should set a goal per week. I was just basing it off of do I see any loss per week, wasn't watching the amount all the much.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    I know my end goal I want to be 15% or less body fat and I just scaled in at 27%.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Are you within your normal BMI? And do you have a plan for attaining the LBM you desire?

    Cheers, h.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    No, but I am not sure of that number as I do no remember from the test. I do not know what LBM is, so I cannot answer that.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    ha! that just means pounds. My current plan for that is just eat right(or so I think so far) and workout. I am doing a lower calorie diet and working out 5-6 times a week. Two days strength with my trainer and 3-4 times cardio.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    According to google my BMI is 29.2.
  • KareninLux
    KareninLux Posts: 1,413 Member
    I have hit two what I call mini-plateaus already - in +78 days of tracking. Frustrating. One thing MFP is teaching me is that I am in for the long haul and daily fluctuations of .5 lb are not/not going to derail me. I weigh in every day so that is expected. As long as week by week the trend is downward, I am thrilled. Patience is your friend.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    @ThermoDust LBM is lean body mass.
    lbs is pounds weight.
    Ok so you are just within the overweight category.
    Keep eating at a reasonable deficit. Too high and you will compromise the muscles you are trying to preserve lifting while losing.
    Keep lifting.
    To help retain muscle aim for between .65-.85g protein per lbs weight.

    Remember as you lose weight you have to adjust your calorie goal every ~10 lbs. the less you weigh the fewer calories you need.
    @KareninLux the above applies to you too. If you have been at it 78 days you probably need to review your calorie goal.

    Cheers, h.
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    Two questions.
    1. What is considered a reasonable deficit?
    2. I thought the protein .65-.85 was per kg not lb?
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    2. .65-.85g per pound body weight.
    (Or .8g- 1g per kg lean body weight- this is a hard estimate so the body weight is easier to go by.)

    1. I would do 1lbs if I were you. Higher and you could compromise your lifting, and your existing muscle.

    Try switching to a 3 lift 2 cardio split.
    What I'd your lifting routine like right now?

    Cheers, h.

    (I am 103 lbs, lift, and work with between 75-85g protein, this is just under 30% of my calorie goal.
    My LBM is about 77-80.)
  • ThermoDust
    ThermoDust Posts: 33 Member
    For the most part my strength day isn't around weights them self but using body weight. I have a high focus on core and general strength. I am doing cardio so much because last month I set a goal of running a 5k in March/April(depending on temperature) then a 10k in June/July. My co-workers keep asking me if I want to join this years tough mudder, which so far my mind tells me is a little beyond my current abilities but I like the idea of pushing myself for that.

    It sounds like I should increase my daily intake to prevent issues.
  • rkpixler
    rkpixler Posts: 26 Member
    Definitely watch your macros, especially your carbs, not all calories are created equal!

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