Help! starvation or Plateau?

Pam37841
Pam37841 Posts: 286
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I really need help. I don't know if I have plateaued or of I am in starvation mode. My weight is not going anywhere! I have tried all the suggestions on here. I have ate just under my calorie amount, I have ate back my calories, I have at under my calories. I was doing good until I started my job a month ago. I thought I would drop a bunch because I was 5x more active at this job than I was at the last. Well, I gained 3, then lost it back, then Nothing, then gained 2 pounds again!

Is there anyone who can help me?

Replies

  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



    Good luck on your journey
  • rainydaydreamr
    rainydaydreamr Posts: 6
    Hey Girl,
    I understand how you feel! I've been fighting the same thing for a while now. I had lost about 15 lbs and then I've been within the same 5 lb section for a few weeks now. So, what I'm doing is increasing my calories (just a bit) to just over my daily net calories. I've done it for a week and there hasn't been much of a change yet, but I have lost the dreaded 'weekend pounds' faster than usual. So I'm thinking I might have been in starvation mode but I'm still not sure. I'm going for another week with the increased calories and seeing what happens. After that, who knows. Not sure if this helped at all... turns out I think I just rambled for a while :(
  • Tiggerrick
    Tiggerrick Posts: 1,078 Member
    Consider the fact that whatever you were doing was working. Now, keep doing it. All the suggestions here are great, but stick to what has worked. As you lose weight, your body may need time to get used to the new weight. If you read on line journals, you will find that at about a 10 to 20% loss, you will reach a plateau. After a short time, you will continue to go down. Don't be impatient. Starvation mode will not be an issue unless you are doing a VLCD (very low calorie diet), and I mean sub 600/day. Keep it up. Don't get discouraged.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    I'm in the same boat. I have been a pound away from 30 total lost for 2 weeks now and the scale is not moving. In fact I've gain a pound back! I have been working out more the past 2 weeks but I've been eating a little more as well. I am so frustrated!
  • spgabby86
    spgabby86 Posts: 323 Member
    Wow...thanks for sharing I really need this as I've been stuck fora while myself.
  • Pam37841
    Pam37841 Posts: 286
    Thanks Everyone!
  • Pam37841
    Pam37841 Posts: 286
    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/153704-myth-or-fact-simple-math-3500-calories-one-pound-eat



    Good luck on your journey

    Thank you for taking the time to get all of this together for me! I will look over it and see what I can find to help me.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    Also, if you are more active in your new job, you might need to up your calories. Make sure your settings are correct and see if changing them helps.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Can you make your food diary public, it's hard to see what you are doing and have us suggest anything until we can view it. Generally, from my experience, people aren't eating enough calories or not getting the right type of calories. Stuff like too much sodium can highly affect weight loss as it retains water. Also, working out with a good combination of cardio and weights (pretty much stuff to increase muscle mass) will help you burn more calories and increase weight loss.
  • DECAFLiving
    DECAFLiving Posts: 31 Member
    Stick to it it will drop eventually! I was stuck for 2 months at one times - try mixing your meals up so have bigger breakfast if you normal have small and same for dinner - sometimes that's enough to chock your body into action.
  • thincat33
    thincat33 Posts: 3 Member
    Keep at it, it will go eventually stick to your calories and make sure you drink enough water to help move food through your system. Good luck
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