Plateau... again!

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

I have been loosing weight since January and I am down almost 50lbs and I have hit my 2nd plateau in just a few weeks. I was going good and then I was stuck for weeks at 238, I dropped that and now I am stuck again for almost 3 weeks now at 231. On two different days I went to 229 & 230, now I am steady at 231. Yes, I do check the scale more often than I should. I am getting annoyed by this. I know that it happens, but so close to the other one? I was thinking that it was water retention, the last 2 days I have felt very bloated so I made sure to keep my sodium low and increase my water, today I do not feel bloated at all.
I will say that last week I did have more than 1 cheat day, I went out with family about 3 times. This week I have only had the one and that is all I intend to have. I am starting to think that cheat day is what might be causing this.
As for my food diary, I try to come in under my allowed calories for the day, I keep thinking to myself if I eat this then I will gain weight. My calories allowed in a day has come down since I started this program (I have lost 18 lbs since starting on MFP) I am now at 1260. I exercise 5 - 6 days a week 30-60 minutes each time. That usually consists of the elliptical, stationary bike or stair stepper. I do not lift weights, I do crunches.
Another thing is sometimes I try to not eat back my exercise calories, like yesterday for instance, I didn't eat back any. Some days I eat back some, but I try to not eat them all. I don't understand why we want to take in more when we just burned them off.
If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

Still looking for some help.... bump.... any advice????

yanicka · July 2011

Have you tried to eat your exercices calories?

or change your weight lose from 2 pounds a week to 1 pounds a week? Obviously, your body do not feel like it can safely shed those pounds. Maybe time for a few high calories day to convince your body that you are not starving and that it is ok to lose weight.

sweetiebelle · July 2011

I don't do cheat days. I make my food work in my calories if I want something I usually stay away from. I did it once and too me 2 weeks to get the 2 lbs back off.

Mysticmarduk · July 2011

I have a guess you fit mine and a few other people's same problem. If you look at my other posts they will pretty much say your not eating enough.

at 1200 calories a day, not eating your calories back and excercising 6 days a week.... you are way under your daily calorie Need.

You should have between a 500 and 1000 calorie defecit from your Daily Need. that's BMI * excercise level.

If you use this site what calorie does it say your fat loss and extreme fat loss should be at?
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

sweetiebelle · July 2011

Your body needs fuel. The more you exercise the more you can eat and will lose weight. I personally don't eat my exercise calories just my regular calories. But eat all regular calories because if you don't your body thinks it starving. Through out my journey I never really plateau.

MrsLaCroix · July 2011

You really do need to eat your recommended calories I have found in the past I was always under-eating when I dieted. I have lost 90 lbs after advise from a nutritionist to increase my calories and exercise time unfortunately I gained 30 back from an injury. I am back on the wagon and working hard but it still seems like I lose more when I eat the recommended calories. The biggest thing to learn is eat everything in moderation and you will never feel deprived. Common sense of course but don't deprive yourself of the things you love, just eat them in suggested portions. Good luck just don't give up and you will get past it.

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

Thanks for the replies.

I have gone back and forth about the eating the exercise calories because I just never understood why I am putting back what I just burnt off.

I was actually thinking that maybe I should take the advice of changing my goals, I noticed that I would have an extra 200 calories a day.

Thanks for the link Mysticmarduk... I checked it out and I am thinking of trying the zig zag method it shows.

I appreciate the help! Thanks!

summalovaable · July 2011

Like so many people here have said you NEED to eat more, and different types of foods. It's easy to fall into a routine once you know it works, and unfortuanetly your entire body responds in the same way. I almost never do the same work out routine at the gym, and I try to switch up my "dieting" drom day to day. For example: One day i might be eating low carb while the day after that I'm carb loading. I've stopped pre planning what I eat and instead just go with whatever I want. I broke my year long plateau that way and have lost 8 lbs in the past two weeks (finallly 132). I would also recommend having two "cheat" days this week instead of one (or however many you usually have). You need to shock your body into something different if you're reallly finding the weight is NOT coming off.

Mysticmarduk · July 2011

... I don't understand why we want to take in more when we just burned them off. ...

I missed this quesiton the first time and would like to add a clarifer to hopefully help you understand what's happening.

MFP figures your BMR and automatically takes off the 1000 calories for a 2 lb weight loss goal.
BMR is not Daily Calorie Need (BMI). Daily Calorie (BMI) need is BMR plus any activity you do during the day besides laying still in bed.

For you an inbetween of the following would probably be appropriate.
If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725

since i Don't know how tall you are i'm going to say your 5'4'' (adjust the numbers for your height or let me know and i'd be glad to help you) Excercising moderately 5 times a week, at current reported weight. Your BMR is probably close to 1800. Now remember this is laying in bed doing nothing all day minimum calorie goal.
Because you are close to the moderate category multiply that by 1.55 and you get a Daily need of 2790 (this is on days you don't excercise).

Yes The multiplying factor would change if you stopped excercising.

To have a healthy goal of 2 lb's a week that's 1000 calorie defecit per day, puts you to 1790 Bare minimum on days you don't excercise.
You need to stay within 1000 of your daily need, and the only way to do that is to eat your calories back.

If you don't eat back your calories you are creating a bigger defecit than 1000 calories. This in turn Requires your body to burn muscle instead of fat,

Let me know if you would like help or would like more explaination.

Try it for a 3 weeks. You might be pleasantly surprised.

tameko2 · July 2011

someone posted this yesterday and it seems good:

http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

... I don't understand why we want to take in more when we just burned them off. ...

since i Don't know how tall you are i'm going to say your 5'4'' (adjust the numbers for your height or let me know and i'd be glad to help you)

I am 5'7"

I have changed my goal to 1 pound a week... I was at 2. By doing that I am now at 1760 for calories. When I had it set at 2 a week I was at 1260, prior to that it had me at 1370, but it lowered when I dropped the first 10 pounds.

I am hoping that by upping the calories maybe I will start to loose again. This was the issue that I had a year ago, I plateaued for weeks and I just stopped trying, then I gained so much weight after that. I am intent on that not happening again so I need to break this before it breaks me. If loosing 1 pound at a time is gonna do that, then that is what I am gonna have to do.

I really appreciate all the help. You guys are great!!!

Wish me luck.

srp2011 · July 2011

II will say that last week I did have more than 1 cheat day, I went out with family about 3 times. This week I have only had the one and that is all I intend to have. I am starting to think that cheat day is what might be causing this.

Um, yes, cheat days are likely a major contributor to this particular plateau :-) However, if have been pretty much sticking to the same routine for 6 months, you should probably try mixing up the exercise - add some weight lifting, try some high-intensity interval training, etc... because your body gets to be very efficient if you do the same exercise or exercise level regularly and you won't burn as many calories. Plus, as you get thinner and your calorie allowance goes down, so the combo can make it harder to lose even when you're doing what you've been doing all along.

AmandaLenn86 · July 2011

This thread has helped bring things to light for me... im eat way less then i should and my body is stuck!!! im going to make some changes against what MFP says!!

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

you should probably try mixing up the exercise - add some weight lifting, try some high-intensity interval training, etc... because your body gets to be very efficient if you do the same exercise or exercise level regularly and you won't burn as many calories. Plus, as you get thinner and your calorie allowance goes down, so the combo can make it harder to lose even when you're doing what you've been doing all along.

I have noticed that I am not burning nearly what I was in the beginning... I have upped the resistance when I am on machines, but I cannot seem to get my heart rate out of the 130-140 zone. I am worried that if I start lifting weights then I will be gaining muscle and the scale again won't move. I am aware that I need to tone, but I am lost as to what to do.

brandiuntz · July 2011

You won't "bulk up" by adding strength training to your workout. Women in general don't add bulk and because you're losing weight, you're not eating enough to gain a bunch of mass (bulk). Strength training will tone your body and get you fit.

To add to those suggesting you eat more, I agree. I lowered my goal to .5lb/week and started losing again. The closer you gt to a healthy weight, the fewer pounds a week you'll lose. Progress will continue, though. You just have to adjust the closer you get to your goal.

Congrats on your success so far!

srp2011 · July 2011

you should probably try mixing up the exercise - add some weight lifting, try some high-intensity interval training, etc... because your body gets to be very efficient if you do the same exercise or exercise level regularly and you won't burn as many calories. Plus, as you get thinner and your calorie allowance goes down, so the combo can make it harder to lose even when you're doing what you've been doing all along.

I have noticed that I am not burning nearly what I was in the beginning... I have upped the resistance when I am on machines, but I cannot seem to get my heart rate out of the 130-140 zone. I am worried that if I start lifting weights then I will be gaining muscle and the scale again won't move. I am aware that I need to tone, but I am lost as to what to do.

The high-intensity interval training should really help to get your heart rate up - basically you alternate working out at your regular level or even below with intense bursts for like 1 minute intervals - like for example, if you run at a 12 min/mile pace, you would alternate that with 1 minute bursts at a higher pace, like a 10 min/mile pace. Similar idea if you do a bike or elliptical (I think if you go to Self.com you can find some sample workouts, or search on high intensity interval training to find examples). This is supposed to be the very best way to burn fat - not only does it burn fat while you are working out, but it revs your metabolism for hours afterwards. Steady-state workouts just don't have the same effect.

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

you should probably try mixing up the exercise - add some weight lifting, try some high-intensity interval training, etc... because your body gets to be very efficient if you do the same exercise or exercise level regularly and you won't burn as many calories. Plus, as you get thinner and your calorie allowance goes down, so the combo can make it harder to lose even when you're doing what you've been doing all along.

I have noticed that I am not burning nearly what I was in the beginning... I have upped the resistance when I am on machines, but I cannot seem to get my heart rate out of the 130-140 zone. I am worried that if I start lifting weights then I will be gaining muscle and the scale again won't move. I am aware that I need to tone, but I am lost as to what to do.

if you go to Self.com you can find some sample workouts, or search on high intensity interval training to find examples). This is supposed to be the very best way to burn fat - not only does it burn fat while you are working out, but it revs your metabolism for hours afterwards. Steady-state workouts just don't have the same effect.

Thanks, I checked this out and I am going to give it a try at the gym today!

Grimmerick · July 2011

try calorie cycling too, it will help prevent you from hitting those plateaus as well

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

try calorie cycling too, it will help prevent you from hitting those plateaus as well

That is when I eat what I am supposed to and then a day or two go over?

JenniferLgsdn · July 2011

Ok, I did a week with higher calories and I GAINED! I started at 231, the 2nd day I checked and I was at 230 & then a day or two later, 229... so I said ok, let me try this zig zag thing, and now I am UP at 232 !!!! What is going on?! I need to get out of the 30's because I am starting to get to that point where I am about to say screw this whole thing, let me just go be fat. I don't want to get there...

Plateau... again!

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