Plateau hit....help needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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emlov81
emlov81 Posts: 128
in Health and Weight Loss
Thanks for reading, youe help is very much appreciated!!

I've been stuck at 159lbs for 3 weeks now, while i'm trying not to focus too much on weight loss I would like to see a small decline in this!

I am 5'4'' and currently aiming for 1lb a week weight loss. I am fairly active going to the gym four days a week, a walk twice weekly (after one of these walks I concentrate on lunges, squats, press ups and a few other things like that) and one rest day a week!! Additionally i try to eat 70% of my exercie calories, want to leave a little gap as i do not use a HRM so calrorie burn is not too accurate.....

My diary is open for all to see, so you can see that most days I am under my calorie goal!!

My questions are:

Firstly, is there anything I can do food or exercise wise to help the situation??

Secondly, should i reduce my weight loss goal to 0.5lb per week as I am nearing "normal" BMI?

Thanks again:bigsmile:

Emma

Replies

  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    You might try increasing the weight/strength training - use weights if you haven't, or increase weights - and increase to 2-3 days per week. Body weight exercises are great, but you do need to keep increasing intensity.

    For what you have left to lose, 1 lb is a bit aggressive. I would go ahead and lower it to 1/2 lb per week.

    Also, may help to read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20343-how-i-have-avoided-plateauing-length-warning

    Good luck with it. :flowerforyou:
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Well if calories is not a problem how bout ur protein, sugar, and sodium? These are important to keep an eye on to see scale go down.
    Give urself enough cals for the day like 1400-1600 and forget bout exercise cals.
  • jluscious
    jluscious Posts: 9
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    Have you ever considered going vegan? Its so healthy for you, and eliminating all of those toxic animal fats from your system will definitely jump start your weight loss again. But more so than that, you'll only set your body up for success. Its an incredibly nutritious lifestyle. Why not give it a whirl? :)

    And I also agree that eliminating sodium is a good idea. Well, you cant really eliminate in entirely but as much as possible. Caffeine doesn't help either. Caffeine is a diuretic which means that it causes your body to absorb water, which, means that your body will defend itself by regulating the water supply and holding onto every drop of water. In the long run diuretics, caffeine, and alcohol will cause dehydration, because more water is pulled out of the tissues to clear out the foreign compounds. If water levels drop too low, the kidneys won't get enough and then the liver must react and the water deprivation cycle continues, resulting in no fat metabolism.

    Sorry, its a lot. But.. just a thought!
  • Libby81
    Libby81 Posts: 734 Member
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    Try mixing your exercise routine up a little. Maybe try a class or two at the gym instead of doing your normal routine. I do some really good and fun strength/cardio classes at mine. Muscle weighs more that fat too. I don't know if your measurements are improving or not. You could try a set of scales which reads, your muscle content, bone density, water % as well as weight and then you would be able to see the results in other areas (this and getting a HRM really helped me through my plateau)

    Perhaps you need to slightly up your calories too, it may be that your body is holding the weight as it isn't getting enough calories.

    I hope you find a solution, theres nothing more demotivating than working hard and not seeing results. :heart:
  • taurie
    taurie Posts: 225 Member
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    It looks like you are averaging out 1800 calories a day. That is maintenance calories for the average person of your height and weight.

    Maybe... don't eat back your exercise calories, or set your calorie burn rate for someone who is sedentary and eat only some exercise calories back.
  • PhoenixRising11
    PhoenixRising11 Posts: 245 Member
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    I would suggest getting a HRM so that you have an accurate count of the calories you are burning.
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
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    Hello! I am stuck in the same spot at 160... and it's crazy annoying haha! However, I think my personal problem is that I am eating most of my exercise calories back. Maybe for a little while you could try to eat fewer (less than 70%) back. I'm pretty active even when I am not doing my specified exercises, and I have noticed that it's usually about the food for me, and no matter how much exercise I do my body will not lose weight unless I am eating around1,300 calories a day.
  • bettywillow
    bettywillow Posts: 1
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    I think Libby has it spot on! Sounds like your body has adapted to what you are doing so you need to change things a little. Maybe add in a little more cardio for fat burning and make sure you are eating enough. When you 'under eat' your body slows all processes down as it doesn't know when it will be fuelled up again! Increase water and watch the sugar content of food (especially hidden sugar) as this is a complete nightmare for weight loss! Hope this helps!
  • emlov81
    emlov81 Posts: 128
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    Hi all,

    Cheers for your help and suggestions!!!

    I have been using the weighing machine in the gym which measures body fat and since March I have reduced my body fat from 33.9% to 29.4%, so I know i'm doing something right :laugh:

    I think i'll reduce my target weight loss to 0.5lb a week, am feeling so so so much better about how i look and feel at the mo so wont hurt to steady up on weight loss now!! Also I will mix it up more in the gym, I do stick to routines quite a bit!!:blushing:

    Thanks again folks :flowerforyou:
  • SuzRyn
    SuzRyn Posts: 1
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    Try a detox bath, it helps me get over plateaus.

    1/2 cup baking soda powder
    1 cup epsom salt
    1 cup sea salt

    Mix into a bath with water as hot as you can handle, and stay in for 20 minutes. Then take a cold rinse shower. Make sure to drink a lot of water afterwards.

    I have tried it twice, and the first time I lost 2 lbs, and the second time I lost 1 lb.
  • erinmarie80
    erinmarie80 Posts: 1
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    I've hit a plateau as well and am not totally sure what to do. I'm doing the 2 pounds per week weight loss, so I already eat the least amount allowed, 1200 calories a day. If I exercise, I HAVE to put the calories back. I just started with exercise, so I really thought that would help push through. I've lost about 30 pounds since January, since before I joined this site and am now at 150 pounds. I wasn't expecting to hit a plateau already. I figured it it would happen closer to my goal weight and I'm only about halfway there. Should I just incorporate more exercise and try to watch my sodium in addition to calories?
  • Rhian_81
    Rhian_81 Posts: 49 Member
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    I agree with Libby & Bettywillow. Maybe your routine just needs a shock to wake your metabolism up.

    You're doing everything right, good clean diet, with no excessive binges, alot of cardio exercise.

    You've lost body fat, have you tried changing the batteries in your scales? :smile:
  • VStar55
    VStar55 Posts: 75
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    I had the same thing happen and broke my plateau with the help of an HRM. Hang in there you will break out of it.
  • emlov81
    emlov81 Posts: 128
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    Thanks everyone!! I am just sitting it out at the moment!!

    Started this week with a new calorie goal so hopefully will get off this plateau some time soon :smile:
  • helenoftroy1
    helenoftroy1 Posts: 638 Member
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    I agree with Libby & Bettywillow. Maybe your routine just needs a shock to wake your metabolism up.

    You're doing everything right, good clean diet, with no excessive binges, alot of cardio exercise.

    You've lost body fat, have you tried changing the batteries in your scales? :smile:

    Were you sat next to her whilst typing this Rhi? :tongue:
  • Rhian_81
    Rhian_81 Posts: 49 Member
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    Actually no, I think she was in the gym. :tongue:

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