weight loss plateau???? so close to goal weight :(
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ashdeo
Posts: 20 Member
Hi all,
When I first started my fitness journey in late June 2013 I was 220. Almost 4 years later I am 147, surpassing my goal of being 150, and have decided to push myself and go to 120 (I still have quite a bit of excess body fat that needs to go; measurements are currently 37 in bust, 33 in waist 39 in hips).
Since the end of February (approximately Feb 27), my weight loss has slowed down and I have been stuck between 147-149 for two and a half weeks. I consume 1,200 and try to burn about 500-700 calories (I try not to eat back my activity calories or whatever you call them). I am a vegetarian with a dairy allergy and my diet is pretty clean (no fried/baked foods, no white carbs, LOTS of greens, etc.) I also drink about 80 -128 oz of water a day.
My workouts consist of Nike Training Club (circuit training) + 45 min - 1 hour of cardio (stairmaster, treadmill, AMT, regular elliptical, rowing machine; each of these is done as HIIT) + 30 mins of weight training (about 3 times a week) + Over 10K+ Fitbit steps a day
I feel really discouraged to have made it SOOO far and put in all this work only to be stuck so close to the end. My diary should be public and I would REALLY appreciate some feedback, help or advice
*Note: I have lost 1 inch from waist and hips in the time of this weird plateau*
When I first started my fitness journey in late June 2013 I was 220. Almost 4 years later I am 147, surpassing my goal of being 150, and have decided to push myself and go to 120 (I still have quite a bit of excess body fat that needs to go; measurements are currently 37 in bust, 33 in waist 39 in hips).
Since the end of February (approximately Feb 27), my weight loss has slowed down and I have been stuck between 147-149 for two and a half weeks. I consume 1,200 and try to burn about 500-700 calories (I try not to eat back my activity calories or whatever you call them). I am a vegetarian with a dairy allergy and my diet is pretty clean (no fried/baked foods, no white carbs, LOTS of greens, etc.) I also drink about 80 -128 oz of water a day.
My workouts consist of Nike Training Club (circuit training) + 45 min - 1 hour of cardio (stairmaster, treadmill, AMT, regular elliptical, rowing machine; each of these is done as HIIT) + 30 mins of weight training (about 3 times a week) + Over 10K+ Fitbit steps a day
I feel really discouraged to have made it SOOO far and put in all this work only to be stuck so close to the end. My diary should be public and I would REALLY appreciate some feedback, help or advice
*Note: I have lost 1 inch from waist and hips in the time of this weird plateau*
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Replies
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Not a plateau.
Carry on.3 -
hi jemhh, thanks for replying!
are you sure? i was consistently losing 2-2.6 lbs a week for MONTHS and since Feb 27 (22 days) have been stuck between 147-149. can you elaborate please? lol im one of those people who needs a full explanation to feel secure mentally!1 -
21 days is not a plateau, period. Women need to compare weight menstrual cycle to menstrual cycle. Day 1 vs Day 1,for example. Weight loss is not linear or constant.
It's surprising to me that you have lost so much weight and still this that this is a plateau.2 -
21 days is not a plateau, period. Women need to compare weight menstrual cycle to menstrual cycle. Day 1 vs Day 1,for example. Weight loss is not linear or constant.
It's surprising to me that you have lost so much weight and still this that this is a plateau.
wow i'll take that into consideration! it's a mental thing, I struggled with an eating disorder from ages 11-17 so sometimes I get caught up in the numbers and get fixated on my goals but it keeps me in check (but, a very healthy check now!)2 -
Congrats on you loss! How tall are you? Once you reach a normal weight, the lbs come off MUCH slower. .5 lb per week is not uncommon. You shouldn't be losing 2 lbs per week at this point unless you want to risk your nutrition, energy, and lose muscle. There is less margin for error in weighing logging. You may have more fluctuations which adds to the frustration. Plus all the other factors mentioned. Just tighten up your logging and stick with your plan.1
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Congrats on you loss! How tall are you? Once you reach a normal weight, the lbs come off MUCH slower. There is less margin for error in weighing logging. You may have more fluctuations which adds to the frustration. Plus all the other factors mentioned. Just tighten up your logging and stick with your plan.
Thank you! and i'm 5'6
will tighten up the logging! i went home to nyc for spring break and didnt log (or watch what i ate :x) very well so last week and this week have been me getting back on track 0 -
Congrats on you loss! How tall are you? Once you reach a normal weight, the lbs come off MUCH slower. .5 lb per week is not uncommon. You shouldn't be losing 2 lbs per week at this point unless you want to risk your nutrition, energy, and lose muscle. There is less margin for error in weighing logging. You may have more fluctuations which adds to the frustration. Plus all the other factors mentioned. Just tighten up your logging and stick with your plan.
^^this
Although, at this point if you've been losing that much weight per week (which is way too aggressive at your current weight, as mentioned above), I don't think logging is the issue. Stalls are pretty normal, as weight loss is not linear., and a plateau is usually considered 4 weeks or more without a loss.2 -
Eating 1200 calories and trying to burn off 500 via exercise without eating more is not healthy.7
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dragon_girl26 wrote: »Congrats on you loss! How tall are you? Once you reach a normal weight, the lbs come off MUCH slower. .5 lb per week is not uncommon. You shouldn't be losing 2 lbs per week at this point unless you want to risk your nutrition, energy, and lose muscle. There is less margin for error in weighing logging. You may have more fluctuations which adds to the frustration. Plus all the other factors mentioned. Just tighten up your logging and stick with your plan.
^^this
Although, at this point if you've been losing that much weight per week (which is way too aggressive at your current weight, as mentioned above), I don't think logging is the issue. Stalls are pretty normal, as weight loss is not linear., and a plateau is usually considered 4 weeks or more without a loss.
REALLY??????? I've read so many things that said if it's two weeks or more without a loss its a plateau i'm so shook!! hopefully things will start chugging along by week 4 again *crosses fingers*
uggghhhh that's so annoying though that my rate of weight loss is going to be slower now that i'm at a healthy weight i just want to be at my goal weight already haha0 -
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Considering your past issues, this is somewhat worrisome. You might want to take a step back and re-examine your goal.4 -
Considering your past issues, this is somewhat worrisome. You might want to take a step back and re-examine your goal.
do you think upping my net cals to 1200 would help??? i tried it for almost a week and saw a slowdown, hence why I went back to my usual 1200 in, 500-700 out (i know, i know! i know better but the slowdown really freaked me out. still learning about nutrition by the way so any explanations, keep on giving it!) the reason why I reassessed my goal to 120 is because my body fat % is still pretty high (about 30% - 33%, online calculators have been telling me different things). Aiming for about 22%-25% body fat and going to 120 seemed the way to go based on my weight loss patterns0 -
I'm down to losing the last 4lbs, and I'm lucky to lose 0.4lbs a week, and not in a linear fashion either! I might stay the same or fluctuate up and down for 2-3 weeks, and then I'll get a random loss.
I'm 5"8 and won't go below 1660 calories.1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I'm down to losing the last 4lbs, and I'm lucky to lose 0.4lbs a week, and not in a linear fashion either! I might stay the same or fluctuate up and down for 2-3 weeks, and then I'll get a random loss.
I'm 5"8 and won't go below 1660 calories.
Wow that is so encouraging to hear, thank you Christine! It makes me feel so much better! How do you keep yourself sane during those fluctuations?2 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I'm down to losing the last 4lbs, and I'm lucky to lose 0.4lbs a week, and not in a linear fashion either! I might stay the same or fluctuate up and down for 2-3 weeks, and then I'll get a random loss.
I'm 5"8 and won't go below 1660 calories.
Wow that is so encouraging to hear, thank you Christine! It makes me feel so much better! How do you keep yourself sane during those fluctuations?
This is the look on my face most mornings when i look down at that scale number..
But seriously, I know i'm doing everything right, counting every calorie, making sure i get in at least 15k steps a day, there is no more i can do! This slow down started happening around 10lbs ago, so I've gotten used to it now. Plus i use Trendweight which helps set my mind at ease when it looks like i'm not losing squat!
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AT your current height/weight, you're being really aggressive with your deficit and hard exercise and not eating back any of the exercise calories.
I'm not saying "starvation mode." NOT saying that.
I *am* going to say that a woman's body defends its body fat very vigorously when you're so close to "ideal" for your height, and starts deploying everything it has - hormones, brain chemicals, all of it - to protect you from what it sees as a dangerous situation. Upping your intake at least a bit and scaling back the higher intensity exercise may (paradoxically) help.3 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »I'm down to losing the last 4lbs, and I'm lucky to lose 0.4lbs a week, and not in a linear fashion either! I might stay the same or fluctuate up and down for 2-3 weeks, and then I'll get a random loss.
I'm 5"8 and won't go below 1660 calories.
Wow that is so encouraging to hear, thank you Christine! It makes me feel so much better! How do you keep yourself sane during those fluctuations?
This is the look on my face most mornings when i look down at that scale number..
But seriously, I know i'm doing everything right, counting every calorie, making sure i get in at least 15k steps a day, there is no more i can do! This slow down started happening around 10lbs ago, so I've gotten used to it now. Plus i use Trendweight which helps set my mind at ease when it looks like i'm not losing squat!
Me right now. Approaching two weeks of this face.
OP, I'm echoing everyone else, your losses are way too aggressive. Your anxiety around increasing calories is a massive red flag too. Upping your calories won't "help" the scale number necessarily, in fact you could well see less regular movement than even the past couple of weeks but for your long term physical health it's really imperative at this point that you eat more. If you find yourself unable you should seek professional help with some urgency.3 -
Hi everyone!!
Thank you all for the advice, suggestions and support
I actually ate into my exercise calories (1602!!!) and surprisingly felt so much better!!! Never thought I would have an issue trying to eat MORE when for most of my life people have told me to eat less LOL. Today I did a FULL workout (30 mins Nike circuit, 40 mins HIIT cardio, arm training and 10.5K steps) and when I eat dinner, I usually still felt dead and struggled with hunger pangs in the middle of the night. So far, I feel pretty amazing post workout and no hunger pangs and it is almost 12:30 AM! Think i'm going to stop paying attention to the scale so much anymore and focus on inches lost (but of course, track in a healthy way and keep telling myself it is not a linear, set process!) Of course, it is one day and I haven't "fixed myself" but as we all know, we're all a work in progress, but a step in the right direction is good I will keep you all updated!
*Side note: I plan on going for my PTC so hopefully I learn even more about nutrition to not only help myself, but to help and inspire others too* 3 -
Hi everyone!!
Thank you all for the advice, suggestions and support I actually ate into my exercise calories (1602!!!) and surprisingly felt so much better!!! Never thought I would have an issue trying to eat MORE when for most of my life people have told me to eat less LOL. Today I did a FULL workout (30 mins Nike circuit, 40 mins HIIT cardio, arm training and 10.5K steps) and when I eat dinner, I usually still felt dead and struggled with hunger pangs in the middle of the night. So far, I feel pretty amazing post workout and no hunger pangs and it is almost 12:30 AM! Think i'm going to stop paying attention to the scale so much anymore and focus on inches lost (but of course, track in a healthy way and keep telling myself it is not a linear, set process!) Of course, it is one day and I haven't "fixed myself" but as we all know, we're all a work in progress, but a step in the right direction is good I will keep you all updated!
In my opinion, that's exactly what you needed to do! I understand how you feel on eating over your set calories. It's scary bc we've got it set in our heads that we can exceed that number or it'll be total failure ( or that was my thoughts anyways lol) but from the advice of a friend of mine that's been into body building for 20 plus years, he suggested for me to sometimes change up a meal or two for a couple of days then get back on track and it should kick start my weight loss again.
Congrats to you for your progress!! You should be very proud of yourself!! Keep on keeping on!0 -
Hi everyone!!
Thank you all for the advice, suggestions and support I actually ate into my exercise calories (1602!!!) and surprisingly felt so much better!!! Never thought I would have an issue trying to eat MORE when for most of my life people have told me to eat less LOL. Today I did a FULL workout (30 mins Nike circuit, 40 mins HIIT cardio, arm training and 10.5K steps) and when I eat dinner, I usually still felt dead and struggled with hunger pangs in the middle of the night. So far, I feel pretty amazing post workout and no hunger pangs and it is almost 12:30 AM! Think i'm going to stop paying attention to the scale so much anymore and focus on inches lost (but of course, track in a healthy way and keep telling myself it is not a linear, set process!) Of course, it is one day and I haven't "fixed myself" but as we all know, we're all a work in progress, but a step in the right direction is good I will keep you all updated!
In my opinion, that's exactly what you needed to do! I understand how you feel on eating over your set calories. It's scary bc we've got it set in our heads that we can exceed that number or it'll be total failure ( or that was my thoughts anyways lol) but from the advice of a friend of mine that's been into body building for 20 plus years, he suggested for me to sometimes change up a meal or two for a couple of days then get back on track and it should kick start my weight loss again.
Congrats to you for your progress!! You should be very proud of yourself!! Keep on keeping on!
** that we can't go over0
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