For those who have lost alot and gotten STUCK

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Melis25Fit
Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
in Motivation and Support
I put this in my news feed, but seeing as there is a LARGE community of mfp ppl, I'm putting it as a thread too.

Long story short- I've been on this lifestyle change for almost 3 years now. I've seen as low as 155lbs (3-4 weeks ago) and since April I have been bouncing back and forth from 160-155, and I have been going nuts trying to figure out why.
This is what I've done.

I have never really eaten back my exercise calories. So, after seeing a nutritionalist, she told me to start eating 1500-1800 cals (when I was only eating 1300ish) Did that for almost 2 months and that didn't really do much of anything at all.

I changed up my workouts: I added 2 days of strength training and then started intervals on the treadmill and elliptical 4x week, and took on 1 rest day (before I wasn't "resting" at all.)

Just the past 2 weeks now, I've went back down to 1300 cals, and 4x week weights 2 days of legs and back, 2 days arms shoulders and core and 2 days of HIIT/interval cardio.

Keep in mind, I only weigh in once a week, and this past time, I waited 2 weeks so I could give my body a chance to adapt to the change.

Doing this for 3 years now I've experienced SOME streaks of the scale not changing. I have no idea now at this point, after tweaking so much in my routine what else I can do. My goal is 140, ultimate goal is 135.
I am taking my measurements, and have lost .5" in my thighs in the past 2 months, but thats it.

I am reaching out, to you- to those who have lost alot and can offer me advice if you've ever been in my position, and what helped you?
I applaud myself on being very well educated about health and proper ways of eating and working out, but any suggestions will help me get through this time of confusion and frustration!
Thanks much!

Replies

  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
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    I'm stuck right now too. Been playing with my calorie intake and exercise to see what happens.
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    This may be your body's way of telling you that this is where it wants to be. Maybe others have some tricks, but I know my body doesn't like going below 140 and I had to starve myself for 6 months to get there. Now I'm aiming for a healthy and fit 150 (I was told by my PT that if I do strength training and cardio, I'll look like 135). Best of luck getting where you'd like to be though!
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    Oh, by the way, congratulations on the tremendous weight loss thus far!
  • princesslmc2
    princesslmc2 Posts: 264 Member
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    Congrats on your TREMENDOUS progress thus far!!!

    I'm marking this to return to this thread. I've been stuck for about 2 months. Sitting at 195-198 (I'm 5'8"). I'd love to lose another 20 pounds, but am having a hard time. I too have played around with calories and types of foods I'm eating, as well as changing up my exercise routine.
  • MarybethAltizer
    MarybethAltizer Posts: 226 Member
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    STUCK STUCK STUCK here too.... I've tried everything too, and the scale just won't move. I'm curious to hear what has worked for other people. My goal is also 135. Stuck at 146 for 5 or 6 weeks now.
  • mill1295
    mill1295 Posts: 120 Member
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    I have not lost a lot but I read your post anyways. I took a look at your food diary and you seem to go over on carbs and not hit your protein goals. I know upping my protein and cutting out everything but whole grains has really helped me. Protein helps keep you full. It empties out of the stomach at about 4 calories a minute versus simple sugars at about 10 calories a minute.
  • kristinabb
    kristinabb Posts: 18
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    Well to start with let me say I can relate. I have lost 75 pounds and got stuck at 141.5 from May 15th - July 10th or so. I would not say I am now "unstuck" but will try to explain how difficult (yet possible) it is to budge the scale maybe a little. Keep in mind everyone is different and there is and will be a point where your body becomes extremely comfortable with your current weight. ( I am SURE my body does not want to lose anymore weight right now)
    Basically at 215 pounds in Dec I began doing an elliptical no diet, by Feb 10th was down to about 192.
    Feb 10th got on 1200 cal a day diet stayed STRICT to this diet through May 10th sometimes dropping down to 600 calories a day burning from 300-1000 cals a day in exercise depending on my training. In those 4 months I went from about 192 to 142 losing 50 pounds. Somewhere around the 170 mark I began running a LOT. This is when the weight fell off. When I say a lot, it might not be a lot to some people but around 30 miles a week with one "rest day" Workout example might have been like...
    Sunday 12 mile run 1200 cals
    Monday - fast 5k (3 mile) 300 cals
    Tuesday - 10 K (6 mile) 600 cals
    Wednesday Sprint training like 3 mile repeats 3 halfs and 4 1/4 miles = 5.5 550 cals
    Thursday - fast 5 k (3 mile ) 300
    Friday - 10 mile run - I1000
    Anyway it is not THAT many MILES but the sprints and the 5k's at about 20 min flat caught up to me by mid May and my lower back / groin muscle was pulled.
    I worked through it , kept my miles up till about mid July here and decided that if I want to put so many miles in I needed to drop ten more pounds. Weighing 140 and running so hard was not working out. I just within the past 2 weeks actually saw about a 5 pound drop and let me tell you what I think caused this.
    Well my work out burns for the week were about 3900 - 4000 calories (i burn approx 100 cals per mile I run give or take)
    My resting metabolic rate is about 1440 (calories I burn if I do NOTHING all day layed in bed etc) Well I dont lay in bed all day while I dont work out so I would say its about 2000 a day ok so
    12 thousand a week + 4000 a week = 16k a week BUT my calorie intake was back up to 2 k a day so 14k in 16k out give or take some so it was about evened out. Ofc I wont see a loss. BUT I am weight training I am eating GOOD food but with all that running I needed the fuel!
    Well the past 2 weeks after evaluating this, I decided to do something DRASTIC to my work outs and food. I love cardio I love working out 2 hours a day (when I can) so I upped my burn to 1600 cals a day ( i use a heart rate monitor) for 6 days a week and kept my food 1800 - 2000 a day. So new formula
    1600 burn a day via exercise +2000 living = 3600 out a day plus 2000 in = 1600 deficit a day (except day 7 rest day no deficit)
    1600 times 12 (for a 2 week total) equals almost 20 thousand cal deficit = about 5 pounds. Which is what I dropped overall the past 2 weeks. The body does not LIKE it, the body needs cardio and needs calories for your metabolism to be up to par. I hate to preach the cals in cals out method too hard but it is right on target took me from 142 - 138 in 2 weeks. I run an hour (around 8 mph) then spin an hour (20 miles hard) 6 days a week and weight train for that 5 pounds. I also DO believe once you lose a LOT it is 70% diet 30% exercise but it is also what you make it. I like to eat and enjoy my food and know long term 600-1200 calories a day is not sustainable for ME but something that is sustainable for ME is working out daily. It depends on YOU but if you go lower cal you can work out less but the calorie deficit needs to exist and like others said watch your high glycemic food intake. I assume some people wont agree with what all I just said but I am proof that it does work. I honestly THOUGHT I was doing enough and should still be losing but once our weight drops to a certain point and our bodies are being stubborn sometimes I think you have to REALLY put in some hardcore cardio work to shed those last few pounds! Good luck
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    my best advice would be to step back and take a "big picture" look at your situation. i know your ideal goal is 135, but look how far you have come. maybe your body needs the maintenance break for a while. at 160 lbs i was eating 1600 cals and losing.... and i also ate back my cals. when i ate at 1300 cals i wanted to just eat everything in site, it was awful.

    i like how you approach this as a lifestyle change, because that is exactly what this is.... you have been patient thus far, so take a deep breath and just be kind to yourself.... any changes you make can also completely throw off you body/metabolism and it could take up to a month to see real change. heightened restriction in cals can slow you down.... everyone is different though.... good luck! keep at it, it is worth it!

    OH one other thing... i got my BMR tested a year ago, and my calorie burn for "existing" is 1512 calories. You would be surprised how much you actually need to eat if you are active.

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