Endless Plateau

MimiGroveOwen
MimiGroveOwen Posts: 9 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi. I've been fairly successful with My Fitness Pal for the better part of he last year, having lost about 35 pounds, but need to lose about 20 more. Have plateaued for about the last 3 months, even though I've been fairly rigorous with sticking to 1200-1500 calories a day and working with my fitbit for 2000-4000 steps per day. Would do more, but I've got a bad shoulder which impeded most exercise. Also have been put back on Risperidol which is a foiler. Was thinking about going to a high protein diet to see if that would break the slow down. Any suggestions? Trying not to get discouraged.

Replies

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Dump the fitbit, start manually logging and tracking exercise calories. It's probably lying to you. My wife tried one and never could lose weight with hers, once she tossed it in a drawer and just started using her phone to count steps and log exercise she started losing weight. Food for thought.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,363 Member
    edited July 2017
    been fairly rigorous with sticking to 1200-1500

    "Fairly" rigorous won't cut it when you are down to 20 pounds to lose. It took me nine months to lose the last 20 pounds because there is quite a bit of actual hunger involved AND there is a very slim margin of error.

    How did you arrive at 1500 as an upper limit? Are you set at "lose 1/2 pound per week"? That is the setting you should use at this point. Log every day, accurately. It's the only way. 1500 may work if you are diligent in your logging. It's going to be slow going, regardless.

    I also agree to disconnect fitbit. Eat 200-300 hundred more for every hour of purposeful moderate exercise.
  • LindaFletcher2
    LindaFletcher2 Posts: 3 Member
    MimiGroveOwen wrote: »
    Hi. I've been fairly successful with My Fitness Pal for the better part of he last year, having lost about 35 pounds, but need to lose about 20 more. Have plateaued for about the last 3 months, even though I've been fairly rigorous with sticking to 1200-1500 calories a day and working with my fitbit for 2000-4000 steps per day. Would do more, but I've got a bad shoulder which impeded most exercise. Also have been put back on Risperidol which is a foiler. Was thinking about going to a high protein diet to see if that would break the slow down. Any suggestions? Trying not to get discouraged.

  • KMathilde
    KMathilde Posts: 5 Member
    After three months of gaining/working off the same 4 pounds, I think I've finally broken through my plateau. (We'll see tomorrow if the scale was lying this morning.) We are in almost the exact same place - I have 20 to go, lost over 60, diligent with my logging and calorie intake. But the last chunk of weight will be the hardest and most stubborn to overcome. I've upped my workouts in frequency, intensity and variety to help get over the hurdle because, I agree, it is really frustrating to be doing as much as I am but not seeing any more progress. Consistency, patience and persistence! You can do it!
  • LindaFletcher2
    LindaFletcher2 Posts: 3 Member
    Hi Mimi, I have a fair amount of weight to lose and have experienced several plateau's along the way. I am on a 1200 Cal food plan through my family doctor. I have found by increasing my food intake and exercises, caused me to gain or stay the same when I plateau. The only way to beat the plateau stage was to "jump start your water intake". It works!!! My doctor told me that when your body hits a plateau, it means your body is taking a rest, before starting again to lose or maintain. So "Just Keep Drinking".
  • hpacaro
    hpacaro Posts: 25 Member
    I would look at the quality of your calories. Are you getting multiple servings of fruits and veggies in every day? Are you eating a lot of processed foods or are you eating real, whole foods? Do you drink at least 64 oz of water every day and no soda? It doesn't have to be perfect, but the more you can progress towards healthier, clean eating, the better your results and the changes will push you through a plateau. Also, there are a lot of things you can do with a bum shoulder. I tore my rotator cuff a month a couple months ago and still managed to exercise daily even though I had limited mobility in my right arm and couldn't hold any weight. If I can give you one word of advice, don't let that become your excuse to getting exercise. I have people that come to my Zumba classes with severe damage to their shoulder and they literally do the feet and one side of arm movements without the other. I have another gal who was severely assaulted and has little movement on the entire right side of her body and she simply modifies everything to do on the left and does what she can on the right. You can do this!
  • estelagv3779
    estelagv3779 Posts: 9 Member
    Hi! Would feel free to add me! I have been successful on loosing 50 pounds in almost 6 months but I haven't been loosing much lately... Looking for posture people to stay motivated & keep each other going.. Maybe I have ideas for you & you have new ways for me!
  • pmm3437
    pmm3437 Posts: 529 Member
    You need to recalculate your target after every 10-20 lbs. lost, because your BMI goes down as your weight does.

    And a 20% calorie range isn't helping you any, you need to be more exacting with your measurements, and hitting your targets.

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