Plateau for 2 weeks now :/
bruby28
Posts: 4,123 Member
So I've been working out consistently since January and have lost 30 lbs so far . I still have about 30 more to loose . Just recently the last 2 weeks the scale hasn't budged . I'm glad I haven't gained , but still little discouraging . I log everything into mfp as accurately as possible and have a calorie goal of 1350 . I workout 2 to 3 hours a day , half cardio such as stair master , jogging or stationary bike with resistance . Other half of workout I lift high reps, light weight . Sometimes I eat half of my exercise calories back if I absolutely need to and feel I néed that extra fuel and energy . But most all days I stay within my calorie goal even with the long hard workouts I do .I also change up my workouts almost every day ..different routines ..sometimes I'll skip lifting and just jog an hour etc. Or I'll do a hiit workout and walk .. I measure every month and have lost many inches , legs and arms are definitely more defined and clothes fit better . Do I just not pay as much attention to the scale and focus more on muscle tone and inches ? I'm 5'9 female , larger frame 195 . Thanks for any input , much appreciated
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Replies
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I wouldn't worry about the scale as long as you are SEEING progress, but if you are determined to make the numbers drop you'll likely have re-evaluate your meal plan and become even more aggressive on your cut.2
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Two weeks is not a plateau. Just a stall. Make sure your logging is as tight as possible (using a food scale? accurate entries?) and keep at it.7
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Keep in mind that with the level of exercise you are doing, you will be building muscle mass and losing fat. That may mean that your weight doesn't change but your measurements will be. Try and take measurements of your waist, legs arms etc so that you can see how your body is changing. Weight loss isn't the only measurement of success! Keep at it!11
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mbarilli06 wrote: »Keep in mind that with the level of exercise you are doing, you will be building muscle mass and losing fat. That may mean that your weight doesn't change but your measurements will be. Try and take measurements of your waist, legs arms etc so that you can see how your body is changing. Weight loss isn't the only measurement of success! Keep at it!
She isn't building muscle on 1350 gross calories9 -
You're telling me that she is gaining zero muscle mass working out three hours a day? Her performance hasn't improved with that level of exercise?9
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Improving performance is not the same as gaining muscle mass.11
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If she has suddenly began working out it is possible she is gaining muscle and losing weight.6
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mbarilli06 wrote: »If she has suddenly began working out it is possible she is gaining muscle and losing weight.
It's been six months, and newbie gains don't last that long.
For a person to gain muscle, they need a calorie surplus and good protein intake along with lifting. And it's quite difficult for women to gain even doing that.9 -
2 weeks isn't a plateau. She's not gaining muscle - probably some water retention. More accurate logging will cure most (if not all) stalls.6
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Interesting effect noted by Lyle McDonald in one of his articles. Posting here for interest: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/5
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InkAndApples wrote: »Improving performance is not the same as gaining muscle mass.mbarilli06 wrote: »If she has suddenly began working out it is possible she is gaining muscle and losing weight.
It's been six months, and newbie gains don't last that long.
For a person to gain muscle, they need a calorie surplus and good protein intake along with lifting. And it's quite difficult for women to gain even doing that.
These. ^^ And the suggestion that someone in a calorie deficit could be gaining so much muscle mass that it's masking their fat loss when stepping on the scale?
I only wish this were possible.
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I mean, even if muscle mass was being gained, your weight isn't going to maintain if you're eating in a deficit. It's physiologically impossible. Maintaining weight means eating at maintenance.
But two weeks a plateau does not make.5 -
Have you reassessed your calorie intake for the weight you have lost so far?
If you started at 220 and weigh 200 now (hypothetically) you will need a lower calorie goal to lose at the same rate you started at.
Also, we nearly all slack off in out logging over time without noticing. Tighten up your weighing practices and weigh every single thing, double check you are using the correct entries by using the packaging label (weigh the packaged item even if it is single serving), or the USDA.
It always think it is a good idea to be consistent in how many of your exercise calories you eat back. It gives you another data point when analyzing weight loss problems.
Cheers, h.2 -
mbarilli06 wrote: »You're telling me that she is gaining zero muscle mass working out three hours a day? Her performance hasn't improved with that level of exercise?
not while doing high reps/low weights and eating 1350 calories a day and certainly not at a rate that would outpace fat loss!!5 -
Given the level of exercise your doing i expect your not eating enough, up your intake i bet it kickstarts your weight loss again. i go to gym 4 times a week and walk my dogs 6km every day. i started at 1200 and of course i lost but i found increasing to nearer 1600 works better for me.i certainly wouldnt go lower than the 1350 your currently on. maybe change your exercise , our bodies adapt and need to be shocked sometimes. i do think three hours excessive plus you should have rest days. im no expert of course .you should have built muscle over that time too even with low weights . i would recommend body pump as a fun class , combines cardio and strength6
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essexgirl1971 wrote: »Given the level of exercise your doing i expect your not eating enough, up your intake i bet it kickstarts your weight loss again. i go to gym 4 times a week and walk my dogs 6km every day. i started at 1200 and of course i lost but i found increasing to nearer 1600 works better for me.i certainly wouldnt go lower than the 1350 your currently on. maybe change your exercise , our bodies adapt and need to be shocked sometimes. i do think three hours excessive plus you should have rest days. im no expert of course .you should have built muscle over that time too even with low weights . i would recommend body pump as a fun class , combines cardio and strength
nope you cant shock the body. unless with electricity and I dont recommend it.6 -
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Two weeks is not a plateau.. are you near ovulation or your period? Increased exercise recently? Had a high sodium day? Dehydrated?
How accurate is your logging? Are you chiding correct database entries and weighing all your food (and using cups/spoons for liquid only)?
Gaining muscle in a deficit in 2 weeks?mbarilli06 wrote: »If she has suddenly began working out it is possible she is gaining muscle and losing weight.
Lol, no. Muscle is freaking hard to build. It takes a progressive heavy lifting program, lots of time and a calorie surplus (excepting noob gains).
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Plateaus happen when you start eating at maintanance calories.2 -
essexgirl1971 wrote: »Given the level of exercise your doing i expect your not eating enough, up your intake i bet it kickstarts your weight loss again.
The solution to a stalled weight loss is never to eat more food. 4 -
I wouldn't worry about the scale as long as you are SEEING progress, but if you are determined to make the numbers drop you'll likely have re-evaluate your meal plan and become even more aggressive on your cut.
Thanks , yes glad I'm seeing progress which is great idk why I focus on scale so much . I feel if I cut even more cals from my 1350 I would be starving myself if I workout 2 to 3 hours a day with a lot of cardio.0 -
mbarilli06 wrote: »Keep in mind that with the level of exercise you are doing, you will be building muscle mass and losing fat. That may mean that your weight doesn't change but your measurements will be. Try and take measurements of your waist, legs arms etc so that you can see how your body is changing. Weight loss isn't the only measurement of success! Keep at it!
Thank you , appreciate your response. I've defenitley been good with measuring monthly and so far have seen much progress so that I'm grateful .0 -
mbarilli06 wrote: »Keep in mind that with the level of exercise you are doing, you will be building muscle mass and losing fat. That may mean that your weight doesn't change but your measurements will be. Try and take measurements of your waist, legs arms etc so that you can see how your body is changing. Weight loss isn't the only measurement of success! Keep at it!
She isn't building muscle on 1350 gross calories
That's what I was wondering , I didn't think I could gain muscle by doing low weight and high reps ..more of toning I thought since I see definition more than anything . Also doing a lot of cardio I didn't think I could build muscle , just tighten them up /tone .0 -
middlehaitch wrote: »Have you reassessed your calorie intake for the weight you have lost so far?
If you started at 220 and weigh 200 now (hypothetically) you will need a lower calorie goal to lose at the same rate you started at.
Also, we nearly all slack off in out logging over time without noticing. Tighten up your weighing practices and weigh every single thing, double check you are using the correct entries by using the packaging label (weigh the packaged item even if it is single serving), or the USDA.
It always think it is a good idea to be consistent in how many of your exercise calories you eat back. It gives you another data point when analyzing weight loss problems.
Cheers, h.
Thank you , I agree with the exercise calories being eaten back . I know machines at gym are usually much higher cals burned then actual cals burned. I don't eat all my exercise cals back , at the most 50% on days I go real hard with my workout . Thanks for suggestion of reassess my calorie goal . I just wonder if it's a lower cal goal and I work out still 2 to 3 hours per day I would be even hungrier ? I just get confused with all this . Some people say to eat all your exercise cals so you're not starving your body . Others say don't eat any back at all . I don't want to gain from eating too little if my body thinks it's not getting enough cals. Thanks for response 0 -
The scale is the devil and the devil is a liar. That being said, I notice you said you do "lift high reps, light weight" resistance training. Have you considered shorter reps, heavier weights?3
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cerise_noir wrote: »Two weeks is not a plateau.. are you near ovulation or your period? Increased exercise recently? Had a high sodium day? Dehydrated?
How accurate is your logging? Are you chiding correct database entries and weighing all your food (and using cups/spoons for liquid only)?
Gaining muscle in a deficit in 2 weeks?mbarilli06 wrote: »If she has suddenly began working out it is possible she is gaining muscle and losing weight.
Lol, no. Muscle is freaking hard to build. It takes a progressive heavy lifting program, lots of time and a calorie surplus (excepting noob gains).
Not sure on period /cycle I have an iud so I do not get a period at all (which is great lol I don't mind ) I have increased my exercise for sure , some days I'll go to the gym for 2 hours and at night I've added a 45 min jog or a long walk . My sodium is always under according to mfp of what I put in and I am as accurate as possible adding every single thing I cook with..coconut oil , a dressing or salsa etc . Even if it's a small amount to I add it . I drink a ton of water every day , peeing every 45 min . I drink well over a gallon per day plus green tea . I also weigh all food .0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »essexgirl1971 wrote: »Given the level of exercise your doing i expect your not eating enough, up your intake i bet it kickstarts your weight loss again. i go to gym 4 times a week and walk my dogs 6km every day. i started at 1200 and of course i lost but i found increasing to nearer 1600 works better for me.i certainly wouldnt go lower than the 1350 your currently on. maybe change your exercise , our bodies adapt and need to be shocked sometimes. i do think three hours excessive plus you should have rest days. im no expert of course .you should have built muscle over that time too even with low weights . i would recommend body pump as a fun class , combines cardio and strength
nope you cant shock the body. unless with electricity and I dont recommend it.
Thank you for the suggestions , I'll defenitley keep those in mind . I was assuming if I go under 1350 cal per day and workout as much as I do I would be extremely hungry1 -
mbarilli06 wrote: »Keep in mind that with the level of exercise you are doing, you will be building muscle mass and losing fat. That may mean that your weight doesn't change but your measurements will be. Try and take measurements of your waist, legs arms etc so that you can see how your body is changing. Weight loss isn't the only measurement of success! Keep at it!
She isn't building muscle on 1350 gross calories
That's what I was wondering , I didn't think I could gain muscle by doing low weight and high reps ..more of toning I thought since I see definition more than anything . Also doing a lot of cardio I didn't think I could build muscle , just tighten them up /tone .
you don't tighten/"tone" muscles....you build them...as someone else asked, have you thought of lifting heavy instead of light?2 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »essexgirl1971 wrote: »Given the level of exercise your doing i expect your not eating enough, up your intake i bet it kickstarts your weight loss again. i go to gym 4 times a week and walk my dogs 6km every day. i started at 1200 and of course i lost but i found increasing to nearer 1600 works better for me.i certainly wouldnt go lower than the 1350 your currently on. maybe change your exercise , our bodies adapt and need to be shocked sometimes. i do think three hours excessive plus you should have rest days. im no expert of course .you should have built muscle over that time too even with low weights . i would recommend body pump as a fun class , combines cardio and strength
nope you cant shock the body. unless with electricity and I dont recommend it.
Thank you for the suggestions , I'll defenitley keep those in mind . I was assuming if I go under 1350 cal per day and workout as much as I do I would be extremely hungry
you may end up hungry if you were to eat under 1350 and workout as much as you do down the road. right now you may have the opposite effects(lack of appetite).but even if you werent hungry you would still be causing possible damage to your body and you would definitely be losing lean mass.The best thing to do is to eat as much as you can while still losing weight,no need to eat so little if you can eat more and still lose.3 -
No need to worry, same thing happened to me. It lasted almost a month. Just keep working hard and don't get discouraged. I started dropping weight like I was before.1
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