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MyFitnessPal Community

Seemed to have plateau'd/valleyed

tamaeus

For some reason, I can't seem to drop below the 210lb mark. My exercise is the same, and though I'm not using the app as much as I should, I should be staying below my limit (unless eating below the minimum 1200-daily calorie limit is somehow stopping me from losing weight. This is frustrating because last year at my lowest I went down to like 195.

What am I doing wrong? I don't want to be chained to the app and forced to use it all my life, but if I have to, I will.

Replies

TavistockToad

Do you weigh everything you eat with scales?

usmcmp

You say you aren't using the app as much, so how do you know the amount of calories you are eating?

You don't have to be chained to the app forever. It's a really good idea to use it from time to time, like now, to ensure your calorie intake is what you think it is. Eating too many calories is actually a lot easier for some of us even when we think we are on track.

CTcutie

You may find something that works better... but if you're not committed to weighing your food and logging, then you're not trying as hard as you could be, right?? :-)
PS I will likely need to do this the rest of my life bc I cannot be trust myself to lose (or maintain in the future) otherwise-, but I know there are lots of people who figure out other ways, too.

lorrpb

You are likely eating more than you "think" you are, this is common. Use the app. Weigh all food. Eat at least 1500 calories plus no more than half your exercise calories. You don't have be chained to the app for the rest of your life. It is a tool to use to help you develop the skills to manage your weight as you desire. If you log for a few days and find that your calories are perfect, then you can log only a few days a month to check up on yourself. But you do have to weigh food and be honest with yourself about logging every bite and every drink for accuracy.

I logged food daily only for 3 months, but I was able to manage my portions well enough that I lost weight every month for 2 1/2 years. I also ate about 1700 calories most of that time. Every time I check up on myself, I am spot on with calories and macros. Not everyone can do that, but it worked out well for me.

malibu927

You're going to have to use the app to log your food, at least until you get a good idea of portion sizes.

janejellyroll

Using accurate logging to lose weight right now isn't the same thing as being "chained" to the app for the rest of your life. I would say if you aren't logging consistently and you are no longer losing weight, those results are probably speaking for themselves.

DebLaBounty

Maybe you should increase your exercise? I mean, if doing the same thing all the time isn't working, change it up.

cmriverside

"Chained to the app"?

It takes five minutes per meal to log food. ::shrug::

Worth it in my world.

Muscleflex79

tamaeus wrote: »

For some reason, I can't seem to drop below the 210lb mark. My exercise is the same, and though I'm not using the app as much as I should, I should be staying below my limit (unless eating below the minimum 1200-daily calorie limit is somehow stopping me from losing weight. This is frustrating because last year at my lowest I went down to like 195.

What am I doing wrong? I don't want to be chained to the app and forced to use it all my life, but if I have to, I will.

what does "should be staying below my limit mean" ??? are you weighing everything you eat???

tamaeus

I don't weight my food, but I use the food to the best of my ability to guess the calories. Like if I have a cheeseburger from Wendy's, I know that that's about 500. What I eat for dinner I add to that.

kimny72

tamaeus wrote: »

I don't weight my food, but I use the food to the best of my ability to guess the calories. Like if I have a cheeseburger from Wendy's, I know that that's about 500. What I eat for dinner I add to that.

That's fine if it's working. Since right now it's not, the only way to know why is to commit to logging for at least a couple of weeks. Log everything accurately and consistently for 2-4 weeks and your log will most likely answer your question. Then you can decide whether it's worth it to keep logging or if you want to try to move forward with out it. Good luck!

usmcmp

tamaeus wrote: »

I don't weight my food, but I use the food to the best of my ability to guess the calories. Like if I have a cheeseburger from Wendy's, I know that that's about 500. What I eat for dinner I add to that.

Here's part of the problem, you think the cheeseburger is about 500 calories, but you are underestimating it by 70 (plus restaurants are notoriously underestimating their calories). If you have fries or some chips it could be another 40-70 calories you are underestimating. Then if you have a few crackers here and a small taste of something there you're easily over maintenance. You think you're doing okay, but the reality is that you're just not in a deficit.

Dnarules

You don't know how much you are eating. That is where you need to start.

joinn68

You are 210 lbs, you eat 1200 calories per day and you are not losing? Very skeptical. You are not off by 70/100 cals here. I don't know your stats (gender, height, age) but you are probably off by more like 1000 cals.

You had some issues a while back
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/39107679#Comment_39107679

You should probably go back to the basics OP - Getting started on your path to sexy pants is particularly helpful
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

Francl27

Things haven't changed since March... you're still eating more than you think because you apparently refuse to take everyone's advice (which is actually weighing your food).

Muscleflex79

why are you so opposed to accurately weighing your food??

treacych

"My exercise is the same"

You're saying it in the title of your post - your body has reached a plateau. Your body is comfortable with your current food intake and exercise routine so it needs to be challenged again. Find a new workout program to follow, exercises to try, and find some new recipes that still fit your macros. Not eating enough could also be part of your problem as well. I'm probably stating the obvious here but when our body isn't getting enough fuel, it holds onto fat stores as a way of "protecting" itself. Maybe have a nutritionist re-evaluate your intake and make some suggestions.

MelanieCN77

As you get lighter and fitter your burn from the same exercise will be much less.

janejellyroll

treacych wrote: »

"My exercise is the same"

You're saying it in the title of your post - your body has reached a plateau. Your body is comfortable with your current food intake and exercise routine so it needs to be challenged again. Find a new workout program to follow, exercises to try, and find some new recipes that still fit your macros. Not eating enough could also be part of your problem as well. I'm probably stating the obvious here but when our body isn't getting enough fuel, it holds onto fat stores as a way of "protecting" itself. Maybe have a nutritionist re-evaluate your intake and make some suggestions.

Since she isn't logging her food, the problem is far more likely to be that she isn't in a deficit. It's far from "obvious" that our body will hold on to fat when we aren't eating enough. Although your body can adapt to a sustained calorie deficit by burning fewer calories, people in a deficit will lose weight. Your body can't run on nothing, that's why people who don't get enough to eat will eventually suffer from starvation.

cerise_noir

treacych wrote: »

"My exercise is the same"

You're saying it in the title of your post - your body has reached a plateau. Your body is comfortable with your current food intake and exercise routine so it needs to be challenged again. Find a new workout program to follow, exercises to try, and find some new recipes that still fit your macros. Not eating enough could also be part of your problem as well. I'm probably stating the obvious here but when our body isn't getting enough fuel, it holds onto fat stores as a way of "protecting" itself. Maybe have a nutritionist re-evaluate your intake and make some suggestions.

The body won't hold onto fat stores when someone doesn't eat enough. If it did, no one would die from starvation.

ccruz985

It's the exercise. Your body gets used to what you're doing after about 30 days, that's why you gotta switch it up. Add resistance training, add one HIIT a week to start, go swimming, etc.

janejellyroll

ccruz985 wrote: »

It's the exercise. Your body gets used to what you're doing after about 30 days, that's why you gotta switch it up. Add resistance training, add one HIIT a week to start, go swimming, etc.

Even if our body get more efficient in certain exercises, you're still burning calories. You can't switch your body to not requiring energy to move.

85Cardinals

At least you haven't peaked! Without geography, you're nowhere.

usmcmp

ccruz985 wrote: »

It's the exercise. Your body gets used to what you're doing after about 30 days, that's why you gotta switch it up. Add resistance training, add one HIIT a week to start, go swimming, etc.

This is not true. I lift and do no cardio. I lose weight because I weigh my food and ensure I am at a calorie deficit. It all comes back to the calories. Sure, some people get bored after 30 days and need to switch it up or they slack off, but weight loss can be accomplished with zero exercise.

tamaeus

joinn68 wrote: »

You are 210 lbs, you eat 1200 calories per day and you are not losing? Very skeptical. You are not off by 70/100 cals here. I don't know your stats (gender, height, age) but you are probably off by more like 1000 cals.

You had some issues a while back
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/39107679#Comment_39107679

You should probably go back to the basics OP - Getting started on your path to sexy pants is particularly helpful
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

No, I never said that. I said 1200 is my minimum limit. You know, like if you log your food but don't eat enough, then the app will tell you to eat more before it will let you complete the diary page. For me, that's at 1200. As long as I eat at least 1200, it will let me complete my day.

tamaeus

Francl27 wrote: »

Things haven't changed since March... you're still eating more than you think because you apparently refuse to take everyone's advice (which is actually weighing your food).

I'm not refusing to take advice. Why else am I asking for advice.

TavistockToad

tamaeus wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Things haven't changed since March... you're still eating more than you think because you apparently refuse to take everyone's advice (which is actually weighing your food).

I'm not refusing to take advice. Why else am I asking for advice.

Have you started weighing your food?

quiksylver296

Fix the things you aren't doing in this chart.

not_a_runner

tamaeus wrote: »

joinn68 wrote: »

You are 210 lbs, you eat 1200 calories per day and you are not losing? Very skeptical. You are not off by 70/100 cals here. I don't know your stats (gender, height, age) but you are probably off by more like 1000 cals.

You had some issues a while back
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/39107679#Comment_39107679

You should probably go back to the basics OP - Getting started on your path to sexy pants is particularly helpful
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

No, I never said that. I said 1200 is my minimum limit. You know, like if you log your food but don't eat enough, then the app will tell you to eat more before it will let you complete the diary page. For me, that's at 1200. As long as I eat at least 1200, it will let me complete my day.

1200 being your "minimum" so you can complete your diary doesn't really mean anything.. How much are you actually eating? That's the only important number.

If you're not losing weight, you're eating too much. If you're not logging your food accurately, you don't even know how much you're actually eating, but it's obviously too much.

Weigh your food. Log your food. Eat the calorie goal MFP tells you. Viola.

tamaeus

TavistockToad wrote: »

tamaeus wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Things haven't changed since March... you're still eating more than you think because you apparently refuse to take everyone's advice (which is actually weighing your food).

I'm not refusing to take advice. Why else am I asking for advice.

Have you started weighing your food?

Yes, I have.