on plateau--how long do you yoyo or raise calories?

stc74
stc74 Posts: 297 Member
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been stuck for a while.

I'm wanting to know just how long do you raise calories or yoyo to see a difference.

I've been doing yoyo calories for 1 1/2 wks with no change yet. 6 weeks of no loss and really just bouncing 3 pounds around. I have been exercising every other day or everyday, interval training on treadmill. I have been eating most exercise calories. Considering no eating them, but maybe upping calories going in, but don't know how long. So for those of you who have broken plateaus--what did you do and how long did you do it? I need details!

I've worked nearly all summer at losing 1 pants size and school is about to start and I can't wear what is in my closet! So very frustrated!!!

Replies

  • pammyedmunds
    pammyedmunds Posts: 608 Member
    Have you thought about doing a detox cleanse? Usually they help with kicking yourself out of a plateau. Depending on how active you are you should be eating enough to fuel your workouts. As an example...MFP says I should eat 1660 calories a day, now I work out 6 days a week sometimes 7 and sometimes my workouts each day are 3 hours long depending on what I am doing. So I typically eat 1800-2000 calories. Maybe you are just not eating enough calories? Are you drinking enough water?
  • saraii
    saraii Posts: 11 Member
    bump.
  • LovingMe19
    LovingMe19 Posts: 380 Member
    I was stuck for about 2 months, tried everything, then a friend told me to try cutting my carbs and keeping them below 100 grams a day. It worked, I lost 1.5lbs that week, but its not something I can stick to long term. Its very hard, and your food choices become pretty limited.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    Low carb for 3 day, then high carb the 4th. Keep carbs under 50 grams for low days and 150-200 on high.
  • eates
    eates Posts: 334 Member
    I've given all my changes (see my sig for the list of them lol) 2 weeks before I declared it not working. Now I'm waiting for a referral to a nutritionist to see what's going on.
  • LovingMe19
    LovingMe19 Posts: 380 Member
    Low carb for 3 day, then high carb the 4th. Keep carbs under 50 grams for low days and 150-200 on high.

    Thats exactly what I did. My carbs were below 50 grams for 3 days and I lost 1.5lbs. The next week I kept my carbs low as well but only lost about .7lbs. Not something thats easy to stick to and you easily gain weight back as I have discovered this week. Have celebrated 2 birthdays this week and im up 3 pounds. Definitely not the long term solution, in my opinion.
  • stc74
    stc74 Posts: 297 Member
    Have you thought about doing a detox cleanse? Usually they help with kicking yourself out of a plateau. Depending on how active you are you should be eating enough to fuel your workouts. As an example...MFP says I should eat 1660 calories a day, now I work out 6 days a week sometimes 7 and sometimes my workouts each day are 3 hours long depending on what I am doing. So I typically eat 1800-2000 calories. Maybe you are just not eating enough calories? Are you drinking enough water?

    I don't buy into the detox thing--so that isn't going to happen. I drink massive amounts of water, always have, just don't always track it. I know from the size of cup I empty several times.
    I'm wondering if i need more calories, not sure how many more. MFP gives me 1380 cal to lose 1 1/2 lb/wk. And if I up the cals, how long do you do it?

    I work out hard for 30-60 min at interval training with hand weights. I keep attemping 30day shred but my knees are the only things getting shredded :(
  • stc74
    stc74 Posts: 297 Member
    Low carb for 3 day, then high carb the 4th. Keep carbs under 50 grams for low days and 150-200 on high.

    Thats exactly what I did. My carbs were below 50 grams for 3 days and I lost 1.5lbs. The next week I kept my carbs low as well but only lost about .7lbs. Not something thats easy to stick to and you easily gain weight back as I have discovered this week. Have celebrated 2 birthdays this week and im up 3 pounds. Definitely not the long term solution, in my opinion.

    that is why i'm leary of going tooo low carb. I keep mine between 100-200 most of the time. When the carbs get lower than that i deal with headaches which can get pretty bad.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member


    Thats exactly what I did. My carbs were below 50 grams for 3 days and I lost 1.5lbs. The next week I kept my carbs low as well but only lost about .7lbs. Not something thats easy to stick to and you easily gain weight back as I have discovered this week. Have celebrated 2 birthdays this week and im up 3 pounds. Definitely not the long term solution, in my opinion.
    It's only a short term solution and usually done to "shake" the body up.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I bounced around between the same 3 pounds for 2 months. I had MFP set aggressively- to lose 2 lbs./week. I set MFP at a 0.5 pounds/week loss which raised my calories up by 500 (!) then I started losing again within a week or two. I have kept it at that level since. I am not sure how much you are eating, but if you are doing serious workouts, 1200 calories a day is nowhere near enough for most people. You have to fuel your body or it won't burn efficiently.
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    Maybe try setting your goal to lose 1, or even 1/2 lbs a week?

    It will give you more calories that way.
    Maybe you just need to lose slower.
  • stc74
    stc74 Posts: 297 Member
    I've given all my changes (see my sig for the list of them lol) 2 weeks before I declared it not working. Now I'm waiting for a referral to a nutritionist to see what's going on.

    I haven't been at it that long, saw my dr yesterday and everything looked good except for a stress issue that I'm working at and may be messing with my ability to get this thing kick started but she encouraged me to keep looking for what works for me.

    She was very interested in how this site might help others to better identify their weight issues and better eating.
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