Plateau!
Jsullivan199001
Posts: 14 Member
Hi everyone, I can’t seem to lose weight anymore. I am in a healthy range of bmi and weight 9 stone 4 at 5 foot 5.5 in height, however I carry a lot of fat around my stomach and thighs which don’t seem to go. I have a office job however I am active outside of work I do resistance training about three times per week. I try calorie counting and don’t lose so it makes me stressed then I tried weight watchers and slimming world and still no luck. I don’t want to do anything stupid like low carbs. Can anyone suggest anything? I used to be one stone heavier and lost the weight by sticking to around 1400 calories but now it seems impossible. Thanks to anyone who can help me 
Jess
Jess 3
Replies
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How accurately were you logging? Checking food entries against the labels, weighing rather than guessing or using cups?
When you're at a healthy weight, weight loss is going to be super slow, at around half a pound per week max, you don't have the same margin of error you have when you're heavier so accuracy and patience are what to focus on.
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Thanks so much guys. To be honest I’ve been the same weight for about a year an half now, although I was training with a PT last year I still can’t seem to get my calories right and I will stick to it for like a week lose no weight then panic and change diets!! It’s mainly my stomach and I know you definitely can’t spot reduce. I moved onto slimming world as calorie counting was making me too stressed however it’s the only thing that’s ever worked for me in the past. I just don’t know how much calories I should eat it’s coming up around 1500 on the Tdee calculator with me inputting that I train 3 times per week for 60 mins. Can anyone clarify this for me?0
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »I still can’t seem to get my calories right and I will stick to it for like a week lose no weight then panic and change diets!!
This may be your problem, you're not giving it enough time. If you have a very small amount of weight to lose, you'll have to be super precise with your logging and very patient, because it'll come off slower. Recomp may be an option to look at as well.8 -
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Thank you guys. Michael what do you mean as recomp?0
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Remember TDEE calculators are not really calculators. They are estimators. Same with calorie burns. You may have to tweak one thing or another based on results. I'm sure you also realize that losing weight at 1400 calories is easier (more weight to lose and bigger deficit) when you are bigger. As you lose your deficit shrinks.
I also believe that at 5'5" and 130 lbs (if I calculate a stone correctly), that you have very little to lose. You may want to consider strength training and look at measurements instead of weight....3 -
Silentpadna wrote: »Remember TDEE calculators are not really calculators. They are estimators. Same with calorie burns. You may have to tweak one thing or another based on results. I'm sure you also realize that losing weight at 1400 calories is easier (more weight to lose and bigger deficit) when you are bigger. As you lose your deficit shrinks.
I also believe that at 5'5" and 130 lbs (if I calculate a stone correctly), that you have very little to lose. You may want to consider strength training and look at measurements instead of weight....
Thank you. That is true as it was a lot easier to shift the weight when I was a little higher in weight. I have been strength training for about a year now but like I said I’m still unsure about how many calories etc to actually stick to to reach my goals which is why I probably make no progress and end up switching diets!
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Silentpadna wrote: »Remember TDEE calculators are not really calculators. They are estimators. Same with calorie burns. You may have to tweak one thing or another based on results. I'm sure you also realize that losing weight at 1400 calories is easier (more weight to lose and bigger deficit) when you are bigger. As you lose your deficit shrinks.
I also believe that at 5'5" and 130 lbs (if I calculate a stone correctly), that you have very little to lose. You may want to consider strength training and look at measurements instead of weight....
Thank you. That is true as it was a lot easier to shift the weight when I was a little higher in weight. I have been strength training for about a year now but like I said I’m still unsure about how many calories etc to actually stick to to reach my goals which is why I probably make no progress and end up switching diets!
What I was really getting at is that maybe you should switch your goals to your measurements and not your weight. What type of lifting do you do? You may find that the right strength program will help you meet your goal. You may also find that if you do that properly, you'll look even more fit, weigh more and look smaller.5 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Thank you guys. Michael what do you mean as recomp?
I'm not Michael, but I will give a basic answer. Recomp is essentially eating at maintenance and building muscle to replace fat. Muscle burns more calories so eventually you'll reduce body fat. Your weight will stay approximately the same. This process takes a long time. Basics tho: lift; eat at maintenance (which it looks like you have been doing because your weight is not changing).2 -
Thank you for your help. I am going away to work abroad in May and really want to lose the excess fat. Can anyone help me with how many calories I need, shall I stick to 1400 still I don’t think I can go any less0
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Thank you for your help. I am going away to work abroad in May and really want to lose the excess fat. Can anyone help me with how many calories I need, shall I stick to 1400 still I don’t think I can go any less
Have you tried putting your stats and goals into MFP and getting a calorie goal that way?1 -
https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/how-zigzag-dieting-can-break-your-weight-loss-plateau
https://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
You might also want to check out the above. Also, lifting weights (not sure that resistance training is the same) made all the difference for me once upon a time...3 -
Yes it says 1200 calories which I think is really low0
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Yes it says 1200 calories which I think is really low
What did you put as your goal weight loss per week? More aggressive goals will result in fewer calories per day.1 -
To lose 2lbs per week I put in1
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »To lose 2lbs per week I put in
That's the most aggressive goal MFP lets you select and it's not realistic for someone who is already close to goal weight (as you are). Choose a more reasonable goal (I recommend .5 pounds per week) and you'll get a higher number of calories per day. People who are already at a healthy BMI can't safely lose 2 pounds a week.3 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »To lose 2lbs per week I put in
If you're already in the healthy BMI range, you likely can't sustain enough of a deficit to lose 2 pounds a week - the website bottoms out at 1200 for women. You'd probably have better luck trying for 0.5 lb a week or, as suggested above, a recomp.3 -
It says 1620 calories for a loss of 1lbs per week. Can I really eat this much and still lose weight?0
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You're actually in the healthy weight range so losing 2lbs a week is unrealistic. That weight loss rate is for obese people.1
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Yes it says 1200 calories which I think is really lowJsullivan199001 wrote: »To lose 2lbs per week I put in
2 lbs a week is pretty aggressive if you don't have that much to lose. That's why it's saying 1200 calories.0 -
Roadie2000 wrote: »Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Yes it says 1200 calories which I think is really lowJsullivan199001 wrote: »To lose 2lbs per week I put in
2 lbs a week is pretty aggressive if you don't have that much to lose. That's why it's saying 1200 calories.
So basically eat more calories to lose weight?1 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Roadie2000 wrote: »Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Yes it says 1200 calories which I think is really lowJsullivan199001 wrote: »To lose 2lbs per week I put in
2 lbs a week is pretty aggressive if you don't have that much to lose. That's why it's saying 1200 calories.
So basically eat more calories to lose weight?
You eat at a deficit to lose weight. If you aren't losing weight right now, it's because you aren't at a deficit. MFP gives you a goal based on your own inputs (how much you weigh now, your activity level) that they estimate will result in a deficit for you. Assuming this estimate is accurate and you are logging accurately, you will lose weight at this number of calories.
If something is off (you burn fewer calories per day than MFP estimates or you aren't logging accurately) and you don't reach a deficit, you won't lose weight. But for most people, the combination of entering the right information, logging accurately, and consistently hitting their calorie goal does result in a deficit.2 -
Thank you Jane. I have put in “active” even thought I have a senditary job as I am now going to try and train 3-4 times per week. 1620 calories.0
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Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Thank you Jane. I have put in “active” even thought I have a senditary job as I am now going to try and train 3-4 times per week. 1620 calories.
The activity level settings on MFP *don't* include your intentional exercise, just your daily activity. If you have a sedentary lifestyle except for exercise, I would choose sedentary. You can then log your exercise and eat back the calories burned from exercise.
If you are sedentary except for exercising 3-4 times a week, it's likely that "active" isn't the right activity level for you. It's designed for people who have jobs that keep them on their feet for the majority of the day.
Of course, you can always try it the way you have it set up, give it a few weeks, and then make adjustments if you see that it isn't working.3 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Thank you guys. Michael what do you mean as recomp?
https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/
You'll need to study this fellows writings. He's a most excellent resource for you.0 -
No not what I meant, just like others have said try to set more realistic goals and don't starve yourself. 1200 calories is the bare minimum, anything less than that is considered unhealthy.
Assuming you've entered all of your data correctly, try the calorie range that MFP gives you for a couple weeks. If it doesn't work, gradually decrease or try to become more accurate in counting your calories.
If you put in "active" but have a sedentary job don't eat back your exercise calories.0 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »Thank you Jane. I have put in “active” even thought I have a senditary job as I am now going to try and train 3-4 times per week. 1620 calories.
The mfp activity level is for everyday lifestyle, not exercise. Have you read the sticky threads at the top if each forum?
Set your goal to no more than 1 lb per week. Set your activity level based on your everyday lifestyle. Get a food scale and choose database entries carefully. Log accurately and consistently. Log your exercise and eat back at least some of those calories. Be super patient.1 -
Jsullivan199001 wrote: »calorie counting was ... the only thing that’s ever worked for me in the past.
You answered you own question. Plug in your stats, put it at sedentary. Set it to lose 1/2-1 pound per week. Manually log your exercise & eat back half those calories. Log your calories accurately (this may mean weighing your food if you're not a good guesser).
If after a couple weeks, you see no change, or too big of a change, then adjust accordingly.1 -
We are recommending to a female who is self admittedly changing diets on a weekly basis to evaluate progress in 2 weeks? On the basis of what? TOM bloat with weekly weigh ins?
Make a small change such as a 250 to 500 target deficit.
Weight daily at same time on non moving scale on hard unyielding floor after eliminating and before eating or drinking wearing same or no clothes or other articles. (Preferably after evaluating scale for fake consistency but that's another story)
Enter weigh ins in happy scale, Libra, trendweight.com or weightgrapher.com.
Consider your trend as your weight.
Evaluate progress after 4 to 6 weeks that include AT LEAST one monthly cycle.
If you're strength training careful measurements (cause it ain't easy to measure exactly the same spot the same way...) may be helpful.
Don't expect huge weight changes at a normal weight with little to lose.2
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