Endless Plateau - overall almost 6 months now

vineetpandita
vineetpandita Posts: 2 Member
edited November 25 in Motivation and Support
Height 5' 7'', male
Current Weight = 229 lbs
Starting weight in Feb 2017 - 275 lbs.

Started by walking and aerobics. Graduated to 5k walking 3 to 4 days a week (daily average on fitbit around 9 to 10k last 9 months) and 3 days per week 60 minute fitness trainer session doing aerobics and cardio mix. Calories kept at 1700 .

Majority weight came down by Sep 2016. Since then pretty much just maintaining the same status quo. +/- 5 lbs depending on seriousness of exercise.

Current Regime:
Calories - 1700
Fitness Trainer - Weights 45 minutes, 15 minute Cardio - 3 days a week
Self - jogging/running - 2 to 3 KM outside ; can do 5 KM on treadmill. 2 to 3 days a week.
Lots of inch loss but scale refuses to show reduction in weight.

I suspect my body is comfortable with 1700 and I should reduce to 1500. Also started Whey Isolate - as an experiment to see what happens. The only other issue could be that I am poor sleeper and wake up in 5 to 6 hours though no difficulty in going to sleep. Average sleep hovers below 6 hours.

New Plan to try !
1500 calories
Weights/Aerobics/Running as is.
Whey Isolate added
50% carbs; 30% protien; 20% fats - track macros.


Any suggestions please, really-really at a loss?




Replies

  • sschauer513
    sschauer513 Posts: 313 Member
    Yes reduce to 1500 maybe change macros to more protein just for better muscle gain if lifting and don't eat back all exercise calories if you are now. All about CICO so tighten up logging and keep on working out.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    if you haven't lost weight for 6 months you're eating at maintenance.

    tighten up your logging, reduce your cals if necessary
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,538 Member
    Agree, tighten your logging and calorie counting. You use a food scale? Rework all of your numbers like it’s day # 1. Examiner all of your assumptions and check the math.

    If that doesn’t work, then cut the 200 cals.
  • JMcGee2018
    JMcGee2018 Posts: 275 Member
    88olds wrote: »
    Agree, tighten your logging and calorie counting. You use a food scale? Rework all of your numbers like it’s day # 1. Examiner all of your assumptions and check the math.

    If that doesn’t work, then cut the 200 cals.

    I'd agree with this because someone your size should be losing at 1700/day if you are counting correctly. Make sure that you weigh prepackaged foods, too, because IME they always weigh more than they say, and that can add up to hundred of calories over the course of days or weeks. Also, make sure to measure any oils you cook with, creamers you add to coffee, etc. because those are really common calorie culprits.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    88olds wrote: »
    Agree, tighten your logging and calorie counting. You use a food scale? Rework all of your numbers like it’s day # 1. Examiner all of your assumptions and check the math.

    If that doesn’t work, then cut the 200 cals.

    Yup...at OPs weight he should be dropping weight if he's truly eating 1700 calories.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    88olds wrote: »
    Agree, tighten your logging and calorie counting. You use a food scale? Rework all of your numbers like it’s day # 1. Examiner all of your assumptions and check the math.

    If that doesn’t work, then cut the 200 cals.

    Yup...at OPs weight he should be dropping weight if he's truly eating 1700 calories.

    This, so much. If I was eating 1700, I'd be cutting like crazy.

    I'd be Hangry all the time too.
  • vineetpandita
    vineetpandita Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks everyone. I think recommendation is correct to go back to day 1. What I understand from this is that my large body has got accustomed to all that I have been doing. At best 1700 might be more like 1900 (my imperfect counting + missed foods) but still I have good 400 to 800 calories cushion via my morning exercise too. Btw no prepackaged food, I gave up sugar in tea (around 6 to 8 teaspoons per day) , only home food except maybe weekend one or two meals.

    The other way I was thinking about it was not to worry about weight and keep running and training and especially setup running goals. Saw a nice documentary on Netflix From Fat to Finish, would recommend to anyone who reads this and struggles with a high/very high BMI like me.

    Thank u again.
  • lisa0527
    lisa0527 Posts: 49 Member
    Your TDEE is about 2400 cal, and BMR should be about 1800. So it’s possible you’re not eating enough. Or alternatively, your BMR may in fact be lower as your body tries to adapt to a chronic weight loss situation. So you could try decreasing calories and exercising more, and if that doesn’t work try increasing your calories to about 1900 and see how it goes. Good luck.
  • Sparkeysworld
    Sparkeysworld Posts: 107 Member
    edited March 2018
    ^This above is the exact reason for your plateau!
    Your just not eating enough calories.
    Because of this your thyroid will have down regulated, putting your metabolism at almost a standstill.
    Also leptin levels will have crashed.
    My advice is have a huge cheat meal day (just one day) 4000 calories with plenty of good quality low G.I carbs, basically eat whatever you want.
    You will obviously put some water weight on after the carbs, as each gram of carbs you ingest will pull in 3g of water.
    This will obviously subside in a couple of days and the weightloss will restart.
    Up your calories back up to 2000 and assess from there.
    Don't equate very low cal's with weight loss, it's just not the case.
    Too many cal's, you'll gain, too little and you'll stay static, just the right amount and the weightloss will continue.

    Try this:
    A simple 500 calories deficit is enough for good weight loss.

    The key to any diet is knowing exactly how many calories you need on a daily basis, and just eating under that number).

    First you need to workout how many calories your body needs in a day (Total daily energy expenditure).

    Weigh yourself first thing in the morning.

    Input your data in this website www.tdeecalculator.net
    Choose whichever activity level is closest to yourself.

    Then click the cutting calories button (under the macronutrients heading), this will give you your starting calories, and what you need to stick to on a daily basis.

    Try to get as close as possible to your cutting calories every day, a little over or under is fine but no more than say 20 - 30 calories either way.

    Foods to eat:

    Absolutely anything you want, Just weigh and track everything you eat and drink inc milk in tea & coffee etc. (don't add calories back in when you've exercised, MFP will ask if you want to do this).

    Check your TDEE on a weekly or daily basis, because it obviously drops as your weight comes down, and adjust calories accordingly in Myfitnesspal.

    If you want quicker weight loss you can obviously add in cardio and or resistance exercises, not only will this help build muscle but it will also create a bigger calorie deficit.
    If you were to do this I would recommend just a 30 min incline walk on the treadmill or walk outside at a steady state.

    Drink plenty water, at least 2-2.5 ltrs a day.

    And that's it, just carry on until you are at the weight you want to be.

    Good luck and have a great day!
  • JDixon852019
    JDixon852019 Posts: 312 Member
    Are you using a food scale? I was stuck in a plateau for over a year despite my heathy eating and going to the gym 5 days a week. Used a food scale and discovered I was eating 500-700cal more daily than I thought
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