Plateau's - when to lower calories?

Panini911 · June 2018

If needed I can give more background if needed but my issue is: pleateau's. i've lost about 20 pounds in 10-12 weeks but am stuck for two weeks now at 156pds.

I've searched online and already do much of what they say. I track carefully and even re-tweak things to ensure i am honest. I exercise daily (currently have to find a better management on exercise as my body isn't keeping up as well as it used to!), i watch my food balance, particularly protein and eat it over meals. I make my own meals so salt is kept fairly low usually. I am cautious on sugars but always room for improvement there i guess (most of my sugars come from vegetables and fruit, very little added). I will try to drink more water (VS 0 calorie carbonated water). The only thing left is really cutting back calories. I am at 1300 and with my exercise plan a bit wary to cut that as i've been pretty hungry these last few weeks.

so - two weeks seems long to be stuck at one weight. do i just knuckle down and keep doing what I am doing or cut back calories? Maybe eat 1200 a few days a week?

oh and a second question - what is a normal weight range in a given day? seems I am up to 3-4pds more in the evening VS morning.

dhiammarath · June 2018

Two weeks is not really long enough to determine if it's a plateau. I just went through a month-long plateau and powered through it. Kept at it. Kept getting healthier. I noticed my body/measurements were changing instead. I didn't cut my calories or anything, but YMMV. If you're doing a lot of exercises, 1300 might be too low?

Make sure to measure accurately to ensure you're meeting your calorie goals, but the bottom line is you gotta grab your patience and hold onto it. Weight loss will stall every now and again, especially at losing 20 pounds in 10-12 weeks! That's great progress!

3-4lbs is perfectly normal.

Foods eaten + water + general body things that go on during the day so we can go outside and run in the sun!

pinuplove · June 2018

How tall are you? 20 pounds in 10-12 weeks is fairly aggressive @ 156 pounds. Are you eating back any of your exercise calorie? I agree that 2 weeks does not a plateau make, and isn't cause for alarm. Your profile says you are female, so cyclic water weight may also be coming into play.

Panini911 · June 2018

Thanks! Good info

two weeks felt long. I lost around 100lbs at two different points in my life (mid twenties, and then three years ago) and didn't really hit a plateau but I realize as one gets older things can be harder. But if two weeks isn't considered long i'll power thru, that is good to know.

I AM wondering if rather than be too much, 1300 may be too little. I will potentially add a few extra calories carefully next week to test. Would like to see the scale move a bit before that though. I am wary to cut more based on how I feel and my exercise plans.

I do not add exercise calories, i count what I eat (everything i eat) and total that. I just took another look at my food breakdown and I am leaving fat on the table daily (meaning not hitting the max fat estimate on MFP) so maybe i can take a look at rebalancing my food breakdown.

I am not quite 5'1; yes it does seem things kick started pretty fast. Probably why I am more frustrated than i should be on the stall haha

Avidkeo · June 2018

I've been the same weight for about a month now - I only weigh once a week at most. But my measurements have dropped about an inch in that time. Measurements are much better than the scales. Also it's totally normal to be heavier in the evening, anywhere for 1 to 5lb ish. If you are going to weigh every day pick a time and only weigh then.

I'm a bit concerned about you saying your body can't keep up with your exercise. It sounds like you aren't actually eating enough for what exercise you are doing. What are your stats? How tall are you, your weight etc.

imgritz · June 2018

Have you lost body fat in the last two weeks? You could be gaining muscle and that’s why you are staying the same weight

Panini911 · June 2018

SO I went back and I made an error, I lost 10 pounds not 20

I AM wondering if i am not eating enough for the exercise. The injuries are likely due to overdoing it though, I have a plan attack plan and recovery plan on that front. I want to be safe and be able to DO the exericse not burn out and need to stop completely. I was doing gym (HITT classes) and started a 10k run program (though I run year round and have been for years, i am really pushing it now for time and distance and I think that with the HITT just was too much this past week)

I haven't used measuring tapes but in the last two weeks I am feeling a difference in my clothes. I see it in my face. so things are generally moving in the right direction, just very sticky the last two weeks.

I do weight myself at the same time (I have two times I track) so I am comparing apples to apples. I just find the variance within a day to be pretty crazy! I realize daily tracking is bad so I try to take it in stride and have been doing well at that until now.

I brougth the fat measure into my diary and really notice that I am super low fat. I eat tons of vegetables, fruit, natural foods, eggs, chicken breast. But I am fairly certain one needs a good amount of fat (well - based on what the targets in MFP are). so I will maybe tweak my eating to include some "good" fats which I tend to avoid. I have a few thoughts on options (nuts, yogurt) Up until now I only really looked at calories, protein and sugar.

I am at 156 pounds, about 5'1 (or juuust a smidge under 5'1).

NovusDies · June 2018

You have fallen into the common trap of trying to eat "diet" food. Low salt and low fat make for a pretty miserable diet. You also need to be careful with low salt since you are exercising. You need your protein each day but beyond that calories are what matter not fat, sugar, or sodium.

1300 is too low. You are supposed to add exercise calories. Not all but 50 to 75 percent.

You need to relax. You can't be afraid of eating. You need to enjoy your meals and some treats along the way.

Your scale will not always show fat losses because you will retain water for different reason. Stress, time of the month, and intense exercise are just some of those reasons. For your same day tracking you will definitely weigh more later in the day because the food and beverages you consume all have weight so that is a pointless exercise unless you just like doing it.

emmamcgarity · June 2018

I am 5'1" as well and have lost 13.6 lbs. in the past 3 months and have spent the last two weeks at 157. I don't consider it any cause for alarm. My clothes are fitting better and I am feeling stronger. I'm convinced that the scale is going to move again for me any day now. Or, it might wait a few more weeks.... I can't control the scale, so I'm choosing to focus on sticking with the plan.

I do track my exercise calories and I eat them if I am hungry. If I'm not, I don't. It's up to you if you track them or not, but I like having the data. So, I track them. My weight is also 3-4 lbs. heavier in the evening.

Panini911 · June 2018

thanks guys

When things are going well I do have an extra little bit to eat when I am very hungry (actually hungry VS "this is a time i feel like eating). But I've never added calories.

I wasn't specifically eating low fat. And I do make good food. I just like to eat as much as a I can per calorie, so I was overloading vegetables and skimping on some good fats (where you get less volume per calorie). Because a few almonds doesn't fill me up but eats up many calories. I am looking to add some healthy fats back into my diet. I make most of my food. The only pre-made stuff I eat is cheese strings and a 100 calorie "chip snack" (the mini bags of cheetos).

I make good meals. the biggest struggle is when I want to reward with a beer, that takes a bit more work but I don't do that often. I usually have more "cheat meals" but hadn't in the last little bit.

My concern has now moved to exercising better :P I managed another injury. So will take maybe a week to rest (will hopefully get in with Physio tomorrow for more professional feedback). Clearly what I used to do when I was even 5 years younger no longer works! I am learning how to balance safe exercise (not that I was going crazy per say but obviously not doing well enough at exercising safely).

Plateau's - when to lower calories?

Replies

Categories