A 3 month plateau!

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freakdoodle
freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
in Motivation and Support
I started seriously trying to get in shape in January although I had been using MFP for awhile. I started at 250lbs and have been whittling that down a little at a time. I religiously log my meals and exercises. I'm walking 3 to 6 miles every day at between 2.5 and 3 mph and doing circuit training at the gym 2 or 3 days a week (I don't more than 40 to 50 lbs on upper body because I have physical limitations). I try to keep my caloric intake around 1200 to 1500 consistently but even if I have a "bad" day I never go over 2000 calories. I've been bouncing between 205 and 210 for 3 months now! I need some help because I'm starting to get frustrated. Does anyone have any advice for me?
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  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    freakdoodle wrote: »
    I started seriously trying to get in shape in January although I had been using MFP for awhile. I started at 250lbs and have been whittling that down a little at a time. I religiously log my meals and exercises. I'm walking 3 to 6 miles every day at between 2.5 and 3 mph and doing circuit training at the gym 2 or 3 days a week (I don't more than 40 to 50 lbs on upper body because I have physical limitations). I try to keep my caloric intake around 1200 to 1500 consistently but even if I have a "bad" day I never go over 2000 calories. I've been bouncing between 205 and 210 for 3 months now! I need some help because I'm starting to get frustrated. Does anyone have any advice for me?

    How much of a deficit is 1500 calories? How often do you have a "bad day"? If 2000 is more than your maintenance level and you are doing that a couple of times a week, it could be negating your deficit on your "good days".

    Are you using a food scale?
    Would you be willing to temporarily make your diary public?
    How tall are you and what is your goal weight?

    Sorry for all the questions!
  • curwhibbles
    curwhibbles Posts: 138 Member
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    This has happened to me before...it was two of the above mentioned: bad days taking my deficit, and not measuring properly. Also, I wasn’t adding in oil cooked with etc. Everything makes a huge difference.
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    I am 5'4" my goal weight is 150 lbs. I want to be fit but not skinny. I used a scale in the beginning but after I got familiar with meat portions I stopped using it. I do use measuring cups and spoons however to make sure I'm tracking accurately. I don't know what you mean by how much the deficit is. I do get a weekly digest that shows calories consumed and burned and that has a weekly deficit is that what you mean?
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    freakdoodle wrote: »
    I am 5'4" my goal weight is 150 lbs. I want to be fit but not skinny. I used a scale in the beginning but after I got familiar with meat portions I stopped using it. I do use measuring cups and spoons however to make sure I'm tracking accurately. I don't know what you mean by how much the deficit is. I do get a weekly digest that shows calories consumed and burned and that has a weekly deficit is that what you mean?

    Go back to using the food scale for a bit. Portion creep happens.
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    Those are screenshots of my weekly report. Not sure if that helps.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    freakdoodle wrote: »
    Those are screenshots of my weekly report. Not sure if that helps.

    If your logging is inaccurate, then no, that doesn't say much. Also doesn't tell us what your actual deficit. How many lbs/week did you choose? Have you adjusted your calories down as you lose weight?
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    Using peanut butter as an example, the serving size is 2 tablespoons so I'm not sure how weighing it would make it different? Totally not being argumentative just trying to figure out my problem :-)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    freakdoodle wrote: »
    Using peanut butter as an example, the serving size is 2 tablespoons so I'm not sure how weighing it would make it different? Totally not being argumentative just trying to figure out my problem :-)

    The serving size is in grams. The volume measurement (tablespoons, cups, # of chips, etc) is estimated by the manufacturer. Depending on how much you fill that volume measurement and how tightly packed it is, you can get a different weight. The nutrition info on the package is calculated based on the serving weight grams.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Check this post out when you get a chance:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    My typical day is a high protein slim fast shake with almond milk for breakfast, a protein (usually chicken breast) and a veggie (broccoli or brussel sprouts) for lunch, light Greek yogurt with a tablespoon of peanut butter for snack, a protein with a vegetable for dinner, and either more Greek yogurt and pb, an Atkins snack bar, or some carb smart ice cream for dessert. That's the standard every day menu. If there's a birthday I'll have a piece of cake, if I'm extra hungry I'll have an additional slim fast shake with almond milk. I very rarely eat pasta or bread. If I eat out I go for a protein and a vegetable.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited October 2018
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    Check this post out when you get a chance:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

    And this one...

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10697068/how-i-stopped-kidding-myself/p1
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for your help I appreciate it. I'll take this new information and hope I can finally get past the 200 lb mark. I'm working my butt off and I'm anxious to get to a healthier me.
  • Realtree2429
    Realtree2429 Posts: 81 Member
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    Here's an example of why using a food scale is so important. I wasn't measuring my creamer for my coffee, I have drank coffee and cream forever so what did it matter (I had weighed it in the past). This time around, no food scale for creamer but I weighed everything else.

    Did not lose anything for July and August. Started weighing creamer and bam, down 6 lbs for the month of Sept.

    Turns out, I was consuming WAAAAAAYYY more just in my creamer than I thought. And that was just one thing that I had twice a day.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    My scales refused to move for 11 weeks (apart from going up), but if you're confident that you're in a deficit, they will move eventually!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    freakdoodle wrote: »
    Thank you for your help I appreciate it. I'll take this new information and hope I can finally get past the 200 lb mark. I'm working my butt off and I'm anxious to get to a healthier me.

    Two tablespoons of Jif creamy peanut butter is 32 grams, and 190 calories. That I know this off the top of my head is a bit concerning. LOL

    Guesstimate 2 tablespoons. Then put it on your scale and see how many grams it is. Every extra gram you are off is approximately 6 calories.

    I would find it concerning and a bit sad if you didn’t.
  • freakdoodle
    freakdoodle Posts: 12 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    freakdoodle wrote: »
    Those are screenshots of my weekly report. Not sure if that helps.

    If your logging is inaccurate, then no, that doesn't say much. Also doesn't tell us what your actual deficit. How many lbs/week did you choose? Have you adjusted your calories down as you lose weight?

    I have not adjusted anything in my goals and only update my weight in the progress section. I guess that's something I should do. I'm technology challenged so please don't judge me lol
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    freakdoodle wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    freakdoodle wrote: »
    Those are screenshots of my weekly report. Not sure if that helps.

    If your logging is inaccurate, then no, that doesn't say much. Also doesn't tell us what your actual deficit. How many lbs/week did you choose? Have you adjusted your calories down as you lose weight?

    I have not adjusted anything in my goals and only update my weight in the progress section. I guess that's something I should do. I'm technology challenged so please don't judge me lol

    Many assume that the program will do it automatically as your weight changes. It doesn't. If you go back to goals, and allow it to adjust based on current weight, you will find that calorie goal drop (and redo this for every 10lbs lost). I do still think that portion creep is your bigger issue. It happens. Go back to weighing your foods for a week or two. You might be surprised.

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