Plateau's and Peaks

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kstob1990
kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm struggling to tone up in a healthy way. I have been strength training 3x/week and light cardio 2x/week for at least 30 minutes. I try to eat relatively healthy with protein/carbs/fat but the scale won't budge. my fiance said he notices my face is slimmer and waist is trimmer. i know that muscle weighs more than fat so i try to remind myself of that fun fact too. however, the only time i've ever dropped pounds was when i ate only 1200 calories a day and i was INSANE about it. if i exceeded that, i would run until the guestimate of calories burned brought me back down to 1200. the problem with that is i was always hungry, moody, and tired.

i'm 5'7 and 162 lbs. i carry all my weight in my lower belly and my belly is firm to touch so its not flabby. any suggestions? anything thats worked for you?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    'Toning up' is a slow process.

    Stick with it and you'll get results. Set MFP to lose 0.5lbs per week, and carry on with the strength training. Are you following a program?
  • kstob1990
    kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
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    @TavistockToad i am following the SWEAT program on my phone so it guides me through 4 circuits. and then on the cardio days i do the stairmaster, rowing machine, or incline on treadmill. i had knee surgery so i try to avoid running on teh treadmill.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    kstob1990 wrote: »
    @TavistockToad i am following the SWEAT program on my phone so it guides me through 4 circuits. and then on the cardio days i do the stairmaster, rowing machine, or incline on treadmill. i had knee surgery so i try to avoid running on teh treadmill.

    Does that routine include increasing your weights?
  • kstob1990
    kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
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    it does not, but i try to start with a higher weight until i can't do it anymore and then i drop to a lower weight
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Do you use a food scale to insure you are actually eating the amount of calories you think you are?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • kstob1990
    kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
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    i don't use a food scale but i have a printout of serving sizes referencing everyday things aka palm of hand, fist, size of apple, etc.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited December 2018
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    never mind
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    kstob1990 wrote: »
    i don't use a food scale but i have a printout of serving sizes referencing everyday things aka palm of hand, fist, size of apple, etc.

    I'd get a food scale if I was you, with only a little to lose you don't have much room for error
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    kstob1990 wrote: »
    i don't use a food scale but i have a printout of serving sizes referencing everyday things aka palm of hand, fist, size of apple, etc.

    That doesn't seem to be working, does it? Did you check out the thread I linked?
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale to insure you are actually eating the amount of calories you think you are?

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

  • kstob1990
    kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
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    the 1200 was what myfitnesspal gave me when i was trying to drop 2lbs a week many years ago, which is crazy because i was 147 at that time so idk what i was doing. i keep myself around 1500 /1600 calories. what kind of scale do you recommend?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    kstob1990 wrote: »
    the 1200 was what myfitnesspal gave me when i was trying to drop 2lbs a week many years ago, which is crazy because i was 147 at that time so idk what i was doing. i keep myself around 1500 /1600 calories. what kind of scale do you recommend?

    Any digital one with a TARE button will work. I have this one, in purple. ;)

    https://www.amazon.com/Escali-157RR-Glass-Digital-Kitchen/dp/B0051ZOJFQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1544120781&sr=8-6&keywords=escali+food+scale

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    i get a cheap one at grocery store - and yes the tare button is key and having a few weight options.

    you don't need to select 2lb/a week, select a moderate lose rate of like 0.5 (which may well have you at 1500-1600 calso plus eating exercise calories)
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
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    kstob1990 wrote: »
    I'm struggling to tone up in a healthy way. I have been strength training 3x/week and light cardio 2x/week for at least 30 minutes. I try to eat relatively healthy with protein/carbs/fat but the scale won't budge. my fiance said he notices my face is slimmer and waist is trimmer. i know that muscle weighs more than fat so i try to remind myself of that fun fact too. however, the only time i've ever dropped pounds was when i ate only 1200 calories a day and i was INSANE about it. if i exceeded that, i would run until the guestimate of calories burned brought me back down to 1200. the problem with that is i was always hungry, moody, and tired.

    i'm 5'7 and 162 lbs. i carry all my weight in my lower belly and my belly is firm to touch so its not flabby. any suggestions? anything thats worked for you?

    I was thinking like you were on Monday. Then I saw this photo-list and it reminded me of my original goal. You've already made comments that the fat is coming off as you tone up. The number on the scale does not matter if your goal is fitness and health. And yeah, that can be REALLLLLY hard to keep your brain from focusing on. I encourage a look through some of these photos, notice the weights for each pic.
    Seeing this helped remind me that I should focus more on how/what I workout, not just move to lose calories.

    https://www.boredpanda.com/same-weight-fitness-transformations/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
  • kstob1990
    kstob1990 Posts: 18 Member
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    thank you all so much!! i will get a food scale and keep trucking along.
  • Dilvish
    Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
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    these plateaus are very common. Ideally you need to track your calories more efficiently or your exercise...guessing can be way off.
    Additionally your body tends to get used to certain exercise. Start something different like swimming or salsa dancing. Your body will react by using different muscles and you may start to see the scale drop again.

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