The last 10lbs / Plateau? / Strength training? HELP

LaurenMT96
LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Since feb 2018 I've lost 86lbs, from 259 to 173. I got to 173 on 14/12/18.
I had a break over Christmas and gained a little back, but back down to 173 by 16/01/2019.
I just weighed in this morning and I'm still there ! :neutral:
I have been super strict with my logging and I've used a food scale throughout my whole weight loss.
What's been working for me to lose 86lbs just seems to have stopped working?

I weigh in on Friday mornings and have been on 1500calories with my activity level set to lightly active due to the horses each night, and my rate of loss set to 1.5lb per week. My macros are split 40C 30F 30P.

Any ideas how to break out of this? My goal weight is 161 - 163lbs (depending how i feel when i'm there).

Also i know that i should be strength training but my situation is this;
Wake up at 7 to start work at 8:30 - 5pm, leave work and go to tend to my horses (shoveling dirty bedding, carrying water buckets, filling haynets etc) and get home around 7pm, to then start to prep my evening meal and eat and then finally get to relax about 8:30 - 9pm and by that time I'm just exhausted. I know that you have to make time if you really want something but I'm really struggling with how to fit this in and find the energy to do it.
Could i strength train upper body on saturdays, lower body on sundays and maybe a full body on one weeknight? Would this be enough? I've never got to here before and i really want to make it to the end.
Thanks for reading :smile:

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    How many times did you post this?!
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    How many times did you post this?!

    I posted it in Motivation, General Health & Bodybuilding to try and get some different opinions as there's a few different questions in my post.
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    edited February 2019
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    In the whole time you lost 86 pounds you never stayed the same weight for 2 weeks or more?

    It's completely normal.

    It has been 7 weeks since 14/12. I gained 1.5 over xmas but lost it the first week after. I was staying the same before and after Xmas, (3 weeks either side) so 6 weeks.
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    @TavistockToad So increase my calories to break the plateau?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited February 2019
    LaurenMT96 wrote: »
    @TavistockToad So increase my calories to break the plateau?

    No, to lose its never about increasing calories, its more that you are probably eating more than you think (as in more than the 1500 cals) - portion creep happens, perhaps not every single thing is getting logged or weighed etc, its very easy to undo our calorie deficit so we are maintaining our weight rather than losing. Plus the calorie burns for exercise can be inflated.

    I agree that you should change your setting to lose 0.5lb a week too and try to minimize logging inaccuracies over the next few weeks so you are in calorie deficit again - the scale will move. The last pounds are so slow to take off as there's so little room for error.

    All the best.
  • Teabythesea_
    Teabythesea_ Posts: 559 Member
    15 days is not a plateau. Give it more time. You can certainly do strength training only 3 days a week, that's all that most beginners really need. There is a list of lifting programs under the bodybuilding forum you can choose from that range in frequency and length of time. Choose one that fits your schedule.
  • lin_be
    lin_be Posts: 393 Member
    I’m with you right now. I am losing at a snails pace. It use to be really easy but now it’s very tough. I have to be at .5lb/week loss or else I am starving! I know that this isn’t what you want to hear but being at the same weight for two weeks is not a plateau (your weight gain during the holiday should be considered since you probably did gain some fat). Water retention, hormones, salty foods all come into play when you have less to lose. If you’ve been logging accurately, preferably with a food scale, than you’ll have to trust the process. But don’t get discouraged if the last 10lbs takes months to come off. That’s what I’m telling myself these days lol
  • SirMxyzptlk
    SirMxyzptlk Posts: 841 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    Change that to 0.5 lb and then be patient.

    This.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    It took me a year to lose the last 10 pounds :neutral:

    You have zero wiggle room. Your logging has to be on point. As a woman with a hormonal cycle causing water weight fluctuations the small fat losses you should be expecting will easily hide behind fluctuations on the scale for WEEKS. I'm not saying that to discourage you, it's just real life, how it works.

    Look into the diet break thread linked above - it's not just "not dieting" for a week, it's a legit plan that you follow. Then get back to it and unfortunately you have to trust the process and start measuring your accomplishments in other ways than hanging on the scale. Stuff like logging accurately and consistently, fitness goals, diet improvement, etc. Good luck!
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    edited February 2019
    Strength training is always good, but loss is about what you eat. I know I see that you weigh, but are you also using accurate entries?
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
    Make sure your goal is now set to .5lb a week.

    Also, you'll have a maintenance range, not a set number. Many of us chose a 3lb-5lb window. Something to think about as you approach maintenance.

    Great job on your progress so far :)
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    edited February 2019
    With only 10 lbs to lose, you cannot expect to keep losing 1.5 lb a week. You should aim for .25 - .5 lb a week and it will take a long time. Also be aware that if you do start strength training, you will gain some water weight that might hang around for weeks.
  • jasonpoihegatama
    jasonpoihegatama Posts: 496 Member
    You know about toning sometimes your body will go down in size but not weight! But up your workout intensity. You may look at sprinting run / spin bike . Drink water and maybe look at adding extra veggie of fruit to your diet. Most likely you can not maintain at this level??? so don't be afraid to come back up to weight. Like some cut down for summer or for a show.
  • hazeleni
    hazeleni Posts: 87 Member
    I haven’t read what anyone else said but this is how it is.

    You obviously know how to lose weight as you’ve been doing for so long and successfully as well. So you don’t need advice on that part.

    To get out of this plateau just have to have ONE day of over eating of about 200-300 calories above Maintenance. Then go back to your deficit. Trust me this works. Make sure it’s only ONE day of the surplus and only 200-300 above maintenance. This will reset your body. Your body doesn’t wanna keep being in a state of weight loss. Over eating one day will reset this.

    You usually need this once every 2-3 weeks when you plateau. Trust me try it. [/quote]

    I dont know why you got wooed.. I have been doing this without realising since I started dieting.. It doesnt mean you have to start downing cheeseburgers, just add more toppings or some extra fruit or an omelette.. It stopped most of my cravings and I never hit a plateau.. In fact, i have already reset my GW to a lower number..

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    As far as strength training is concerned, mucking out stalls and carrying water is strength training. It's not a fully balanced workout, but I can guarantee you're hitting the same muscles you would use in a "farmer's carry"! You don't have to be in a gym to be getting benefits from activity.

    If there are certain parts of your body you want to target for the purpose of growing muscle or becoming stronger, you can add some strength training. You won't see much in the way of results unless you target the same muscles at least twice a week.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    LaurenMT96 wrote: »
    @TavistockToad So increase my calories to break the plateau?

    Take a diet break/refeed (raise your calories to maintenance) for a brief period. This thread explains why, how to do it and the benefits.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

    After your diet break is over, reduce your deficit to .5 rate of loss and be patient.

    eta: Any strength training you add is always good, preferably 3 x a week total body would be more optimal and beneficial, but you can start out with 2 x a time a week and see that how works out.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    I second the diet break suggestion.

    Shoveling horse poop is kind of strength training just not in the traditional sense lol. If you can stick in a couple of full body workouts per week then give that a go.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    Oh yeah and these last few kilos? super hard to lose... I fight with them all the time LOL
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    Thanks everyone, all your advice has been really helpful. Did my first strength training session yesterday and feel great. Think I will focus on that for a while and not be too conscious of what the scale says, I've put my rate of loss to 1lb per week and going to transition down to 0.5 per week in another 2 weeks time.
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    Thanks everyone for the useful advice, I upped my cals and now down to 171 incorporating strength training and adjusting my macros to 40/35/25 :)
  • LaurenMT96
    LaurenMT96 Posts: 184 Member
    Thanks everyone for the useful advice, I upped my cals and now down to 171 incorporating strength training and adjusting my macros to 40/35/25 :) Goal weight should be just around the corner!
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    Also, a suggestion to plan your meals out for the week and prep on Sunday. That way you just have to come home and eat and relax.
  • chromilo
    chromilo Posts: 33 Member
    LaurenMT96 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    LaurenMT96 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    How many times did you post this?!

    I posted it in Motivation, General Health & Bodybuilding to try and get some different opinions as there's a few different questions in my post.

    It's actually against t's and c's to post multiple times about the same thing.

    Oh Sorry i hadn't taken the time to read the T's and C's, you must have lots of free time! I'm jealous ! Don't report me :wink: Just trying to get some advice...


    Lol
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