Plateaued

bexidee
bexidee Posts: 12 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi all, I started this journey in September 2018 at 237lbs and am now at 175lbs. I've been stuck at this weight now for weeks and cannot get under this! I do low carb through the week and relax it off at the weekends and I generally eat around 1200 Cal's a day. I work out 2 to 3 times a week....this has worked well up to now but I just cant get the scales to budge. Any advice? Feel free to add me :)

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    As you get closer to goal your weight loss will slow down, water weight fluctuations can completely mask weight loss, you also need to be far more accurate with your logging as you have far less room for error. How are you measuring your intake? Guessing/Cups/Weighing?
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss

    1 - a few weeks is not a huge plateau in the grand scheme of things. is it not moving AT ALL or just slow?
    2 - have you updated your weight in MFP (there should be a downward calorie calculation from 237 to 175 as your body needs fewer calories as it is smaller.
    3 - if you increased or added exercise your muscles may be retaining extra water masking weight loss.
    4 - the closer you get to goal, the more you need to be careful in logging. with a bigger amount to lose there is much more wiggle room for logging errors and miscalulations. but with less to lose there is less wiggle room. so:
    - get a food scale if you do'nt already.
    - use the food scale for everything (not just some things)
    - be super careful and double check all selected entries. personally I found i was making huge errors in calculating my proteins (chicken, salmon) using entries for raw but weight cooked. I found many other logging errors even after having successfully lost for awhile.


    i highly recommend a weight trending app to see trend not just daily numbers.
  • bexidee
    bexidee Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you so much for the advice!! I don't have a scale, but perhaps it's time to get one to start weighing all my food. It's literally just not budging at all. Got around 20lbs to lose til I hit my ultimate goal and yet it seems impossible at the moment! 😂
  • bexidee
    bexidee Posts: 12 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    As you get closer to goal your weight loss will slow down, water weight fluctuations can completely mask weight loss, you also need to be far more accurate with your logging as you have far less room for error. How are you measuring your intake? Guessing/Cups/Weighing?

    Yes, pretty much guessing by eye.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Read this thread by @sarahlucindac, @bexidee.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10697068/how-i-stopped-kidding-myself/p1

    And this thread has some great tips for using a food scale.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited April 2019
    bexidee wrote: »
    Thank you so much for the advice!! I don't have a scale, but perhaps it's time to get one to start weighing all my food. It's literally just not budging at all. Got around 20lbs to lose til I hit my ultimate goal and yet it seems impossible at the moment! 😂

    ok easy step 1 - get and use food scale! i just get whatever is cheapest no need to spend a ton.

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

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10697068/how-i-stopped-kidding-myself/p1
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Panini911 wrote: »
    bexidee wrote: »
    Thank you so much for the advice!! I don't have a scale, but perhaps it's time to get one to start weighing all my food. It's literally just not budging at all. Got around 20lbs to lose til I hit my ultimate goal and yet it seems impossible at the moment! 😂

    ok easy step 1 - get and use food scale! i just get whatever is cheapest no need to spend a ton.

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

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10697068/how-i-stopped-kidding-myself/p1

    Haha! Beat you to it! @Panini911
  • bexidee
    bexidee Posts: 12 Member
    Thank you guys!!! 😘
  • Mk2wagn
    Mk2wagn Posts: 1,459 Member
    Ugh I'm at about the same place as you!
    Any tips
  • cobalt108
    cobalt108 Posts: 60 Member
    Maybe working out only 2-3 times per week isn’t enough? What if you tried 4-5 times per week or added like a fun fitness Zumba type class tonyour schedule?
    It’s not always convenient but I lose the most and don’t plateau when I go to the gym everyday.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    cobalt108 wrote: »
    Maybe working out only 2-3 times per week isn’t enough? What if you tried 4-5 times per week or added like a fun fitness Zumba type class tonyour schedule?
    It’s not always convenient but I lose the most and don’t plateau when I go to the gym everyday.

    You don't actually need to work out for weight loss at all (it is however good for your health to exercise). Weight loss is down to a calorie deficit. The most likely reason people plateau is lack of patience (ignoring that weight loss is not a linear process) and lack of accuracy (eating more than they think).

    There are many people here who have lost weight without going anywhere near a gym, just by managing their food intake.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    Mk2wagn wrote: »
    Ugh I'm at about the same place as you!
    Any tips

    Read the sticky "Most Helpful" posts in Getting Started & General Diet Boards, lots of useful information there on how to log accurately.

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