I've hit a Major Plateau - HELP!
Pattyc71
Posts: 12
So I lost 28 pounds in three months and since then (June) I haven't moved an oz on the scale. I'm not sure how to shake it up. I read about exercising more and eating more OR exercising less and just eating the same to stay under calories. I can say that I work out a lot(6 days a week 600-1000calories/wkout) and have begun training for a half marathon to see if that helps shift my body to do something else. Some tell me I'm not eating enough but my calories vs my workout usually balance out or I am under by at the most 300 calories. Any suggestions or advice fro how to keep things moving ........I still have about 20 to go. Help!
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Replies
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I would also say you need to eat more0
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Just pig out for like a day or two... seriously it will shake up your system and you'll start dropping again.0
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This is weird, but I agree. If I get off track for a weekend or something that next week I lose faster. It's just like a jumpstart.Just pig out for like a day or two... seriously it will shake up your system and you'll start dropping again.0 -
Just pig out for like a day or two... seriously it will shake up your system and you'll start dropping again.
Great advice!
Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
This has gotten me to where I am today.0 -
I was stuck losing and gaining the same 3 pounds for 4 months. So I said screw it and went up to maintenance for a couple of weeks. That helped me start losing again when I went back down to the lose 1/2-pound per week goal. I also started working out a little less, which seems strange, but I really think I was overdoing it there for awhile; our bodies need a rest every once in awhile.
Hope you find something that works for you. Good luck!0 -
Just pig out for like a day or two... seriously it will shake up your system and you'll start dropping again.
Great advice!
Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
This has gotten me to where I am today.
I was wondering if that is really ok to do? I mean I'm craving chicken tenders from rester aunt, but I keep looking at the calories and saying that's too high. I had been eating 1200 calories without exercise calories and stuff and I hit a plateau, so last week I bumpeded up to 1400, now this week, I'm gonna do 1500, and so on until I'm eating the right amount and all my exercise calories. But I don't want to screw things up by eating so much at once.
I've also considered stopping my exercise for a week or two to give my body time to recover, but I found I feel like crap if I don't exercise.0 -
I'm worried about the upping the calories it does make sense just don't want to dig myself into a hole. I also might try toning down the workouts....maybe my body is exhausted. Thanks0
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SHOULD I EAT MY EXERCISE CALORIES .COM:
http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/
Do take the time to read the extremely helpful links on page 2.
blessings.0 -
Couple of years ago I dropped 25 lbs and I ate well and exercised regularly... except on Fridays. Friday would be my 'free' day and I would not log anything and I would eat what I wanted. Not to excess where I was being a glutton, but I was just not worried about logging it... I lost weight almost every single week, and I lost the 25lbs in like 4 months. It works. Your body needs to be shaken up and kept on its' toes, if you will.0
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Great advice!
Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
This has gotten me to where I am today.
Ummm..
Looks at your sig...Certified Nutrition Coach & Personal Trainer
*Free Weight Loss Guide* - http://www.spike84.com
Then looks at your post....Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
Not sure if serious.0 -
Well to be honest Friday is my rest day from exercise and food. I log it but its my day to not really watch what I eat and I go over and have whatever I want. That doesn't do enough to shake it up ...any other suggestions?? It a toss up between not eating enough or eating too much. I wish I could understand.0
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I think it's great that you eat your exercise calories, but what is your base calories set at? When you don't have as much to lose, you can't be trying for 2lbs a week loss (if you are). I suggest changing your goal to 0.5lbs per week. I've seen a lot of people get results with this goal. I think it's especially important to eat enough when you are working out a ton. Your body just doesn't want to give up it's fat when you work it that hard and don't eat enough.0
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Very interesting approach I will give that a try...seems logical.0
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Extremely serious.
Many people have the impression it's too good to be true, but knowing what I know through experience and research it's actually a no-brainier.
It is scientifically impossible for one bad day to screw you up, so don't worry about it.
Say your BMR is 1,800 calories, and you don't workout but still burn an extra 500 calories throughout the day with your actviites.
Now you ate 3,600 calories because your spiking.
3,600-(1,800+500=2,300)= +1,300 now that is your total surplus.
How many calories equals a pound?
3,500
So worst case scenario you gain 1/3 of a pound.
The cool part is those extra calories don't get stored as fat, but instead go to restoring glycogen in your liver and muscles.
Now the best news is, when we store energy we can't be in starvation mode, they completely contradict each other. How can you be starving and store energy?
Also your body has to metabolize all 3,600 calories causing a spike in your base metabolism.
You also get to eat the foods you really love.
I call this a win-win-win-win-win
So am I serious???
Yes I think I am.
:happy:Great advice!
Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
This has gotten me to where I am today.
Ummm..
Looks at your sig...Certified Nutrition Coach & Personal Trainer
*Free Weight Loss Guide* - http://www.spike84.com
Then looks at your post....Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
Not sure if serious.0 -
One of the most "in shape" guys I've ever known takes Fridays off. Eats a huge breakfast, goes out for lunch, pizza for dinner and drinks after work and he doesn't work out on Fridays either. The rest of the week he's a clean eater and works out religiously.0
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eat more a couple of days0
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I had one week where it was my anniversary and I ate about 3000 NET cals. I didn't do this on purpose but the next day I went back to my 1200 NET intake and was good as gold.
I lost 2lb that week! I should actually try it again as an experiment to see if it was a fluke or not but I am too scared of putting on the weight. It does make sense tho when people say it shakes up the metabolism.0 -
Extremely serious.
Many people have the impression it's too good to be true, but knowing what I know through experience and research it's actually a no-brainier.
It is scientifically impossible for one bad day to screw you up, so don't worry about it.
Say your BMR is 1,800 calories, and you don't workout but still burn an extra 500 calories throughout the day with your actviites.
Now you ate 3,600 calories because your spiking.
3,600-(1,800+500=2,300)= +1,300 now that is your total surplus.
How many calories equals a pound?
3,500
So worst case scenario you gain 1/3 of a pound.
The cool part is those extra calories don't get stored as fat, but instead go to restoring glycogen in your liver and muscles.
Now the best news is, when we store energy we can't be in starvation mode, they completely contradict each other. How can you be starving and store energy?
Also your body has to metabolize all 3,600 calories causing a spike in your base metabolism.
You also get to eat the foods you really love.
I call this a win-win-win-win-win
So am I serious???
Yes I think I am.
:happy:
If you are gaining 1/3 of a pound, it's going to your weight as fat or muscle. Most likely it is going to be fat, granted it's not alot. The part where you are incorrect is suggesting that she eat way over her TDEE level for one day to break her plateau. Yes one day isn't going to hurt her, but that isn't the reason she is in a plateau.
Most likely she was undereating which does a number of things. First it can actually change your BMR level to the point of where now she is no longer eating at the proper calorie deficit. Second, her macros are most likely not correct. Protein and Fat minimum macronutrient intake plays a very important role in weight loss or weight gain (if that's your goal). Not consuming the minimums can cause adverse effects as well.
When people eat X amount of calories and lose weight, and then increase their calories when they plateau they are changing their macronutrient intake also.
Bottom line: Her calorie intake is not accurate that coincides with her TDEE. Eating way over TDEE for one day isn't going to do anything except make her gain a little weight. She needs to eat at a proper deficit.0 -
Extremely serious.
Many people have the impression it's too good to be true, but knowing what I know through experience and research it's actually a no-brainier.
It is scientifically impossible for one bad day to screw you up, so don't worry about it.
Say your BMR is 1,800 calories, and you don't workout but still burn an extra 500 calories throughout the day with your actviites.
Now you ate 3,600 calories because your spiking.
3,600-(1,800+500=2,300)= +1,300 now that is your total surplus.
How many calories equals a pound?
3,500
So worst case scenario you gain 1/3 of a pound.
The cool part is those extra calories don't get stored as fat, but instead go to restoring glycogen in your liver and muscles.
Now the best news is, when we store energy we can't be in starvation mode, they completely contradict each other. How can you be starving and store energy?
Also your body has to metabolize all 3,600 calories causing a spike in your base metabolism.
You also get to eat the foods you really love.
I call this a win-win-win-win-win
So am I serious???
Yes I think I am.
:happy:Great advice!
Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
This has gotten me to where I am today.
Ummm..
Looks at your sig...Certified Nutrition Coach & Personal Trainer
*Free Weight Loss Guide* - http://www.spike84.com
Then looks at your post....Then have a day every week,where you eat 2XBMR fo calories, so if your BMR is 1,800, one day eat 3,600 calories. It's a Spike Day, and it will spike up your metabolism up, and keep you from hitting a plateau.
Not sure if serious.
on the day you eat 2x your BMR, is that a recovery (non-exercise or light exercise day)?
I'd like to drop 2 more lbs. just because 127 is my favorite number (ha). The scale hasn't budged for me in over 2 mos., but happily my measurements have come down. I stopped losing on 500 deficit so upped to 250 deficit, but stayed the same. Upped to maintenance cals 2 weeks ago, and continuing to maintain; possibly up 1/2 lb.
I'm training hard right now for a century ride as well as dance performances so it's hard to take a day totally off of exercise and my calorie burns and consumption are huge. I'm wondering if I can't drop those last 2 pounds until after the century when I cut back down on the miles. I finally have a day off from workouts coming this Saturday--maybe I should try eating 2xBMR? What do you think?
edit: If I could work in a rest day (big if) 1 or 2 days BEFORE big burn day, maybe that would be the day to do the 2xBMR?
blessings.0 -
Im in the same boat so here's hoping!0
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Joe that's not true at all.
If she's dieting, her glycogen stores will be depleted, and our body is more likely to store extra energy as glycogen than bodyfat. Glycogen is short-term energy storage and a higher priority than long-term energy storage(bodyfat)
Like I said worst case scenario she gains 1/3 of a pound of fat, but more likely she doesn't gain any fat.
Studies have shown that eating a caloric surplus will in fact increase metabolism.
I live this plan, I did this to lose 130lbs 7 years ago, and I still do it today.
I love my macros as much as the next guy, but the biggest issue is calories in and out. Your telling me the doc who lost 27lbs eating Twinkies hit his macros?
Our metabolisms will decline when we burn fat for energy, having one day a week where we don't stops that.Extremely serious.
Many people have the impression it's too good to be true, but knowing what I know through experience and research it's actually a no-brainier.
It is scientifically impossible for one bad day to screw you up, so don't worry about it.
Say your BMR is 1,800 calories, and you don't workout but still burn an extra 500 calories throughout the day with your actviites.
Now you ate 3,600 calories because your spiking.
3,600-(1,800+500=2,300)= +1,300 now that is your total surplus.
How many calories equals a pound?
3,500
So worst case scenario you gain 1/3 of a pound.
The cool part is those extra calories don't get stored as fat, but instead go to restoring glycogen in your liver and muscles.
Now the best news is, when we store energy we can't be in starvation mode, they completely contradict each other. How can you be starving and store energy?
Also your body has to metabolize all 3,600 calories causing a spike in your base metabolism.
You also get to eat the foods you really love.
I call this a win-win-win-win-win
So am I serious???
Yes I think I am.
:happy:
If you are gaining 1/3 of a pound, it's going to your weight as fat or muscle. Most likely it is going to be fat, granted it's not alot. The part where you are incorrect is suggesting that she eat way over her TDEE level for one day to break her plateau. Yes one day isn't going to hurt her, but that isn't the reason she is in a plateau.
Most likely she was undereating which does a number of things. First it can actually change your BMR level to the point of where now she is no longer eating at the proper calorie deficit. Second, her macros are most likely not correct. Protein and Fat minimum macronutrient intake plays a very important role in weight loss or weight gain (if that's your goal). Not consuming the minimums can cause adverse effects as well.
When people eat X amount of calories and lose weight, and then increase their calories when they plateau they are changing their macronutrient intake also.
Bottom line: Her calorie intake is not accurate that coincides with her TDEE. Eating way over TDEE for one day isn't going to do anything except make her gain a little weight. She needs to eat at a proper deficit.0 -
Yes on my Spike Days I do nothing but relax and enjoy food.
If I were to workout, I'd just eat more to make sure I had a small caloric surplus.
The plan in a nutshell;
6 days of a deficit, using BMR as a calorie goal.
1 day of surplus, 2XBMR
I do agree that macros are important, so I eat high protein, moderate fat, and lower carb
I also eat the majority of my carbs and calories after 5pm.
I was the first to do this, and this is how I got to look like the pic in my signature. Then my clients had awesome results, and there's quite a few following it with success right now. The best part is that it's very doable lifestyle and we don't feel deprived.0 -
Joe that's not true at all.
If she's dieting, her glycogen stores will be depleted, and our body is more likely to store extra energy as glycogen than bodyfat. Glycogen is short-term energy storage and a higher priority than long-term energy storage(bodyfat)
Like I said worst case scenario she gains 1/3 of a pound of fat, but more likely she doesn't gain any fat.
Studies have shown that eating a caloric surplus will in fact increase metabolism.
I live this plan, I did this to lose 130lbs 7 years ago, and I still do it today.
I love my macros as much as the next guy, but the biggest issue is calories in and out. Your telling me the doc who lose 27lbs eating Twinkies hit his macros?
Our metabolisms will decline when we burn fat for energy, having one day a week where we don't stops that.
1. If you eat a calorie surplus over your TDEE you WILL gain weight ....PERIOD. And it will be either fat or muscle.
2. Based on your information, you are saying that if she eats over her surplus that her glycogen levels in her liver will be replenished and won't gain any fat. Keto dieters eat barely any carbs for 6 days out of the week, then have a refeed day on the 7th to where they go over on carbs but still remain at a calorie deficit and their glycogen levels replenish just fine.
They are ALWAYS in a calorie deficit. It's carbs and amino acids that replenish glycogen levels.
3. Cite those studies please. I would like to see some controlled studies and journals.
4. The doctor that lost 27lbs didn't keep the weight off. He was in an enormous calorie deficit and lost the weight like HCG'ers do.
5. I assume since you believe in calories in versus calories out that you also believe that meal timing is irrelevant....yes? Or are you going to tell me to eat 5-6 meals a day every 2 to 3 hours to stoke the metabolic fire?0 -
Meal timing is irrelevant.
http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v24/n11/full/0801395a.html
Keto dieters are not like us, they are in a totally different metabolic state, with their brains only getting a 1/3 of the energy it needs.
Why do keto dieters think that unless your keto you can't drop bodyfat? is it some kind of joke?
I mean I've done just fine eating my donuts and pizza, why would I ever want to stop this?Joe that's not true at all.
If she's dieting, her glycogen stores will be depleted, and our body is more likely to store extra energy as glycogen than bodyfat. Glycogen is short-term energy storage and a higher priority than long-term energy storage(bodyfat)
Like I said worst case scenario she gains 1/3 of a pound of fat, but more likely she doesn't gain any fat.
Studies have shown that eating a caloric surplus will in fact increase metabolism.
I live this plan, I did this to lose 130lbs 7 years ago, and I still do it today.
I love my macros as much as the next guy, but the biggest issue is calories in and out. Your telling me the doc who lose 27lbs eating Twinkies hit his macros?
Our metabolisms will decline when we burn fat for energy, having one day a week where we don't stops that.
1. If you eat a calorie surplus over your TDEE you WILL gain weight ....PERIOD. And it will be either fat or muscle.
2. Based on your information, you are saying that if she eats over her surplus that her glycogen levels in her liver will be replenished and won't gain any fat. Keto dieters eat barely any carbs for 6 days out of the week, then have a refeed day on the 7th to where they go over on carbs but still remain at a calorie deficit and their glycogen levels replenish just fine.
They are ALWAYS in a calorie deficit. It's carbs and amino acids that replenish glycogen levels.
3. Cite those studies please. I would like to see some controlled studies and journals.
4. The doctor that lost 27lbs didn't keep the weight off. He was in an enormous calorie deficit and lost the weight like HCG'ers do.
5. I assume since you believe in calories in versus calories out that you also believe that meal timing is irrelevant....yes? Or are you going to tell me to eat 5-6 meals a day every 2 to 3 hours to stoke the metabolic fire?0 -
Also bro that doctor that was on the twinkie diet ate 2/3 of his intake from junk food, the rest of his intake came from a protein shake and veggies. I am in agreement with you about calorie intake (energy in versus out). I'm also in agreement with you about meal timing being irrelevant. I create a diet myth debunk thread that never would get stickied so it's kinda lost in the depths of the forum.
My only thing I was questioning you about was your increase in calorie surplus over TDEE to fix her plateau when she simply needs to make sure of what her TDEE is, and then eat a proper deficit and macro intake to break through it.
I need to find an article by Alan Aragon regarding plateau's. Steve Stroutman here on MFP has an amazing article regarding the same phenomenon, but it's not released yet until next week.0 -
I'm sorry if I was rude man.
It's been proven through the semi-starvation studies that metabolism do slow down when we have constant caloric deficits, also it just makes sense when we know the purpose of storing bodyfat is long-term energy storage for survival.
You can plateau when your body has dropped your metabolism because it perceives your diet as starvation.
When you have a surplus you are showing your body that there is plenty of food and your not starving and leptin levels return to normal, thus bring metabolism back up and ending cravings.
Another benefit is your body has to metabolize each one of those extra calories spiking up metabolism.
Macros do play a role, because if you eat too little protein you can lose lean body mass, if you eat too little fat your body an't process fat for energy and it lowers key hormones.
We really don't disagree on that.
If you go over your TDEE, you can store energy as glycogen and gain some water weight not necessarily fat. Going over TDEE will NOT gain muscle weight. Calories are not stored in muscles for energy, your body builds muscle when you are in an anabolic state. Extra calories help, but they are not required.
There are so many benefits to having a Spike Day, that I'd expect everyone to have one.0 -
If you go over your TDEE, you can store energy as glycogen and gain some water weight not necessarily fat. Going over TDEE will NOT gain muscle weight. Calories are not stored in muscles for energy, your body builds muscle when you are in an anabolic state. Extra calories help, but they are not required.
There are so many benefits to having a Spike Day, that I'd expect everyone to have one.
I disagree with this bro.
Going over your TDEE without some kind of weight resistance training will not gain muscle weight, but you will gain weight. Also your body has to have a calorie surplus in order to build muscle tissue. You cannot grow without eating more calories than you burn.
I can guarantee you that Alan Aragon, Lyle McDonald, and Martin Berkhan will agree with me on this.
It's the same principle where you cannot lose weight if you eat a calorie surplus. It doesn't matter if you only eat fibrous vegetables all day long. If you eat more calories from those veggies than what you burn in a 24 hour period, and you don't do any weight resistance training, you will in fact gain weight and it will be fat.0 -
I haven't read all of the responses in this thread because 90% of them are probably garbage.So I lost 28 pounds in three months and since then (June) I haven't moved an oz on the scale. I'm not sure how to shake it up. I read about exercising more and eating more OR exercising less and just eating the same to stay under calories. I can say that I work out a lot(6 days a week 600-1000calories/wkout) and have begun training for a half marathon to see if that helps shift my body to do something else. Some tell me I'm not eating enough but my calories vs my workout usually balance out or I am under by at the most 300 calories. Any suggestions or advice fro how to keep things moving ........I still have about 20 to go. Help!
Questions:
What is your daily intake of calories and macros?
What is your stats? sex/age/height/weight etc?
How are you measuring your foods?0 -
I don't always like telling people to pig out to restart/jumpstart whatever but I have been losing weight like crazy then for the past 4 months I have been plateau. I exercise daily, i eat healthy, i count my calories, ect ect....I hear well your body adjusted things like that. Or you need to eat more. Well I recently got back from a camping trip and the only workout I had was swimming. I ate smores every night and crap during the day. I decided i was going to enjoy what everyone else was. Well coming back home i gained 5lbs. i was floored. But then got back into my routine again and boom! Started dropping again and now its moving again. I am not sure what I did, maybe like what everyone else is saying but I thought i share that with you.0
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Im not quite as qualified as some of the guys on here but ... common sense question...
Why would you have a "cheat day" and eat 2x your BMR ... but then only eat your BMR all week -- when you could just eat more calories all week and not have a "cheat day."
You see I think the entire concept of cheat days is what got us here in the first place. I dont really want to have a day that I have get in 3800 calories ... because I will feel sick ...
I would rather eat more throughout the week instead...
And to the original poster -- you need to figure out your BMR and never eat under it. Likely you are eating under your BMR and your body is getting smart to that idea.
Check out fat2fitradio.com/bmr
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