Help with a platuea

Hello, i started weight loss after haveing my baby back in january i started out at 236 im down to 199. But ive been fluctuating the last few months with the same 1 to 2 lbs. Im 5'4 i eat the 1200 calories a day MFP recommends i also run at least 45 min daily plus a nightly walk at least 4 tjmes a week with my husband and i walk throufhbout the day with my dogs and just in pure bordem i pace alot. Anyways working out walking i generally burn minimum of right around 900 calories ao my question is do i cut out the working out, increase my calories or both. Ive been stuck for 2 months and i would really like to drop another 20. Im just so confused as to why things arent working anymore help me please.

Replies

  • Beautyofdreams
    Beautyofdreams Posts: 1,009 Member
    The amount of calories burned for walking seems a bit high. Maybe, only eat back half of your exercise calories. You could also try eating at your maintenance calories for two weeks then resuming your diet.
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
    You burn 900 calories just from the walking? Or including the run? Because I have to run 9 miles to burn 900 calories. I’m guessing your exercise calories are being miscalculated.

    I would just eat back the calories from running and forget about the walking calories.
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    I burn the 900 from running and walking together i run for abput 45 min and burn around 550. And then i walk around 6000 steps a dap plus my night time walk which is another 350 calories.
  • steph6556
    steph6556 Posts: 575 Member
    I think shortgirlrunning is correct in saying you should only eat back some of the calories because it seems you are overestimating your calorie expenditure. I do a run/walk hybrid daily for an hour and yield a 500 calorie output and still only eat back about 350 of those calories just to account for MFP’s erroneous calculations AND to bank those calories for the weekend! If you try that for a week or so, you may get the answer you’re hoping for!
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    Okay thank you. mfp doesn't calculate my running calories my treadmill does i have it set specifucally to my settings. And my walking i have set to an app on my phone so i know the calories can be off from workout it was just an estimate. I will deffinitely try this eating back calories thing. I had no clue you were suppose to eat back calories from workouts at all i just though you ate what MFP gave you and that was that. @steph6556 @Shortgirlrunning thank you for your advice honestly.
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    Okay thank you. mfp doesn't calculate my running calories my treadmill does i have it set specifucally to my settings. And my walking i have set to an app on my phone so i know the calories can be off from workout it was just an estimate. I will deffinitely try this eating back calories thing. I had no clue you were suppose to eat back calories from workouts at all i just though you ate what MFP gave you and that was that. @steph6556 @Shortgirlrunning thank you for your advice honestly.

    Okay. Wait.

    You're saying you are ONLY eating the 1200 calories MFP gives? Not any of the extra exercise calories? How long have you been doing this with no weight loss?

    How do you feel? Tired? Cranky? Because you should be able to eat 1400-1600 calories and lose PLUS additional for that exercise. I'd guess an extra 300-400 calories. So on exercise days, you should be able to eat 1700-1900 calories and still lose - IF you're logging everything and keeping good records.

    If you open your food diary for us to view we may spot errors. Go to FOOD > Settings and scroll down, click "Public" and save.

    Because if you've been logging your food using a food scale and using correct food database items, not eating back any exercise calories and you've been at this for more than a month? See a doctor.

    I have been doing this since january at this rate and have lost almost 40 lbs. I have been platued since middle of may. And took august off because i was yes feeling all of thoes things and i was defficient in alot of vitamins so i knew something wasnt right. I started takeing a multi and took the month of july off to just tey to recoop. I have been doing this with a dietion/nutritionist since the beginning of january. She has told me to walk not run around 10,000 steps a day but i get very bored doing that and dont feel challanged. Im glad i asked these questions because i was completely lost as to why i was so stuck im takeing this weekend off to recoop and be nice to my body in the sense of eating a little more around 1400 calories and walking instead of running and doing HIIT workouts and ill start back monday with all this advice.
  • MichelleMcKeeRN
    MichelleMcKeeRN Posts: 450 Member
    I don’t trust the exercise calories as they always seem very high. I regularly exercise and set my dietary limits to 1500-1600 calories. There is a way to set your calories to include a more active lifestyle, then you don’t have to add up exercise calories.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I don’t trust the exercise calories as they always seem very high. I regularly exercise and set my dietary limits to 1500-1600 calories. There is a way to set your calories to include a more active lifestyle, then you don’t have to add up exercise calories.

    OP isn't currently eating back any exercise calories at ALL, so them being high isn't the issue. The issue is that OP appears to have a very active lifestyle but isn't losing weight on 1,200.

    OP, I'm wondering if you might have a logging issue that is resulting in you eating more than you think you are. It's pretty common. If you open your diary, we may be able to help you troubleshoot.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    Do you use a food scale, weighing and logging everything that passes your lips, no skipping, cheating, or forgetting?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,905 Member
    edited August 2020
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    Okay thank you. mfp doesn't calculate my running calories my treadmill does i have it set specifucally to my settings. And my walking i have set to an app on my phone so i know the calories can be off from workout it was just an estimate. I will deffinitely try this eating back calories thing. I had no clue you were suppose to eat back calories from workouts at all i just though you ate what MFP gave you and that was that. @steph6556 @Shortgirlrunning thank you for your advice honestly.

    Okay. Wait.

    You're saying you are ONLY eating the 1200 calories MFP gives? Not any of the extra exercise calories? How long have you been doing this with no weight loss?

    How do you feel? Tired? Cranky? Because you should be able to eat 1400-1600 calories and lose PLUS additional for that exercise. I'd guess an extra 300-400 calories. So on exercise days, you should be able to eat 1700-1900 calories and still lose - IF you're logging everything and keeping good records.

    If you open your food diary for us to view we may spot errors. Go to FOOD > Settings and scroll down, click "Public" and save.

    Because if you've been logging your food using a food scale and using correct food database items, not eating back any exercise calories and you've been at this for more than a month? See a doctor.

    I have been doing this since january at this rate and have lost almost 40 lbs. I have been platued since middle of may. And took august off because i was yes feeling all of thoes things and i was defficient in alot of vitamins so i knew something wasnt right. I started takeing a multi and took the month of july off to just tey to recoop. I have been doing this with a dietion/nutritionist since the beginning of january. She has told me to walk not run around 10,000 steps a day but i get very bored doing that and dont feel challanged. Im glad i asked these questions because i was completely lost as to why i was so stuck im takeing this weekend off to recoop and be nice to my body in the sense of eating a little more around 1400 calories and walking instead of running and doing HIIT workouts and ill start back monday with all this advice.

    Okay, so open your food diary.

    Eat 1400-1500 every day.

    On exercise days when you walk those 10,000 steps or do your "HIIT" routine, eat 200-300 more calories. So on days you exercise, eat 1700-1900. Log it all.
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    I don’t trust the exercise calories as they always seem very high. I regularly exercise and set my dietary limits to 1500-1600 calories. There is a way to set your calories to include a more active lifestyle, then you don’t have to add up exercise calories.

    OP isn't currently eating back any exercise calories at ALL, so them being high isn't the issue. The issue is that OP appears to have a very active lifestyle but isn't losing weight on 1,200.

    OP, I'm wondering if you might have a logging issue that is resulting in you eating more than you think you are. It's pretty common. If you open your diary, we may be able to help you troubleshoot.

    I think my issue is over excersing and under eating. Its not a logging issue ive gone over all my logs with my nutritionist and she says im right on track. I run, do HIIT and walk daily buring atound 900 cal. plus. But before i use to inly run when i was eating 1200 calories. Ive been takeing the prevous posters advice and am eating around 1500 cal. Daily and cut back to just running with less walking sprinkled in and i feel alot better but havent weighed myself yet. I wanna see how my body adjusts before i start to worry about weight.
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    Do you use a food scale, weighing and logging everything that passes your lips, no skipping, cheating, or forgetting?

    I do weigh everything out. And yes i do have a free meal once a week per my nutritionist. I cannot and will not deprive myself because i just binge if i do.
  • britmc1997
    britmc1997 Posts: 8 Member
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    Okay thank you. mfp doesn't calculate my running calories my treadmill does i have it set specifucally to my settings. And my walking i have set to an app on my phone so i know the calories can be off from workout it was just an estimate. I will deffinitely try this eating back calories thing. I had no clue you were suppose to eat back calories from workouts at all i just though you ate what MFP gave you and that was that. @steph6556 @Shortgirlrunning thank you for your advice honestly.

    Okay. Wait.

    You're saying you are ONLY eating the 1200 calories MFP gives? Not any of the extra exercise calories? How long have you been doing this with no weight loss?

    How do you feel? Tired? Cranky? Because you should be able to eat 1400-1600 calories and lose PLUS additional for that exercise. I'd guess an extra 300-400 calories. So on exercise days, you should be able to eat 1700-1900 calories and still lose - IF you're logging everything and keeping good records.

    If you open your food diary for us to view we may spot errors. Go to FOOD > Settings and scroll down, click "Public" and save.

    Because if you've been logging your food using a food scale and using correct food database items, not eating back any exercise calories and you've been at this for more than a month? See a doctor.

    I have been doing this since january at this rate and have lost almost 40 lbs. I have been platued since middle of may. And took august off because i was yes feeling all of thoes things and i was defficient in alot of vitamins so i knew something wasnt right. I started takeing a multi and took the month of july off to just tey to recoop. I have been doing this with a dietion/nutritionist since the beginning of january. She has told me to walk not run around 10,000 steps a day but i get very bored doing that and dont feel challanged. Im glad i asked these questions because i was completely lost as to why i was so stuck im takeing this weekend off to recoop and be nice to my body in the sense of eating a little more around 1400 calories and walking instead of running and doing HIIT workouts and ill start back monday with all this advice.

    Okay, so open your food diary.

    Eat 1400-1500 every day.

    On exercise days when you walk those 10,000 steps or do your "HIIT" routine, eat 200-300 more calories. So on days you exercise, eat 1700-1900. Log it all.

    Thank you for your advice. I have started to eat more this week however im not ready to go the the 1700 to 1900 cal. Range mentally. Im adding back excercise calories to the 1200 i was eating so im shooting for around the high 1500cal range. I scaled back on workouts so calories could even out. I didnt understand how mfp worked until i posted this. I didnt realize a seditary lifestyle calories wouldnt include working out i believe my mistake was not doing enough research and falling into old eating habits and over excersing which resulted yes in a quick loss but also in my body starving its self. And i think my nutritionist wasnt hearing me when i was telling her i was running not walking like she wanted me to and i now understand why she kept telling me not to run. I wasnt eating enough to run and walk and my body to sustain loseing weight so hopefullh with these changes i will start to see results.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    britmc1997 wrote: »
    Do you use a food scale, weighing and logging everything that passes your lips, no skipping, cheating, or forgetting?

    I do weigh everything out. And yes i do have a free meal once a week per my nutritionist. I cannot and will not deprive myself because i just binge if i do.

    Then you aren't not losing on 1,200 a day. You're not losing on 1,200 six days a week and ??? on the seventh day. Have you considered trying to log your "free meal" to understand how much you're eating on those days. It's not at all uncommon for people who try to combine excessive restriction most of the week with a free meal/day to wind up canceling out their deficit because they're so hungry when their free day rolls around. Many of these people find that once they adopt a more moderate goal and hit it seven days a week, including regularly eating foods they enjoy, their weight loss actually becomes faster and more reliable.