My scale is stuck. Any tips?

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jenniferpayne5
jenniferpayne5 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey,

I have been on MFP for about a month. 9 lbs down since I registered in July. 13 lbs down since I actually started trying. My issue is that for the last 10 days I have really stalled. I have 42 more lbs to loose to get to the weight I was when I met my husband. I Started exercising this week to try and help things along. However, I am stuck. My body doesn't want to drop below 160. This was the weight I was stuck at for months on end the last time I dieted and exercised before my toddler was born (although I am pretty sure I had more muscle mass that time).

What have other people done to push past a plateau? Thanks.

Replies

  • snorktharpe
    snorktharpe Posts: 41 Member
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    try upping your calorie intake or eat the ones you burn. sounds stupid but i've heard so many people plateau and say this is the fix. i'm not there yet myself :) and it worked my sister who's a real diet guru :)
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    Eat more for a few days and drop your carbs, then gradually return where you were. Always works for me, personally.
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
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    Change things up for sure.

    Adding the exercise (if you weren't doing any) should help. Maybe give it another week or so.

    You can also incorporate strength training.
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
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    Switch things up. I don't know how many calories you are at, but multiply it out for the week and have a few high calorie days and a few low calories days. When 1500 was my average, I'd do a 1500 calorie day, then 1200, then 1800, then 1000, then 1800, etc. Also, I'd up my protein and cardio for a few days and really drink the water, and it seemed to work.
  • KatesJourneytoLookGr8
    KatesJourneytoLookGr8 Posts: 74
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    DIET, DIET, DIET. EAT CLEAN!! : )
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    I wouldn't sweat a 10 day steady scale reading. that's not really a plateau. however, things that I have done to help move things along...

    1. cut out grains, starches, pastas, refined sugars for a week or at least a handful of days. (I'm not saying to cut out all carbs, notably...just the bad ones that are not conducive to weight loss).

    2. add in a third day of sprint interval training during the week (see my blog below for examples of sprint intervals).
  • ahsongbird
    ahsongbird Posts: 712 Member
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    I got stuck at 150 last year, I wanted sooo bad to just have it say 149 but it wouldnt . I ended up mixing up my calories each day bc of something I read about keeping ur body guessing. So I would eat a bit over my cals one day and a bit under the next and then right on my goal the next , it broke the plateau for me
  • CMomma23
    CMomma23 Posts: 132 Member
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    I was stuck between 140-145 for several months. Many people gave me lots of advice. From eat more to eat less, workout more to exercise less, do this don't do that... Nothing seemed to work. I just rode it out and kept pushing. Although, I did eat more and didn't focus on staying under my goal ALL the time and I worked out 5-6 times a week. Skipping every now then when I was so busy and on the go. But FINALLY, the scales started moving back down. So my advice is to ride it out until it changes. So long as the scales don't increase drastically you are doing the right thing :) Also, try adding weight training. After escaping my plateau I threw in strength training and the pounds melted off like they did in the beginning. (Needless to stay I am stuck again, this time between 130-135 so I am riding it out again) Best of luck to you!
  • mazza2marilyn
    mazza2marilyn Posts: 145
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    i'm in the same situation, my weight hasn't moved for nearly 5 weeks,
    i.ve tried eating more calories but that hasn't helped,
    because of illness i can't do a lot of exercise, but i do as much as i can.
    i have still got a lot of weight to loose.
  • ahsongbird
    ahsongbird Posts: 712 Member
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    Switch things up. I don't know how many calories you are at, but multiply it out for the week and have a few high calorie days and a few low calories days. When 1500 was my average, I'd do a 1500 calorie day, then 1200, then 1800, then 1000, then 1800, etc. Also, I'd up my protein and cardio for a few days and really drink the water, and it seemed to work.
    oh u beat me to it lol ^ this is what i was trying to say :)
  • jenniferpayne5
    jenniferpayne5 Posts: 27 Member
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    Bump myself... Hoping to hear from a few more people.
  • memashipp
    memashipp Posts: 10 Member
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    If you are on 1200 calories a day...up it to 2000 & weigh-in everyday. You will see a slight gain. When you hit 3 lbs up in weight go back to 1200 cals immediately. Those 3 lbs should drop back off within a couple days. Once you get back to the weight you are at today go back to 2000 cals a day again. As soon as you hit 3 lbs up, switch back to 1200 and it should take you about 2 days to drop them again.....by doing this you are resetting the switches in your system & reassuring it that you are not starving. It kick starts your metabolism & you should see the weight loss attempt working again. If you still don't see a loss keep doing it until the weight loss does begin again.

    I know it sounds crazy but your body has switched into conservation mode. By eating the 2000 cals for a few days it relaxes & resumes normal mode. It takes approx. 36 hours at 1200 cals to make it think you are starving again. So by immediately resuming the 2000 cals you trick into thinking is is safe. It then relaxes & resumes it normal metabolic rate. It usually only takes the 2 times to kick start it....but if not keep doing it until it does..

    Good luck... :)
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Took a quick look at your diary and it looks like you're going over your calories and fat fairly often...maybe that's why you're maintaining the same weight? Also, are you drinking enough water?

    Try adding some strength training and change up your workout routine - try something new (and maybe alternate between high-intensity days and lower ones). If you stick with it and stay below 1200 net for enough days, you should be able to clear the plateau before long. Good luck and hang in there!
  • jeyoung03
    jeyoung03 Posts: 83
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    Bump*
  • Sandyslosenit
    Sandyslosenit Posts: 322 Member
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    I went in and looked at your diary. Water, Water, Water , that is the key to weight loss. Your body needs it to flush out all the fat and toxins. Drink at the very least 64oz. but up to 128oz depending on how much salt you have had in a day. Good luck !!!
  • bac0s
    bac0s Posts: 48 Member
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    Weight loss isn't linear. I find that I lose in fits and spurts. I may not lose anything... not an ounce, for 2-3 weeks even though I'm right on plan. If I stick with it, around 3 weeks I'll have a huge drop in one week... like 5-6 pounds, sometimes even more.
  • vs_shine
    vs_shine Posts: 1,322 Member
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    Hey. I'm Victoria. I'm 5'3" and 141lbs...was 160lbs.

    My dietician recommended me to have a daily calorie goal of 1400....my goal had been set at 1200 because that's the number MFP gave me when i first registered, but upon hearing this my dietician said "oh noo noo noo..that's way too low. Bump up your calorie intake to 1400."

    i took a look at your food diary and i see that your calorie goal is 1200...i think you might be putting your body into a survivor mode and not realizing it....but i can't imagine being a nurse and a mom and trying to survive on 1200

    Also, you're excercise diary is only logged in 3 or 4 times within the past week...increase your cardio to at leat 30 minutes 6 days a week. Take a day to rest. I rest on Sundays. But i still log my to and fro walkings. Remember to log in all your walking...everything...every day.

    It is best to keep your diaries accurate so it's easier for you to evaluate yourself and your progress. I recommend, if you don't already have it, that you download the MFP app.

    Usually, my daily calorie burn goal is 300 and i do my best to eat my allowed 1400 daily calories...

    My October Challenge is to get in my healthy 1400 calories and burn 500 calories a day.

    Perhaps you would like to do the same.

    So in a nutshell:
    - increase your daily calorie goal to 1400
    - get 30 minutes of cardio 6 days a week.
    - log everything. Download app.
    - Have a calorie burn goal such as 300
    - remember it takes 3,500 calories a week to burn a pound of fat

    Let me know what you think. I hope i helped some :-)
  • jenniferpayne5
    jenniferpayne5 Posts: 27 Member
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    Bump. Darn scale is still stuck. Gained today. GRRR.

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