tips for beating a plateau...

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porffor
porffor Posts: 1,212 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok.. I'm at 1200 calories, I ride 3-4 times a week.
I don't eat my calories for riding but have tried this and gained.. so it's obviously not my bodies 'way' to eat them.
If I up my calories I gain.. but if I stick to 1200 I stay the same weight.

I've lost a lot this year (for me) but am dwindling now and losing motivation because of it.

I have measured today and lost 1 inch from my hips and half an inch from my waist so that is great.

My question is for tips from you all for beating this plateau... how would you do it? I'm veggie so no protein only options.

I was wondering if dropping my cals to 1000 would help. Even if I ate 1200 on the days I ride perhaps.

Any ideas?

Replies

  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    How old are you and how tall?
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    Some time less is NOT Better!

    It is about Clean Nutritious Foods.

    Calories are not created Equal
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I would definitely say pay more attention to CLEAN eating. I haven't checked your diary, but if you eat a lot of things with sodium or preservatives, it can make you hold weight.
  • meeperoon
    meeperoon Posts: 270 Member
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    Yep need age and height, but 1000 cals isn't recommended and it would be really tough!!

    I put mine up too early and had to drop them back down to 1200 and I managed to lose again this morning, I would suggest. Changing your exercise regime, if your body gets used to one form of exercise it might not be as effective, if you change it up it might shake the body up a bit

    Good luck :)
  • nowornever47
    nowornever47 Posts: 333 Member
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    Try zig-zagging - eat 1200+ one day (including at least 1/2 of your exercise calories back), the next day try 1350, etc... I just upped mine to lose 1/2 lb a week and it gave me 1350 cal per day. That's how I broke my plateau - it had been over a month (ugh!)... so you need to fuel your body to lose weight. Don't get discouraged.. good luck!!!
  • Brienparis
    Brienparis Posts: 3
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    If you are losing inches but not weight that may be a good sign that you are creating more muscle. In the long run that will allow you to up your calories. 1000 calories a day seems very low to me and it may be that on exercise days you are placing your body in to "starvation/retention mode" which would be working against weight loss. As another poster suggested, I'm a big believer in the zig zag method. It may seem counterintuitive but <i suggest that the solution to continuing to lose is not eating less but more, at least on some days each week.
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,212 Member
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    Thanks all. I can't really change my exercise, i have my own horse and no other time for gym etc. I'm a full time student with a 110 mile commute 3 days for Uni and 3 children at home.
    I'm 39 and 5'3". i do eat convenience low fat foods sometimes so perhaps I can work on that and maybe trimming some carbs where I can would help - rice and pasta is part of my diet often. I eat salads in the day, but with rice and pasta in them, weetablix for breakfast and dinner can be sweet and sour or curry, soup, bolognaise something like that.

    Will have a play around and see how it works. Maybe some more autumn soups like the one i've planned for tonight :)

    I have tried zig zagging calories but it really doesn't work, i gain fast and lose it really slow. :( The weight I am at now was my 'normal' weight in my early 20's so I am wondering if it's a remembered weight for my body, not sure if this is a reality but I remember reading that we often get stuck at a weight our bodies were at for a long time.

    Will keep plugging away.

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