plateau and now gaining :(

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

So, after 8 months of losing weight pretty steadily i hit that dreaded plateau. Its been one month now. 3 weeks ago I upped my calories to 1500 and i always try to eat back my exercise calories as I have a bodybugg and know exactly what i burn. if i burn 2400 cals that day i try to eat 2000 so as you can see I left my deficit at 400 cals. Now, here we are today and still NO weight loss. In fact...Ive gained 1.5lbs that havent gone away for a week now.

I wasnt able to work out for 6 weeks but have been going strong with plenty of cardio and heavy weights for the last couple of weeks. I had my ratios set to 45/40/15 protein/carb/fat and just switched that to 40/45/15 as Im constantly craving carbs. If this is right...i have no idea but nothing is working.

Why have i gained weight? why cant I lose more weight? this is not my bodies happy place as some have tried to mention to me. ive seen that scale hit 125 (right now im at 130 and would like to be at 120) Im 5'4".

Can somebody...ANYBODY please help me? im becoming very discouraged. is a 400 calorie deficit too much? should I be trying to hit somewhere around 250 instead? if this is the case then why have i gained weight? Im very rarely (unless i drink booze) over my calories. It just doesnt make sense to me. I have switched up my routine....new muscles are sore...ive even been trying to eat a little more clean because since i started i was hitting about 6000 for my sodium. like i said...im lost. Thank you in advance,

Jessica2Skinny · November 2011

I can't get past 130 lbs either. I eat under my 1200/ day and it wont budge!

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

i would imagine 1200 or less is way too low of a coloric intake being 130lbs.

Thena81 · November 2011

change up your exercises often, and keep the body guessing. if u continue to do the same things every single day your body thinks that its an activity and not a weight loss attempt. also, when you've lost so much, your body tends to hold onto some fat for storage and its a fact that your body has a hibernation system and u will gain this time of year. your body doesnt kno this isnt caveman days any longer lol and will store fat as if you were a bear or ant

tiggerbounce411 · November 2011

Another MFP friend recommended something to me and it worked. COMPLETELY change your workout and food every other day for a cpl weeks, then go back to what you were doing that had you losing, it confuses your body and will bumpstart you again. I tried it and it worked. SO, now, one week I do one kind of exercise, then the next week I do something else. I mix it up between Wii workouts, walking and 30DS.

Avalonis · November 2011

STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE SCALE!

Eat clean, and keep checking your BF %. Thats what matters, not scale weight. If I were you, I would up my intake to JUST under maintenance, and make sure you do a binge day once in awhile.

Sidesteal · November 2011

Can you please post a couple of sample days of your macronutrients in grams, or open your food journal for a moment?

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

i have made my profile and journal public for the time being. the way i have my exercise listed does not describe what kind of workouts i do or if it was HIIT training or what not. These are constantly mixed.

neanderthin · November 2011

So, after 8 months of losing weight pretty steadily i hit that dreaded plateau. Its been one month now.

I wasnt able to work out for 6 weeks but have been going strong with plenty of cardio and heavy weights for the last couple of weeks. I had my ratios set to 45/40/15 protein/carb/fat and just switched that to 40/45/15 as Im constantly craving carbs. If this is right...i have no idea but nothing is working.

Why have i gained weight? why cant I lose more weight? this is not my bodies happy place as some have tried to mention to me. ive seen that scale hit 125 (right now im at 130 and would like to be at 120) Im 5'4".

First of all your pic tells me your fairly low body fat and your stats look fine. Also getting back into exercising after a lay off will induce some muscle retention, because you would have lost some muscle over those 6 weeks and you'll always have more water retention.......basically this is normal and you haven't determined what exactly your gaining, muscle or fat.......and like I said adding exercise back in will effect muscle mass.

You might want to look at zig-zagging and carb loading going forward, these are good for hormonal balance and fat burning, when were down to the last 10 lbs or so.

tangal88 · November 2011

You said- "It just doesnt make sense to me. I have switched up my routine....new muscles are sore..."

Sounds to me you are also challenging your muscles in a new way, or "again" after a long rest period- this means, new muscle stress, and tears - this equals extra water weight as the muscle works to repair and heal. All normal and good.

I agree with what was said above - ignore the scale. Look at inches loss, clothing fit, mirror reflection.

I am am smaller size and lower inch size - then I was before, when I was 10 pounds heavier scale weight wise. So though I weigh heavier - I AM smaller. Reason....?, muscle difference. Bodyfat difference.

I have more muscle, less fat then I did before. So I am tighter and leaner, and look better.

Maybe thats where you are?

Thats what we want.

Scale weight should not be your main guide.

I could care less what the scale says - but inch loss, tightness, tone - thats the important facter - IMO

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

So, after 8 months of losing weight pretty steadily i hit that dreaded plateau. Its been one month now.

I wasnt able to work out for 6 weeks but have been going strong with plenty of cardio and heavy weights for the last couple of weeks. I had my ratios set to 45/40/15 protein/carb/fat and just switched that to 40/45/15 as Im constantly craving carbs. If this is right...i have no idea but nothing is working.

Why have i gained weight? why cant I lose more weight? this is not my bodies happy place as some have tried to mention to me. ive seen that scale hit 125 (right now im at 130 and would like to be at 120) Im 5'4".

First of all your pic tells me your fairly low body fat and your stats look fine. Also getting back into exercising after a lay off will induce some muscle retention, because you would have lost some muscle over those 6 weeks and you'll always have more water retention.......basically this is normal and you haven't determined what exactly your gaining, muscle or fat.......and like I said adding exercise back in will effect muscle mass.

You might want to look at zig-zagging and carb loading going forward, these are good for hormonal balance and fat burning, when were down to the last 10 lbs or so.

my scale (which i think is a big liar) says im still like 24% body fat... where? i dont know. water retention in the muscles is something I thought of beforehand too.. how long does this stay in effect?

Sidesteal · November 2011

i have made my profile and journal public for the time being. the way i have my exercise listed does not describe what kind of workouts i do or if it was HIIT training or what not. These are constantly mixed.

I think neanderthin made some good points. The recent return from layoff could be throwing numbers off due to glycogen/etc. I would encourage you to up your fat intake for hormonal reasons.

Do you incorporate refeeds or maintenance days into your plan? This would be something else to consider, since you've been at it for a while and you're getting quite lean.

Sparklingrosalie · November 2011

darling I understand I been in a plateau for over a year. You stated you have been going heavier with the weights? if you are sore YOU will retain up to 5 pounds of water... my best example is I do chalean extreme month 2 week 1 I gain 3 pounds week 2 I gained 6 (it was humid and I was so sore) the 3 week I popped out an 11 pound loss. end the end it even it self out.

the other things I have tried is the zig zag diet which can be done got a couple weeks to shock your body. you eat a you calories change everyday. I am a weight watchers girl so calorie count Is NOT my strong point but this has helped many people break through a plateau... there also the apple day... a friend breifly told me about it how i understand it you eat apple all day that one day and it should shock your body. which my why aunt lost weight when I was a kid the doctor told her eat your favorite food 3 times a day. so she ate 1 slice of pizza and lost weight so that one makes a bit of since to me.

for me in the end I'm 130 pounds lighter and I keep doing what I'm doing because I'm maintaining with in 10 bounce I bounce up and down. that is half the battle for me. I just pray my body gives soon. Keep doing what your doing evevn after over a year I still believe one day I will BE under 200!

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

i have made my profile and journal public for the time being. the way i have my exercise listed does not describe what kind of workouts i do or if it was HIIT training or what not. These are constantly mixed.

I think neanderthin made some good points. The recent return from layoff could be throwing numbers off due to glycogen/etc. I would encourage you to up your fat intake for hormonal reasons.

Do you incorporate refeeds or maintenance days into your plan? This would be something else to consider, since you've been at it for a while and you're getting quite lean.

what exactly is a refeed? and no, i do not incorporate maintenance. i always a have a deficit. im usually around the 500 calorie deficit mark but have been trying to make it 400. should i keep this the same and perhaps play this water retention stuff out along with adding in more fat? really sorry for all the questions.

Russellb97 · November 2011

So, after 8 months of losing weight pretty steadily i hit that dreaded plateau. Its been one month now.

I wasnt able to work out for 6 weeks but have been going strong with plenty of cardio and heavy weights for the last couple of weeks. I had my ratios set to 45/40/15 protein/carb/fat and just switched that to 40/45/15 as Im constantly craving carbs. If this is right...i have no idea but nothing is working.

Why have i gained weight? why cant I lose more weight? this is not my bodies happy place as some have tried to mention to me. ive seen that scale hit 125 (right now im at 130 and would like to be at 120) Im 5'4".

First of all your pic tells me your fairly low body fat and your stats look fine. Also getting back into exercising after a lay off will induce some muscle retention, because you would have lost some muscle over those 6 weeks and you'll always have more water retention.......basically this is normal and you haven't determined what exactly your gaining, muscle or fat.......and like I said adding exercise back in will effect muscle mass.

You might want to look at zig-zagging and carb loading going forward, these are good for hormonal balance and fat burning, when were down to the last 10 lbs or so.

my scale (which i think is a big liar) says im still like 24% body fat... where? i dont know. water retention in the muscles is something I thought of beforehand too.. how long does this stay in effect?

You are far below 24%, you are one of the leanest females I've seen.

Part of the problem is your low bodyfat percentage.
What I've done is take a few days off and Spike, double my calories for 2 or 3 days and then go back at it. If you live where there's snow, I like the analogy of when your cars gets stuck in the snow. You can't just gun it out, you need to go back and forth a few times before you can zoom out.

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

You said- "It just doesnt make sense to me. I have switched up my routine....new muscles are sore..."

Sounds to me you are also challenging your muscles in a new way, or "again" after a long rest period- this means, new muscle stress, and tears - this equals extra water weight as the muscle works to repair and heal. All normal and good.

I agree with what was said above - ignore the scale. Look at inches loss, clothing fit, mirror reflection.

I am am smaller size and lower inch size - then I was before, when I was 10 pounds heavier scale weight wise. So though I weigh heavier - I AM smaller. Reason....?, muscle difference. Bodyfat difference.

I have more muscle, less fat then I did before. So I am tighter and leaner, and look better.

Maybe thats where you are?

Thats what we want.

Scale weight should not be your main guide.

I could care less what the scale says - but inch loss, tightness, tone - thats the important facter - IMO

this is true...and i try not to always listen to the scale. i take my measurements at least once every other month if not every month. since ive started working out again after surgery my measurements havent changed.

Sidesteal · November 2011

what exactly is a refeed? and no, i do not incorporate maintenance. i always a have a deficit. im usually around the 500 calorie deficit mark but have been trying to make it 400. should i keep this the same and perhaps play this water retention stuff out along with adding in more fat? really sorry for all the questions.

I can't say for certain that this is your issue, but generally speaking, being at a chronic deficit for lengthy periods of time can downregulate leptin and other thyroid hormones. My understanding is that having a few days at higher cal/macro intakes can bump these metabolic hormones back up where they belong.

The fat intake suggestion was for hormonal/general health reasons as you look to be a bit low with your goal, and on top of this you also miss your fat goal somewhat regularly (at least that's what I recalled from viewing a few weeks).

My suggestion, and take it for what it's worth (just an opinion), would be to take a few days (3-4) at maintenance level caloric intake, no deficit -- so if you exercise eat back all the calories. After this 3-4 day period, go back to your original deficit, but bump up your fats another 10g or so daily.

neanderthin · November 2011

i have made my profile and journal public for the time being. the way i have my exercise listed does not describe what kind of workouts i do or if it was HIIT training or what not. These are constantly mixed.

I think neanderthin made some good points. The recent return from layoff could be throwing numbers off due to glycogen/etc. I would encourage you to up your fat intake for hormonal reasons.

Do you incorporate refeeds or maintenance days into your plan? This would be something else to consider, since you've been at it for a while and you're getting quite lean.

what exactly is a refeed? and no, i do not incorporate maintenance. i always a have a deficit. im usually around the 500 calorie deficit mark but have been trying to make it 400. should i keep this the same and perhaps play this water retention stuff out along with adding in more fat? really sorry for all the questions.

It basically carb loading. It's what I've been doing and it's helped me get down to about 10% bf after trying just about everything. Consume in a deficit with a higher protein content, like you've been doing, and then go over your maintenance for at least 36 hours and eating more carbs, I generally do this on the weekends. Basically after a time the body will on a hormonal level start to shift it's fat metabolism in response to a deficit and when the extra cals hit, it turns off that response and returns the body to a more natural state where fat is utilized easier. Anytime we're in a deficit for long periods of time fat burning starts to slow, this helps that situation. Easy answer. lol

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

thank you all for the wonderful responses. i will be taking all these into consideration and trying some of your suggestions. thanks a ton.

kdiamond · November 2011

Are you lifting heavy? I gained weight when I started lifting heavy, about 7 pounds. My body fat went down though.

I agree with others, I DOUBT you are 24%, there is no way.

I think you look great, I would stop being so concerned with the scale, really, once you stop thinking about it and weighing yourself you will feel much more free.

Concentrate on your healthy eating (good job eating lots of calories!) and your workouts. Go by the mirror, and stop weighing yourself! I didn't weigh for 2 months and just decided to on a whim one day and was pleasantly surprised to see I was the same weight. It all evens out over time. I also think the Body Bugg makes everyone a bit obsessive too...maybe take a couple weeks off of it.

You look good girl! Nice muscles!

nrvo · November 2011

There is no way you are 24%!! Those scales are notoriously unreliable. Plus, you look totally jacked and awesome

Try cutting your sodium and drinking more water. FDA says that the average person needs under 2300mg sodium a day.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm181577.htm

jamie1888 · November 2011

I would suggest having your body fat tested. I think that would totally put your mind at ease! You will see how low your BF is and then maybe you wont worry about the scale!

You can internet search for BF testing. Perhaps the local university? There's one where you are submerged in water and the other (which I've done) is called a Bod Pod; where they use air instead of water. And it was about $30 for the test.

HoLLyZ82 · November 2011

There is no way you are 24%!! Those scales are notoriously unreliable. Plus, you look totally jacked and awesome

Try cutting your sodium and drinking more water. FDA says that the average person needs under 2300mg sodium a day.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm181577.htm

thank you,...i have been trying to cut the sodium went from about 6-8k a day to like 3000 haha...as for water...i dont think i can drink much more than the 16-20 glasses i already do.

agthorn · November 2011

With only 10 pounds to go, you should DEFINITELY be at the 1/2 pound per week mark (deficit of 250 cals per day). You don't have a lot of fat reserves so you need to coax them off slowly.

armaretta · November 2011

You are insanely lean. Unless you want to give up some muscle, I'm not sure you're going to lose much more weight! When you get your bodyfat tested, I'd be curious to know what it is! There is no way you are 24% BF :noway: You should focus on muscle strength at this point. You are definitely very healthy looking! I'm writhing with jealousy right now! Good luck! :flowerforyou:

wannabehotmomma · November 2011

Uh uh you look Incredibly fantasti!! Who cares what the scale say's!! You are beautiful!!

plateau and now gaining :(

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