Plateau Help!!

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  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    :glasses: Try eating 900 calories for one day and 1/2 cantaloupe before bedtime with 16 ounces of water....and if that works. Do the same every 3rd day of the week to see if it will start moving again.

    Also, you have to do a cartwheel every morning before 5am and bury an eye of newt in a graveyard during a full moon.
  • ehines91
    ehines91 Posts: 7
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    Wow, you guys are fast!

    I went to the store and came back and am processing this and will reply as soon as I get the gist of everyone's responses (minus the grapefruit one lol).

    Thank you so much for the fast input!

    I think my biggest fear is putting on more calories bc I lost the 30lbs so fast by cutting down to 1500 calories, but I know something has to change bc I've been stuck here for a while.

    I'll keep you posted!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    :glasses: Try eating 900 calories for one day and 1/2 cantaloupe before bedtime with 16 ounces of water....and if that works. Do the same every 3rd day of the week to see if it will start moving again.

    Also, you have to do a cartwheel every morning before 5am and bury an eye of newt in a graveyard during a full moon.

    ^ You are so awesome =)
  • Coopertown3
    Coopertown3 Posts: 34 Member
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    When I hit my plateau I lowered my total carbs for the day and uped my protein intake---I would also try mixing up the cardio--maybe some circuit training--check to see what classes your gym has--mixing it up always seemed to help me. Good Luck and congrats on your weight loss so far!!!
  • ehines91
    ehines91 Posts: 7
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    Well, I wouldn't consider that a plateau, but, you are a 26 year old man with only 35 lbs to lose. My BMR, as a 26 year old woman who is also 5'10", is higher than your daily calorie intake. Which means you need to eat a lot more.

    What is your MFP weight loss goal set at (lose 2 lbs per week, 1 lb per week, etc.)? Do you eat back the calories that you burn during exercise (my guess is you don't). My suggestion is to set it at 1 lb per week and eat all of your exercise calories. It's going to be a lot more food, but you can probably work your way up to it.

    My BMR is 1,893

    So I'm assuming I'm at a net -393, if I eat 1500 calories and DO NOTHING... however this is not the case -- I'm assuming with just a basic workout I'm burning 800 calories (rough estimate -- probably more), so I'm looking at -1193... plus, whatever activities I'm doing throughout the day (I have a two year old, so your guess is as good as mine).

    Is my math correct that I'm usually at a net loss of anywhere from -1000 to -1500 per day? IDK, I'm pretty new to all the acronyms and nutrition "terms".

    My MFP weight loss goal is set to the following:

    Current weight => 200lbs
    Goal weight => 165lbs
    Height => 5ft. 10in
    Gender => Male

    # Times/wk = workout --> 6 times @ 45 min each
    Very active

    Goal is 2lbs a week

    From this, it gives me around 1,930 calories/day

    Also, to answer your question about eating back my calories I burn... you are correct, I have not been eating back my calories.

    Weird question, and I'll probably get a lot of flack from this (well, I guess I won't get as much as the guy who suggested grapefruit, so here goes nothing...) but what is the point of eating back the calories you burn? Is it because the calorie MFP gave me is already enough to lose the 2lbs/wk?

    Well, again, thanks for your help and I'll look forward to hearing from you.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
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    Is it because the calorie MFP gave me is already enough to lose the 2lbs/wk?

    BINGO!!
  • ehines91
    ehines91 Posts: 7
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    Ok, after reading through this, here are my responses (again, thank you for all your advice).

    What I've gotten from everyone is that I obviously need to increase my calories... I had a feeling that was what was the problem, but wasn't positive.

    @21karensmith | As far as the metabolism advice goes... thank you! I love green tea and I have heard that from a few dr's that green tea can raise the metabolism due to the caffeine and herbs. I am also a huge spicy foods person (love jalepeno's) and my wife is Mexican, so I always have spicy food ;)

    @ninerbuff | Question for you... I've been doing 3 sets of weights @12-15 reps a piece to keep the heart moving and also to burn fat. Is this a myth (doing 12-15 reps) or should I be switching to the 3 sets of 8 reps to build muscle mass? I don't really know much about weight training (I've always been a cardio man, which may be my downfall).

    @firefighter12 | Great question... I took a DNA test earlier this year through: www.inherenthealth (disclaimer: not intended to be an endorsement, just letting you know what I used) and the results came back that based on my DNA, I should be consuming the following: 65% Carbs, 20% Fat, and 15% Protein (this is in a nutshell). Upon looking at my journal, I realize, I need to work on this! Also, to answer your cardio question... when I was running outside, I was training for a 10K and was doing all interval training, mixed with every now and then straight, even runs. Now that I'm inside (it's cold in MI), I've been doing all straight, even runs... I'll probably get back to intervals though, because they are fun ;)

    @sidesteal | I might be taking you up on your advice (as well as the others), and I will get back with you within a week or so, once I fight off this stomach virus!

    @everyone else... sorry if I forgot you, and if anyone has any other questions and/or advice, that would be awesome. Feel free to add me as a friend or message me.

    I'm so grateful for your input and am excited to lose the remainder!
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Does your activity level you entered (very active) include your exercise? This is one way to set up your calorie goal here, but it doesn't sound like what you are trying to do. Your activity level should be based on your daily activity on a day without exercise. So, for example, if you work a desk job, you may want to set your activity level at sedentary. If you work on your feet all day, maybe lightly active or moderately active. Then you add in your deficit by saying you want to lose 1 lb per week (I really recommend 1 lb per week - I think others would too, but if you want to try 2 lbs per week, by all means). Then when you add in the calories you burn from exercise, you eat those calories back, especially if you already set your goal to lose 2 lbs per week. If you didn't eat those calories back, you would have an even larger deficit (which doesn't usually equal more weight loss, especially if you don't consistently eat those calories).

    And since your BMR (the number of calories you would burn basically laying in bed all day) is 1893, you should probably be eating at least that.
  • ehines91
    ehines91 Posts: 7
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    Does your activity level you entered (very active) include your exercise? This is one way to set up your calorie goal here, but it doesn't sound like what you are trying to do. Your activity level should be based on your daily activity on a day without exercise. So, for example, if you work a desk job, you may want to set your activity level at sedentary. If you work on your feet all day, maybe lightly active or moderately active. Then you add in your deficit by saying you want to lose 1 lb per week (I really recommend 1 lb per week - I think others would too, but if you want to try 2 lbs per week, by all means). Then when you add in the calories you burn from exercise, you eat those calories back, especially if you already set your goal to lose 2 lbs per week. If you didn't eat those calories back, you would have an even larger deficit (which doesn't usually equal more weight loss, especially if you don't consistently eat those calories).

    And since your BMR (the number of calories you would burn basically laying in bed all day) is 1893, you should probably be eating at least that.

    Yes, my activity level was including my exercise... oops. I will change it to sedentary, since most of the time I am at a desk or with a client.

    When I set my goal to 2lbs/wk I was given a budget of 1360 calories, and when I set it at 1lbs/wk, it bumped it up to 1860 (which I guess makes sense given 500x7days = 3500 cals = 1lb)... so help me with this logic here as now I'm a little confused.

    If I wanted to lose 2lbs/wk... I would limit my calories to 1360. If my BMR is 1893 and I'm taking in only 1360, I have a deficit of 500 calories (which over a week would equal a lb). However, since I'm working out, I should eat whatever I burn, and since I'm sedentary, I'm burning more than my BMR, which means I'll have more than a -500 calorie intake daily.

    Hopefully, I got it... I was basically doing what I just said (minus eating what I was burning) and having a huge deficit of calories, which may have shut down my metabolism causing a plateau.

    I think I just talked myself through this problem! Thanks ;)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
  • ehines91
    ehines91 Posts: 7
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    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    Dude, great article. Thanks!
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Does your activity level you entered (very active) include your exercise? This is one way to set up your calorie goal here, but it doesn't sound like what you are trying to do. Your activity level should be based on your daily activity on a day without exercise. So, for example, if you work a desk job, you may want to set your activity level at sedentary. If you work on your feet all day, maybe lightly active or moderately active. Then you add in your deficit by saying you want to lose 1 lb per week (I really recommend 1 lb per week - I think others would too, but if you want to try 2 lbs per week, by all means). Then when you add in the calories you burn from exercise, you eat those calories back, especially if you already set your goal to lose 2 lbs per week. If you didn't eat those calories back, you would have an even larger deficit (which doesn't usually equal more weight loss, especially if you don't consistently eat those calories).

    And since your BMR (the number of calories you would burn basically laying in bed all day) is 1893, you should probably be eating at least that.

    Yes, my activity level was including my exercise... oops. I will change it to sedentary, since most of the time I am at a desk or with a client.

    When I set my goal to 2lbs/wk I was given a budget of 1360 calories, and when I set it at 1lbs/wk, it bumped it up to 1860 (which I guess makes sense given 500x7days = 3500 cals = 1lb)... so help me with this logic here as now I'm a little confused.

    If I wanted to lose 2lbs/wk... I would limit my calories to 1360. If my BMR is 1893 and I'm taking in only 1360, I have a deficit of 500 calories (which over a week would equal a lb). However, since I'm working out, I should eat whatever I burn, and since I'm sedentary, I'm burning more than my BMR, which means I'll have more than a -500 calorie intake daily.

    Hopefully, I got it... I was basically doing what I just said (minus eating what I was burning) and having a huge deficit of calories, which may have shut down my metabolism causing a plateau.

    I think I just talked myself through this problem! Thanks ;)

    Well, your BMR is different than your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). Your TDEE is your BMR + what your burn doing everything else you do. For example, my BMR is around 1700. This is what I would burn if I were to lay in bed all day. But since I don't do that (I get up, I walk around, I take the bus, I sit at work, etc.), my TDEE on a day without exercise is about 2200-2400. You want to essentially eat under your TDEE, but not below your BMR.

    I would not recommend, for a male who is not obese, a net calorie goal of 1360. On a rest day, you would be eating under your BMR. I would really try the 1 lb loss per week. 1860 would be your NET calorie goal. On a rest day, you would eat that much. When you exercise, you would eat 1860 + most of your exercise calories.
  • karishmaroye
    karishmaroye Posts: 19 Member
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    hahahahahaha.......... rofl :laugh:
    :glasses: Try eating 900 calories for one day and 1/2 cantaloupe before bedtime with 16 ounces of water....and if that works. Do the same every 3rd day of the week to see if it will start moving again.

    Also, you have to do a cartwheel every morning before 5am and bury an eye of newt in a graveyard during a full moon.
  • karishmaroye
    karishmaroye Posts: 19 Member
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    hahahahahaha.......... rofl :laugh:
    :glasses: Try eating 900 calories for one day and 1/2 cantaloupe before bedtime with 16 ounces of water....and if that works. Do the same every 3rd day of the week to see if it will start moving again.

    Also, you have to do a cartwheel every morning before 5am and bury an eye of newt in a graveyard during a full moon.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Edited since I read your post on your current exercise
  • firefighter12
    firefighter12 Posts: 2 Member
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    I would recomend more protein, at least 1g/lb of lean muscle mass, keep your fat between 50-75g and carbs, .25-1g/lb of lean muscle mass. Try adding in a day of high carb a week to restore glycogen levels, about double of what you do for the week.

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