Special K Diet and Calories

LucyLu24
LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I have officially platued and went to look into the special K diet, however the meal plan they gave me was 2200 calories a day. This doesn't seem right to me, even with heavy working out this seems like too many. Currently to try to break the platue I have varied my workouts and cut my calories down to 1200 to 1400 a day. I have been varying my workouts too, and doing HIIT.

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    How have you "officially" plateaued? What's your current weight, starting weight, goal weight, how long have you been doing this, what was your calories till now?
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    I am currently 195. I platued at 200 too. My starting weight was 260lbs that was at 9 months pregnant last Feb. After I had my daughter I dropped to 230 fairly quick than after that have been keeping my calories between 1400 and 1600. If I had a hard work out day I would up the calories to 1600 no work out between 1200 and 1400. Yes I have officially plateaued, I have been a steady 195 to 198 since December. Maybe doing the special K diet as it is posted for my plan might help jump start my metabolism. Maybe I'm eating too few calories.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    So you've gone from 230 to 195 in about 10 months? That's about 3 1/2 lbs per month, which seems pretty good.

    I'm not a big fan of cereals, I have to say, so the Special K diet wouldn't excite me much. 2200 cals seems close to what the normal daily requirements for a woman would be, so I agree that seems too high to promote a weight loss.
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    That's what I thought too Melaniecheeks. I am going to do it but just modify it a bit, drop the calories down to 1200-1400, and snacks be fruit and veggies. On the plan it says I can have as many as I want. I actually really like ceral, it was a pregnancy craving that stuck around. The challenge will be though to only eat the serving size. :/
  • Dexy_
    Dexy_ Posts: 593 Member
    When you plateau it's usually a lot better idea to up your calories rather than cut them.
  • chantell7
    chantell7 Posts: 167 Member
    id up your calories and go back to basics. Like tracking and weighing everything and add some weights in
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    I have been doing weights at least 2x a week I will up it to 3x. It just doesn't make sense to me to up my calories...but I need to lose at least 4lbs by Feb 12 for my job. I know I would pass weight standards by body fat but I want to be able to pass by weight. My max allowable weight is 191...I am going to try it up my calories to 1400 to 1600 a day. I also think my work schedule has a lot to do with the platuea I go Day shift 6am to 6pm to the very next day a night shift 6pm to 6am. My body is so confused right now. I will try to the special K diet as it says because the food looks good and nutritious and if I start gaining cut back on my calories.
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
    what is the Special K diet? Doesn;'t it bother you that its simply a marketing ploy to get you to eat Special K???!
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    What is ironic about the diet, is that the calories I would be consuming is WAY more than I normally do! I like special K so it doesn't bother me that they want me to buy their products.
  • charlotteandalfie
    charlotteandalfie Posts: 52
    That's a lot of calories isn't it. I thought usually on the special k diet it's two bowls of cereal a day, two snacks and your main meal which would be more like 1,500 calories. I don't like the idea of this diet though because yes people have lost weight from it but they would if they usually consume 2,000 calories dropping by 500 a day they're bound to loose weight. Xx
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    What kind of job do you do where you have a weight or body fat limit?
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    Ok I've had a quick glance at your diary and I think I would agree with the people saying you need to up your calories.

    Think of your total daily calories as the amount you eat minus your exercise calories.

    Hypothetical situation:
    Your goal is 1200. You eat 1200 exactly, putting you bang on target. Then you work off 400 calories in the gym but only eat back 350 calories.

    This puts you at a net for the day of 1150 calories which is just not enough.

    Really you should never, ever go below a net of 1200, or your metabolism will just stop, and that's how you get your plateau.

    Eat a little more and your metabolism will kick back into full swing pretty soon.
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    Special K diet just makes the weight drop out of your back end due to all the fibre ;)
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    I'm in the Coast Guard, for my height 70 inches my max allowable weight (maw) is 191, 4 fricking pounds is all I got but it's always these last four that get me. I am going to up my calories to 1600 a day. At 1200 I'm super tired, grumpy and can't focus as well as I should especially for my job which is high stress and a lot of out of the box thinking. I am a search and rescue operator, which is basically a 911 operator of the seas. Lol, weight drop out the back end, too funny.
  • mp13cat
    mp13cat Posts: 26 Member
    Does the diet have anything that they have you fill in to determine your calories? If you're telling them that you work out regularly, it may be taking that into account and adding extra calories to compensate.
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    Maybe it's taking in my workouts into account I redid my goals 3x with the same results. Oh well, I will definetly up my calories.
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
    Special K or not, Coast Guard LucyLu, thank you for what you do
    !
  • momof3and3
    momof3and3 Posts: 656 Member
    I agree...Thank you!

    I find to jump start weight loss, I eat more lean protein and cut back on processed carbs...
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    Thanks ladies! I enjoy my job despite crazy hours. I have been cutting out carbs I believe MFP has me at 239 grams a day and I have cut that in half pretty consistently. I feel pretty good overall though 65lbs lost in 11 months is great progress. I feel like I'm not asking my body for much just 10 more pounds total, I know from past experience I can maintain 185 and that would allow me 6lbs of breathing room when weigh ins come in April and Oct.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    As others have said try upping your calories... worked for me. Not sure about your water intake but try drinking morem
  • cydonian
    cydonian Posts: 361 Member
    I wouldn't trust anything Special K or Kellogg's says you should be doing... that cereal is loaded with junk and tons of sugar, and has little to no nutritional value. Try changing up your exercise or your calorie intake and WHAT you're eating to break the plateau... much healthier option.
  • LucyLu24
    LucyLu24 Posts: 16 Member
    I decided I'm not going to do the diet, just up my calories with more fruits and veggies. Right now I'm getting at least 3-4 servings a day going to increase to 6, and I have already varied my cardio and weight lifting techinques. Now I just have to be patient and wait my offical weigh day is Sunday if i'm 194 the plateau has been broken :) .
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