Some Introspection About Plateaus
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swood0114
Posts: 43
For the last two weeks, I had put myself on a 1200 calorie plan, and would do the elliptical and or run for 30 minutes, and then do about 15 minutes of weight lifting every day. Instead of losing weight, I have gained a pound in two weeks. I began to think about it, and I realize I walk to class every day from my apartment, which adds anywhere from 30-60 minutes of walking into my day. After reading all of these recent posts about "starvation mode," this must have been what happened to me? I wasn't eating my exercise calories back.
Its just so confusing, because I thought back two a couple years ago when I didn't care about my weight and I was my lightest ever... what was I doing differently? I realized I ate TONS and worked out TONS because I loved it and I got so tiny. My metabolism must have been awesome. That was my freshman year in college.
But we hear so much conflicting information... such as daily slight calorie restrictions actually prolong your lifetime, and it is actually healthy (in moderation.) I'm scared to knock up my limit but I think it's best. I cant go all the way back up because I don't have the energy to work out the way I used to (but maybe that's because I don't eat enough anymore.
I'm 5'6" and 160... the weight is all in my hips. I'd like to be 140. Would 1700 be too much? And has anyone adjusted like this with good results? I was also considering cutting cardio and sticking to weights, but I like being in good aerobic shape. What's the balance?
Its just so confusing, because I thought back two a couple years ago when I didn't care about my weight and I was my lightest ever... what was I doing differently? I realized I ate TONS and worked out TONS because I loved it and I got so tiny. My metabolism must have been awesome. That was my freshman year in college.
But we hear so much conflicting information... such as daily slight calorie restrictions actually prolong your lifetime, and it is actually healthy (in moderation.) I'm scared to knock up my limit but I think it's best. I cant go all the way back up because I don't have the energy to work out the way I used to (but maybe that's because I don't eat enough anymore.
I'm 5'6" and 160... the weight is all in my hips. I'd like to be 140. Would 1700 be too much? And has anyone adjusted like this with good results? I was also considering cutting cardio and sticking to weights, but I like being in good aerobic shape. What's the balance?
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Replies
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Im in the same boat - Trying to lose the last 10-15 lbs. I just upped my calories to 1600 and have incorporated weight lifting 3 days a week... Its too early to tell for me, but I'm really hoping this works.0
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Are you only eating 1200 calories, and not your exercise calories? That makes a big difference. If you're eating 1200 and burning say, 400-500 calories per day, you're only leaving yourself with 700-800 calories to function on. You should be NETTING 1200 (it's on your homepage: it says NET). Keep that at 1200 or higher. Try a couple weeks of eating back half your exercise calories. If you lose weight, great. If not, try eating more of them.
Think of it this way. Would you take a road trip on half a tank?0 -
This site was posted a couple of days ago... maybe it will help:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm0 -
Try bumping it up a little, like 100-200 calories and see, and maybe slowly increase. It could be you're not getting enough fuel. and what is your daily activity level? If you walk a lot you could increase it to moderately active and go from there.0
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Well I work out 5-6 days a week (30 min intense cardio and 45 weights.) Plus all the walking. I used the calculator and it said I burn 2214 calories a day (maintenance,) which looks about right compared with other calculators I have used.
I was wondering... is there a way you can set MFP to have different calorie limits every day (without doing it manually?) I was thinking about zig-zagging... like setting it at 1700 on workout+walk days and 1200 for days when I don't work out.0 -
Zig Zagging also works, one day eat a 1000 calories, the next 1400, then 900 then 1300. That helps mix things up. If that doesn't work then try upping the calorie intake by 100 a day. Here is some info. http://www.rippednaturally.com/zig-zag-diet.html I do it when I plateau and it always works. I did it this week and have lost almost 3 lbs.0
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Zig Zagging also works, one day eat a 1000 calories, the next 1400, then 900 then 1300. That helps mix things up. If that doesn't work then try upping the calorie intake by 100 a day. Here is some info. http://www.rippednaturally.com/zig-zag-diet.html I do it when I plateau and it always works. I did it this week and have lost almost 3 lbs.
Does it really work that well and (most importantly) consistently? I am on my first intentional zig-zag this week. Was down to 800-1000 for 2-3 days then 1200 then 1500. Although to be fair my track record is pretty zig-zaggy anyway without even trying before, but never over 2,500 a day.0 -
Set your goals for 1lb of weight loss per week based on the MFP settings that reflect your daily activity.For the last two weeks, I had put myself on a 1200 calorie plan, and would do the elliptical and or run for 30 minutes, and then do about 15 minutes of weight lifting every day. Instead of losing weight, I have gained a pound in two weeks. I began to think about it, and I realize I walk to class every day from my apartment, which adds anywhere from 30-60 minutes of walking into my day. After reading all of these recent posts about "starvation mode," this must have been what happened to me? I wasn't eating my exercise calories back.
Its just so confusing, because I thought back two a couple years ago when I didn't care about my weight and I was my lightest ever... what was I doing differently? I realized I ate TONS and worked out TONS because I loved it and I got so tiny. My metabolism must have been awesome. That was my freshman year in college.
But we hear so much conflicting information... such as daily slight calorie restrictions actually prolong your lifetime, and it is actually healthy (in moderation.) I'm scared to knock up my limit but I think it's best. I cant go all the way back up because I don't have the energy to work out the way I used to (but maybe that's because I don't eat enough anymore.
I'm 5'6" and 160... the weight is all in my hips. I'd like to be 140. Would 1700 be too much? And has anyone adjusted like this with good results? I was also considering cutting cardio and sticking to weights, but I like being in good aerobic shape. What's the balance?
And yes eat back your exercise calories.
Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.
That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
of weight each week.
Be efficient.
Exercise hard and eat back the calories.
The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.
Good Luck!0 -
You need to start adding in your exercises in your dairy. This way it will bump up the total number of calories you can have, while still losing weight.0
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I was stuck at 134lbs for about a month and a half. I was at 1200 calories.
At the beginning of the week, I decided to up it to 1350 calories, and even though I've been to busy to "exercise" (I still walk plenty at work...) I've actually lost 1.5 pounds (Which is amazing!!)0 -
I've been on a plateau for about two weeks as well. I've also been reading as much as I can get my hands on about it. Usually I just give up or I start changing things up, eating more, eating less, zig zagging calories etc. This time i'm going to do nothing about it and simply wait it out. There is a school of thought from what i'm reading that you just accept the plateau and keep doing what you are doing and eventually the body will start to release the weight again. I have also scheduled a professional BMR test at a local health clinic for this Tuesday to see if my BMR from computer calculations is indeed what is says it is. Its tough to be patient with these last 10 lbs as every single day i get on the scale and it says 137.4, every darn day but i'm not giving up and i'm not changing anything and we'll see. Does anyone else ever just wait out a plateau?0
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After a year of dieting and 95 pounds, what I've found about plateaus:
They are mostly due to inaccurate 'guestimates' in my calorie counting, or due to retaining water (too much sodium, muscles repairing after particularly stressful workouts/runs, etc). Frankly, I was able to associate every single 'plateau' I had with one of those two things. Buy a scale, weigh your food, drink water, pay attention to sodium & potassium, etc.
Starvation mode is largely a bunch of baloney, frankly; a convenient excuse most of the time. There is merit to it, but only to a certain extent. If you want evidence of such, stop eating completely for a week. If you are still alive, weigh yourself. I bet dollars to donuts it will be less than when you started. Most of the time people who think starvation mode is the problem, it's actually just user error. Obviously, everbody's body is different etc etc, YMMV, yada yada... but that's my experience. Weight loss is not in any way complicated, it's just hard. Plateau or not, just make sure your numbers are correct and keep on keeping on...the weight will come off.0 -
Are you only eating 1200 calories, and not your exercise calories? That makes a big difference. If you're eating 1200 and burning say, 400-500 calories per day, you're only leaving yourself with 700-800 calories to function on. You should be NETTING 1200 (it's on your homepage: it says NET). Keep that at 1200 or higher. Try a couple weeks of eating back half your exercise calories. If you lose weight, great. If not, try eating more of them.
Think of it this way. Would you take a road trip on half a tank?
Bump.0 -
About eating those 'exercise calories'....
Make sure they are right. If you are trusting the estimates on this site, they are not. Buy a heart rate monitor. If you think you burned 1000 calories walking 3 miles, when you in fact only burned 300, and eat those calories back? Guess what...you will think you are on a plateau!0 -
- Don't go with 1200 calories unless MFP tells you to. Use the goal tool and let it tell you how many calories it thinks you need.
- Log your food.
- Log your exercise.
- Stick to your target number. (i.e. Eat back your exercise calories).
There are ups and downs, but it works:
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- Don't go with 1200 calories unless MFP tells you to. Use the goal tool and let it tell you how many calories it thinks you need.
- Log your food.
- Log your exercise.
- Stick to your target number. (i.e. Eat back your exercise calories).
There are ups and downs, but it works:
Toddly - is that a graph of your weight loss? Interesting and very successful.
What were you doing?0 -
Wow, it feels really good to have some positive support... I've never experienced this before. I've been shy because I'm younger than a lot of members but the support is already having a big impact.
I'm not sure how all of this works but I'd love to have some more friends so add me if you want! I might start doing some before/after pictures (super scary for the internet! But it would be awesome to have support.)0 -
Toddly - is that a graph of your weight loss? Interesting and very successful.
What were you doing?
That's my actual graph of my 11 weeks of diet and exercise, plotted using The Hacker's Diet Online - http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/
There's been steady loss except for one spike early on, when I went on vacation and ate very heartily, but the pounds came off again quickly once I returned to my regular diet.
I've worked in stages. For the first month it was pure calorie counting and logging with MFP. The Hacker's Diet doesn't restrict any food types: I still eat everything, I'm just eating proper portions.
Month two: Added exercise as a way to earn more calories to eat. I started with a couple of days a week and now exercise nearly every day. I alternate cardio and weights. I'm eating a high protein diet to prevent muscle loss (and hopefully build -- my lift strength and endurance has increased substantially). Without protein at every meal and every snack (plus lifting), cardio would take my muscle mass along with the fat.
Month three, more of the same. I'm watching my sodium very closely because water retention is a problem otherwise. I do use a heart rate monitor: a Pyle PHRM30. Good product and less costly than a Polar.
Absolutely do not undereat. Eat your exercise calories back. Your daily target is already running at a calorie deficit, and your body makes up MFP's remaining deficit by burning your stored fat.0
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