My Plateau Nutrition Story, Learn from my mistakes.

1…6791112…18

Replies

  • Smithvalerie
    Smithvalerie Posts: 49 Member
    Thank for posting! It looks like I need to eat more. I generally stay at 1300 or less & I exercise about 6 days a week for 30 - 60 min. burning 300- 400 calories according to my hrm. I have been the same wt. for weeks!!! The scales don't budge. 220 or 221 no more, no less! Very frustrating for me after working so hard. So going to look at increasing my calorie intake. :)
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
    bump....great info!
  • Smithvalerie
    Smithvalerie Posts: 49 Member
    Thank for posting! It looks like I need to eat more. I generally stay at 1300 or less & I exercise about 6 days a week for 30 - 60 min. burning 300- 400 calories according to my hrm. I have been the same wt. for weeks!!! The scales don't budge. 220 or 221 no more, no less! Very frustrating for me after working so hard. So going to look at increasing my calorie intake. :)
  • gdc1979
    gdc1979 Posts: 22
    great post!
  • Smithvalerie
    Smithvalerie Posts: 49 Member
    I am having the same problem and I am the same weight. Do you eat back your calories after you workout?
  • Smithvalerie
    Smithvalerie Posts: 49 Member
    Thank for posting! It looks like I need to eat more. I generally stay at 1300 or less & I exercise about 6 days a week for 30 - 60 min. burning 300- 400 calories according to my hrm. I have been the same wt. for weeks!!! The scales don't budge. 220 or 221 no more, no less! Very frustrating for me after working so hard. So going to look at increasing my calorie intake. :)

    I know I am having the same problem. I am the same weight as you also. Do you eat back our calories after working out?
  • goingmodern
    goingmodern Posts: 25 Member
    Very interesting! Thanks for posting. Will have to do the math and make comparisons.
  • mskatec22
    mskatec22 Posts: 138 Member
    Clarify "Olivia" method for me.
    I do measure my foods but not by weight, by amounts. I follow package directions to the "T" and look it up if I'm unsure.
    I do not use a HRM, but I do take my pulse and make sure I'm in the fat burning zone (or higher).
    Bottom line is, I did the math and I think I need to take more calories in, so I'll burn more fat. We'll see what happens in a week.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
    or more! your body may take a few weeks to adjust to the calories (aka your metabolism needs time to catch on)
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    so are you guys saying that i need to really put my exercise into this thing and try to make up all those calories that i burned? i feel like i'd gain so much weight from that? no?
  • Kelblue1
    Kelblue1 Posts: 139 Member
    bump to read later
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    do i do bump now? haha i don't know how these things work sorry!
  • Get_My_Mojo_Back
    Get_My_Mojo_Back Posts: 11
    I am glad you shared this story...I have been trying to explain this to my wife forever
  • TinaDay1114
    TinaDay1114 Posts: 1,328 Member
    so are you guys saying that i need to really put my exercise into this thing and try to make up all those calories that i burned? i feel like i'd gain so much weight from that? no?

    YES, YES, and YES. You need fuel for those workouts, and you won't get it from just your base calories on here.
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    so like lets say i play an hour of racquetball and burn 900 calories (according to MFP)...i start with 1760...so i should really be eating 2670 calories on those days??? Why do i have this mental block that i'd gain weight back? How clean do you guys normally eat too?
  • kelgwin36
    kelgwin36 Posts: 142 Member
    Bump
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    bump
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
    so like lets say i play an hour of racquetball and burn 900 calories (according to MFP)...i start with 1760...so i should really be eating 2670 calories on those days??? Why do i have this mental block that i'd gain weight back? How clean do you guys normally eat too?

    For you, I'd recommend not eating what MFP tells you to and if possible not going by their calculations for exercise calories burned. First figure our your BMR and use the calculations posted in the very first page of this thread to figure out what you should be eating befpre exercise and then if possible go on ebay and find a deal on ANY heart rate monitor with a chest strap (I was able to bid on mine and got it for around $50) so that you know what you're acutally burning. Just my opinion though! And yes- eat those exercise calories back! Your body needs them.

    So for me: 1400BMR times 1.6 for activity level = 2240 and 2240 minus 30% (2240 times .30) equals 672. So, 2240 minus 672 deficit equals an intake of 1568ish. I rounded down and am taking in 1530 BEFORE exercise (200 more than MFP had me at)and am only burning 250-350 an hour at a time 3-4 times a week and eating all or most of my exercise calories back. I think for you maybe re-examine the exercise you're doing? 900's silly to burn in one day really- you don't need to burn that much in one day.

    As far as clean eating? Personally my eating's not "clean" because I go by the "everything in moderation" method. I DONT cut anything out completely, just limit them. I still eat sugary treats, bread etc... I just limit the amounts and plan my day in the mornings so that I'll stay under in my calories and macros but still get enough calories in. I end up adding things to my diet like greek yogurt, fruit, whole grains, healthy fats (easiest way to get like 150 more calories in your day).

    ....... just an opinion from someone who it's working for!!
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    wow thanks so much for your awesome reply! i'm going to calculate my BMR and try to do it like that...i'll look on the first page for the formulas and what not...the only reason i burn so many calories is cause i love playing racquetball haha it doesn't really have to do with me having to burn that many calories in a day i just play a ton haha...thanks again
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    ok so i figured out all my stuff and it's me eating around 1900-2000 calories a day to cut weight...so is that AFTER those exercise calories were configured? sorry i'm just a little confused...i just want to make sure that i'm doing it right thanks.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
    no, for me the calculation got me to the 1530 calories before exercise and then I eat my exercise calories back so I'm actually eating like 1800 a day and netting the 1530.
  • Liebo11
    Liebo11 Posts: 9
    ok so then whats the point of doing the times 1.6 thing? isn't that supposed to be the exercise? do you wear a heart monitor or anything?
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
    Am I the only one noticing a trend here?

    If you're extremely overweight (50+ lbs), as proven many times with these stories, the weight loss comes quickly for months.. until you get closer to your goal.. at this point you plateu and it makes sense to eat more, including those elusive "exercise calories." Two phases.

    I'd much rather lose a little muscle mass during the first "months" than deal with the health risks of being overweight.

    Not quite understanding all the "you must eat or you're going to go into starvation mode" advice for those that are extremely overweight. Who cares about some muscle loss? Heart attack, high blood pressure or a crappy bench press? hmm..

    I'm not advocating not eating, because that doesn't work, but if you eat your allotted daily recommended intake then things should be fine.

    My opinion of course..
  • agidavis
    agidavis Posts: 36 Member
    Hello could you help me, i think i am stuck as well.

    I am 5.5ft,141 lbs,female, 27 years old and do a desk job. I usually do a 20 min workout every day burn about 200cal.
    My scale has not moved from 141 down since god knows when. I aim for about 1200 calories a day ( that is before excercise) and if i bump up my calories i only seem to gain weight and not loose. If I eat more then 1200 for example 1500-1600 i will literally gain a pound or two that takes me a week to burn off. Any help is appreciated:) thank you
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
    Hello could you help me, i think i am stuck as well.

    I am 5.5ft,141 lbs,female, 27 years old and do a desk job. I usually do a 20 min workout every day burn about 200cal.
    My scale has not moved from 141 down since god knows when. I aim for about 1200 calories a day ( that is before excercise) and if i bump up my calories i only seem to gain weight and not loose. If I eat more then 1200 for example 1500-1600 i will literally gain a pound or two that takes me a week to burn off. Any help is appreciated:) thank you

    Bump up your exercise to an hour and see if that makes a difference..
  • gillleeman
    gillleeman Posts: 397 Member
    bump
  • allybeee
    allybeee Posts: 51 Member
    I have to say i can relate to this story. I have a constant cycle of lose weight by going to the gym and biking, plateau, push harder on less calories get injured and gain weight since i can't work out despite not eating much. Recover and start again

    The amount of times i hear how are you not skinny? I simply say yeah i know i wonder that too, it's so not fair.

    I wish i could easily bump up my calories with lean protein but being a veggie it's not easy.
    I just started this new fast track challenge this week that is how i found this site, but basically you are supposed to burn 600 calories a day and eat 1200.

    Having read this i would like to hit that guy now lol. 6 weeks on 1200 calories does not sound appealing when i work out 3--5 times week as is. my hrm tells me i burn 900 calories by time i bike to and from the gym and work out. If i do that 4 times a week isn't that the same as the 600 a day for 6 days? Any advice is appreciated. :)
  • Natalie43
    Natalie43 Posts: 122 Member
    bump
  • twildmann
    twildmann Posts: 41
    THANK YOU for posting this. This is what I've been going through. I have 9.5 lbs to my goal & have upped my work out intensely (from Tae Bo to Insanity) and kept my calories at what MFP has put me - 1200. Usually, a little lower. Well, I burn close to 1000 calories with Insanity and when you mentioned your Net & that was what your body was running off of, I checked mine. Today it's a big ol' 97. Yes. 97. NO WONDER I have stayed at the same weight within 0.5 lb for the last 5 days. I've lost, in total 228 lbs (97 lbs lost in 2004, then 2 pregnancies - 77 lbs gained & lost with one, 54 lbs with the other) and this is the first time I've been really flummoxed and frustrated about my weight loss & have hit a wall. Now the dilemma: It's 8:26pm, should I be eating something to get my calories up? If so, what?
    I've just joined MFP and I wonder if it's the calorie counting to the extreme that's making me go so low in calories; all the other times I've been roughly adding them in my head & been successful. Interesting.

    THANK YOU for sharing this!
  • twildmann
    twildmann Posts: 41
    I am in the same boat. Lost a lot of weight in the beginning and now at somewhat of a standstill. I have read on MFP that eatting more will help. Seems so weird to actually eat more, but I do understand the concept.

    My two problems are 1) I can't exercise everyday (2 kids/1 baby at home) and 2) it gets to 9 pm and I don't have 1200 calories. They always say not to eat right before bed.....so do I eat? Do I not eat? If so, WHAT should I eat?
This discussion has been closed.

Categories