My Plateau Nutrition Story, Learn from my mistakes.

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.

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..

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..

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.

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!

bump

Nice post.

If anyone wants an easier method of calculating their calories using Katch McArdle rather than doing it manually then use this link:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Select "Advanced Options" and check the Katch McCardle box.

Great link. I'm almost at goal but have gained a little back since Xmas, because I can't keep out of the biscuit barrel at work!! Guessing at my bodyfat (last time it was pretty high), the Katch McCardle thing says I need 1572 for fat loss and 1179 for extreme fat loss (I'm so close to goal I don't think that's going to work).

Question - I have put on the calculator that I exercise 5 times a week - at the moment my current exericse regime is:

Monday - cycle to work and back - about 30 mins moderate effort
Tues - As above, plus a run with local club between 7-9 miles
Weds - same as Monday
Thurs - same as Tues, only run is usually between 5.5-7 miles
Fri - same as Mon and Tues, plus horse riding for 1 hour
Sat - REST!!! (may cycle if weather nice)
Sun - long Sunday run - usually about 11 miles

I'm assuming that the calculator-thing has made allowances for the exericise, so I DON'T eat my calories back... but just stay at 1579 regardless of what activity I've done?

Sorry, I'm really thick about these things. And before everyone says, I know I need to get some strength training in there as well as the cardio - I'm getting there!!!!

Thank you for this post. I was starting to wonder over the last few days it I was doing it right too. I have been eating back my calories. Thanks for the information.

Nice post.

If anyone wants an easier method of calculating their calories using Katch McArdle rather than doing it manually then use this link:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Select "Advanced Options" and check the Katch McCardle box.

Great link. I'm almost at goal but have gained a little back since Xmas, because I can't keep out of the biscuit barrel at work!! Guessing at my bodyfat (last time it was pretty high), the Katch McCardle thing says I need 1572 for fat loss and 1179 for extreme fat loss (I'm so close to goal I don't think that's going to work).

Question - I have put on the calculator that I exercise 5 times a week - at the moment my current exericse regime is:

Monday - cycle to work and back - about 30 mins moderate effort
Tues - As above, plus a run with local club between 7-9 miles
Weds - same as Monday
Thurs - same as Tues, only run is usually between 5.5-7 miles
Fri - same as Mon and Tues, plus horse riding for 1 hour
Sat - REST!!! (may cycle if weather nice)
Sun - long Sunday run - usually about 11 miles

I'm assuming that the calculator-thing has made allowances for the exericise, so I DON'T eat my calories back... but just stay at 1579 regardless of what activity I've done?

Sorry, I'm really thick about these things. And before everyone says, I know I need to get some strength training in there as well as the cardio - I'm getting there!!!!

Correct. That calculator, as opposed to MFP, factors in projected exercise so you don't have to worry about net calories or eating back exercise calories etc. Makes life easier for some people to have one fixed goal to work towards.

If you find that you workout schedule changes to say three times a week then go back and recalculate.

Thanks for the info