~ Is there some " Magic " I'm missing ??? Plateau !!!

OSC_ESD
OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok guys ... Need those " suggestions " you all rave about from .... fasting, zig zagging, eating back the calories to bulk days ! I have hit a " plateau " ... I can lose 8 to 10 lbs and then gain it back. Never breaking the mold for the past 3 months.

I am a clean eater for the most part ... and now wonder can you eat to " clean " ????? I exercise 7 days a week for 2 to 3 hours a day ... burning in the range of 1100 to 1800 calories per day. ( HRM verified ). My calorie goal is set at 1510 per day.

I do not eat back all my calories ... but when I do, I see a slight gain immediately ... which in turn scares me ! Soooooo ... bring on the ideas ... give me hell about my calorie intake ... tell me I exercise too much and eat to little calories. :angry:

Just tell me SOMETHING that will break this frickin' pattern and get me to where I need to be ! The last 20 to 25 lbs are a real pain the *kitten* !

At least I know when I finally get to my goal ... I can maintain it with NO PROBLEM ! GRRRRRRR !

Rarely will you see me put myself out here in the forums ... asking " friends / strangers " to give me advice. But seriously I have done the research, watched the videos and heard the stories ... but need some " success " stories to lead me into the final phase.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ! :smile:

Replies

  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Working out at that high a volume can cause issues/problems with fat loss. I am sure I can get you losing.
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    @ 4theking ... Inbox me ... I'm up for suggestions ! :wink:
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    You don't even have to exercise at all to lose the fat. It's as simple as eating in a caloric deficit. And it's not magic. It's a simple #'s game. Eat in a slight 200-500 calorie deficit of your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). You'll need to figure out your TDEE and try to get as close as you can, and then just be accurate about logging what you put in your mouth. All that exercise is just extra. But, if you are burning that kind of high calorie #, it's going to be so easy and tempting to eat a whole lot of food! You will need to eat a lot to maintain that kind of calorie burn... so it's pretty inefficient, if you think about it.
  • jayanne0907
    jayanne0907 Posts: 33 Member
    I'm currently reading Jillian Michaels Master your Metabolism.... might be worth perusing. I'm not to far into it but definitely an interesting read
  • SydneyTash
    SydneyTash Posts: 9 Member
    It might be worth getting a metabolic test. One of my mfp friends had one, she is a fitness instructor so does a lot of exercise. Since becoming an instructor and increasing exercise, she has actually put on weight. She also had big deficits like you do calorie-wise. She only just got the results and she said she has been told to lift her calories and eat more protein. Anyway this is the only thing I can think of for you but maybe a metabolic test might give you a clue.
  • missjoci
    missjoci Posts: 412 Member
    I say bump your calories.

    Working out as hard as you are, you need more calories to replenish what's lost and used in the rebuilding process. Looking at your diary, you net close to 500 or 600 calories a day. I think you should eat back more of your exercise calories. When you give your body the nutrients it needs it will stop thinking it's going to starve. I would aim to get your net calories around 1200 each day that you workout.
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
    Sounds like you are not eating enough.

    I would shoot for 1800 on your rest days and eat closer to 2800 on your exercise days if not more like 3000.

    Check out this thread I created yesterday...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506349-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day
  • SydneyTash
    SydneyTash Posts: 9 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/505892-got-the-metabolic-testing-results-everything-is-different

    Checkout the above thread. She posted it this morning.
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    Thanks for all the info ... I will certainly look into those links tonight. :)

    I should have clarified that I exercise like I do ... because I honestly ... LOVE IT !

    Keep the suggestions coming ... greatly appreciated !
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    I had about a 3 month plateau. I exercised a lot, and counted calories, but something was still wrong.

    I took a break for a week from exercising and the scale went down.

    Then I started back strict, water only, higher calories of better foods, and still exercising almost everyday, because truth be told, I love exercise just like you, I guess it's a hobby not hard-work

    Just rule of thumb, if you're hungry, eat, even before bed.
  • medicrenee
    medicrenee Posts: 58 Member
    I would say possibly shock your system.Cut back on exercise for a week. For example, work out four days; and on the days you don't work out eat obviously lighter.
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    Everyone is different, but what seems to have worked for a lot of ladies here when it comes to getting the last pounds off is cutting back on the cardio (IMO you're doing far too much), eating more, and strength train lifting heavier weights...a lot of people here (including myself) have started The New Rules of Lifting for Women and I've seen some great results.

    Just my two cents!
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    You've lost a lot so far...I'd say either increase your cals or lower your level of exercise (probably a bit of both would work wonders!).
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    Try eating at your maintenance for a month and doing strength training instead of cardio. If your calories are on target then at worst you'll maintain your weight. You'll start defining your muscles, maybe growing a little in size.
    Ignore the scale and monitor your body fat % - even if you stay the same weight it should be going down slowly because of the muscle you are building. If you gain bf at maintenance you know the calories are too high, so after a month, start adding cardio back in until you level out. Then you'll have real numbers that work for you.
  • SwimKitty
    SwimKitty Posts: 122 Member
    I also gained initially after upping the calories, but only for a couple of weeks. Before that I was up and down, up and down. Now it's just a slow, steady down - much better! Once you get it in your head that YES, you will gain some weight initially, BUT it's temporary, it'll be easier to deal with. And you can't put a price on a permanent positive lifestyle change.

    These really helped to explain it to me - I highly recommend reading these:

    http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html

    and

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Several of my MFP friends were not able to reach their goal until they started eating enough to fuel their exercise and body. Once I read 'eat to exercise, not exercise to eat' - makes sense to me.

    Good luck Laney - I am in a similar situation as you - it is scary to gain. I'd be happy to (virtually) hold your hand through this :)

    BTW - I don't believe you could ever eat 'too clean'. That being said, I also believe in a 'free day' every 7 to 10 days. I gain a couple, but always finish the week lower than the week before.
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