Plan to break my plateau - is this accurate??

GB333
GB333 Posts: 261 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I think I just need someone to tell me I've got this concept correct...

I've been stuck right around 145 for many, many months now. The measuring tape is not moving, either. So here's my thought process...

The calculators say I need about 1700 calories a day to "live." That is putting in my height and weight (5'7" and 143 pounds as of this morning, but I'll probably be 145 again tomorrow) and my daily exercise/lifestyle. I did two different calculators and they both came out the same. I've been eating 1200 calories or less a day for almost a year now. I guess I've basically "taught" my body to live on 1200 calories a day and I have slowed down my metabolism.... right?

So if I bump up my calories to 1500 (or 1700?) a day for a week or two, I can "reset" my metabolism back to normal for me.... and then go back down to 1200 and I will start to lose again. ...right?

So my questions are this:

1. Am I on the right track here? This *should work.... right?

2. how far up should I take my daily calories? 1500? the full 1700?

3. for how long should I eat these higher calories? One week? Two weeks?

4. Should I expect to GAIN weight during those one or two weeks that I up my calories?

Thanks in advance, oh wise MFP'ers! :)
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Replies

  • GB333
    GB333 Posts: 261 Member
    I think I hear crickets!

    Anything anyone could tell me would be much appreciated. From what I read on here, I think I'm on the right track. I guess it's just trial and error, but any thoughts/comments are appreciated! :flowerforyou:
  • M1chelles5
    M1chelles5 Posts: 107
    *bump*
  • AReasor
    AReasor Posts: 355 Member
    Man, I got stuck at 143lb too!!!!!! I upped my calories to 1400 a day (I am 5'1) and varied my exercise routines. Within a few days things started moving again.

    I still have my daily set to 1400 a day. I was just too hungry on 1200. I am still getting great results from the tape measure.
  • ackkk
    ackkk Posts: 16
    I am in the same boat as you. Been holding for awhile now, so have decided to eat the full calories, even the exercise calories.
    Hoping it works & does reset my metabolism like you described. Good luck to us both!
  • akjmart2002
    akjmart2002 Posts: 263 Member
    From what I've gathered, you're on the right track here. I too have been on a several month-long plateau, so l'm trying to eat closer to maintenance for a few weeks before hitting the deficit again.

    As near as I can tell, a good way to go about it is to ramp up your calories by 100-200 per day back to your maintenance level. At the very least, you should be eating your BMR!
  • josephine_x
    josephine_x Posts: 90 Member
    I would eat 1450 cals per day PLUS eat all exercise back (important) and NEVER EVER EAT 1200 per day again! Expect to gain 2-3lbs in the first couple of weeks but then I assure you it will start dropping off. Promise!!
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Yes, raise your calories. I was at 1200 for about 3 months, weight was coming off extremely slowly. I bumped up to 1400 a day, 2 weeks ago, weight is coming off now by the pounds. I was scared to increase them, its such a scary concept but it's working.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lambertj/view/change-is-good-and-working-229978
  • Psychoanalytic
    Psychoanalytic Posts: 261
    There are many gurus on here that can give you more detailed explanations of what to do and why to do it.
    For me personally (especially when I went on a weight loss adventure in the past) I yo-yo my calories around. For instance if I'm supposed to be around 1500 calories, I might do something like this: 1200 today, 1500 tomorrow, 1300 the next day, 1700 the day after that, etc. For me, it kept my metabolism on its toes. Another thing I did/do is to be sure to snack quite a bit. That kept it constantly moving.
    But that's just me :) Everyone is certainly different.
  • LG30
    LG30 Posts: 72
    I am on the same boat, and just take it that my body is happy at 165! Best of luck to you! :glasses:
  • EngineerPrincess
    EngineerPrincess Posts: 306 Member
    It's not just calories, try looking at/changing up what you're eating too, vary but what you eat and how you exercise. 500 calories of fast food or processed food, even "healthy" options, is way different than 500 calories of food you make yourself. Weeks that I have a larger gap between daily calories (some days 1200 some days 1800) I tend to lose more.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Bump it up to 1400, eat back your exercise calories and do not go back to 1200 again.

    I could not wrap my head around it but I finally did it and I actually started losing weight! And I am talking I am inside that last 5 lbs and I am in my 40s, so that should tell you something right there.

    I feel great and my mood is way better since I started eating more. I think I am actually getting between 1600 and 1700 per day, but I get over an hour of exercise a day as well.

    Try it, trust me, I was skeptical and someone dared me to do it in a private message, and it friggin worked, I could not believe it. I actually got off and back on the scale the last 2 times I weighed myself, I could not believe it.
  • Amy_Lynn74
    Amy_Lynn74 Posts: 134 Member
    There was a forum I read on here about a week ago that you should check out. It is called How To Repair A Damaged Metabolism - Stavation Mode.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Bump it up to 1400, eat back your exercise calories and do not go back to 1200 again.

    I could not wrap my head around it but I finally did it and I actually started losing weight! And I am talking I am inside that last 5 lbs and I am in my 40s, so that should tell you something right there.

    I feel great and my mood is way better since I started eating more. I think I am actually getting between 1600 and 1700 per day, but I get over an hour of exercise a day as well.

    Try it, trust me, I was skeptical and someone dared me to do it in a private message, and it friggin worked, I could not believe it. I actually got off and back on the scale the last 2 times I weighed myself, I could not believe it.

    Same here, we speak the truth.............I got on and off the scale 3 times today yelling WOO HOO!
  • Mom2M_and_O
    Mom2M_and_O Posts: 214 Member
    I'm in the same boat -- well a bit....it's been a month for me after 6 months on 1500 calories. I had been losing about 3 pounds a month on average until then. I've been eating more calories for the last couple of weeks but no effect so far. Looking at another TDEE calculator (http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced) I'm thinking I may have still been underestimating my TDEE and need yet more calories. I've just bumped my daily calorie goals up to 1900 to see if that will make a difference. Am also going to start alternating 30DS with a couple of days of cardio rather than doing 30DS everyday. Maybe that will help.

    May the odds be ever in our favor!
  • nickyrobinson
    nickyrobinson Posts: 161 Member
    @GB333

    Your questions in order:

    1. Am I on the right track here? This *should work.... right?

    This does appear to be the case, yes. Nothing is guaranteed in weight loss, but according to everything I know, you've analyzed this pretty well.


    2. how far up should I take my daily calories? 1500? the full 1700?

    There is no definite answer here. I think it will probably be an easier transition to only go up to 1500.


    3. for how long should I eat these higher calories? One week? Two weeks?

    The idea is that you should stick with this many calories for a long time, but if you mean how long to see some result, minimum 2 weeks, quite possibly longer. Your body doesn't reset immediately. Especially since you've been eating 1200 calories fro a year.



    4. Should I expect to GAIN weight during those one or two weeks that I up my calories?

    Yes, there is an excellent chance you will see a weight gain during that time.your body will happily glom onto those new calories. Once things settle out you should start losing again.
  • SweetMommaof21981
    SweetMommaof21981 Posts: 19 Member
    Yes, raise your calories. I was at 1200 for about 3 months, weight was coming off extremely slowly. I bumped up to 1400 a day, 2 weeks ago, weight is coming off now by the pounds. I was scared to increase them, its such a scary concept but it's working.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lambertj/view/change-is-good-and-working-229978

    Attempted to view your blog and its restricted???
  • fit921
    fit921 Posts: 92 Member
    GB333- I took a look at your diary. It is hard to determine your caloric intake because you have been inconsistent with your logging. On the entries I could see I noticed that the quality of your calories is insufficient. You are wasting a lot of calories on ranch dressing and sour cream. Take a look at the recipe message board for some healthy foods and meals. Try to incorporate healthy meals for a while within your calories for a couple of weeks and then see what happens and go from there.
  • solpwr
    solpwr Posts: 1,039 Member
    Your diary is pretty thin darlin.

    I didnt see exercise at all. I would suggest eating 12,600 calories per week, burning 1,400 per week by exercise, for a net of 1,600 per day on average.

    Think weekly instead of daily, and do this for three weeks, then re-evaluate.
  • dizzymomma
    dizzymomma Posts: 11 Member
    I was about to post nearly the exact same thing! My stats are a little different & I have only been plateaued about 2 weeks, but frustrating none-the-less. Thanks for asking all my questions!!
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Yes, raise your calories. I was at 1200 for about 3 months, weight was coming off extremely slowly. I bumped up to 1400 a day, 2 weeks ago, weight is coming off now by the pounds. I was scared to increase them, its such a scary concept but it's working.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lambertj/view/change-is-good-and-working-229978

    Attempted to view your blog and its restricted???

    Changed it, sorry, I didn't realize it had privacy settings
  • lknorthstar
    lknorthstar Posts: 132 Member
    I am on the same boat, and just take it that my body is happy at 165! Best of luck to you! :glasses:

    Oh mine two! I am stuck at 165 and it is driving my crazy! My body may be happy there but I sure am not! There is still plenty of fat to get rid of!
  • GB333
    GB333 Posts: 261 Member
    I've been doing Atkins for a month trying to break the plateau, hence the sour cream. ;) I've not been logging it all lately because I have become so good at staying under my carb goal that I don't really need to log everything. Plus I've been cooking a lot more at home and that is much more difficult to log than scanning a bar code like I used to do. (Last night's dinner would take me an hour to log all of the ingredients!)

    I've NOT been counting calories, yet I've consistently been right around 1200 while doing low carb. All of this protein and I'm just not hungry. It's going to be difficult to eat MORE calories per day.

    But I'm going to start upping my carbs while staying away from refined crap carbs and allowing myself a better variety. I won't be true "atkins" anymore, but it hasn't been working so I'm going back to what did - low cal, low fat, tried and true. ;)

    Thanks everyone for the input, advice, and links. I'm going to go read some of this now.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    Do what MFP is telling you to do... give a couple of weeks and then adjust as you see necessary...
  • GB333
    GB333 Posts: 261 Member
    Do what MFP is telling you to do... give a couple of weeks and then adjust as you see necessary...

    MFP is telling me to eat 1200 calories a day, which isn't working anymore. :ohwell:
  • josephine_x
    josephine_x Posts: 90 Member
    Just so you knoe if you've been low carbing you'll likely gain up to 7 lbs as your body clings on to water again. Again, it won't last long. And I certainly wouldn't do low fat, your body really needs good fats :happy:
  • basherbullz
    basherbullz Posts: 2
    I would suggest to do the following:
    Bump your calories to 2000 ( 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat) for two days.
    Follow this by a zig-zag diet of 1400 calories a day (same p/c/f ration) for 3 days followed by 2000 calories a day for 2 days.

    Let me know how this goes after one full cycle. If you like the results you can then up your calories to around 1500 per day or continue the zig-zag for a while longer.

    Longer term you can do a 2000 calorie diet on the weekends.
  • NicoletheFaye
    NicoletheFaye Posts: 19 Member
    I'm in the same boat -- well a bit....it's been a month for me after 6 months on 1500 calories. I had been losing about 3 pounds a month on average until then. I've been eating more calories for the last couple of weeks but no effect so far. Looking at another TDEE calculator (http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced) I'm thinking I may have still been underestimating my TDEE and need yet more calories. I've just bumped my daily calorie goals up to 1900 to see if that will make a difference. Am also going to start alternating 30DS with a couple of days of cardio rather than doing 30DS everyday. Maybe that will help.

    May the odds be ever in our favor!

    WHOA. That link is AWESOME! According to this, MFP would be nearly 1,000 calories off from what they think I burn {which makes a lot more sense to me. I may have a desk job, but when I'm not at work, I'm on the go an don't stop until I go to bed}.

    Thank you for sharing!
  • cbear017
    cbear017 Posts: 345 Member
    Definitely up your calories and then plan on not weighing yourself for at least two weeks afterwards (it'll drive you crazy to see even the smallest fluctuations).

    I was in the same boat, stuck at 145 lbs and 5'9. I was netting around 1350 calories and my weight loss had stalled. I looked back at my diary to see what I was doing right when I was losing and noticed that I was netting around 1600 calories. Anyhow, a few weeks ago I upped my calories to 1550 and I've already lost 3 pounds!!!
  • basherbullz
    basherbullz Posts: 2
    Just as a disclaimer: I am no nutritional expert or a guru on this subject. Just offering friendly advice based on my own personal experiences. Please consult your doctor before attempting any changes to your diet and/or nutrition.

    P.S. Ensure you take a good multivitamin and fish oil everyday.
  • lyndaribardo
    lyndaribardo Posts: 5 Member
    What diet are you on? Have you tried the low carb variety? I lost 45 lbs in 5 weeks and from a size 22 to a size 14! Its Carbs that keep you fat and you gotta avoid them. This next 35 lbs I am enjoying my 2 daughters doing the diet with me. My first daughter has been on the diet 16 days and has lost 13 lbs already. Off to getting into my skinny jeans.
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