5"7 and stuck at 145lbs!!

britneyblonde
britneyblonde Posts: 92 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I started this journey in January at 172lbs which is the heaviest iv ever been. Thanks to MFP for the first time in my life iv found losing weight easy! The weight seemed to fall off me, usually 2lbs a week consistently. Now im down to 145lbs and cant seem to get any lower which is frustrating because i still have quite a lot of flab on my stomach so its not like theres nothing left of me!! Some people have advised that i change my food and exercise up but im quite fussy and eat the same things week after week. Regarding exercise im a zumba addict and could never give it up for something else i enjoy less!! I could add some more exercise into my routine on top of zumba but i already burn about 600cals a day and because i dont eat my exercise cals i think i would end up burning too much!! I know i should eat my exercise cals back but i never have and its seemed to work so far. Im too scared to eat more incase i gain. Although i say im stuck at 145, im still losing, but its like 0.2lb losses im getting. Anybody got any tips?? I go on holiday in 4weeks and dont want to start eating exercise cals now incase it backfires right before im due to get in my bikini!!

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • NoMoreJellyRolls
    NoMoreJellyRolls Posts: 142
    try weight training.
  • SlimsLiftingMoreThanLipstick
    SlimsLiftingMoreThanLipstick Posts: 122 Member
    I am also 5'7 and I plateaued at 143, dead stop for several weeks. I did a "reset" week were I ate a few more calories but continued to exercise. I have mixed my exercise up the entire time and also do strength training but I still hit that stand still. After the reset week I went back to eating fewer calories and I have now lost 2 more lbs.
  • Gwoman2012
    Gwoman2012 Posts: 163 Member
    You don't want to eat more calories, you don't want to change your exercise routine, and you don't want to eat different foods...not sure what do advise?


    What is your carb/protein/fat ratio? If your carbs are really high I know that decreasing those and increasing protein might help with belly fat.
  • anraq13
    anraq13 Posts: 16
    I disagree. Eating less won't make you lose weight. Remember..you want to keep your metabolism burning so keep eating! Also with the plateau...Try weight training as previously mentioned. The key to losing weight at a plateau is not with cardio...its with building muscle and muscle burns fat. Don't worry about bulking up for you don't have to do it for very long. Here's a video I saw on my local news channel about eating more and still losing weight. http://www.king5.com/health/Eat-more-exercise-less-and-still-lose-weight-139493558.html
  • britneyblonde
    britneyblonde Posts: 92 Member
    I am also 5'7 and I plateaued at 143, dead stop for several weeks. I did a "reset" week were I ate a few more calories but continued to exercise. I have mixed my exercise up the entire time and also do strength training but I still hit that stand still. After the reset week I went back to eating fewer calories and I have now lost 2 more lbs.

    Thanks i might give this a go! x
  • WittneeT29
    WittneeT29 Posts: 47 Member
    I feel your pain. I have tried (unsuccessfully) for about 5 years to get out of the 140's (at 5'7). I think my body has a set point here. I am determined to break the plateau, but it is sooo frustrating. I stay right around 145, give or take. The only time I dipped below was when I was training for a marathon -- and that was about 3 years ago. So frustrating! If you figure out the secret, let me know!!
  • jojomia
    jojomia Posts: 18
    I would try lifting weights (heavy ones) and eating back your exercise calories. Your lean muscle you build will burn calories and muscle takes up less space than fat. I would cut back a little on the zumba too if you can but if not, eat the calories back. There is a whole group on here about Eating More to Weigh Less and I have the book New Rules of Lifting for Women. I like what they say. They say you net calories consumed should always be more than your BMR or your body will resist letting go of the weight.
  • tripn404
    tripn404 Posts: 109 Member
    I agree with the whole weight training thing. When you weight train ... the more muscle you add to your body the more calories and fat you will burn daily. I always highly recommend a combo routine of weights and cardio.

    Also, have you ever tried supplements or drinking green tea?
  • tripn404
    tripn404 Posts: 109 Member
    ... even a cleanse and getting out all the crap that your body has in it from the bad eating before would jump start and make the difference you want.
  • fitniknik
    fitniknik Posts: 713 Member
    Lift weights! You may not lose any more but you will notice yourself looking much much better!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    you NEED to switch things up or you're problem won't get fixed. Your body has gotten used to what you are doing and has adjusted accordingly. If you don't switch things up you will stay stuck.
  • fanceegirl75
    fanceegirl75 Posts: 620 Member
    When you hit a plateau you've got to make a change. If you are eating the same thing day in and day out your body has grown accustomed to it. You need to try a different meal plan. As much as I love Zumba and as fun as it is you are not going to get tone and definition from it. I would suggest a Spin Class or running. As well as incorporating some weight/strength training. I'm 5'9 and my goal is 145.
  • Lplou
    Lplou Posts: 15
    I would say eat your exercise cals. I ate all my exercise cals and netted 1600 cals daily and that got me down to 130lbs last year.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    im also 5'7. i stared at 184 and am stuck at 158-161 and have been FOR A YEAR...BUT what got the scale moving again was:
    1) changing up my routine- I was a runner but have since added in zumba, cycling, yoga, walking, tennis, golf, etc (variety is the key)

    2) LIFTING HEAVY- I never lifted because I was afraid of getting "blukly" THIS IS THE BIGGEST LOAD OF B.S. fed to us by the fitness industry...You cannot get bulky (unless you have hormone issues) and you actually get SMALLER (though the scale may increase)! Trust me...i've dropped from a size 10 to a size 4 even though my weight is about the same all because I started lifting (crossfit is my program of choice)

    3) Eating a bit more---HEALTHY calories only (protein, veggies, fruits, NOT EXTRA GRAINS). I eat any where from 1700-2700 calories (total) a day and burn 300-800 on any given day.

    eat more. lift heavy. get ripped!

    one more suggestion if the above ones dont work: reduce your carbohydrate intake from grains.
  • thinclo
    thinclo Posts: 164 Member
    bump
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
    I am 5'6.5" and I used to be plateaued at 141 for nearly 5 months!

    In the last 4 months, I lost 13 lbs.

    Honestly, change is the best things for the body. I was able to lose by changing my workout routines. I have periods of time where I mainly do strength, and others where I mainly do cardio. I have times where I don't work out at all, and I just eat really well. I started eating more on weekends, and less during the week. There is about 200-400 difference between my average weekday and my average weekend. Staggering calories will help confuse your body.

    There are times I eat specific foods, and times I stop. Sometimes I drink coffee every morning, and then I stop for a week and drink just green tea.

    It helps! Try it, even if you are fussy, and even if it is hard. The results will not be instantaneous. There will still be small plateaus. But I'm not stuck, anymore. I see progress once a month.
  • doobabe
    doobabe Posts: 436 Member
    Im 5'7 and right around 135, although I would prefer to be 130 (which is where I was before I started "lifting" weights). I have noticed that my addition of strength training has brought me up those few pounds on the scale, however my clothes fit better (and I look better).

    I agree with others that you have to mix it up, both exercise and food, or you're not going to move the number on the scale. Your body does get comfortable if you let it.

    I eat my exercise calories (or at least most of them), and ditched my scale. I dont care what I weigh anymore as long as I look good in a bikini and can lift more than some of the boys at the gym :happy: Honestly when I weighed less, I looked worse......

    I focus on the quality of my calories more than the quantity i.e. protein, veggies & fruits being the biggest part of my diet...... Very limited processed foods.

    Good luck to you!
  • countrygirl_717
    countrygirl_717 Posts: 204
    You don't want to eat more calories, you don't want to change your exercise routine, and you don't want to eat different foods...not sure what do advise?


    That says it all. If you want to change, you have to be willing to CHANGE!
  • commotionstrange
    commotionstrange Posts: 73 Member
    I'm also 5'7 and I'm stuck at 155. I'm looking forward to reading even more answers :) I have changed up calories and excercise, but I'm not always good about eating back excercise calories...maybe that's the answer. That and lifting heavier...seems to be the consensus on MFP. Hope you break your plateau!
  • jjhertel
    jjhertel Posts: 5
    My wife has been having the same issue. We just got done with P90X for 90 days and she looks great. She didn't lose that much weight, but did lose a lot of inches in all the right places. Her core area changed dramatically. I agree that you need to mix it up a bit with different workouts. Best of luck!
  • risak
    risak Posts: 79 Member
    I'm 5' 4" and stuck at 125. I'd like to be a solid and tone 120lbs.

    I went from 165 - 125 from Feb 2011 to about August 2011 on medifast for my wedding in Oct. That was with no major exercise other than walking about 3 miles a day.

    First I focused on keep off the weight I had lost. Now that I have done that for almost 6 months I am ready to make the push to drop those last 5lbs. I know the only way to do that is exercise and watching my carbs.

    I'm going to start up the 30DS again and see if I can keep it up this time.
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