Plateauing despite sufficient calorie intake?
led6777
Posts: 268
I've been at the same weight for a few weeks and I'm becoming impatient. I have weighed myself every few days and there are small fluctuations but I attribute those to water weight. I have measured myself and I haven't lost any inches either.
I'm 5'9" and I weigh 171 lbs. I net around 1550 per day. I eat my exercise calories (approx 400-500/day) so I get to eat around 1800-2100 calories per day - thanks to fat2fit radio I know how much I need to eat. I have a few cheat days every once in a while, but nothing more than 500 or so calories over my calorie budget, which I'm sure is compensated for by my modest overestimation of how much I eat and reasonable underestimation of how much I burn.
I eat generally healthy foods, I'd say 80% natural/whole foods and 20% processed foods (although "processed" is a fairly vague term... I don't eat things like cheetos, but sometimes I do eat frozen meals and the like).
I have a bodybugg that tracks my calories burned while I work out and I believe it is accurate, but as I mentioned above, I always underestimate the amount I burn by at least 50 to 100 calories just to be safe. My workouts vary from running, dancing, weight lifting, yoga, and spinning.
I feel that I'm doing everything right. I'm eating enough, drinking water like crazy, exercising consistently, and sleeping plenty (9 hours per night). I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm going to go nuts if I don't start losing again soon. Please help!
I'm 5'9" and I weigh 171 lbs. I net around 1550 per day. I eat my exercise calories (approx 400-500/day) so I get to eat around 1800-2100 calories per day - thanks to fat2fit radio I know how much I need to eat. I have a few cheat days every once in a while, but nothing more than 500 or so calories over my calorie budget, which I'm sure is compensated for by my modest overestimation of how much I eat and reasonable underestimation of how much I burn.
I eat generally healthy foods, I'd say 80% natural/whole foods and 20% processed foods (although "processed" is a fairly vague term... I don't eat things like cheetos, but sometimes I do eat frozen meals and the like).
I have a bodybugg that tracks my calories burned while I work out and I believe it is accurate, but as I mentioned above, I always underestimate the amount I burn by at least 50 to 100 calories just to be safe. My workouts vary from running, dancing, weight lifting, yoga, and spinning.
I feel that I'm doing everything right. I'm eating enough, drinking water like crazy, exercising consistently, and sleeping plenty (9 hours per night). I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm going to go nuts if I don't start losing again soon. Please help!
0
Replies
-
You seem to be doing everything right, the only thing I can think of is to eat more fruit & veg as there is not much in your diary, and try switching up your workouts for a few weeks.
Sometimes eating a maintenance for a week can help break plateaus too x
ETA : what is your loss goal set to?
With only 15lbs to lose you shouldn't be aiming for more than 0.5 per week.0 -
Don't eat back exercise calories and cycle calories. say 1500 cals daily your calorie amount multiply by 7 to get calorie amount for week. Then spread the calories over week by eating some days lower calorie other days higher calorie but adding up to the weekly amount. do interval sprints a couple times per week.
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm0 -
You seem to be doing everything right, the only thing I can think of is to eat more fruit & veg as there is not much in your diary, and try switching up your workouts for a few weeks.
Sometimes eating a maintenance for a week can help break plateaus too x
ETA : what is your loss goal set to?
With only 15lbs to lose you shouldn't be aiming for more than 0.5 per week.
Right now it's set to 1 lb per week. I'm scared to try 0.5 because I desperately want to achieve my goal before I leave for school in August!0 -
rules
eat a healthy diet(veggies,fibre,fruit protein not too many carbs)ect
WATER water and more WATER
EXERSICE try to vary it and do it daily if you can! min 30 mins atime.
count the cals
dont weight weekly if you can help it
have what mfp sets for you...to lose!
and if you honesly are doing all these then your body needs time to "catch up" with the weight loss so give it time itwont be long!
0 -
Don't eat back exercise calories and cycle calories. say 1500 cals daily your calorie amount multiply by 7 to get calorie amount for week. Then spread the calories over week by eating some days lower calorie other days higher calorie but adding up to the weekly amount. do interval sprints a couple times per week.
Calorie cycling may be a great solution that I haven't thought of! Thanks0 -
Don't eat back exercise calories and cycle calories. say 1500 cals daily your calorie amount multiply by 7 to get calorie amount for week. Then spread the calories over week by eating some days lower calorie other days higher calorie but adding up to the weekly amount. do interval sprints a couple times per week.
Calorie cycling may be a great solution that I haven't thought of! Thanks
here is a calculator that you can use, also works out the calorie cycling (zig-zag).
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm0 -
I've been at the same weight for a few weeks and I'm becoming impatient. I have weighed myself every few days and there are small fluctuations but I attribute those to water weight. I have measured myself and I haven't lost any inches either.
I'm 5'9" and I weigh 171 lbs. I net around 1550 per day. I eat my exercise calories (approx 400-500/day) so I get to eat around 1800-2100 calories per day - thanks to fat2fit radio I know how much I need to eat. I have a few cheat days every once in a while, but nothing more than 500 or so calories over my calorie budget, which I'm sure is compensated for by my modest overestimation of how much I eat and reasonable underestimation of how much I burn.
I eat generally healthy foods, I'd say 80% natural/whole foods and 20% processed foods (although "processed" is a fairly vague term... I don't eat things like cheetos, but sometimes I do eat frozen meals and the like).
I have a bodybugg that tracks my calories burned while I work out and I believe it is accurate, but as I mentioned above, I always underestimate the amount I burn by at least 50 to 100 calories just to be safe. My workouts vary from running, dancing, weight lifting, yoga, and spinning.
I feel that I'm doing everything right. I'm eating enough, drinking water like crazy, exercising consistently, and sleeping plenty (9 hours per night). I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm going to go nuts if I don't start losing again soon. Please help!
if you are using fat2fit to work out your TDEE , it already includes exercise so you don't need to add them back in.0 -
I've been at the same weight for a few weeks and I'm becoming impatient. I have weighed myself every few days and there are small fluctuations but I attribute those to water weight. I have measured myself and I haven't lost any inches either.
I'm 5'9" and I weigh 171 lbs. I net around 1550 per day. I eat my exercise calories (approx 400-500/day) so I get to eat around 1800-2100 calories per day - thanks to fat2fit radio I know how much I need to eat. I have a few cheat days every once in a while, but nothing more than 500 or so calories over my calorie budget, which I'm sure is compensated for by my modest overestimation of how much I eat and reasonable underestimation of how much I burn.
I eat generally healthy foods, I'd say 80% natural/whole foods and 20% processed foods (although "processed" is a fairly vague term... I don't eat things like cheetos, but sometimes I do eat frozen meals and the like).
I have a bodybugg that tracks my calories burned while I work out and I believe it is accurate, but as I mentioned above, I always underestimate the amount I burn by at least 50 to 100 calories just to be safe. My workouts vary from running, dancing, weight lifting, yoga, and spinning.
I feel that I'm doing everything right. I'm eating enough, drinking water like crazy, exercising consistently, and sleeping plenty (9 hours per night). I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm going to go nuts if I don't start losing again soon. Please help!
if you are using fat2fit to work out your TDEE , it already includes exercise so you don't need to add them back in.
Ah, I should have mentioned I always choose "sedentary" with calorie calculators so I can eat my exercise calories.0 -
I've been at the same weight for a few weeks and I'm becoming impatient. I have weighed myself every few days and there are small fluctuations but I attribute those to water weight. I have measured myself and I haven't lost any inches either.
I'm 5'9" and I weigh 171 lbs. I net around 1550 per day. I eat my exercise calories (approx 400-500/day) so I get to eat around 1800-2100 calories per day - thanks to fat2fit radio I know how much I need to eat. I have a few cheat days every once in a while, but nothing more than 500 or so calories over my calorie budget, which I'm sure is compensated for by my modest overestimation of how much I eat and reasonable underestimation of how much I burn.
I eat generally healthy foods, I'd say 80% natural/whole foods and 20% processed foods (although "processed" is a fairly vague term... I don't eat things like cheetos, but sometimes I do eat frozen meals and the like).
I have a bodybugg that tracks my calories burned while I work out and I believe it is accurate, but as I mentioned above, I always underestimate the amount I burn by at least 50 to 100 calories just to be safe. My workouts vary from running, dancing, weight lifting, yoga, and spinning.
I feel that I'm doing everything right. I'm eating enough, drinking water like crazy, exercising consistently, and sleeping plenty (9 hours per night). I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm going to go nuts if I don't start losing again soon. Please help!
if you are using fat2fit to work out your TDEE , it already includes exercise so you don't need to add them back in.
Ah, I should have mentioned I always choose "sedentary" with calorie calculators so I can eat my exercise calories.
Maybe try the other way for a while - eat at a 20% defict to your real TDEE, including exercise..
That will be naturally calorie cycling as your net will be different depending how much exrecise you do.0 -
^^^^^ this is good advice, I do this rather than eating back exercise and it's worked well for me. Takes away the problem of if you are eating back the right amount, and naturally cycles cals without you having to mess about choosing different levels each day.
Re your goal, just try it!! Eating for 1lb is obviously not working for you or you wouldn't have made this post, so what do you have to lose?
Losing 0.5 per week is better than aiming for 1 and losing nothing :-)0 -
^^^^^ this is good advice, I do this rather than eating back exercise and it's worked well for me. Takes away the problem of if you are eating back the right amount, and naturally cycles cals without you having to mess about choosing different levels each day.
Re your goal, just try it!! Eating for 1lb is obviously not working for you or you wouldn't have made this post, so what do you have to lose?
Losing 0.5 per week is better than aiming for 1 and losing nothing :-)
^^this
Weekly weight loss targets are not something you should really try to force. With your remaining weight to lose, you should be at 0.5lb a week.
Or try to eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks.0 -
^^^^^ this is good advice, I do this rather than eating back exercise and it's worked well for me. Takes away the problem of if you are eating back the right amount, and naturally cycles cals without you having to mess about choosing different levels each day.
Re your goal, just try it!! Eating for 1lb is obviously not working for you or you wouldn't have made this post, so what do you have to lose?
Losing 0.5 per week is better than aiming for 1 and losing nothing :-)
^^this
Weekly weight loss targets are not something you should really try to force. With your remaining weight to lose, you should be at 0.5lb a week.
Or try to eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks.
impressive replies. some people post stupid crap. do NOT eat 1550 a day unless you want to waste away, causing your body to break down its muscle tissue for energy because you're burning 500+ calories working out and netting ~1000. That surely would result in weight loss for a while but i don't think you'd like the results.
maintenance--true maintenance--for 4-6 weeks, followed by a small deficit of 250-330 calories (1/2 pound to 2/3 pound) should result in weight loss again. Be patient--don't give in to extreme methods and know that you're doing this the right way.0 -
Thanks ladies. I am going to change my goal to 0.5 lbs per week and try the "built-in" calorie cycling method posted above.0
-
Good plan, hope it works for you x0
-
Your BodyBugg / BMF already underestimated true workout calories, you lopping another 100-200 off to be safe didn't help matters.
Since you have a much better view of your TDEE, you should really just deficit from that, split the difference between BMR and TDEE, rounding the deficit up.
Confirm you'll never NET under your current BMR when you take off good estimates of exercise calories (like if you use a HRM).
And calorie cycling is obtained, and a mini-spike day, by looking at a weekly avg of your normal week that BMF reports. So look at weekly avg TDEE, take off the deficit, and that is your daily goal until your normal routine changes in a permanent way. Or adjust it weekly perhaps.
That way your NET calories does cycle, and rest days become spike days.0 -
If what you're saying is true about over-estimating your caloric intake, and underestimating your calories burnt, then as the poster above me said, you're a bit out.
In my opinion, if that's the case you might not have sufficient calorie intake like you think you do..0 -
Interesting points. I don't think I overestimate calories consumed/underestimate calories burned by a huge margin - I do just enough to account for potential error and to be on the safe side - but I agree that now that I'm close to my goal I should be much more careful about that.
I should also mention that I have been really hungry for the past week, so upping my calories is a must at this point. Now if I could just clean up my diet a little bit more I think I'd be in business.0 -
I just had a read of this too and conscious as people have said don't give poor advice so with a precursor of 'this is just my opinion based on my experience'. I've always been really worried about a plateau myself and have so far fingers crossed avoided it by changing my exercise routine every four weeks or so. I found this really hard to do because I was doing what I really enjoyed in the gym and thought 'I must be losing weighrt look at the calorie readout'
So my plateua had been going consistently for probably the 8 months prior to the 1st Jan when I joined - I must admit, net calories, eating back calories, macros and the science behind the food stumps me sometimes but what worked for me was changing my exercise routine and keeping it fresh.
Brace for the flames :bigsmile:0 -
I just had a read of this too and conscious as people have said don't give poor advice so with a precursor of 'this is just my opinion based on my experience'. I've always been really worried about a plateau myself and have so far fingers crossed avoided it by changing my exercise routine every four weeks or so. I found this really hard to do because I was doing what I really enjoyed in the gym and thought 'I must be losing weighrt look at the calorie readout'
So my plateua had been going consistently for probably the 8 months prior to the 1st Jan when I joined - I must admit, net calories, eating back calories, macros and the science behind the food stumps me sometimes but what worked for me was changing my exercise routine and keeping it fresh.
Brace for the flames :bigsmile:
Nope. Perfect sense.
If your body gets efficient at something, your HR generally will go down, and you therefore burn less calories at it.
The machine calorie count won't know that, it just knows same pace, perhaps close to same weight.
HR monitor would know, and then you could know to increase effort to keep HR the same.
But switching up machines does the same thing too, in-efficient at something new.
But if you had something you really enjoyed, just increase the pace.0 -
I make an effort to change my workouts every day (although I log most of them as "running" simply because I'm lazy and I know the calorie count from my HRM) and still no progress
I'm glad it works for you though!0 -
I make an effort to change my workouts every day (although I log most of them as "running" simply because I'm lazy and I know the calorie count from my HRM) and still no progress
I'm curious about your actual workout routine (and it is ok to have a routine). For example, some people might weight train MWF, cardio T/Th, Yoga saturday. Doing this routine for 3 weeks straight is totally fine, and you can feel yourself getting better and stronger each time you do the same workout.
However, at week 4, you should swap out almost every weight training exercise, or do them in 3 circuits instead of 3 sets all at once. You should switch from the stair climber to the treadmill, and do a bootcamp instead of yoga. You can do intervals of sprints/jogs instead of jogging at a steady pace.
Overcome the plateau by consistently challenging your body with things it's never done before.0 -
I make an effort to change my workouts every day (although I log most of them as "running" simply because I'm lazy and I know the calorie count from my HRM) and still no progress
I'm curious about your actual workout routine (and it is ok to have a routine). For example, some people might weight train MWF, cardio T/Th, Yoga saturday. Doing this routine for 3 weeks straight is totally fine, and you can feel yourself getting better and stronger each time you do the same workout.
However, at week 4, you should swap out almost every weight training exercise, or do them in 3 circuits instead of 3 sets all at once. You should switch from the stair climber to the treadmill, and do a bootcamp instead of yoga. You can do intervals of sprints/jogs instead of jogging at a steady pace.
Overcome the plateau by consistently challenging your body with things it's never done before.
Here's a general example of a week of workouts for me...
Monday: HIIT intervals on the treadmill for 40 minutes
Tuesday: Dance class for an hour, 15 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill
Wednesday: Group Power (barbell weight lifting class) for an hour
Thursday: Yoga for an hour and then 15 minutes on the elliptical
Friday: Spinning for 45 minutes
Saturday: 10 minutes on the stair climber followed by 10 minutes on the rowing machine and then 20 minutes of HIIT intervals on the elliptical
Sunday: rest0 -
As well as calorie intake are you looking at fat content? Mainly on processed foods I mean. For instance a lot of 'low cal' ready meals are high in fat. And a lot of 'low fat' ready meals are high in calories (they add sugar to flavour it which isn't counted as fat oddly).
Also look at eating more vegetables. Carrots are great as it takes more calories to eat them than what is contained in them. Grapes contain virtually no nutritional value also so you can fill up on those when you get hungry. Try adding chilli peppers where possible too.
Also when you do a lot of exercise you will start to burn fat but also build muscle which weighs more than fat. It could possibly be that you're reaching this point. It's frustrating but good
) 0 -
Another thing you could try is eating more protein with a ratio of protein/carbs/fat - 40%/40%/20%. Change your macros in your food diary. Works for me!
Good luck0 -
Also when you do a lot of exercise you will start to burn fat but also build muscle which weighs more than fat. It could possibly be that you're reaching this point. It's frustrating but good)
^^ this!
your cardio is commendable, especially the HIIT stuff. Maybe try weight training 3 days/week for 3 weeks, then go back to your normal schedule for 3? There are a TON of people in the "success stories" forum that praise the Goddess of the barbell...0 -
Based on your post, I would guess that you have just been eating at maintenance, more or less. I am estimating your maintenance at about 2100-2200 calories, which is about what you have been eating.
Therefore, don't automatically conclude that you are at a true plateau, you may just have been at maintenance this whole time.
And I am glad to see not everyone here advocates the silly concept of eating back exercise calories.
Don't just swap things out for the sake of swapping things out. If it's working for you, stick to it. Too many people think they have to keep "mixing it up" to see results. And just because you plateau in terms of fat loss, don't make the assumption that your plateau is solely attributed to your workout.However, at week 4, you should swap out almost every weight training exercise, or do them in 3 circuits instead of 3 sets all at once. You should switch from the stair climber to the treadmill, and do a bootcamp instead of yoga. You can do intervals of sprints/jogs instead of jogging at a steady pace.
Overcome the plateau by consistently challenging your body with things it's never done before.
I agree that you should incorporate resistance training into your routine, but be cautious of adding too many things. In most cases, weight training 3-4x a week + HIIT + yoga + whatever else is going to be too much activity in a deficit, You need rest days to recover.
Contrary to many people's mentality, you should be exercising less when dieting, not more - you need more time to recover when compared to eating at maintenance or in a surplus.0 -
My understanding is that my NET maintenance calories would be around 2100. Discussing calories consumed with no further analysis of calories burned is one-sided and definitely does not provide the whole picture.
I have been eating back my exercise calories since the beginning and have lost almost 30 pounds so I know that it works for me.. not to mention I get weak and uncomfortably hungry if I don't eat them back. The concept of NOT eating your exercise calories back is silly in my opinion.
If I were at maintenance I would probably be eating closer to 2300-2400 calories and exercising around 300 of them off.0 -
Also when you do a lot of exercise you will start to burn fat but also build muscle which weighs more than fat. It could possibly be that you're reaching this point. It's frustrating but good)
^^ this!
your cardio is commendable, especially the HIIT stuff. Maybe try weight training 3 days/week for 3 weeks, then go back to your normal schedule for 3? There are a TON of people in the "success stories" forum that praise the Goddess of the barbell...
I think you're on to something! Barbell class and strength yoga are definitely being outweighed by my cardio workouts in my exercise repertoire.0 -
My understanding is that my NET maintenance calories would be around 2100. Discussing calories consumed with no further analysis of calories burned is one-sided and definitely does not provide the whole picture.
I have been eating back my exercise calories since the beginning and have lost almost 30 pounds so I know that it works for me.. not to mention I get weak and uncomfortably hungry if I don't eat them back. The concept of NOT eating your exercise calories back is silly in my opinion.
If I were at maintenance I would probably be eating closer to 2300-2400 calories and exercising around 300 of them off.
I won't argue with you on eating exercise calories since you're going to do what you want anyway.
You did not mention in your first post that you have already lost 30 lbs and have been dieting for a while. I would do this:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html0 -
I viewed your diary and your eating a lot of things high in sodium, I would try to cut back on the sodium and see how that works for you.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions