Plateau busting help wanted...

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rmac18
rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Arrgh. Have been on a plateau for past few weeks. I've been working out pretty hard and for awhile my Net Calories may have been low but I wasn't hungry. As I've lost weight MFP reduced my net calories per day so I tried cutting back on portion sizes and then when I hit the plateau I tried upping my intake and then gained a pound even with the workouts. I still have another 40-50 pounds I want too lose and would love some advice on how to get the scale moving again. I'd been doing great but lately it just seems to have stopped.
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    current eating calories, exercise calories, BMR from Tools ^ etc would be useful
  • Abigaillee15
    Abigaillee15 Posts: 100
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    Try calorie cycling! It's a scary thought to up calories when trying to lose weight, but I've been upping for 2 weeks and have lost consistently since! Good luck!
  • xTenaciousJx
    xTenaciousJx Posts: 555
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    have a spike day!! eat more than you should...get your body guessing!
  • lipsticknlattes
    lipsticknlattes Posts: 49 Member
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    You should "check-in" and update your goals. If you have already done that, I would recommed switching up your current exercise routine. You need variety. Your body gets used to the same repetitive exercise. Try adding some strength training a couple of days a week. Or add some HIIT training. HIIT is amazing!! It will definitely get you out of that plataeu. (High Intensity Interval Training)
  • tonilizzy88
    tonilizzy88 Posts: 968 Member
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    hey i dont know if it will help you but it has helped me crack mine. i gave up meat for a week then reintroduced it. i also changed my workouts up a bit.
    also water water water
  • groomchick
    groomchick Posts: 610 Member
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    Zig zag, spike or switch your macs!! If you are following MFP guidelines you are on a very high carb diet...sometimes it's as simple as changing your macro's around! Good Luck!
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
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    I just started coming off a plateau of about four months. Give it time. I know that's what everyone says, but you have to remember that this is a lifelong trip, not a sprint, or even a marathon. Plateaus happen, and sometimes its cause your body needs to adjust to all this new greatness you're giving it. Keep doing everything healthy, and enjoy what you've already accomplished.

    Besides, it gives your skin a chance to catch up with your new fab body!:bigsmile:
  • emermaid
    emermaid Posts: 6 Member
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    I bust my own plateau with three things:

    1) 'bursting' (which I think is what someone else referred to here as HIIT). Very intense activity for a minute (in my case, swimming like a shark was after me) then resting completely for 2 mins until my heart rate came back down, then doing it again another 7 times.

    2) just for a week, I dropped dairy, gluten and soy. Not easy for me, particularly the dairy (I love cheese) but it definitely kicked my metabolism into a different place. I even cheated a bit (love that cheese! it's important not to feel like you're depriving yourself in any way) but just being conscious of it and having less of it helped - and I figured it's only seven days, no biggie.

    3) changed my breakfast to a 'fat burning' one: high protein shake made with:
    1/4 cup of coconut milk
    3/4 cup water
    1 scoop protein powder (no sugar no artificial sweeteners kind, high quality but quite expensive)
    1.5 tsp psyllium husk fibre
    fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries)
    .... all blended together.
  • Mabohlale
    Mabohlale Posts: 148 Member
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    Bump!
  • saraemily5
    saraemily5 Posts: 116 Member
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    I was at a plateau at 200 lbs... did a cleanse and busted through that. Now I've plateaued again at 185. The company I use for my cleanse (advocare) suggests a cleanse every 90 days, and that is up, so I'm going to cleanse again. It's a nice gentle cleanse. I'm hoping that helps bust through this plateau! Soemtimes our systems get gunked up and we need to clean them out to get our bodies working and burning more efficiently!
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
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    MFP has net calorie goal of 1,370.

    I had been consuming 1,600 to 1,800 with the occasional day when I'd go over 2,000. Been trying to burn 600-800 calories at least 5 times per week and when I have time I have days where I can burn 1,000 to 1,500. Diary is open if anyone is interested.

    Over past few days tried adding some calories to the 2,000 - 2,400 range but keeping the net under 1,300.

    One of the problems I have is when I have heavy burn days my net will go under 1,000, sometimes way below but yet I still feel like I'm eating plenty. It really hadn't been a problem for past several months but I'm unsure if I need to not worry about it and just keep working out or if keeping the calories up and working out is the best solution. I've had times where I had issues with energy levels dropping that was helped by upping calories along with B-Vitamins and other vitamins.

    Weight 216 (90 pounds lost over last 11 months but this is the longest plateau by far)
    BMI is around 30.1 using online calculators but I've not had it done using calipers
  • yager8725
    yager8725 Posts: 267 Member
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    Try calorie cycling! It's a scary thought to up calories when trying to lose weight, but I've been upping for 2 weeks and have lost consistently since! Good luck!

    I never thought Id be saying itbut....upping my calories CAREFULLY worked for me.
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
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    Try reducing your carbs and adding more protein. Are you eating breakfast? Try some protein early in the morning. I'm not a breakfast eater so I am trying to take my protein in the morning through a protein shake.

    I'm also using a FITBIT device (www.fitbit.com or www.amazon.com) that tracks your steps and calories burned? It ties directly into MFP.

    Don't give up. Keep pursuing your goal.
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
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    Try calorie cycling! It's a scary thought to up calories when trying to lose weight, but I've been upping for 2 weeks and have lost consistently since! Good luck!

    What do you mean by calorie cycling? How frequent and how much?
  • mcanavan05
    mcanavan05 Posts: 210 Member
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    Following..ive been stuck between 207-212 all of 2012...
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
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    I have noticed when I plateau it helps me if I have a cheat day. This seems to get things moving again.
  • dcyr009
    dcyr009 Posts: 93
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    I'm having the same problem. I've been stuck at 150 for a few weeks. I have 25 more pounds to go. There are a lot of good suggestions here so I'm going to try a few. Thanks.
  • blondiEyyc
    blondiEyyc Posts: 26 Member
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    I had a spike day and I am losing again!
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
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    Try reducing your carbs and adding more protein. Are you eating breakfast? Try some protein early in the morning. I'm not a breakfast eater so I am trying to take my protein in the morning through a protein shake.

    I'm also using a FITBIT device (www.fitbit.com or www.amazon.com) that tracks your steps and calories burned? It ties directly into MFP.

    Don't give up. Keep pursuing your goal.

    I have a cup of oatmeal almost every day for breakfast. Maybe should try something different.

    i use a New Balance HRM with chest strap for counting calorie burn and it seems good, it's usually less than the machines at the gym and it factors in age, weight, sex, activity level, etc. so I think it is reasonably accurate.

    I have been following the MFP stock suggestions and up until now it's been great but I've wondered about reducing carbs and upping protein, just afraid to change something that was working.
  • blondiEyyc
    blondiEyyc Posts: 26 Member
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    Oh also do a different workout and yes switch the oatmeal up. Even if you do gain a lb it will help you overcome the plateau. I gained 3 but quickly lost it again...

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