Plateau busting help wanted...

Options
13

Replies

  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    Options
    a few weeks is not a big plateau.... a few months is a big plateau.

    higher protein. low sodium. high fiber. tons of water.
  • Karmarie24
    Karmarie24 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I didn't read all the responses, but this helped me a ton! I had a plateau because I didn't have enough calories!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    Did this stall happen suddenly, like you were losing 2lb weekly, and now nothing for several weeks?

    Or kinda slid into it, kept losing less each week for many weeks, until here you are at nothing or barely measurable?

    Since you are using HRM and eating back those cal's, good job and that takes care of changing workouts.

    That's usually needed because if you always kept same pace or intensity, but ate the same exercise calories, you'd be overeating by a bit at some point.
    But since you eating what you burn, that really doesn't apply unless you just feel like other activity and feel like pushing yourself in a new way. Just means you'll burn more to eat back.

    I'm glad the big burns you are getting isn't taking a toll on your joints yet, must be good workout that is still gentle.
  • thinclo
    thinclo Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    bump
  • mistress_kay
    mistress_kay Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    I've hit a couple plateaus, and someone on MFP gave me great advice:

    Eat at your maintaining calories for a week. You're going to "gain" weight (probably through water and whatnot), but it's almost like "resetting" your metabolism to what it "should" be. It's worked for me multiple times now.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    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.

    Your move up to eating more was probably correct, and you can't base 1 week result on need to stop.
    You probably topped off some glucose/water stores finally after all those workouts. Very needed weight, while you still lost fat.

    1lb is the weight of 500 calories of glucose/water stored.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    Look into Leangains.

    ^^ dont do that

    LoL I was stuck on a plateau for 8 months. After adopting LG, I lost 8% BF and increased 1RM on my big 3 lifts by over 100 lbs in 3 months.

    Yeah, by all means don't do that.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Options
    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!

    This. I had a 6 month plateau, the lady above told me to change my macros to 40% carbs, 30%protein, 30%fat. My weight stayed the same for 10 days then within 8 days I dropped 5lbs. I feel a lot fuller and finding it a lot easier on the new macros. Its worked for a few people I know! Give it a try x
  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    Options
    Look into Leangains.

    ^^ dont do that

    LoL I was stuck on a plateau for 8 months. After adopting LG, I lost 8% BF and increased 1RM on my big 3 lifts by over 100 lbs in 3 months.

    Yeah, by all means don't do that.
    LG didn't work for me as well. I was anyway eating like that and I found LG plan easy to include in my daily life style. Although I could lift better with LG as opposed to my current traditonal 6 meal plan.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    Options
    Look into Leangains.

    ^^ dont do that

    LoL I was stuck on a plateau for 8 months. After adopting LG, I lost 8% BF and increased 1RM on my big 3 lifts by over 100 lbs in 3 months.

    Yeah, by all means don't do that.
    ur telling an overweight person to do intermittent fasting. you just have to learn how to eat correctly from a regular diet not some extreme type dieting that wont work unless you understand macros/ calories etc..

    are you a powerlifter? i train for muscle mass not strength, good for you that it works but i would NEVER recomend any type of extreme diet outside of portion control and tracking macros
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    Options
    I busted through my plateau by changing the amount of carbs I eat. I limit myself to 100 carbs per day and eat somewhere from 120 to 160 grams of protein.

    In addition, like you I was doubling on cardio twice a day burning over 1000 calories. As soon as I dropped it to one cardio activity a day for 6 days a week I started losing again. Try reducing the exercise to one strenuous activity a day, and give yourself a rest day.

    This isn't a scientific opinion or advice, just something that worked for me. :flowerforyou:
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    Look into Leangains.

    ^^ dont do that

    LoL I was stuck on a plateau for 8 months. After adopting LG, I lost 8% BF and increased 1RM on my big 3 lifts by over 100 lbs in 3 months.

    Yeah, by all means don't do that.
    ur telling an overweight person to do intermittent fasting. you just have to learn how to eat correctly from a regular diet not some extreme type dieting that wont work unless you understand macros/ calories etc..

    are you a powerlifter? i train for muscle mass not strength, good for you that it works but i would NEVER recomend any type of extreme diet outside of portion control and tracking macros

    And understanding calories and macros is difficult or undesirable how?

    IF isn't by any means extreme. For most people struggling with portion control, it's actually not much of a modification of what they usually do. I just stopped snacking after dinner and stopped eating breakfast and VOILA, I was doing IF 16/8. There are many easy to use and very effective online calculators that make macros idiot-simple to figure. The only difference between LG and any other macros tracking/cycling program is hormone stimulation by a moderate fast each day.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    Options
    Look into Leangains.

    ^^ dont do that

    LoL I was stuck on a plateau for 8 months. After adopting LG, I lost 8% BF and increased 1RM on my big 3 lifts by over 100 lbs in 3 months.

    Yeah, by all means don't do that.
    ur telling an overweight person to do intermittent fasting. you just have to learn how to eat correctly from a regular diet not some extreme type dieting that wont work unless you understand macros/ calories etc..

    are you a powerlifter? i train for muscle mass not strength, good for you that it works but i would NEVER recomend any type of extreme diet outside of portion control and tracking macros

    And understanding calories and macros is difficult or undesirable how?

    IF isn't by any means extreme. For most people struggling with portion control, it's actually not much of a modification of what they usually do. I just stopped snacking after dinner and stopped eating breakfast and VOILA, I was doing IF 16/8. There are many easy to use and very effective online calculators that make macros idiot-simple to figure. The only difference between LG and any other macros tracking/cycling program is hormone stimulation by a moderate fast each day.

    umm lets see.. understanding calories and macros is difficult because its THE ONLY reason that people are overweight.. which means its difficult to understand concepts. lean gains is not friendly to typical lifestyles.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    umm lets see.. understanding calories and macros is difficult because its THE ONLY reason that people are overweight.. which means its difficult to understand concepts. lean gains is not friendly to typical lifestyles.

    LOLgasm. The fact that most people are fat because they eat more calories than they burn does NOT mean the concept is difficult to understand. It means most people are LAZY.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    - you seem like you are overtraining if you are burning 1000 + calories a day exercising. Limit the amount of cardio you are doing and/or swap out with some low intensity.

    - take a 'diet break' - you seem like you have been restricting calories for quite a while (oh and congratulations on your success so far) - you probably could do with eating at maintenance for a few weeks.
  • Graciecny
    Graciecny Posts: 303
    Options
    OP, I'm sorry, but did I read your ticker right? Have you lost 90 pounds since January?

    ETA: I just went to your profile...does the ticker reflect weight you lost before MFP, or just since you joined? I'm confused! If it's since January, you need to bottle your weight loss regime and sell it! LOL!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    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

    Ya know what would simplify your whole routine, since you obviously have such a great workout routine and keep to it.

    Eat at non-exercise maintenance level, and let your exercise totally create the deficit. You already seem to be close to probably approaching 4000 calorie burn each week, that's over 1lb lost.

    But trying to do massive exercise and low calorie diet for your weight and level of activity is just pushing having a problem, which I'll bet you've gotten in to now.

    Don't have to worry about the HRM values or eating those back, don't have to worry about netting too low to a goal.

    If your day outside exercise is sedentary, then keep it there and take goal of Maintain.

    Now when you log exercise, you'll be given credit you leave on the table.

    And each day when you complete your diary, MFP will tell you what you'll weigh in 5 weeks if you keep this up.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    Options
    umm lets see.. understanding calories and macros is difficult because its THE ONLY reason that people are overweight.. which means its difficult to understand concepts. lean gains is not friendly to typical lifestyles.

    LOLgasm. The fact that most people are fat because they eat more calories than they burn does NOT mean the concept is difficult to understand. It means most people are LAZY.

    well u can keep starving urself wutever works for you... anytype of fasting is just wrong in my opinion
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
    Options
    I busted through my plateau by changing the amount of carbs I eat. I limit myself to 100 carbs per day and eat somewhere from 120 to 160 grams of protein.

    In addition, like you I was doubling on cardio twice a day burning over 1000 calories. As soon as I dropped it to one cardio activity a day for 6 days a week I started losing again. Try reducing the exercise to one strenuous activity a day, and give yourself a rest day.

    This isn't a scientific opinion or advice, just something that worked for me. :flowerforyou:

    Thanks, this is good to know. I am trying to limit the carbs and increase protein. I don't want to slow down on cardio but I may have to.
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
    Options
    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

    Ya know what would simplify your whole routine, since you obviously have such a great workout routine and keep to it.

    Eat at non-exercise maintenance level, and let your exercise totally create the deficit. You already seem to be close to probably approaching 4000 calorie burn each week, that's over 1lb lost.

    But trying to do massive exercise and low calorie diet for your weight and level of activity is just pushing having a problem, which I'll bet you've gotten in to now.

    Don't have to worry about the HRM values or eating those back, don't have to worry about netting too low to a goal.

    If your day outside exercise is sedentary, then keep it there and take goal of Maintain.

    Now when you log exercise, you'll be given credit you leave on the table.

    And each day when you complete your diary, MFP will tell you what you'll weigh in 5 weeks if you keep this up.

    Thanks, this is good advice and I am trying to up the calorie intake. I like your simplistic way of of looking at this, it makes sense to me.

Categories