I have hit and can't break through another plateau

tonyciaravino
tonyciaravino Posts: 10
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been working with MFP for almost a year and lost a solid 30 lbs and need to lose another 18 to be at my ideal weight. However I have hit another plate and can't seem to bust through it. I am doing interval training on my treadmill and elliptical. I have even added road biking into my mix. I have my activity level set to sedentary and my caloric intake is 1290 calories without exercise which is very tough. But I am working out 6 days a week for about 60 to 85 minutes and it is wearing me down. the lowest i got to was 188.8 lbs. Now I am about 191.5 daily average. I admit I am not staying below my cleric goal which is probably half of my problem but it is very tough. I eat whatever I burn in exercise and go over by maybe 200 calories. So net calories ends up being between 1300 and 188 calories. My BMR says I burn about 2150 calories per day. I don't eat sugary drinks and my only weaknesses are sweet cereals once in a while, some kettle corn, and I have been drinking light beer. I try to stay heavy on the protein and light on carbs and fat. Any help would be very appreciated.

Replies

  • thuy5
    thuy5 Posts: 22
    Hi,
    My suggestion is take a break and eat at maintenance for a week and then start again. Give your body a rest, it sounds like your working it pretty hard and your also consuming very little calories.

    Maybe worth a try?
  • cathydale1991
    cathydale1991 Posts: 1
    Maybe you aren't burning as many calories as you think you are? I think you need to try to eat only half your exercise calories and drink lots of water.
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
    Hi,
    My suggestion is take a break and eat at maintenance for a week and then start again. Give your body a rest, it sounds like your working it pretty hard and your also consuming very little calories.

    Maybe worth a try?

    agree!
  • tonyciaravino
    tonyciaravino Posts: 10
    I will give the one week break a try. Thanks will let you know how it works out by mid July
  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
    do you use a HRM?? might be a good idea to make sure youre burning what you think you are. I found MFP is over judging what I burn when I got my stairmaster. I have to take what MFP gives me for everything else though untill I get a HRM myself!
  • tonyciaravino
    tonyciaravino Posts: 10
    Yes I use the wahoo HRM with my iPhone. I love it and it works great. I use it on mapmyride and wahoo fitness.
  • tonyciaravino
    tonyciaravino Posts: 10
    Still haven't broken through but I am trying
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Two things-- You're exercise level or intensity is new so your scale losses will be fubared for a while. Also, you're 'eating back' so you're probably overestimating your burn and we all underestimate our intake, so you could be eating much closer to maintenance than you think.

    Personally, I'd skip the week at maintenance calories and I'd lay off the cardio equipment for a week, including 'eating back' anything. Track like a hawk.

    Also, add up exactly what you've lost in pounds for the past 30 days and see if your deficits imply that should be your loss.
  • Kalraii
    Kalraii Posts: 89
    I accidentally came across this pinned thread in the above section. Have a read it helped me understand plateus once you read further down. It's really interesting :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    good luck!!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    First of all you are eating way too little. You are male and the generally accepted minimum for males is 1500 calories. Add to that the fact that you are looking at losing only another 18 pounds, and your goal per week should be no higher that 1 pound. Change you goals to 1 pound per week and eat those calories plus exercise calories for several weeks.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Wow. You're a male with a 1300 calorie goal? Way, way too low. Congrats...you get to eat more! :-) Check out the Scooby workshop website and find your TDEE and then cut 15-20% should get things moving!!
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
    I agree that maybe you aren't eating enough. I don't know all your stats but my guess is being a male, your TDEE is probably 3,000-3,500. Try netting 1,600 for a few days and see if that helps!
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Take a break from working out and eat @ maintenance for a week or two. Then get back in fighting.
  • debobrien1
    debobrien1 Posts: 95
    First of all you are eating way too little. You are male and the generally accepted minimum for males is 1500 calories. Add to that the fact that you are looking at losing only another 18 pounds, and your goal per week should be no higher that 1 pound. Change you goals to 1 pound per week and eat those calories plus exercise calories for several weeks.

    Agreed! :wink:
  • DoOrDoNotThereIsNoTry1
    DoOrDoNotThereIsNoTry1 Posts: 149 Member
    Eat more buddy. To lose a pound a week you should be around 1700-1900 at least. And if you are working out 5/6 days a week for 60-80 minutes...you body needs fuel.
    Also, I suggest you incorporate weight or resistance training...more than cardio at this point. That alone can change your metabolism. But regardless of how you exercise...EAT.
    Good luck on those final few. Great job so far!
  • Tom4432
    Tom4432 Posts: 3
    MyfitnessU.com has your solutions watch videos free. High intense interaval Training is The key. Just a suggestion.Good Luck
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    I am doing interval training on my treadmill and elliptical. I have even added road biking into my mix. I have my activity level set to sedentary and my caloric intake is 1290 calories without exercise which is very tough. But I am working out 6 days a week for about 60 to 85 minutes and it is wearing me down.

    Whoa whoa whoa! Take it easy there Tex. Losing weight isn't about how much cardio you do, it's how much of a calorie deficit you have. Are you eating back those calories you burn? My initial thought is that you're overestimating calories burned and you're eating too much. You realize that if you're doing 60-80 minutes a day your body is going to get better and better at the treadmill and elliptical and you'll be able to do the same exercise with fewer calories. That's the nature of aerobic exercise. It's called conditioning and it's great if you're training for a marathon but not good if you're depending on the same exercise to keep burning the same amount of calories no matter how much you do it.

    Secondly it's good for you to take an entire week off every now and then on the exercise. Take a break and let your body rest. Just eat the calories MFP has set for you and skip the exercise for a week or two. Get back on after that and take a total fresh look at how many calories you're actually burning with the exercise.
  • pagella
    pagella Posts: 44
    Hi,
    My suggestion is take a break and eat at maintenance for a week and then start again. Give your body a rest, it sounds like your working it pretty hard and your also consuming very little calories.

    Maybe worth a try?

    agree!

    I would also try switching my workout up too once you start back dont do the same things everyday.
  • Dayna154
    Dayna154 Posts: 910 Member
    I just recently had a doc apt, and I was in your shoes but my time frame was shorter. Your body needs a shakeup. I was told by my doc no more long cardio, my body has adjusted and my metobolism is in the toilet, doc said to go to short HARD bursts of exercise. Intervals try it and you can go for shorter time periods just as intense as you can. Try that for a few weeks and see what it does for you. I just got this feedback couple of days ago. Good luck
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    Eat more :)
  • Lillouns
    Lillouns Posts: 40 Member
    Need to eat more! Your BMR is what your body would burn itself.. say if you were in a coma. You should NEVER eat under your BMR. Check out Fat 2 Fit radio. They have great podcasts about BMR and how much you CAN eat and still lose weight. :)
  • auria17
    auria17 Posts: 94 Member
    Ya, I really think you should up the calories, and the protein intake!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    eat more.

    change up your work out routine.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    I was told by my doc no more long cardio, my body has adjusted and my metobolism is in the toilet, doc said to go to short HARD bursts of exercise. Intervals try it and you can go for shorter time periods just as intense as you can

    ^^^ Exactly this. I never do more than 30 minutes of cardio at a time. I use the Interval mode and have it cycle between a 0 and 5% incline in regular 2 minute intervals. There's no need to do 1 hour cardio sessions. It tanks your metabolism just like the doc said.
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
    I have been working with MFP for almost a year and lost a solid 30 lbs and need to lose another 18 to be at my ideal weight. However I have hit another plate and can't seem to bust through it. I am doing interval training on my treadmill and elliptical. I have even added road biking into my mix. I have my activity level set to sedentary and my caloric intake is 1290 calories without exercise which is very tough. But I am working out 6 days a week for about 60 to 85 minutes and it is wearing me down. the lowest i got to was 188.8 lbs. Now I am about 191.5 daily average. I admit I am not staying below my cleric goal which is probably half of my problem but it is very tough. I eat whatever I burn in exercise and go over by maybe 200 calories. So net calories ends up being between 1300 and 188 calories. My BMR says I burn about 2150 calories per day. I don't eat sugary drinks and my only weaknesses are sweet cereals once in a while, some kettle corn, and I have been drinking light beer. I try to stay heavy on the protein and light on carbs and fat. Any help would be very appreciated.

    This is a little confusing.

    Are you saying your Basal Metabolic Rate is 2,150 daily? I think there is something wrong with this number unless you are a giant and 7'5 tall. For a male your age and weight that's 6 feet tall Basal Metabolic Rate is 1900.

    I don't understand how you came up with your goal of 1,290 before exercise (I'm a 5'5 female 161 lb eating more than you).

    Your TDEE (caloric goal to maintain weight):
    1) moderately active (3-6 hours a week) 1.55X1,900BMR=2,945calories
    or
    2) very active (6-7 hours a week) 1.725* 1,900BMR=3,278 calories

    Assuming worst case scenario, if you were moderately active and eating 2900-500=2,400 daily you should lose ONE pound a week. You are eating HALF that. No wonder you feel like you are starving.

    Listen to your body and eat if you are hungry, your body obviously needs it.

    If I were you I would also double check the BMR amount and re-do the above calculations.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    I think your not eating enough so try raising your calories from 1200 to 1300 and then eat your calories that you exercise also. Everytime I increase my caloreis I have lost weight. I usually will increase my calories by 100 more a day every two weeks giving my body time to adjust to the extra calories. I am at a weight that I want to maintain so I am working my way up to find what my maintenance level is but like I said every time I add more calories I lose weight. I only walk about 25 minutes a day four times a week and I have lost 22 pounds. Today I had to have a cheat day because I dropped more weight and and now below the weight goal I want to be so I'm eating a bit to gain. Give it a try. I kept a journal on everything I've done and so far this has really worked for me. All you can do is test it out to see. I never gained any weight from increasing my calories except for cheat days of course, probably because I only increase 100 calories more a day and stay that way for 2 weeks before In increase again. Hope this helps
  • polishmehappy
    polishmehappy Posts: 92 Member
    May I suggest that you eat a little more? 1290 calories is too little for a guy... just saying :) maybe your body is in starvation mode.
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