what to do?

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cateyjo
cateyjo Posts: 108
in Health and Weight Loss
I started on Weight Watchers about a year ago. Also started exercising at the same time. I didn't lose any weight, but did lose inches. I got frustrated and quit the whole thing. Gained 10 pounds, so went back to the diet and exercise. I have lost 12 pounds, but now am at the dreaded plateau. For over a week now I have been exercising for about an hour to and hour and a half a day and dieting with no results. I am confused about the whole eat 200 calories below bmr, never eat below your bmr, eat to replace exercise calories or don't? Any suggestions?

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  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
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    Relax. Don't worry about the plateau, they happen. Just keep working the plan. I know it sounds hard, but don't obsess on one metric of success (weight). Weight fluctuates for reasons other than fat. I seem to have a 7 to 10 day cycle where my weight won't move, then suddenly over a 2 day period drop 2 - 3 lbs. Just keep working the plan - don't obsess on the scale.
  • cateyjo
    cateyjo Posts: 108
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    Thank you! It is so hard to stay motivated when it doesn't seem like anything is happening.
  • taimih
    taimih Posts: 14
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    If what you're doing isn't working, change something up

    - change the percentages of fat/protein/carbs
    - change up your exercise routine
    - change what you're eating
    - drink more water
    - exercise more (although you seem to already be doing that)
    - exercise less
    - change up when you eat the majority of your calories - I know it doesn't make a difference in the long run (cals in vs cals out), but some people find that it does kick start weight loss again
    - are you limiting sodium and prepared foods?
  • cateyjo
    cateyjo Posts: 108
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    Sodium really fluctuates, some days way under and some days over, but not over by much. The time of day I could change, usually eat the majority of my calories in the early to late evening. Try to keep calories during the day lower.
  • plbrown81
    plbrown81 Posts: 32 Member
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    Can I ask what you're doing for exercise? If you're only doing cardio, consider adding weight lifting. Our bodies are incredibly efficient machines that acclimate to whatever we're doing, and then make it hard to restart.

    For example - when I managed to get myself into the best shape I've ever been in my daily job was very physically demanding. I put a pedometer on one day to see how much I walked and it ended up at around 13,000 steps. It wasn't a fluke, it was the same the rest of the week too. Besides walking I was lifting a lot of weight with my job and would come home exhausted at the end of the day. I was eating healthy, but not right for my body. I felt stuck around 150 lbs.

    Despite all I was doing I could not lose weight. I actually had to ADD appropriate exercise and shake things up for my body. I ended up going to the gym 6 days a week alternating between cardio and weight lifiting, started eating right, and ended up losing 16 lbs which helped me look and feel fantastic. I did hire a personal trainer and get help, but it was to jumpstart me and motivate me in the right direction.

    I guess my point is, sometimes it's not the number of hours you put in. Given the hours I put in I should have been a stick. It's about what goes in your mouth and the quality of workouts. By weight lifting I added muscle that I needed and when I fed it correctly it helped burn the fat that was on my body. Don't be afraid of weights! And consider changing up your workout routine. I'm a big fan of high intensity interval training. I mean, technically I hate it. But 20 minutes of hell is so much nicer than 1 1/2 hours of feeling like you're doing nothing!
  • cateyjo
    cateyjo Posts: 108
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    I do stationary bike and some cardio exercises. I am kind of limited due to fibromyalgia and also had a stroke some years ago, so my balance is not good at all. I try to switch up the exercises I do with the cardio things, but can't due to much jumping around, etc. I got a ps3 with an exercise game, so do that a lot.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
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    I wouldn't sweat a week of no lose but like a previous poster said you can always switch something up.

    water exercises are really a good way to combine cardio with weights that is friendly for arthritis and fibro.
  • taimih
    taimih Posts: 14
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    Try swimming - aquafit is good and doesn't require a lot of balancing.

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