PLATEAU FROM THE GIT GO!

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bradley081
bradley081 Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced what I am experiencing now. I am a fairly big guy. 6'2 and 270lbs. My BMR is 2395. I joined MFP on May 8th and was really fired up about it. MFP gave me a daily cal goal of 1730. This is actually probably more than I have eaten daily in a long time. I THINK I have caused my body to learn to survive on less than that. With that being said...the first week or so, I dropped a few pounds...more or less water weight and then NOTHING! From the very start of I have seen no drops in weight. My weight ranges from 268 to 273. After the first solid month on 1730, last week while back up to 273 I increased my cals to 2195 ( suggested by another site for me to lose 2lbs a week) throughout the week...I slowly dropped from 273 back down to 268...and then...nothing...it goes back up...and back down within that range...

I guess my real question is...has anyone else experienced this type of behavior from the very start...and if so...how long is gonna take to get my metabolism back up to par so that I can actually start dropping some weight?

Replies

  • hothodgie
    hothodgie Posts: 258 Member
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    I have been working out and trying to eat right since May 19th. I finally started losing last week. Im down a total of 8 lbs and 6 of that has been the past week. For myself, I try to net 1200 calories a day, but Im a woman and short. Not sure what a guy should be doing. I change my workout routine every other day. I do straight cardio on days 1, 3, and 5 and I do strength and interval training on days 2, 4, and 6. Day 7 I don't do anything but relax. Also, it makes a difference of what you are eating. If you are eating 1800 calories of high sodium or prepackaged food, that could be the problem. I have no idea, its just a suggestion. I quit snacking, with the exception of one fun treat per week, whether its a cupcake or a plate of pasta. I also cut my diet pop to one a day or less. I increased my water to about 40 to 60 oz per day. I eat a ton more veggies and fruits, and a salad of some kind every day. My favorite is the chicken and spinach salad from subway. I keep my carbs anywhere from 50 to 100. I hope this helps. I know without a doubt how frustrating it is to be doing all the hard work and not seeing a change. Also, have you taken any before and after pics? I am a HUGE fan of those being a self motivator. I put on the same outfit every two weeks and take a snap shot. It's kept me going strong!
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    What's your sodium look like?
  • mandaleigh26
    mandaleigh26 Posts: 18 Member
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    Yes, it seems that there is a bit of a delay. In the past when I have experienced this I look at my sodium intake. Especially if you are eating more than you are used to, there is lots of hidden sodium in foods. Also, if you are eating a lot of fruit, cut back a bit. My sister actually gained weight from eating too much fruit. I know it sounds crazy but there is a lot of sugar in fruit (unfortunately)

    I, by no means am an expert here. I am just trying to offer some of the weird little pitfalls that I have learned about when I got "stuck."
  • MinkyMoo13
    MinkyMoo13 Posts: 354 Member
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    Yup! i haven't lost a single pound since joining. I gym frequently which i didn't before.. i recently went on holiday and put on 5lb i lost them quite quickly after coming back but still the same weight.. It has been suggested that i eat more.. I am now trying a new way of eating by not mixing carbs and fats in the same meal so will see how that goes..All i can say is stick at it.. as i am..
  • amysuespears
    amysuespears Posts: 127
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    My experience with weight loss states that you have to choose 1 of 2 options:

    1) never eat below your BMR. you readjust your BMR every time you weigh-in and your weight changes, but don't eat below it. your body needs those calories to survive. instead, use exercise daily (cardio + weights!) and stay active (take an extra walk after dinner).

    OR

    2) do what I do: I follow the body for life program. you don't count calorie and one day a week is "free day" where you eat whatever you want. i use this site to prepare for what i'm eating the next day. also, i like to see how much protein i'm eating. usually, i'm under my calories, but not always. and, on free day, it's a free for all! this works well because it prevents your body from going into starvation mode. also, don't exercise on free day.

    That's my 2 cents. I've had tremendous success with both methods. Good luck!
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    You're not eating enough. Don't eat under you bmr. You have messed your metabolism up by eating too few calories.
  • TheOriginalGinging
    TheOriginalGinging Posts: 171
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    I just hit 55 days yesterday and didn't seem to lose much at all until this week. I weight in every day, to see what normal is for me. Almost every day this week I've weighed in I'm half to full pound less. I can feel it through my ribs, arms, legs etc so I know it's not water. Hang in there. I'm 51 and have been overweight for many years so I think my body needed adjusting to the new norm.
  • LindaLouLu
    LindaLouLu Posts: 271 Member
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    Ok. I'm SO not a dude, been doing this since July of 2011 and on MFP since January 2012, BUT I know exactly what you're talking about. I call it the yo-yo. Here's what happens to me:
    Calorie goal- meet it as close to perfect as possible. Don't lose a single ounce for 4-5 weeks. Yes- I know this for a fact because I weigh myself twice daily at the same time each time.
    Calorie goal- Avoid it like the plague and bounce all over the place. MAYBE meet it once in a week. Drop 1lb by the end of 7 days.
    I've fought my way through about 42lbs with this happening. I don't know what it is or why, but it's enough to piss the Pope off sometimes!
    If you get someone on here that knows WHY this junk happens....let me know?? :cry:
  • Prudiddy
    Prudiddy Posts: 262 Member
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    Ok I started working out on March 17th 2012 every day. After two weeks, my spin teacher turned me on to my fitness pal. Up until that point I had not lost any weight. On April 6,2012 I joined. By the first week I had already lost 2lbs. It gave me a goal of 7.8 lbs by May 14, 2012 I was down 12lbs by May 11, 2012 I think what worked and I'm starting to swear by it, not eating back my workout cals. I think this is were people under estimate them and eat more, it is so easy to do. Sounds like you are just maintaining. I hate to say this but this is becoming my second job, figuring these numbers down to a science. Measure measure measure your food. Over estimate if you have to. I spend every ounce of my time trying to figure out the body. You are male so I can't go there. You are going to have to work out and measure like crazy, I know it's annoying, but it will become fun once you start seeing consistant weight loss.
  • bazaar1982
    bazaar1982 Posts: 159 Member
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    I had a mini breakdown about this on my feed this morning! Been here for 25 days, week 1 - 6 lbs down, week 2 - another 3 down, then a bad weekend and back up 3, this week back down 2lbs - so I'm actually 1lb heavier than last weeks weigh in. GRRRRRRR. Its like there is an imaginary brick wall at 190lbs (10lbs down for me) - I've been exercising, eating well (I have between 800-1000 calories a day, on Drs orders due to a pituitary gland issue, and no I'm NOT in starvation mode, its been 3 weeks) but i can't get thru that barrier.

    Having said that, this is where MFP really helps me, my friends responded in force to my outburst and kept me on track, previously i'd of been reaching for the chocolate, but no - today I did day 2 of C25K and took the dog out twice, I stuck to my diet and will HOPE to see improvement next week.
  • amandab1669
    amandab1669 Posts: 86 Member
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    From looking at your diary you are consumming a lot of sodium. That is one thing you really want to watch and limit more. Also, you want to be more consistent with your excercising. It looks like your doing it but just here and there. Try to get in at least 3-4 times of exercise a week then slowly increase it as you get comfortable. Don't get discouraged this is a learning process for us all. You can do it :drinker:
  • BobsLittleBird
    BobsLittleBird Posts: 28 Member
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    I looked at your food diary (remember I'm not a dietitian) but it seems like you don't really eat any vegetables and you seem to rely on protein shakes very heavily. I bet if you switched from protein shakes to actual protein (hard boiled eggs, chicken, fish, tuna) And a lot more veggies you may have better success.

    My husband lost 30 lbs in about 4 months by eliminating protein shakes and eating a bunch of veggies.

    *Remember* protein shakes, powerbars, cliff bars, all that stuff was made for endurance athletes.

    Also if you continue to not be able to loose weight talk to your regular medical doctor!!
  • anwilson_83
    anwilson_83 Posts: 66
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    im having the same problem going up and down from 161-166. its drivin me crazy. i was told to read this article and it gave me hope.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/404480-can-you-lose-inches-not-weight/
  • pamfm
    pamfm Posts: 93 Member
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    I was stalled when MFP started me off at 1200 (which seems to be what they recommend to most petite women). It got better when I started eating between 1500-1700 per day. It's hard to put your numbers in perspective... the caloric needs of men and tall people seem astronomical to me! :laugh:

    But here's what I'd recommend:

    #1. Heed everyone's warnings about sodium. I glanced at a few random days from the last week of your diary, and it does look like you had some really high sodium days. (I admit, my sodium is often in the red, but usually only in double digits, not the triple or quadruple!) I'm still trying to get better about this.

    #2. If you really think that you had been eating well below MFP's recommended calorie level for a long time, then you may indeed have slowed your metabolism down, and it will take time for your body to readjust to eating an adequate amount of food. From what I've read, a good course of action is to figure out your current maintenance weight with a good BMR and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator. TDEE is your maintenance calorie needs. Work your way up to eating that much per day, and then stick with it for about a month (you might gain a little, but it *should* be temporary) to heal your body up, and then bring it back down to the goal that you set in MFP. There is some really helpful information about increasing your metabolism in the Eat More to Weigh Less group.

    #3. If after one month at maintenance and another back at your goal deficit, you are still not losing, do keep in mind the possibility that your metabolism is slower than average. I think MFP and most of these other calculators have to rely on averages, and most of us will actually fall a little above or below these numbers.

    Good luck.

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