Plateau?

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kaylarachellee
kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been stuck at the same weight 152lbs since June 1st! And it's no fun... Any of you guys have plateaued? and any advice to show this plateau who is boss?


Can you guys look at my dairy and see if I am eating the right foods?


Also my weekly exercise summary for the week is 8 hours of exercise and 4417 calories burn, that I tracked with my polar ft40 HRM.



I heard doing a zig zag with your calories is good and also increase intensity of workouts...


All my workouts my heart rate averages 170... and my max is 198. also my resting hr is 60.

Thanks for your help!
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Replies

  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    Your diary doesn't appear to be open. What is your usual calorie intake level?

    Is the 8 hours/week of hard workouts new to you? If so, it can make the scale stop moving for a while. Things should be changing within. Do your clothes fit better?
  • Elimax217
    Elimax217 Posts: 11 Member
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    I find that when I plateau the best way I get past it is to do a purge. For instance when i was stuck between 252-255 for a few days I started a purge mostly a drink like slim fast for a meal. Also I do tons of cardio. Once I get past my plateau I slowly begin to add more filling meals and slow down on the cardio but maintain the healthy diet and daily exercise. I should say though its not the best way to do it nor is it always safe. But that is what works for me.
    Let me know if you do it I can give more info, or tell me if you find another option.
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    My diary should be public now! :)
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    I eat 1200 usually, and more if I work out. And I've always been an active person.
  • stephanie1133
    stephanie1133 Posts: 211
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    I find that when I plateau the best way I get past it is to do a purge. For instance when i was tuck between 252-255 for a few days I started a purge mostly a drink like slim fast for a meal. Also I do tons of cardio. Once I get past my plateau I slowly begin to add more filling meals and slow down on the cardio but maintain the healthy diet and daily exercise. I should say though its not the best way to do it nor is it always safe. But that is what works for me.
    Let me know if you do it I can give more info, or tell me if you find another option.

    ^^^ :noway: I've re-read this like 12 times. Trying to process it. Are you seriously telling her to purge? Or am I a total idiot who does not understand that purge means something else?




    IMO You eat too little for the amount of exercise you do.
  • vinneeminnee123
    vinneeminnee123 Posts: 18
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    at a weight of 152 it is hard to drop weight as fast as someone who weights upwards of 180. how tall are you?

    do you take breaks from working out? i do 6 days a week of workouts and rest at least one day. I find that i can workout even harder after i have had one day off. also i must admit that i do not add in calories i burn off, although i know i should but don't. I even have a hard time just eating the amount of calories i am suppose to!

    food diary isn't open either :) however with working out you burn fat and build muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat so you may find yourself sitting at that weight for a few weeks, even a month before you start to see it go down. i agree with the above post on doing a purge, perhaps 'juicing' meaning make a juice out of fruits and veggies every morning for a few days, kind of shocks your body into a different rythm.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    I find that when I plateau the best way I get past it is to do a purge. For instance when i was tuck between 252-255 for a few days I started a purge mostly a drink like slim fast for a meal. Also I do tons of cardio. Once I get past my plateau I slowly begin to add more filling meals and slow down on the cardio but maintain the healthy diet and daily exercise. I should say though its not the best way to do it nor is it always safe. But that is what works for me.
    Let me know if you do it I can give more info, or tell me if you find another option.

    ^^^ :noway: I've re-read this like 12 times. Trying to process it. Are you seriously telling her to purge? Or am I a total idiot who does not understand that purge means something else?




    IMO You eat too little for the amount of exercise you do.

    i was wondering the same.. doesnt purge mean eat then throw up what you eat?
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    I am 5' 7" and normally workout 7 days a week... got a gym at my house.. so there is no excuses not to work out ;) and I feel amazing afterwards... I find if I dont work out, I feel reallllly guilty. :(
  • sthrnchick
    sthrnchick Posts: 771
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    I am stalled too!! Very frustrating... I can preach it well...just keep at it, and it will start happening. You are close to your goal weight, and its gonna slow!
  • Elimax217
    Elimax217 Posts: 11 Member
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    at a weight of 152 it is hard to drop weight as fast as someone who weights upwards of 180. how tall are you?

    do you take breaks from working out? i do 6 days a week of workouts and rest at least one day. I find that i can workout even harder after i have had one day off. also i must admit that i do not add in calories i burn off, although i know i should but don't. I even have a hard time just eating the amount of calories i am suppose to!

    food diary isn't open either :) however with working out you burn fat and build muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat so you may find yourself sitting at that weight for a few weeks, even a month before you start to see it go down. i agree with the above post on doing a purge, perhaps 'juicing' meaning make a juice out of fruits and veggies every morning for a few days, kind of shocks your body into a different rythm.

    Thanks that more of what I was going for, having a drink of mixed fruits and veggies makes it easier for your body to process than eating full meals. Also I would stay away from protein drinks/ high amounts of protein because that makes more muscle.
  • mystinamarie
    mystinamarie Posts: 51 Member
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    I hit a plateau for 3 solid weeks and the scale would not BUDGE, even a tenth of an inch. It was really, really frustrating.

    First, I think your diary looks amazing! I'm jealous! :)

    I was *this* close to doing the calorie zig zag thing for myself, but then my plateau broke, so I haven't thought much of it since. The main thing I did was switch up my exercise. I had been doing primarily toning things such as pilates and yoga and stretching, so I beefed it up with some bike rides, cardio aerboics, and tae bo dvds.

    I also find that if I have a "cheat" day every once in awhile it helps all around. I still don't go CRAZY, I try to stay reasonably within my numbers, but I let them be a little more indulgent. I'll have a drink, some wine, or a meal that I generally avoid like pizza. Another thing I've noticed helps get the calories up a little bit, without blowing the healthy eating, is to eat like a 1/2 serving more for lunch or dinner. It's still a wise choice- just a little more, so your numbers bump up a bit.

    My weight loss has slowed again, so I think I'm going to be doing some of the above myself again. The body is a unique and crazy thing- it's just about finding what works for yours and constantly switching it up so it doesn't get used to it!
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    at a weight of 152 it is hard to drop weight as fast as someone who weights upwards of 180. how tall are you?

    do you take breaks from working out? i do 6 days a week of workouts and rest at least one day. I find that i can workout even harder after i have had one day off. also i must admit that i do not add in calories i burn off, although i know i should but don't. I even have a hard time just eating the amount of calories i am suppose to!

    food diary isn't open either :) however with working out you burn fat and build muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat so you may find yourself sitting at that weight for a few weeks, even a month before you start to see it go down. i agree with the above post on doing a purge, perhaps 'juicing' meaning make a juice out of fruits and veggies every morning for a few days, kind of shocks your body into a different rythm.

    Thanks that more of what I was going for, having a drink of mixed fruits and veggies makes it easier for your body to process than eating full meals. Also I would stay away from protein drinks/ high amounts of protein because that makes more muscle.



    I am not trying to lose muscle mass, therefor I need to eat at least 120gs of protein a day... because that is my muscle mass.. I weigh 120lbs in muscle.. I want to lose my fat... not muscle.. :(
  • tanthony2009
    tanthony2009 Posts: 11
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    I have plateau issues at the very beginning of my diet....so I can understand....I am trying to figure out what to do to get the weight to come off...I feel the difference in my clothes...I think will try the liquids for 2 days with salad then see what happens
  • Elimax217
    Elimax217 Posts: 11 Member
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    Yes, you lose muscle mass in the long run but when I cut down and get past my plateau I loss the weight and then build up so in the end your a few pounds less than when you started but are more muscle than fat.
  • Elimax217
    Elimax217 Posts: 11 Member
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    I have plateau issues at the very beginning of my diet....so I can understand....I am trying to figure out what to do to get the weight to come off...I feel the difference in my clothes...I think will try the liquids for 2 days with salad then see what happens

    Be careful! Drink lots of water but yea salad and liquid diet is how id do it sometimes
  • sloanie1
    sloanie1 Posts: 276 Member
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    YUP! I was on a 7 month plataeu!!! you have NO idea how many times I wanted to give up...BUT I never let things get the better of me! SO you can check out my diary if you like, I'm on day 29 of extreme "clean" eating....I won't lie, its the hardest thing I've done! BUT I've dropped a dress size and all my muscle definition I've worked so hard for over 20 months is coming through!
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
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    Hi Plateaus are common. Ignore the guy telling you to purge, that is stupid. There are tons of reasons: different hydration levels, constipation, increased muscle weight, none of which you should worry about. Are there other metrics you can use for progress? Such as waist/hip size etc.?

    Stress also works against fat loss - so relax.

    When I've pleatued, all I've done is relax, I stop weighing myself and eat more and exercise more. Studies have shown time and time again the BMR increases with activity and food in take, to restrict calories in my opinion is a mistake, relax, eat and work out.

    You gained the weight slowly over time, it will take to time to lose it.
  • medicinemantoo
    medicinemantoo Posts: 160
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    looks like your body is in starvation mode because you are not "eating your exercise calories".
    eating less obviously hasn't worked for you.
    meet your calorie goal.
  • kaylarachellee
    kaylarachellee Posts: 201 Member
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    Hi Plateaus are common. Ignore the guy telling you to purge, that is stupid. There are tons of reasons: different hydration levels, constipation, increased muscle weight, none of which you should worry about. Are there other metrics you can use for progress? Such as waist/hip size etc.?

    Stress also works against fat loss - so relax.

    When I've pleatued, all I've done is relax, I stop weighing myself and eat more and exercise more. Studies have shown time and time again the BMR increases with activity and food in take, to restrict calories in my opinion is a mistake, relax, eat and work out.

    You gained the weight slowly over time, it will take to time to lose it.


    Great information! Thanks... I do stress alot, got to remind my self to relax :)
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    I am 5' 7" and normally workout 7 days a week...

    Personally I think you need to look more closely at the exercise calories you're adding back in. I'm 6' 2" and weigh 221 atm and my calorie intake today is about the same as yours. Granted I don't do exercise on Sunday but even when I do I don't try to eat it all back. I just add 250 for 30 min of cardio and I don't log calories from strength training. You probably need to add something in if your goal is just 1200 and you're doing hours of cardio but eating over 2000 calories a day isn't exactly a realistic goal if you're wanting to get down to 135.

    One other point. 135 would be really lean for someone your height. Not saying that's too thin but that it's a high fitness level. Be realistic about how much fat you can take off when you're already in better shape than most the people here. You will have to be slightly more agressive and strict with your diet than someone looking to lose 50 lbs. You're not going to lose a pound every week and it's perfectly normal to go 2 weeks with no change in weight. Keep measuring and use the scale as a secondary tool. Sure you don't want to see it go up 8 lbs but sticking at that weight at your fitness level isn't a huge deal.

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