Totally stumped..hit a plateau....HELP!

spaghetti86 · 11-01-2007, 07:21 AM

Hi all, Well I am totally stuck as to what is happening with my body at the minute.
For the past well, most of this year have been up and down with my weight, but the last 6 months have been loosing slowly but surely. I have now been the same weight for the past 3-4 weeks and dont understand why.
At first I thought I might not be eating enough so I upped my calories a bit this last week, but still i weigh in at 160.6lbs
My goal for christmas is to get to 154lbs (which is 11 stone) then to see how I feel and look once I have lost that nearly half a stone, then decide what to do after that.
But well its 8-9weeks til christmas and my weight hasnt changed for the past nearly month.
I realise that most people hit a plateau after a while, and i want to know how to break through that?
I have changed my cardio and weights and upper my food, and I drink a tonne of water a day (i occasionally drink diet coke, but its mainly water 24/7)
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

btw Im a girl 5ft 11inches and weigh 160.6lbs

Thanks

Lauroo · 11-01-2007, 10:02 AM

Tell us more, how many calories are you currently eating? What's your BF %? How many weights sessions and how many cardio sessions are you currently doing?

As you get closer to your goal, your body adapts to what you are giving it and adjusts your metabolism. You need to keep it guessing.

A few things you can do to break through a plateau:

Increase frequency of cardio (say if you are doing cardio 4 times a week, try 5-6 sessions)

Increase length of each cardio session (although anything more than 60 minutes is not worth it)

Increase intensity of cardio - work harder or incorporate intervals or HIIT

Try a different TYPE of cardio - if you are a runner, start using other machines like the eliptical, etc. Switch it up.

Change your macronutrient ratios (you can try lowering carbs - if you're eating 50% carbs now you can try reducing carbs to 30-40%)

Improve your food choices - how clean are you eating?

Manipulate meal frequency/timing - are you eating every 2-3 hours?

spaghetti86 · 11-01-2007, 10:21 AM

Hi thanks for your reply. I guess I could up the cardio a bit more, or change the intensity.
As for eating, am eating pretty clean, I would say around 1400-1600 calories.
I currently do weights 4 x a week and cardio is 4-6 times a week.

I find that when I eat smaller and more frequently I get more hungry, so probably eat 4 x a day. I know a lot of people say 4-7 meals a day is better for you, but I find that 4 fits in well with me and what Im doing (although at the moment as Im not working I can adapt slightly)

I have heard and read alot about the velocity diet, would any one recommend doing it for a week or two or something similar with protein shakes, to shock my body?

thanks,

sam

gfundaro · 11-01-2007, 11:05 AM

Wow, 1400-1600 is low! You shouldn't be eating less than 10X your bodyweight in calories. I lose on 1700 cals a day, and I'm only 5 feet tall, so you definitely need to eat more. If you drop your calories too low, you'll easily plateau, and adding more activity won't help. Have you determined your daily calories burnt with your BMR + activity level? You shouldn't be eating less than 500 calories under than amount.

spaghetti86 · 11-02-2007, 07:09 AM

Hi thanks for your comment.

So Im eating too little? I did wonder if I was, thats why I intentionally ate more this week, only a little more mind cos I didnt want the scale to start going the other way - up!
I put this thread in the losing fat forum aswell and a bloke said that even if I do eat too little I would still loose weight. But Im not. So i dont get that.

As for my bmr I dont know what it is, I worked it out a while ago but I cant remember now. Do you have a link where I could work it out again?

Also as I am not working at the minute I am not as active as I would be if I was. So althought I am still doing cardio, weights and walking my dogs etc. I am not doing a whole lot else apart from a bit of house work or a walk up to the shop. So this might also have something to do with my weight stalling.

Yours 5ft and loose on 1700 calories?! wow!
What does your diet look like?

spag.

gfundaro · 11-02-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaghetti86

Hi thanks for your comment.

So Im eating too little? I did wonder if I was, thats why I intentionally ate more this week, only a little more mind cos I didnt want the scale to start going the other way - up!
I put this thread in the losing fat forum aswell and a bloke said that even if I do eat too little I would still loose weight. But Im not. So i dont get that.

As for my bmr I dont know what it is, I worked it out a while ago but I cant remember now. Do you have a link where I could work it out again?

Also as I am not working at the minute I am not as active as I would be if I was. So althought I am still doing cardio, weights and walking my dogs etc. I am not doing a whole lot else apart from a bit of house work or a walk up to the shop. So this might also have something to do with my weight stalling.

Yours 5ft and loose on 1700 calories?! wow!
What does your diet look like?

spag.

I really like www.caloriesperhour.com, it seems really accurate for me. Choose the BMR/RMR Calculator and it'll tell you the whole range of calorie needs from Sedentary-Highly Active. I use the moderately active one because I lift 5 days a week and do cardio 5-6 days a week. I am doing carb/calorie cycling. I average about 1700 cals a day with one refeed a week; here's the breakdown Mon-Sun:

Chest-High Carb-2300 cals
Back-Low Carb-1600 Cals
Arms-Low Carb-1600 Cals
Shoulders-No Carb-1500 Cals
Legs-High Carb-1900 Cals
Cardio-Low Carb-1600 Cals
Off-No Carb-1500 Cals

I got down to eating 14-1500 cals a day, and I felt like crap and wasn't losing. Now I'm losing steadily and feel awesome! I lift for 25-50 minutes and do cardio for 40-85 minutes...it's just speedwalking and racquetball. I haven't been on a treadmill in ages haha

I'm preparing for a tournament (tomorrow!). I am much more active with my workout partner...tomorrow we're going hiking after the tourney, and on wednesday we hiked as well. Your expended calories may be lower than mine, but your BMR alone will be higher than mine just because you're taller.

spaghetti86 · 11-02-2007, 01:56 PM

hey
thanks - gfundaro - for your reply. I will check out the link you put in there and see how much my bmr is and how much I should be eating for my height and weights.

Good luck with your preparation!!

spag.

Lauroo · 11-02-2007, 04:47 PM

Don't ask the lads about nutrition - in my opinion LOL. I would say generally men don't have as much trouble losing fat and they aren't as bothered about calculating calories and macro levels unless they are serious about bodybuilding.

Yes, eat more. Less calories sadly does not always equal weight loss, your body catches on quickly to what you are doing and slows down to stabalize your weight.

I'm 5'2 and I eat 1700 cals a day, and 2100 every 4th day, and I'm still leaning out on that diet.

Agemini · 11-02-2007, 07:01 PM

That could very well be my problem. I'm 5'3 120 so I should be eating around 1700 or around there right?

spaghetti86 · 11-03-2007, 07:11 AM

Wow ok that was eye opening, and lol about the blokes not caring to count calories as much, I know some don't.
And unluckily for us ladies we tend to store it on all the wrong parts of our bodies!

Lauroo - what does your diet look like?

Agemini - Yes it seems you should be eating similar to lauroo.

Thanks girls for your inputs :-)

sam