completely nonsensical year-long plateau.

Ok.

I'm 5'9" and 152 lbs. I know this is a normal weight, but it's all concentrated in my legs and butt, and I want to be more proportional.

I'm a vegetarian (wannabe vegan). I mostly eat veggies, fruit, and tofu/seitan/tempeh/soy protein drinks to make sure I get enough protein (I always have trouble with that). Almonds are a big favorite as well. I'm not big on the complex carbs. I don't count calories, but I input an average day here just to check and it came out around 1400 as a generous estimate. Obviously some days it's higher and sometimes lower, but that's about the norm. I'm not restricting myself here, I always feel satisfied.

I work out 5 or 6 times a week. I do at least an hour of cardio--split my time between elliptical/bike/treadmill depending on my mood. By the machines' estimates I burn 800 or more per workout, though obviously those are exaggerated (expenditure has steadily increased over the past year as i gain endurance and speed). I also do about 20 minutes of weights 2-3 times a week.

Wtf, mates. I'm not doing anything wrong, and I don't lose a thing. It's been this way for over a year now--I'm the same size I was before I started working out. And yes, I'm wearing the same clothes, and they aren't fitting differently. Shouldn't something be happening here? I took a metabolic test where you breathe into a sensor, and my basal needs are 1500 a day. Ummm...can my body actually be that determined to keep its fat??

I'm just a little dispirited and can't think what to do...I feel kind of like a mutant, everything I've read here indicates I should be getting smaller. :(

Yep, actually, it can be.  If your basal needs aren't even being met by your caloric intake AND you are working off >500 calories per day working out, your body is going to hold onto those fat stores for dear life... literally.

Thats nuts! I am the SAME exact body type. I am 5'10 about 152 pounds. I have been this way for just as long as you. 1 freaking year of eating healthy, working out 5-6 times a week. I have followed every thing to the tee with trying to vary it up. Whether thats my workout or what I am eating. And absolutely NOTHING will help. I have never been more frustrated in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I think that we are twins :)

If you are only eating 1400-1600 cals a day, but burning off 800+ during your workouts then you aren't getting enough calories. Your body is saving your fat stores because it thinks you are in a stage where food isn't plentiful...your body is trying to protect you.

Bump up your calories! You'll gain weight at first but only a few pounds, and then your metabolism will start to catch up and you'll bust through this plateau in no time.

hey Fiar Haired Child,

I completely understand and have been struggling with the same thing myself.  I work out as regularly as you do and try to stick to at least 1500 calories a day and it's just not working.   But what I have decided to do is a.)  try to accept that possibly this is where my body wants to be, although I know I will never believe that :) , b.)  try to vary my work out routines and try new things like new classes or hiking or something and c.)  increase my food intake a couple 100 calories a day. 

Increasing my food intake though has been quite  hard as I hate to see my calories slip into the 1700 range for some reason, but I know that's all mental.  I am trying to concentrate on doing these things and being healthy and building muscle rather than the weight I want to be in hopes that once I stop stressing over being on a plateau for long that I will start losing weight again.  Also you have to keep in mind that once you hit that plateau the weight will come off so much slower than before. 

I am also a vegan and have cut back on my carb intake and am trying eat more fruits/veggies and other sources of protein to help as well.  But it sounds like you are doing that already.

Take Care and good luck...

Oh greaaat...so I have to eat more? I feel like I eat so much already, I must admit the prospect of even more makes me kind of uncomfortable. I'm scared of gaining weight :(

Might as well try, anyway, so is it better to work up gradually? I just did the calculator on here and it said I should eat 1900 a day to lose weight...!!! I feel like I'd rocket right up!

haha thanks to everyone else that posted--that was quick, i didn't even see the new ones before i responded!

cegger/svannote--hey twins :) sorry you're having the same issue! it's kind of comforting to know it's not just me though, and i have the same dislike of seeing the high calorie numbers, but i'm hopeful this will help! good luck to y'all!

smoofinator--thanks for the input! i'll try not to freak out if i gain a few...ahhh...

Re: upping your calories: I've heard a lot of people bump it up gradually... and that seems to have worked for them.

fairhairedchild, I'm 5'2 with a goal weight of 110, and I'm supposed to be eating 1400 without exercise. It does sound like you should be eating more.

If you're at a normal weight, and your "plateau" lasts a very long time, then what that means is that you are actually at your ideal weight. Your body is defending itself.

You happen to be a pear shape. Nothing wrong with that. You can be more "proportional" by increasing your upper body strength and putting some muscle on your arms and shoulders, but you probably won't really lose much weight. You will change your shape, however.

And yes, your metabolism is working at less than optimum speed because you're not eating enough. You should eat at maintenance level for your height and activity - I think that's about 2000 calories? You may put on a bit of weight at first, but it will stabilize at maybe a two-pound gain - and then you can work on building muscle (for which you need plenty of protein by the way!). Your body will "let" itself build muscle if you're eating enough, and your shape will change. 

Yes, you should be losing.  It's simple math. The average sedentary to mildly active person needs 11 to 16 calories a pound, for total calories. 13 is about average. Under 10 is pretty uncommon. A quadruplegic burns about 10 calories a pound.  So if you were doing 1400 and maintaining 152, that's 9.2 calories a pound... clearly you are not eating too little. So the math says you should lose, though your rate of loss might be small, depending on your current caloric needs.

The actual amount you need to maintain 152 can vary considerably from some number you get off a calculator... as much as 15% above or below average. So if you calculate from some theory number, it coud be off by enough so that you don't lose weight. The only things you really know is how many calories you eat, how many hours of exercise you do, and how many pounds you lose a week.

Don't forget that all activity counts, so in general move as much as possible. Watching TV burns barely more calories than sleeping.

You can't just count one day of calories and base your intake on that.  You may or may not be aware, nuts for example are exceedingly high in calories... about 200 per 1/4 cup.  So if you actually measure out 1/4 cup of walnuts you see it is a teeny amount for the calories. Out of curiousity I had my daughter keep a food journal for five days... she doesn't know caloires, she just eats when she is hungry.  I figured the calories, and found that from day to day, her intake could vary as much as 500 calories. Studies show that people tend to eat the same volume per day, but not the same calories, each day.  Studies show people typically underestimate the calories they eat and over estimte the calories burned in exercise.

So I suggest that you conduct this as you weight-loss science experiment. Actually count the calories, get real precise... measure, and weigh your portions.  If you make your foods from scratch, actually add up the calories in all the ingredients, and figure out the calories in a cup of the dish. Compare the numbers on this site to other sources.  Don't eat out, because you don't know what goes into restaurant food. Carry a scrap-paper food diary with  you always, and write down foods as you eat them, so you dont forget anything. Do 1400 for a month, and see if there is any change in weight. Weight loss is about being very consistent over a long period of time... daily ups and downs, you're just looking for the long range trends.

By the way,  I am 51,  5'8 and 128 pounds. My high weight was 163.  Twice I have calorie counted my way from about 150 to 130... once at age 40 and once at age 50. I did it more like 1200 calories, plus exercise.  I've been maintaining about 18 months on about 1500 to 1600 calories.

It is hard to diet vegetarian, because plant souces of protein tend to be high in calories.... it would be hard to do 1200 calories, hit all the food groups, and still get adequate protein. I actually figured this out  for a vegetarian I know. I collected the calories and grams of protein for about 20 protein foods... then computed all for the calories in 21 grams of protein.  These are from several sources, so might be off a little here and there, but you get an idea of one thing compared to another.

Calories per 21 grams of protein:

shrimp   84
egg white  111
haddock 120
0-fat cottage cheese  134
chicken breast 142
soy milk 147
beef steak   186
skim milk 210
tempeh  212
egg 212
tofu 218
0-fat yogurt 231
lentils  286
kidney beans 390
hummus 422
peanut butter  524
oats, bulgur, kasha  525
millet  542
sunflower seeds  570
walnuts 840

I don't know about almonds, but you can find this information the package.

So you see, if you were trying to lose weight, it would be challenging to do a low-calorie vegetarian diet, and still get adequate protein.  I like vegetarian foods, but tend to eat them not for protein, but more for other dietary reasons (soluble fiber, omega-3, etc).  As I've gotten older, I have had to tighten up my diet a lot... more calcium, more heart-healthy foods. I just don't have a lot of room to play around with any junk foods, and even high-calorie healthy foods have to be very limited. From this comparison, I learned, why cottage cheese is in most diets... super protein source, plus a decent source of calcium.

Let us know how it goes. You might also check with the folks over to the vegetarian forum to see how they do it.

 Hey fairhairedchild,

I noticed that your exercise routine works out the lower body a lot.  Have you read the book "Escape Your Shape?"  It doesn't recommend elliptical machines for "spoon" shapes.  Here's a link:

http://www.enotalone.com/article/5791.html

oh wow, trix! i just read that article and it's telling me that i'm doing everything wrong! I'm very pear shaped (same thing as spoon?) and i do elliptical almost everytime i work out, as well as inner-outer leg weights! i've been having trouble with my thighs and i'm going to try out those tips, so thank you!!!

Oh goodness, I feel kind of pulled in different directions here.

I'll clarify a few points though-

trustwomen--you're definitely right about the upper body strength part; I'm too slipshod about that. I'll get on it! And you're right--my shape probably is something that won't change THAT much, I should probably learn to love it while making it the best shape it can be.  

shiptona--I know people tend to underestimate their caloric intake, but as I make my own meals and don't eat fat/sugar in general, I know exactly what's NOT sneaking into my food. Left to myself, I'd probably eat only fruits and vegetables, but I make an effort to get protein and "good fats" in (I use one really good soy powder that has 14g protein for 60 calories and no sugar, so I add it to whatever I can). The seeds/nuts I eat are just to get some fats in there, not protein...believe me, I had these things drummed into my head by a nutritionist before I even learned how to eat my bare minimum requirements (I had to go after my constant fatigue was traced to undernourishment a few years ago...700-800 cal/day for an 18 year old wasn't cutting it).

How much would you say my protein needs are though? I hear so many different numbers tossed around, it's all very confusing.

trixitrix--by their description I'm an hourglass...either way I guess staying away from the elliptical is my best bet! Good thing it's begun to get boring--this'll just help motivate me to switch to distance running, and I'll take the weight down/reps up on the weight training.

Soooo, I think what I'll do is first take my intake up to 1500/day for a week or two (making sure to be very precise with it!!). I'll keep weaning myself off the elliptical and move to distance running, which is something I've been meaning to do, and spend a little more time on weights--more reps, less weight.

This might have to wait a few weeks, since I'm going on a 2 week vacation away from my lovely gym and weight room :(

I'll report back when there's something to report though! Thanks everyone!!

oh and ps...I'm not saying 1500 is as high as I'll go--just want to ease into it for starters!

What makes you think you have an actual fat to lose at all?

Maybe you just need more tangible facts to back up what you are experiencing with your body.  Get body fat % checked. 

Frankly I think it is what trixtrix and trustwomen are saying.  I dont think too many calories are your problem (actually I think you are eating too little but anyway).  Try to find a totally different routine that focuses on a wider range of muscle groups and try to incorporate a wide variety of exercises (I recommend medicine ball and calisthenics, for one).  That out to help even out your shape. 

If I were 5'9 and 152 lbs I would be jumping for joy and feel like a model.  But that's just me, I guess.  I mean, maybe you should just come to terms with your body shape.  You have great habits, now you just need a great self-image.