Give it time, or give it up...
I think you should not give up. Are you doing cardio? Try to do as much cardio as possible, and leave weight training for a while. And try to reduce calorie intake a bit to maybe 1500 a day. This talk about starvation mode is nonsense.
Wrong- You should lift weights and lift heavy. Weight training burns more fat than cardio. If you aren't already, I would do a full body routine 3 times a week. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pullups-assist w/ a band if necessary-lat pulldown is a decent substitute. Learn proper form first. I learned by watching videos and practicing http://getbiggetstrong.com/
You are also very close to a healthy weight, so you will have to lose weight slowly. The less fat you have, the smaller a calorie deficit you can support, the slower you should lose weight so that you lose fat and you don't lose muscle. That's another reason for you to lift weights-preserve your muscle mass, so you don't become weak and skinny-fat.
I would suggest eating around 1500-1600 calories a day. I think 1200 is on the low end and 1800 on the high end.
I wish I had a third completely different suggestion to give, to really confuse matters, this seems a good example about these forums, that you can get completely different advise for the same question. So who is the authority?? I don't know but it reminds me to be careful about what advise I follow from these forums. I guess there is no perfect equation that would work for anyone. But certainly when you hit an impass, trying out suggestions that seems to match your situation couldn't hurt too much, the second response you got here sounds like it has some merit.
If all you can do is "see" it, then maybe you need to look at your body in a new light. It may be fine just the way it is, as long as you are healthy and continue eating healthily.
Tip: LOVE YOURSELF, you are beautiful the way you are!! :)
What if you set yourself a goal unrelated to weight loss and calorie ranges? Do you run or bike or swim? What if you set a competitive race goal (10K, 1/2 marathon, triathlon, set a goal time if you already do these), and followed some online training program, and focused on that for awhile?
If you can achieve it and you stay where you are then, maybe it's a good spot for you and you can feel good about yourself for achieving what you set your mind on... But maybe taking your mind off the scale and the # of calories every g of food you consume will be something fun and different that your body and mind would respond well to?
well, you figure SOME of that weight is actual FOOD in your stomach, so you maybe gained what? 1-2 pounds? not much. give it time. 2 more weeks...report back here! We will support you through it. The 1200 calories wasn't causing a loss and you can't reduce further so just wait it out! ((hugs))
what about trying a class (like bootcamp) or work with a trainer? I'm a long distance runner and I came to the realization that I can't rely on my normal workouts for weight loss. I really have to up my game in cardio and weights (i.e., interval training) to try to get benefits, especially to retrigger my metabolism. Just a thought!
I agree with chrissy on giving it a few more weeks for your body to adjust to the higher cals. Two weeks just isn't long enough, also the smaller deficit. I just started a new lifting program the end of Dec that will take 6-8 months. I try to keep a 200-400 cal deficit to hopefully lose inches/body fat and gain a little muscle. Will see how it goes. After a 6 month plateau, I would think 2 weeks is nothing, hang in there! :)
I think that the nearer you get to goal the harder it is to lose..harder, not impossible! Stick at it because while you're waiting to see the scale go down you're still heading in the right direction for good muscle tone and heart health :) Best of luck to you! :)
There is so much information out there. It really gets confusing. Which ever path you decide to take has to be the the right one for you. Try performing a search for "set point theory body weight". I think you'll learn a lot. I know for me, that once I get to about 138, that is where my body 'wants' to stay, but am comfortable with that. There really is no right or wrong, just what you are comfortable with. As long as you are happy, and healthy that's what matters!
Don't ever give up. . .on a healthy lifestyle.
Continue to eat healthy foods, continue to exercise!
Your body has gotten used to the routine you've developed, and that's natural.
If you don't change up your exercise routine, then now might be the time to try something new. Or try going at your regular pace and every few minutes going full tilt for a minute or two.
Just don't stop!
If you need to, go to see your Doctor and see what they say. Also, don't always rely on the scale to tell you where you're at goal wise. Try measuring your waist instead, or go by the fit of your clothes.
Remember, living healthy isn't a destination to arrive at and stop, it's a daily goal!
Like everyone has said before, don't give up! Everyone reaches a plateau, and it can feel like the end of the world to GAIN weight when you were expecting to finally lose some again! The person who told you to up your calorie intake was right, but I think 1800-2000 calories was very excessive. If you were eating 1200-1500 calories a day, then you should have gone for around 1600 calories instead. Starvation mode does exist, but in your case I think your body just adjusted to your routine and stopped losing weight. I think you can probably go back to your 1200-1500 calorie intake now. As long as you go back to your original routine, you should lose those 4lbs in the same time it took you to gain them. After that, if you reach a plateau again, either change the types of food or exercise you do (e.g if you ate read meat, change to fish, or try new foods you've never cooked before, and for exercise, try doing interval training if you didn't before, or try new exercises/classes). You can also attempt to raise your calorie intake again, but no higher than around 1600 calories. And try weighing yourself once a week rather than every two weeks when you are experimenting with something new. That way, if it's wrong, you will catch it sooner.
so much about starvation mode myth http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_ art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501
I know you got a lot of replies already but I wanted to give you one more to think about. First, I agree that everyone is different. I think that since you lost so much weight already and you're down to 147 from 235, your basal metabolic rate has already gone down. Do you know how many calories you're supposed to eat at 5'3" and 147 lbs? Find out, and subtract 500 calories from that to arrive at your daily target. Or, subtract only 250 and work off the other 250 calories to lose 1 pound a week. You can do cardio, weights or a combination of both. Personally, I've found running to be the most effective at shedding the pounds. If nothing happens, increase your calorie deficit until you start losing weight again. You can't just randomly think that you'll consume only 1,200 or 1500 or 1600 calories per day. Your calorie decisions must be based on science and on your own body's response to food and exercise. Do you log your daily food intake? Are you meeting your nutritional goals? These are questions you have to ask yourself. Your health is more than just your weight. That's why you became a member of Calorie Count in the first place. Do it right and give it time.
Original Post by smashley23:
Wrong- You should lift weights and lift heavy. Weight training burns more fat than cardio. If you aren't already, I would do a full body routine 3 times a week. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pullups-assist w/ a band if necessary-lat pulldown is a decent substitute. Learn proper form first. I learned by watching videos and practicing http://getbiggetstrong.com/
You are also very close to a healthy weight, so you will have to lose weight slowly. The less fat you have, the smaller a calorie deficit you can support, the slower you should lose weight so that you lose fat and you don't lose muscle. That's another reason for you to lift weights-preserve your muscle mass, so you don't become weak and skinny-fat.
I would suggest eating around 1500-1600 calories a day. I think 1200 is on the low end and 1800 on the high end.
I agree 100%...Don't stop lifting heavy weights..muscle also weighs more than fat so could be you look thinner & leaner but weigh more.
I used to be 125 to 128 on this plan. Currently I am getting back into it after having a baby and weigh close to what you weigh. We can do it!
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