Am I doing something wrong?

Ok, group.  I need your collective wisdom. I've been stuck between 160.25 - 160.5 for nearly two weeks.

My caloric intake varies from day to day between 1100 - 1400 (with a single-day high of 1580 and a low of 880). I eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily and cut out processed soups due to the sodium content.

I've been working out for months. But this month - in effort to try to speed up my slow pace of weight loss - I set a goal to do something active every day. I'm burning between 250-850 calories (with a single day low of 121, high of 1129): spinning, elliptical, treadmill, hiking, playing on the playground with my kids.  I do push-ups, lunges, tricep dips and abs, no weights. I drink at least 80 oz of water daily.  I know muscle weighs more than fat, but there is a limit to how much muscle you can add in a week or two.

Last week I started working out in the mornings, too (to kick start my metabolism) and went back to the gym after work, twice. I took a break from vigorous exercise last weekend to give my body time to recover, in case it needed that.  I upped my calories a little, too.  To 1600 one day and 1300 the next, so my body wouldn't feel starved.

But still, no change. I plugged the numbers into a spreadsheet and last week I had a burned 6118 calories more than I took in, but I only lost a quarter pound.

So I'm looking through my records in my diet log. After subtracting calories in from calories burned, I'm seeing a lot of numbers in the hundreds.  My net calories after subtracting activty are (going back from yesterday): 494,  502, 1459, 712, 1336,  667, 556, 631, 1586, 671, 533, 852, etc..

Even though I am eating total calories over 1200 usually, am I still not getting enough food for my activity level?  Am I in the dreaded "starvation mode?"

I am feeling GREAT.  My muscles are resonding to the calisthenics and getting toned under my flab. I have tons of energy and would be completely happy with 1 pound lost a week (I have 12 to go for me immediate goal). So, don't worry, I'm no where near quitting.  Just trying to find out what I need to do better.

I wouldn't even try to calculate net calories.  Just keep on with what you are doing and the plateau will break sooner or later, as you keep adding muscle to replace the fat.  The fact that you are feeling great is the most important thing.

Just don't give up!  And... keep on posting your progress!

Claire

It sounds to me like you're doing a fabulous job.  Just keep it up.

Two weeks isn't that long of a time to be "stuck" - I wouldn't worry until you've spent 4 weeks at that weight with no weight loss. 

Think of it more as an adjustment period - I've read that whenever you lose 5% of your body weight, your body needs to kind of re-set itself and adjust to the new level.  Everybody has a metabolic set-point.  The food you eat and the calories you burn are 2/3 of it.  The other third is your brain & body adjusting to current needs.

If you haven't been at it for long, bear in mind that a lot of us experience this situation the week before our periods.  But it sounds like you've got everything under control.

A few things to think about:

Are you getting 8 hours of sleep each night?

Are you more stressed out than you need to be?  Maybe yoga or a relaxation practice is called for.

Are you eating enough healthy fats?  Believe it or not, the membranes of each fat cell require the right kinds of fat in your blood in order to "open up their doors" to let in oxygen so that the fat can be used as energy. Fats in fish, avocados, walnuts, almonds, and flax seeds are the kind you want to be sure to get every day.  Or just take an Omega-3 supplement.

You're really on the ball - an inspiration! Keep up the great work!

my impression is that your net calories should not be below 1200 because that is what your body needs to function without any added exercise.  so i think you should definitely make some changes in your diet.  i haven't had this happen to me, so i'm not speaking from experience, because i never exercise that hard.  but all the reading from other people makes me think it could be happening to you.  i'd try for a week to make sure that you have 1200 cals net every single day, and see what happens.

by the way, what does the site tell you you should be eating in order to reach your weight loss goal?

Secret_Squirrel, At times like these don't rely on scales alone. Get out the trusty tape measure and measure yourself each week as well. Even though we hit plateaus from time to time the body is still remaking itself. I'll bet you have lost inches! If you have a way to check your fat percentage, do that too. Always have two or three ways to check your progress. Your main problem right now is impatience. Just keep doing what you are  doing  and use those other avenues to check your progress.

How are your ratios?  If you are working out that much you will need protein!  It builds lean muscle, which boosts your metabolism.  I would try for at least 30% if you are working out twice a day!

Thank you so much for your replies.  You are all so encouraging!

I've been at it since the end of January when I started at 171.5.  February was an adjustment and I had a few lapses (namely the NFL playoffs and Superbowl Sunday).  March was my breakthrough month and I went from 168.5, dropped 4 pounds (lots of water) and plateaued for 3 weeks, then dropped two more to finish March at 162.75. In April, I was on vacation and experiencing the "monthly water retention" and didn't weigh in for two weeks, but when I did I was down to 160.5 on April 14. Yay - steady steady progress!

I was so excited to get back into the 150's, I took it up a notch.  I just really want to loose a pound a week.  According to the site, I am supposed to reach my goal of 148 on June 3.  But at the pace I'm at, I'm not going to make it. Oh well.

Claire:  Thanks for the encouragement. I'll let you know when I break the plateau.

Nonoreexcuses:  Thanks for your suggestions.  I'm getting between 6.5 to 8 hours of sleep a night.  I'm not stressed - that the most wonderful unexpected benefit of exercise - less stress!  Since I've been working out, my mood has really lifted. I don't spiral into depression like I used to have a tendancy to do.  Yay for endorphins! Seriously, it's made a huge improvement in my moods.  I could start another thread for that!

My fat can be low on certain days, but my average for this month is 25% - but that might be on the high side.  I might have added too much olive oil in a few homemade recipes. I have been seriously considering an Omega-3 supplement, thanks for suggestion.

Elin:  According to the site, I burn 1800 calories a day with my setting on sedentary (I sit all day at work) and should consume 1300 calories a day to lose weight. 

Dgiger:  I lost my tape measure and need to buy a new one.  But I'm pretty sure I'm loosing inches.  I wrote in my diet log that I need to divorce my scale.  Everything else is perfect, but it!  And yes, I'm impatient - I'm less than a pound away from a new "decade."  I want in to the 150s!  LOL

Sarah:  You're right about the protein.  My protein ratios have been at 23% (24/23/47).  That's not a good combo for me, I do well with a higher protein diet.