Plateau? What should I do??

I have been at whole lifestyle change since the end of January. I am a 22yr. F 5'3 who started at 137lbs currently holding at 130 (although I was 128 two weeks ago).Goal wt 112. I am not sure if I am at a plateau or if I need to just keep doing what I'm doing. I currently, and have for literally the last two months straight counted ever morsel that has touched my lips, eaten very well balanced meals, and exercised 7 days a week burning roughly 1000 cals of exercise each day. I eat anywhere between 1500 and 1900 cal a day with a deficit between 500 and 950. I have yet to have a day where I eat maintence or eaten out and not known the exact calorie count of what I ate. I overestimate food weight and cals when in doubt and underestimate my workouts when in doubt, so i know there is no discrepancy there. All that to be said, I know I haven't done anything to make me gain those two lbs back. I think I am at a plateau and have been considering eating maintence a few days to see if it breaks. What do you think I should do? Anyone had success doing this? I am worried I will gain...Encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

i know how you feel...i count everything and exercise dilligently and i was in a plateau. one day i got fed up and i went out for my fav food - sushi...and i ate til i couldnt eat anymore....and after that i have lost some weight.  my fiance says the same thing happens to him...that he needs to shock his system by eating more

try it...dont eat something really bad for you, like fried food...just have more at lunch or dinner than you normally would, or go get something you love.

eating lets say, 400 over your normal diet calories, would never ever make you gain...it doesnt make sense...you would have to eat a crap load of food before you gain a lb of weight.

hope this helps!

I have been in fitness/sports my whole life and have been a trainer in the past and the only thing that keeps you moving forward mentally and physically is changing things up.  When I mention the mental aspect of it, routines or doing the same thing day in and out nutrition and exercise wise is boring. Keep things exciting. Physically, you gotta change up you're workouts totally every 3 -6 weeks. Nutrition, every 7-10 days you gotta shock you're metabolism. It adjusts/adapts to the deficit and you're resting metabolic rate lowers. Trick you're body into thinking its not starving and jack you're metabolism back up. Are you weight training? Whats you're diet look like? How many days and long do you workout? Pre/post workout nutrition? All these things affect a plateau. 

Thanks for the response! I do change up my workouts as you have mentioned as well as zig-zagging my calories. I am currently weight-training 4-5 days a week. My diet generally looks like this on an average day:

Breakfast:

FiberOne Cereal with Soymilk and Small Banana

Snack: Large Apple, maybe a piece of PB Toast on light wheat bread

Lunch: Turkey Sandwich on same light wheat bread with about a cup of spinach on it 2oz turkey and 1 piece of havarti cheese and light mayo

usually I have a light and fit yogurt with my lunch, or a cup of strawberries 

Snack: Southbeach protein cereal bar or cliff kid Z bar or banana or fruit or vegetable

Dinner: Homemade Chicken Quesidilla (sp?) on Whole Wheat high fiber, low carb tortilla with 1.5 oz chicken and a wedge of laughing cow light cheese

Dessert: fruit, a weight watchers ice cream, or a granola bar

An average day adds up to anywhere between 1500 and 1900 calories, i never go above 1900 though

I work out EVERY day for 1.5 hours of cardio 30 min wt. training on day i do that, take a zumba class twice a week and pilates twice a week as well as my usual running/elliptical/biking at the gym

Pre workout I usually eat lunch before I go (about an hour or so)

Post usually a banana or pb toast or cliff kid Z bar, (try to get protein in but depends on the day)

also i am built quite muscular naturally (good genes) and have had my body fat composition done with skinfold test and they assessed that I have a BF% of 19.37

I also used to be a competitive swimmer and runner in high school (hence the tendency to enjoy long workouts)

Does that help you get a better idea? Thanks again!

I've had this before and know lots of other people have too, generally after you lose the first bit of weight it slows down then stops.

Then people seem to fall into two categories, some people just don't change anything and after a couple of weeks it just drops off quickly again and others up the calories and go back to losing regularly. Before dropping them back down again. Both seem to work.

I thought I was stuck on a plateau for about 3 weeks I didn't change anything then 2lbs just disappeared over night and stayed off. Now I'm back to losing 1lb a week again.

I say take a couple days off of exercise and have a day where you eat maintenance calories. I was losing extremely slowly for MONTHS and I took a week off of exercise because i got a concussion and I started losing like crazy. Plus, if you're working out hard EVERY DAY you're more prone to injury. Everyone's body needs a rest once in awhile, even if your brain thinks otherwise. I am also 5'3" and started at 137lbs, I am now at 113.6lbs.

Good luck!

Reading your daily food journal it looks exactly like mine.  I have hit some plateaus like you are talking about (I am also 5' 3" and started counting again January 1st, I started back at 144 and am now down to 130, would like to get to 119).  I got stuck at 138 for a while and it was so frustrating!!!  It's just your body’s way of fighting back, yelling at you saying "NO", but it will eventually give in, and you will start noticing a difference again.  Just hang in there a little bit longer.

just hang in there. also make sure you are drinking enough water. Sometimes that can affect what you're trying to lose weight wise.

time to zig zag or eat more calories and confuse your body. I was eating too less, and then I started eating more to maintain (without exercise for this week anyhoo) at 1400 and I lost .5 lbs today... weird. but yeah, it works. Increase your calorie intake a lil bit and see what happens! I'm 5'3 myself and been through every hoop I think. -_- eating too less, binging, eating too much, exercise, exercise too much etc etc. sigh.

So I said forget all this, lets relax and give my body time to adjust- first at 1400 and then I'm moving it up to 1500/1600 in a week or two.

I'm 107.5 this morning after gaining 3 lbs from 104 lbs ish. I lost alot of weight last semester from like 116 in september soo

Whenever I hit plateau I start restricting my carbs (go low carb) for about a week or two until I see results...I eat more protein, slightly more fat (flax seed oil/fish oil...healthy fat), and lower my carbs to about 90-100g, keeping my calories the same. I also increase the intensity of my cardio and start exploring other machines (for eg. if I was previously using the treadmill alot, I switch to the rowing machine or elliptical). Works well enough for me. If you haven't started a strength training program, you could start now...it helps alot!

Seriously Banana anna (btw...love the name), you work out like a machine!  I just wonder if you're taking in enough.  I realize that you're 5'3" and 128 lbs but you also stated that you're pretty muscular.  The last thing that you want (imo) is to begin to lose that muscle tone.  Realize that most women would die for muscle tone.  If your caloric deficit is too great, your body will begin to take from that muscle...leaving you with no muscle tone.  I realize that all the charts in the world tell you that your healthy range is probably around your goal weight but those charts aren't for everyone.  I am 6'4", 215.  If I was to base my goals on that darn chart, I'd look like a string!  I realize that everyone's ideal imagine when they look in the mirror is different but just be careful that you don't lose that valuable muscle...muscle is sexy banana...not China from WWE muscle...but muscle tone...muscle.  You know what I mean.  Good luck!!!!

I hear that adding jump roping (10 minutes) will get one over a plateau.

You weight before and after and goal is practically the same as mine!

I hope you get to where you want to be!!