After attempting to post this under "Motivation" and getting no replies I thought I'd give it a go here...I'm 5'2" and at 25 I started off at 146lb, I've managed to lose half a stone in just over a month but am now stuck at just under 10st (139lb). Most days I'm on 1200 kcals but I have a day off once a week so my metabolism doesnt slow. In the next few weeks I have some time off when I'm hoping to get a lot more exercise in than I have been doing. Do you think this will help me get past the plateau? What's helped you past your plateaus and why do they even happen??
The exercise will definitely help you. How many calories are you taking in on your day off? You can always keep your metabolism up by exercising. Just standing versus sitting doubles the calories you burn!
Good luck!
On my regular days I aim for 1200 calories with 100 cals of flexibility but occasionally dont make that, today being a good example - I'm only going to make it to about 1000 (not through under eating, just have lots of bizarrely low cal foods today). I cycle to and from work (total of about 4 miles a day) BUT my weight gain began while I was still cycling (that's when I decided to start calorie counting). So I suspect whatever exercise I'm doing at the moment (essentially just the cycling) is the level my body is used to and therefore doesnt really help with weight loss, does that make sense?
On my days off I just dont count calories and have what I want, it tends to be Fridays because they give away the leftovers from the canteen at about 3 so I treat myself to a nice plain scone and a pastry and I won't deny myself a wine or beer in the evening if I fancy one :)
I was stuck on a plateau for almost 6 months. Discouraging, disgusting and deadly (wanting to throw up my hands in dispare and say "I give up!"). I saw this link in someone's forum message about a month ago. Go to www.NaturalPhysiques.com You'll have to search around a bit, but I believe you will find a "tools" area that has calculators for zig zagging your diet. I know you said that you have been taking a day off once a week for higher calories. This will construct a week of eating for you. Don't be surprised if it tells you to eat more. My calories average at 1310 a day, but my range goes as low as 1272 up to 1772. Yesterday I had 1772 calories, today is set at 1527, then I have two smaller ones at 1272. If you are eating your higher calories on the weekend, just plan your higher calorie days for then. Just becausee the chart it produces says that on Tuesday you should have the incredibally high calories, doesn't mean that you have to follow their chart and eat that amount on that particular day.
PM me if you have questions. After eating this way for 2 weeks, I lost 2.6 lbs 
, and was so excited to see movement on the scale again. I only weigh once a month; couldn't handle the disappointment of a daily weigh in. I'd sure like to see another 5-7 lb loss this month. This is the best advice I can give to you. I wish you well! ~Tonnie
If you have hit a plateau, and you are still exercising and only eating 1200 calories a day, you will more than likely stay where are you are.
1200 calories is what you need daily just to live. IE; breath, sit, stand, talk, etc.
Add in exercise and you need more! Your body will hang on to every calorie you bring into it, guaranteed, if you stay at 1200.
You wont gain if you up it to at least 1500. Keep up the low cals and I think your body will enter "starvation mode" as I'm sure you've read about in other posts.
Good luck!
Original Post by mommakitty:
When I went to this site it gave me some awfully low calorie numbers for some days...Yikes. I would be starving!
i hear ya. i m also a cycling commuter and our bodies are so used that it doesnt aid weights loss. i also have a 4 miles commute and once in a while i walk (brisk 1 hour) - takes longer but keeps the body challenged.
Do you do other exercise? Generally, if you have more time add weight training, even more time add HIIT (this can be done with bike/outdoors if you are not at at a gym, see activities section on here for circuit training & no equipment training)
what does HIIT stand for?
what do you mean a day of so matab doesnt slow down?? Am I doing something wrong? I stick to my cal count of 1200 a day Im 5 ft at 117 with 5 more ounds do go, today I find Im slowing down on loss and even gained 1/2 pound. What do I do for this?
you're metabolism is a homeostatic mechanism, that means it like to be in balance, if you stick to 1200 calories a day thats what your body will get used to and even though it says on the side of all the food cartons "recommended daily allowance for women 2000kcals" that won't apply to you because you've shrunk you're intake.
i'm currently trying the zigzag method mentioned above (havent been on it that long but will update after a couple of weeks and let you know if its worked) and its actually pretty enjoyable, today i'm up to 1400 cals and i've been doing some extra snacking because my evening meal is quite light.
you might just be slowing down because you're reaching your goal weight, at 5ft your current weight is ideal, you dont need to be any less.
Stormgirlz,thanks, yes my weight is ok but it had been as low as 108 when I was running 5k road races, I dont woant to go that low but want to tighten things up for the road races again, I feel like Im still pulling around dead weight and I kwow at 112 I feel good running, with just the right weight. I keep looking about this zig zagging, should I switch around my intake at times?
princessmab
maybe try it with me for the next few weeks and see how it goes? i'm also giving my exercise regime a bit of a shakeup, I cycle to work but apparently my body just doesnt care that i put all that effort in every day so I'm taking walks and doing some weights at home and hopefully a combo of the zig zagging and exercise will shift my last 7lb :) let me know how you get on!
Stormy sounds good Im still trying to find the zigzagg info I too find my running is a dead end 3.1 miles was always my run I never drop anything unless I step it up to 6.2 but dont always have the time or energy so Ill try walking too
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