Stuck

Hello everyone!

  I am stuck and have been for 4 weeks now. Not sure what to do. I still have 23 pounds to lose. I eat 1200 cals a day and walk about to 6500 steps a day. Any, advise?

    Thanks,

       Suz

how tall are you how old are you? What are you eating. What other exercises are you doing?

My best advice would be to:

a) Up your calories! I know it seems counterintuitive, but often plateaus can be overcome by eating more. Even 300 more calories a day (1500, which is still weight loss cals for nearly everyone) could help you overcome this hump. 

b) Add some more exercise, if possible. Can you do some higher impact cardio? Swimming? A fitness class? Weight training? Turn your walking into a bit of walk/jogging?

I am 5'2 and 33 years old. I eat for breakfast an egg with a slice of cheese 100 cal bread. I have tea. Lunch is a salad with some kinda meat. Chicken, tuna. Snack is pineapple and strawberries. or yogurt. Dinner, may be steak, chicken, fish and rice. some kinda veggie. 

 My exercise is walking and some yoga.

I agree with Emma.  I recently went through the same thing, and I was advised to increase my calories, too.  I couldn't understand how that would work, but it sure did. Once I upped my calories, it took less than two weeks and the weight started coming off again.  Everyone is different.  It might take a little longer for you to notice a change, but it WILL happen.  Give it a try.

Original Post by suzosuz:

Hello everyone!

  I am stuck and have been for 4 weeks now. Not sure what to do. I still have 23 pounds to lose. I eat 1200 cals a day and walk about to 6500 steps a day. Any, advise?

    Thanks,

       Suz

Try being stuck since the end of august. Heh.

Anyway, how many calories are you eating a day vs. burning? It's more than likely just a good ol' plateau.

Definitely try eating more. 1200 calories probably isn't enough for you right now. I have been stuck twice now in the past 3 months - each time I added 100 calories to my daily intake and it worked like a charm.

Also make sure your diet is balanced. Add some more veggies and make sure you eat low fat items. Fat should be no more than 15 % of your total calories, and protein should be about 30%, carbs making up the rest. The calorie counter and analysis tools are good for keeping track of this.

Don't know how many calories you burn with 6500 steps, but you may not be burning enough. Might need some more daily exercise. Are those 6500 steps on the job? If so, make sure you do some off the job exercise, too.

Did you read last week's Dieting and You blog? 

When the Scale Won't Budge

Read it!  It's full of great tips, all of them carefully researched and proven.

Hey Suz,

Try changing your cardio to some kind of interval training... Maybe an eliptical workout... Intervals burn more and switch up the routine for your body. Don't do the same standard exercises for too long, you have to keep you body stimulated...

Thanks,

Jewelz16

Thanks everyone! Yeah, may be I need to do some different exercises too! The 6500 steps a day is not a jog but 3.2 miles per hour walk. So burn about 250 cals. I will add 100 cals to what I am eating now and up my veggies! I hope this all works. I'm ready to keep dropping!

Hey  suzosuz..unfortunately plateaus just SUCK! I have been stuck between 188-192 since September, and the scale just won't budge. I successfully lost 40ish pounds since February, but have another 30-40 to go.

According to the article that posted last week, and that clairelaine pointed out, unfortunately after you lose a certain amount of weight, you reach a set point, where its is recommended to increase your calorie intake to maintenance (the article suggested almost 6 months--I think that's waaay too long) until your body can get used to its new weight. Ever since I read the article, I've been eating around my maintenance calories, but still keeping a deficit from exercise. I'm not sure what else I can do, and I am getting extremely FRUSTRATED! If anyone has any advice, please let me know!!

Good luck suzosuz!

oh Harmonpl I feel ya!

 I feel a little bit gulity uping my calories but if it works I guess I will do it.

Congrats! On all the weight you have lost! You must feel sooooo good! But being stuck does makes you feel bad. Upset and I don't wanna get to the point of saying oh well whatever.

    Well, if you want add me as a friend so we can keep each other's spirts up and give some tips we may have learned!

  I have another 22 pounds to get to my high low if.But 30 to get to my real goal. So,we have about the same amount to lose.

 Keep, it up don't lose heart. It has to come off.

What, kinda exercise are you doing?

 I'm gonna start doing more yoga monday. And up the walking.

    Suz