@NjinGA wrote:
I got a fitbit for Christmas. Starting Jan 2 I logged steps and shortly thereafter began watching calories and nutrition with MyFitnessPal. All was great, I lost around 10 lbs in the first 6 weeks or so. Now - Nada, Zilch, Zippo. I can't get that scale to budge.
I joined the YMCA and am meeting with a wellness coach. I do cardio, weights and yoga. Still I am stuck. I am getting discouraged and want to hit the ice cream.
What do you do to get the weight loss happening when you hit a plateau?
By the way, I am 54, 5'2", still weight 157 and want to get to 135.
So a plateau is at least 3 weeks of no weight or inches changing. You measure many spots? You should.
So I'll continue as if it has been 3 weeks, if not, wait, but perhaps see if using tool correctly.
First, you manually logging on MFP or Fitbit the exercise it is underestimating, like lifting, or bike, or rowing (depending on what other cardio is)?
That will give a more accurate TDEE figure to start the math with.
Second, are you then with that best estimate of TDEE - are you syncing with MFP and allowing it to change your eating goal correctly?
Or are you thinking bigger deficit is better by not eating back exercise and those adjustments?
MFP already has a deficit in your eating goal, exercise or not. But if you do exercise, you need to eat more.
Third, hopefully you selected a reasonable weight loss weekly goal, at this point 1/2 lb weekly is reasonable, though I'm betting your daily non-exercise day goal is 1200.
Obviously on any day with walking and exercise you should be eating more.
Fourth, are you weighing all you eat and logging it, measuring only liquids? Calories is by weight, not volume. Weigh everything for at least 2 weeks to see how bad or good your logging is.
And since you are short and your TDEE is small anyway, and closer to goal weight, you have less margin for error in doing things and getting good results.
Since you are small and want to eat more, I'd suggest don't do strict weight lifting yet, but do heavy circuit training 3 x weekly. 4 circuits of 5-8 lifts with max 60 sec rest, with 20 reps to almost failure of good form. This will be the needed strength training to retain muscle mass, but provide a big calorie burn.
That should be logged manually as circuit training vigorous on MFP.
That will increase your TDEE just as much as cardio with great benefit of using your whole body muscles more.
Once at maintenance and able to eat more, then you can switch to traditional lifting if desired which burns less, so you get to eat less.
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