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Old 06-08-2014, 05:10 PM   #1  
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Default plateau - tried everything!

Hello everyone. I'm a 23 year old female, 5'7 and I've been stuck in the low 160s for almost 3 months now. I've had weight issues my whole life, and have always yoyo'd or been trying to lose weight. In high school, I ate well and exercised and could never drop below 160. Before college, I did the same and couldn't drop below 160 either. The only time I've been out of the 160s was when I briefly developed an eating disorder at age 14.

Four and a half years of college took a toll on me and in December I weighed 196. Since then, I've lost about 35 pounds by following a low carb diet and exercise plan.

My current diet is ketogenic. I try to keep my macronutrients at 65% fat, 30% protein, 5% carbs and eat between 1,500 and 1,700 calories per day. I weigh and log all of my food. I do not eat wheat, soy, corn, sugar, or artifical sweeteners. I drink at least a gallon of water per day, sometimes two.

I lift 5x per week and do cardio 4x per week. I alternate cardio workouts between walking on an incline, HIIT (arc trainer or jump rope), and biking. I sleep 7-8 hours per night.

I swear I've tried everything to break through the 160s with no success. For the past 3 months, I've tried increasing my calories, decreasing my calories, increasing my carbs, increasing cardio, decreasing cardio, lifting less frequently, and completely changing my cardio routine. I've just been fluctuating within the same 5 pounds. I'm frustrated and don't know what else to do. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you!
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Old 06-08-2014, 06:03 PM   #2  
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S/C/G: 195/180.2/165

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I'd start with a visit to my doctor to have them run thyroid & blood tests to make sure nothing medical is going on.

If you've never been below 160 except while you had an eating disorder, it may also be that around that weight is your set point weight.
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Old 06-08-2014, 06:23 PM   #3  
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I second seeing a Doctor. Also try to keep your calories 1,350-1,500 for a week or 2 and see if that makes a difference. Maybe 1,700 is too much. HTH.
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Old 06-08-2014, 08:04 PM   #4  
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Have you checked your body fat percentage? If you work out that much, you may have a lot of muscle, but not much fat. A woman can weigh 160 pounds and look fantastic, so the number on the scale can be misleading.

Your gym or doctor may have something like a bioelectrical impedance monitor to give you a more accurate measurement.
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Old 06-08-2014, 08:15 PM   #5  
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I don't want to check with a doctor until I've exhausted all my options. I don't want it to be anything medical...I hope it isn't.

Suzanne - It's pretty high, about 30% according to measurements (even though they're not completely accurate).
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Old 06-08-2014, 09:09 PM   #6  
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Join the club. Me too. My guess is that with your exercise regime, you are losing fat and gaining muscle. I do cardio 8-9 times a week and weight train 4-5 times a week and keep bouncing between 165-170lbs.

So rely on the scale less and the mirror more!

I would have one recommendation, however. You may want to reduce your fat and boost your protein for the same overall calorie intake given the amount of lifting you do. That means lean meat (chicken, turkey) and more fish. You need that protein for muscle recovery/building.

If you really want to lose weight then you will need to lose fat and muscle by doing less weight training and more cardio. I would not recommend this though. Muscle is good. And where you are, the journey is more than just about the scale.

Last edited by IanG; 06-08-2014 at 09:23 PM.
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Old 06-08-2014, 09:33 PM   #7  
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Thanks Ian - My thought though is that since I've been lifting for a while, it's pretty impossible to be gaining muscle while in a caloric deficit. My measurements don't seem to be moving much either.
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Old 06-09-2014, 07:05 AM   #8  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supnicole View Post
I don't want to check with a doctor until I've exhausted all my options. I don't want it to be anything medical...I hope it isn't.

Suzanne - It's pretty high, about 30% according to measurements (even though they're not completely accurate).
you stated in your first post all of the options you've tried. not going to a doctor isn't going to magically make it not be medical if it isn't already.
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