[Christina7806]

Hi. I live in a rural area in NY. I am currently close to goal but on a plateau. I would like to get my BMR tested but have no idea where to look first for this test. There are a couple of gyms but none have any equipment, they are small gyms. I just don't want to lower my calories if the problem is not enough calories. I also don't want to raise them if they are already too high. Does anyone have a clue as to where I would look for someone who performs this test? Thanks for any help you can give.

[aphil]

How long have you been plateaued? What is your diet and exerise regime like? Have you changed it recently?

I can't help with the metabolic testing, but I can possibly help you with your plateau.

[Christina7806]

I have been at a plateau for a month. Nothing has moved, not weight or body fat %. My exercise is progressive so I am always adding intensity. I do 3-4 mile runs 1-2 times a week and then add uphill walking to make it a solid hour. I do running intervals...at a higher intensity than my tempo runs...1-2 times a week for 60 minutes. I do elliptical intervals for 60 minutes twice a week and I do uphill intervals fast walks for 60 minutes once a week. So, that is 60 minutes of cardio 6 times a week. Some of these are kept at a 60-70% Target heart rate and some are 70-85%. I also do 30-60 minutes of weight training 3 times a week. I am a mesomorph woman and I have definitely built muscle with very little problem. These are also progressive...upping weight or reps whenever I am able. I never do the same exercise for more than a week before changing them.

I have been doing this type of routine for about 5 months now...but have been exercising since the beginning which was last January. I eat 1600 calorie averages every week...zig zagging calories with 40-45% carbs, 30-35% protein and 25% fat with saturated fat being less than 7%. Everything was going great with losses around 6-7 pounds a month every single month. last month it dropped to a 3 pound loss ( a 2% body fat decrese) but I kept going and now it is nothing. Not even a half a pound or any % body fat. I do not want to lower calories any more if possible, because I am always hungry as it is and I am afraid my weight training will lack the power I need to complete it. I also do not see any possible way of increasing exercise time or intensity as this is the only time I have and I am always increasing intensity.

I am at a loss. I have been reading about low leptin levels and possibly not eating enough. So, I am also confused. Common sense says to lower calories but I am wondering if I may need more calories. Any insight you could provide would be very helpful!! Thanks so much.

[Alright]

I'd like to congratulate you on your wonderful loss so far. Your diet and exercise "appear" perfect. You are also very tiny so I can understand your goal weight.

What jumps out at me is the fact that you are always hungry. Perhaps your body is just holding on to those last pounds right now. Have you tried increasing your calories by maybe 100 calories a day and seeing if that starts something moving again.

The only other thing is to change your workout somehow. Drop one cardio workout and one weight workout and add something less intense, or a yoga or pilates workout.

Can't wait to hear how things workout.

[ennay]

I have had a lot of success with moving to "maintenance" mode. Adding 100-250 calories per day for 2-3 weeks. It isnt enough usually to gain weight. Then you drop back to your weight loss level.

It seems to give my metabolism a kick in the pants.

Also, for me I am less hungry with a slightly higher fat content so I run about 45/25/30

[rockinrobin]

I had my metabolisim checked. I went to a nutritionist and she did it. Perhaps you can go to a nutritionist or a dietician, they might be able to help you with your plateau as well. You are doing so incredibly well. Hang in there, something's bound to give. Good luck.

[AnAbsoluteDiva]

You probably don't need a full-blown test. Just do the calculations.

You'll find a calculator at caloriesperhour dot com. I don't think I can post the complete URL here without someone getting upset. But go there... you'll find everything you need for free!

[Mami]

I would absolutely be STARVING on 1600 calories every single day with all that exercise. That is a HARDCORE training program woman! You must look awesome already, especially from where you came from in the 200s. Why be so hard on yourself? Why do you have to be 110 pounds if the only way to get there is, as you yourself admitted, "always starving". Is it really worth it? Will you really look better? I'm not so sure. I marvel at how disciplined many of you ladies are. I cannot for the life of me eat the same EXACT calories everyday or life would get boring and I'd be f'n starving. When I go three days eating 1400 calories, I absolutely MUST eat more for the next few days and I do that because I'm hungry and I dont want to risk slowing down my metabolism. So I might eat 1900 calories for a few days, and I usually have one slip up a week at around 2100 calories. My average is usually 1750. I wish I could go lower to lose a bit faster than my average 1 pound a week, but I'm not sure my metabolism wouldn't slow down to a screeching halt and I'm not prepared to be starving. And mind you, I only work out about 2 to 4 times per week. Stop being so hard on yourself. Let yourself eat a bit and I think the weight will definitely start coming off again. If you got down to 118 - 120, with all that muscle, I bet you'd look more than hot! To me muscular/toned but curvy bodies look so much sexier than skin and bones. Sorry if I sound blunt but I truly have your best interests at heart

[Christina7806]

I want to thank everyone who posted ideas. They were very helpful. I am donating blood on Monday and I have decided to do the following:

1) Practice maintenance for the week

2) Limit my vigorous cardio for the week and enjoy moderate cardio instead

3) Take a break from weights for the week (I usually do this when I donate blood anyway)

I also have TOM next week...it's usually a very tiring week. So, I am hoping the downtime will either jumpstart the weight loss again or, at the very least, give me the mental break I need. At the very least, I can start to see what the rest of my life may look like with maintenance calories. If I gain, then I gain and I'll know better next time.


Thanks again everyone!

[Mami]

Sounds like a good plan. You deserve a break after being so focused for so long. And I dont mean a break to go binge or go back to your old habits that got you there, but just a break from the austerity of it all, just to eat like a "normal" sized person eats for a few days (say 2000 calories? of healthy whole foods). Keep us posted on the outcome!