For two weeks now I have not gone up or down...all last week it was that time of the month for me, so I was weighing three pounds more...but after the period weight came off, I am exacly what I was before I started. for three days in a row, the scale has not gone up or down even an ounce! I have been exercising EVERY night and even did the 2 mile when I should have only been doing the 1 mile...so that means I am exercising MORE than I was.

What could be causing me to hit this plateu...How do I find out how many caloried I need to eat to loose weight? I think I may be eating too FEW of calories for my activity level. I know I stay UNDER 1000 cals a day. Does anyone know of a good calculator to help me keep my caloric intake where it should be?

Hey Girl -
a few thoughts.

If you're exercising more you could be putting on muscle. secondly, under 1000 calories a day is NOT enough. Are you hungry? I think you're not eating enough.

I hope this helps!

Try this calculator:

http://www.room42.com/nutrition/basal.shtml

You know, I am NOT hugry. I eat when my body says to eat and lately that has not been too often. The other day I went up until 3:00 before I FORCED myself to eat 1/2 an avacado and after that I felt stuffed...how crazy is that!

I don't know what my body is going through. I don't know if the reason I am not feeling hunger is mental or a physical issue. I look at food and I see weight gain...I know that is not healthy for me and I am trying as hard as I can to re-think it.

Hey, thanks for the link

Holy crap! 1000 calories???

Okay, yeah, your body is in starvation mode and you'll end up screwing up your metabolism is you stay on this path. Your body is thinking, "We're on the run and there is no food. Hoard the calories, hoard the weight, we don't know how long this may go on."

Kick up your calories. You need to be eating at least 1200 if you're doing NOTHING at all. If you're exercising, around 1800. If you don't eat enough calories when you exercise, your body will burn muscle first and fat second. You need those calories to rebuild muscle.

Ditto!

Miss Chris

Yeah, what these smart gals have already said.

I agree. You need to eat first thing in the morning even if it is just a piece of fruit. Breakfast is breaking the fast and telling your metabolism to kick start. Good luck.

well, chibit.. you've been told. can't add anything else. oh. except that you are getting enough water, aren't you????

What they all said is definitely the truth. I had kept my calories 1300 and under and at first was losing regularly then all of a sudden it stopped. Once I upped them to 1500 or so, I immediately started losing again. I am once again at a plateau tho. I bought the Power Half Hour workout tapes (from the Power90 company) and tomorrow is the end of week 3 for me. I have not only not lost a lb but I also dont show any losses in inches either and I have not missed one day of exercise during all this time. Like someone else said, I do know muscle weighs more than fat, but regardless of that, I need to lose 40 more to be at a healthy weight so it does get discouraging when the scale doesnt show a loss. I know that my water intake is MUCH less than it used to be and I think that might be a major part of my problem. Gotta work on that.

Miki

Amen on upping the calories (I average about 1359 daily) and water, water, water. That's going to be key. Gotta keep flushing, lady!

Thank you all I DO get TONS of water. I drink 12 8 ounce cups a day...sometime MORE...I am going to tun into Noah in a minute and float away

Chibit - One thing I didn't see addressed by all the other responses (though they were on the mark about food, etc.) is that you probably will plateau once in a while. Just don't get discouraged about it. Eventually, either you'll kickstart yourself by amping up the workouts, or just changing what you do - or your body will finally realize it's time to start losing again. Just remember that this isn't a "diet" - this isn't something you're going to do for a little while till you lose X amount of weight, then go back to your old habits. Because if you do, the weight will only come right back on, after all, your old habits are what got you here in the first place, right? This is your life. When I put it into that kind of perspective and keep reminding myself of it, it helps me get through the rough spots. Even though I get emotionally impatient, intellectually I know everything is as it should be.

Plateaus suck, and that is what really discourages me, and that is always what makes me give up, so PLEASE do not give up hope!! I can tell you first hand that your calorie intake for the day is not enough, even if you are not hungry, you should try to eat a bit more. I eat approx. 1500 calories a day, and I am continuing to lose. I just hope that you can get past this soon, and that very quickly you start losing again, hey at least you are not gaining, right?? Good luck

~~~~~losing weight vibes for Michelle~~~~~