Okay so I've been at or very near 219 for over a month now! It is getting very frustrating! Spark people had my calories between 1500-2000 ish two weeks ago when I was 220 now that I am 219 it has dropped to 1200-1550, and with this low calorie number I haven't lost anything. I've been on point staying within this range of 1200-1550, but am curious if I should go back up to 1500-1700? I am tired of the scale not moving (and not losing inches either) but have no idea if I should increase my calories beyond what SP is suggesting.
I have been modifying my diet to eat more meat, carbs, and protein and cut out junk food altogether. I run daily for 30-45 mins three days/week and strength train 3 days/ week.
This is so frustrating! I know that I lose weight slowly, but I've never stalled at weight loss while trying to lose. I've stalled (maintained) while not trying to lose, but to actively be trying to lose and not is frustrating! Any help would be helpful.
It wouldn't hurt to try increasing your calories, or maybe calorie cycling. Honestly, 1200-1550 sounds a bit low to me, especially with your running. I certainly wouldn't go as low as 1200, ever, at this weight. I'm currently losing on around 1800-2000 calories a day, and I don't get to run/walk as often as I'd like. Of course, I just started back on this about 3 weeks ago and I could be headed for a plateau anytime!
That is the range I'm in at the same weight, although I'm older and not as active plus I know I don't burn a lot of calories per my GWF.
Plus it seems crazy that simply moving down from 220 to 219 would mean 300-450 fewer calories a week.
I'm not sure that not enough calories are what makes you stall, but I can't see the harm in going up closer to where you were before and seeing what happens when you are a little bit closer to what was working for you.
But I'd also think that your activities should result in a change in inches, even if not on the scale. Are you mixing it up at all - doing higher weights and/or more reps in your strength training or any interval work in your running? Your body may be a little bit too comfortable right where it is, and modifying your activity is a good way to shake things up.
Did you drop your cals right when you hit 219? If the higher calorie range was working then I wouldn't drop your cals until it stop working. I've made that mistake a few times trying to avoid a plateau and I've stalled everytime and had to increase my cals again. Some people are just lucky and are able to lose at highere ranges. It certainly won't hurt to raise your cals back up and see what happens.
I'm kind of in the same place Meagan... sticking to plan, working out diligently, and seeing NOTHING on the scale (or in inches, my pants are still tight!) Please post if you see positive results with increasing your cals, my goal now is to up my exercise and see if that jumpstarts me.
I plateaued for 6 weeks. I was eating in a range of 1400-2000 a day, cycling them. I decided to up my exercise last week. I had a daily calorie burn
(average) of 3100 per my GWF and I averaged a deficit of 1440 a day and finally lost 2.5#. Planning on doing a similar plan this week and see if I continue to lose.
Good luck!