Weight Loss- when scales don't move

[AmyM]

So I haven't budged in almost 2 weeks. Still eating about 1600 calories a day. It's pretty tough to go much lower than that, especially when I have 70 left to lose. I'm worried if I start dropping calories and exercising more now I won't be eating anything by the time I get close to goal, and have to walk like 3 hours a day .
Any tips? Maybe I hit a plateau?

[Traci Reed]

Well, for every 10 lbs you lose, WW drops you down a point (50 calories) until you get to 1200. IDK how much you weigh but if you haven't dropped your calories since you started, you might want to think about cutting some.

[Traci Reed]

Oh and stay away from processed foods and sugar as much as possible, even if you're allotting calories for them.

[Jenn Barrette]

I say just stick with what you are doing for a little while. If you're eating less than maintainence calories, your weight will eventually start to drop again. I also found switching up my exercise helped. So if I was usually walking everyday, I would hit up the elliptical machine or play some Wii exercise games.

[Darcy Baldwin]

My husband usually jump starts his metabolism when he hits an extended plateau by a 4 day fast...a liquid diet. Cut back completely on unnecessary carbs..and he usually goes right back into weight loss a few days later. He's just finished up a round after having plateaued for almost 3 weeks.

[ColleenSwerb]

Definitely switch up your exercise. Your muscles have memory, and after a while it takes much less energy/calorie burn to do the same thing. Try a new machine at the gym, or a new workout DVD if you're at home.

[AmyM]

Almost zero processed foods and very little sugar. Skinny cow is where my sugar intake comes from. Most of my carbs come from veggies. The wheat allergy and diabetes keeps me on track with those things.
I did change my caloric intake about 2 months ago.
Thanks for the tips, you girls have some great ideas. I might re-visit that dreaded exercise bike.

[pewtertm]

Originally Posted by ColleenSwerb

Definitely switch up your exercise. Your muscles have memory, and after a while it takes much less energy/calorie burn to do the same thing. Try a new machine at the gym, or a new workout DVD if you're at home.

This.

[KateD]

Your body can also get used to the number of calories you're eating. You might want to try keeping your average intake at 1600 calories, but some days go 100-150 calories over and other days go under by the same amount. It keeps your body guessing. I had a personal trainer (a long time ago now) who told me that and it worked for me. That and I was exercising a lot.

[BrattyMeg]

see I'm opposite..when I hit a plateau I usually have a cheat day and just eat whatever i want (there's usually choc cake involved) and for some reason my body just loves that extra fuel. I start back to eating well and continue to exercise the next day and will usually start seeing a decent loss after that.

[profiler_mar]

Originally Posted by KateD

Your body can also get used to the number of calories you're eating. You might want to try keeping your average intake at 1600 calories, but some days go 100-150 calories over and other days go under by the same amount. It keeps your body guessing. I had a personal trainer (a long time ago now) who told me that and it worked for me. That and I was exercising a lot.

This is what I have heard too. Along with what Col said about the exercise.

[Jenn Barrette]

Originally Posted by FlirtatiousBrat

see I'm opposite..when I hit a plateau I usually have a cheat day and just eat whatever i want (there's usually choc cake involved) and for some reason my body just loves that extra fuel. I start back to eating well and continue to exercise the next day and will usually start seeing a decent loss after that.

Yup, sometimes shocking your system works wonders.

[KyRainbow]

Originally Posted by FlirtatiousBrat

see I'm opposite..when I hit a plateau I usually have a cheat day and just eat whatever i want (there's usually choc cake involved) and for some reason my body just loves that extra fuel. I start back to eating well and continue to exercise the next day and will usually start seeing a decent loss after that.

This is what works for me. I'm type 2 diabetic, so I'm still careful about what I eat, but the shock to my system seems to wake things up and I start losing again.

[jessica31876]

also remember that when exercising and eating right sometimes the weight does not come off on the scale because you might be burning fat but gaining muscle. So if your clothes are continuing to fit better (or getting to big) then you are on the right track.