When weight plateaus at "ideal weight" does that mean more efforts are futile?
Question:
My goal weight was to be around 125, or at the very least under 130. However, I've been unable to lose ANYTHING for over a month. I even began thinking my scale was just broken! I stepped up my workouts, but didn't really cut any more calories since I've been eating between 1000-1400 daily anyways. Still nothing.
Is this my body's way of telling me to just be happy and stop? Or are there any tips out there from people who have gone though the same thing. I feel like most of the posts out there on plateaus are from people who are still needing to lose a significant amount, so looking for advice on those last few pounds.
Thanks!
Answers:
Your body could be telling you a lot of things. First off, unless you get the o.k. from a dr. you shouldn't eat less than 1500 calories a day. Your body needs that amount to just function (breathe, digest food, and keep your body processes going). You may have stopped losing weight because your body has moved into survival mode and has to save all of the calories just to function. The best thing to do is eat a few hundred more calories and maybe step up your cardio. If you keep cutting your calories you will lose muscle and it will be harder to lose weight. As for ideal weight, there is a theory that everyone has an ideal weight but if you continue to exercise you will still lose but it will take longer.
be patient
I've heard (but am not certain of this) that if you are in a plateau if you eat extra calories for a few days and then go back down you can get going again to lose the last few pounds. Not tons of extra, so you'd gain, just 300 or 400 extra for a few days.
omg i have the same exact problem! good question.
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