I do 1000-calorie a day workout and diet and suddenly I've stopped losing weight! What do I have to do?

Question

I'm a 38 year old male, weigh 228. I work out five days a week, alternating elliptical 3 days a wk, treadmill 2 days a wk. After committing myself to ridding my diet of desserts, eating more fruit and veggies, etc. I quickly lost fifteen pounds in three weeks. Then all of a sudden I plateaued! I'm already eating healthy without starving myself unneccesarily. How much more working out do I have to do to keep losing the weight? My goal is to get below 200 lbs.

Answer 1

Muscle will burn fat too. Start adding a couple of weight lifting sessions in a week. You may not lose any weight right away but you will build muscle, lose inches and tone your body.

Answer 2

I'm not sure I understood your question correctly. Are you saying you're only consuming 1000 calories a day? If that's the case, no wonder you've plateaued. Your body has seen this 3-week period as one of a significant reduction in food (if only 1000 calories, not even enough to sustain) and is hoarding all the fat it can. As a result, fat isn't burned and metabolism slowed.

If, however, I misread your question and you're eating more than 1000 calories, then you just need to kick it up a notch. If you're not counting calories, now would be a good time to start. You may be eating "healthy," but if you're eating too many calories, you won't lose weight. Your body needs fewer calories the less you weigh, so you may want to cut back an extra 200 or so calories a day now that you're 15 pounds lighter. You also didn't say how long you're working out for. A leisurely 20-minute walk on the treadmill twice a week and the elliptical on the lowest setting isn't enough for prolonged weight loss. You'll need to work out at least 40 minutes a day and make sure your heart is elevated the whole time.

If you haven't already implemented weight training into your program, now would be an excellent time to start. It really kicks the fat burning into gear and tones the muscles as well.

Good luck.

Answer 3

You aren't eating enough. 1000 is WAY too low. You should be eating about 1,800 calories. Protein, vegetables, whole grains, fruit. In that order. You're starving yourself and your body is holding on to that extra weight for dear life....literally. Your workout is fine. Start adding 100 calories a day (not all at once or you'll gain weight) until the weight starts coming off. Throw in an extra salad with grilled chicken on it to start. Easy, fast and easily digested.

Answer 4

Three answers -

1. Muscle weighs more than fat. You're probably gaining muscle, so gaining lean weight.
(Imagine a slimmer, muscler and heavier buill than a fatter bigger lighter cow to get this difference.)

2. Weight loss is stored body fats/ blood sugars / proteins / muscle mass / water - (energy used + energy taken in; fluids lost).
Now you need less food, as you are supporting less body mass.
Energy mostly comes from carbohydrates. Even apples, oranges, bananas, museali, rice... in large amounts make people fatter. Healthy food is all good for you, much better than desserts for many reasons, but how much you eat = energy intake, so it's also something that comes into the equation.
Eating less desserts is good. Eating more fruit and veggies is good, IF you are not increasing your total energy intake above your body's needs.
Eating for your needs isn't starving at all. Not eating to lose weight fast, as you are trying, WILL be starving as you drop down.

3. There is some evidence that the body resists changes in weight, and will try to bounce you back to the weight you have know, at least initally. Just ride it out, it's okay to be hungry sometimes, probably good for you actually.

Answer 5

You've hit your plateau. That was inevitable. It just means that you have to step up your routine, change it up, your body is used to the 'torture' you are putting it through. Maybe add or switch to different exercises. I would suggest an exercise routine that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life, as opposed to just as a means to lose weight right now. I can't quite think of anything you could do to change your diet, since you aren't doing anything too drastic. Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP!

Answer 6

You are at what they call a plateau in your routine. It will subside. You may not lose any pounds for about a week or two and then it will start back up again.It's your body's way of adjusting to your new lifestyle of diet and exercise. Just be patient and I commend you on your efforts and dedication to a healthier lifestyle.

Answer 7

I don't know but i hope some one does. I know as a woman things are different too, but I have totaly changed my diet, (low fat, high fiber, low sugar) I am excersising 5 days a week on a total gym as well as doing a cardio DVD 3 times a week. I lost 20lbs in the first 6 weeks! Now the last two weeks i have lost nothing!!!

Answer 8

Our bodies adjust themselves, especially to our workouts. It sounds like you have a pretty set routine. You should change your workout, some suggestions are to adjust the time you spend on the cardio machines, increase the level of resistance, maybe add some weight lifting into your routine. The important thing is to change it up and make it more challenging. Good luck!

Answer 9

You answered your own question! You have plateaued! Try switching exercise days around treadmill on elipictical days..etc.. keep exercising and your body will continue to loose weight! Also try different foods and continue to drink a lot of water! Good luck

Answer 10

you need to eat more calories or your metabolism will slow... that is probably what happened... your metabolism dropped because you needed more, like 1300 a day...
bump it up a bit and you will actually lose weight more
but also add more fiber to the diet, and maybe caffeine
this helps the matabolism speed