Weightloss Plateau??

Question

I've been doing the same workout routine. mostly cardio exercises and i've lost a good 20 pounds. But i feel like the past 2-3 weeks to a month i've been staying the same weight and im just getting frustrated. I look a little leaner but i want to keep losing.
im 5'4 about 120 pounds now. I was about 140-145 pounds.
I know my body might be comfortable at 120 but Ive been excersing reguarly. at least 4 times a week.
i normally run alot too. I eat exteremly well too.

any tips on exercises to change mine up with?
i feel like my running/cardio isn't doing as much as it used to.

any suggestions? please
i'm 19 years old

Answer 1

You need to change up your routine. After doing the same thing for x-amount of time your body will adapt to it and not get any benefits from it. You could either increase your intensity - if you run then add a 30 second sprint every 2 minutes. You could also increase the length of time you run - if you currently run for 30 minutes then add 15 minutes to your time. You also need to incorporate weight training to your routine. Weight lifting will not make you big and bulky so don't fret - it will give you more muscle strength which will help increase your metabolism which aids in burning fat and calories faster. Muscle also weighs more than fat, so if you see a weight gain it's okay, but muscle also takes up less space than fat so you will become leaner.

Answer 2

Wow, that's really good that u lost 20lbs! Great job. I have been on a plateau for 3 months and I figured out that I need to increase the intensity of my cardio. If u run, try to add a little more time, or do intervals when doing cardio. U are at a really good weight right now, so my opinion is that u dont need to lose any more weight. U can try toning ur muscles if u want to look more fit.Good luck :-)

Answer 3

You're doing fine. You've probably reached a point where whatever fat you lose is getting replaced by muscle.

Muscle weighs more for it's size, so you're still losing fat, and getting fit, but a little muscle will offset the weight you lost in fat. It's a great thing actually because it means that your metabolism is all the higher. I suggest getting your fat amount tested to see where you're at, then tested again in a couple weeks to see what you've lost. Or measure the inches around your body, like especially around your waist, then again in a few weeks or a month to see if you've lost.

Other than that, one easy tip is to try sweet potatoes for dinner or brown rice, they elevate your blood sugar less. Also don't eat any snacks after dinnertime(as in nothing before bed).

Another tip, make it about getting fit, not slim. Noone really likes a bony cleavage, it's sickly. But if a woman is fit she looks damned good. So maybe make fitness goals, like to run a marathon or somesuch.

Answer 4

A lot of times when you are trying to lose weight we tend to not eat as much, which is okay for a while but the more muscle and the more you work out, your body will need more good calories to keep losing of your metabolism will go into starve mode and then you will not lose anymore, I know this sounds crazy but sometimes you need to increase the amount of food that you eat to lose more, I would try adding a cup of freash vegies or fruit twice a day for a couple of weeks and see if this helps.Best of Luck

Answer 5

You've plateau'd because you are where you should be. You are extremely healthy and are doing everything right to maintain a beautiful body. You got such a high from losing the 20lbs. that you are obsessing and want to continue that high. You need to snap out of it and focus your attention on other areas in you life that need work. You accomplished this goal, good for you! Now move on to something else.

Answer 6

mix it up alittle add some weight training your body will get used to doing the same thing over and over again so it becomes less effwective. you either need to do more (ie excercise longer) or change what you are doing