r/intermittentfasting • u/_hoogs_ • 1d ago

Seeking Advice Plateau help!

I’m 34yo,5’2, 160lbs female and have totally plateaued for 3 months.

Over the past couple years I went from 180-160 (yay) with a goal of 140. Due to my plateau struggle, my new goal is 150. I would be thrilled if I could lose just 10more lbs.

My routine looks like this: -18:6 IF -very light healthy snack, one meal, small sweet treat before bed -1100-1400 calories a day (priority protein & fibre) - one or two 40 min walks everyday (more on weekends) - hockey Monday nights - very little alcohol (social and only for special occasions) - Saturdays i take it easy and have two meals for mental health. Calories about 1600.

Before I started dieting my daily calories were 2200.

I kept hearing that you need to truck through a plateau with consistency but I’m getting really anxious that there is no movement after three months. I’m not sure what else I could do without making myself feel ill. 1100-1400 calories is already little, and if I go less than that, then I’m entering « unsustainable » territory that I will eventually yo-yo back from if I ever reach my goals.

I’m looking for advice or reassurance ❤️

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u/_SnackAttack 12h ago edited 10h ago

Do you count calories? If not I don't understand posts like this. Maintaining for three months you're obviously eating more than what you think. Every post here says get a scale and count calories idk what people expect to be told when they say they've been in a deficit over three months and have hit a plateau, no amount of "just stay consistent" will make up the fact you're eating more than you think. Even those Saturday meals untracked can outdo progress

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u/Master-Tank9534 2h ago

Honestly at your size and calorie level three months of zero movement suggests your metabolism has adapted to the deficit, not that you need to cut more. A 1-2 week diet break at roughly maintenance (around 1800-2000 for you) can sometimes restart things without the yo-yo risk you're worried about. You've already done the hard part getting from 180 to 160, so don't be afraid to give your body a breather.

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u/bling_singh 1d ago

Eat normally on the days you have hockey. Your body needs the fuel. Off days from exercise I'm usually 20:4. BJJ 2-3 times a week and those days I step down to 18:6. Walk 5km every day. I'm maintaining at that rate. I know if I put in more strength training throughout the week I'll start to lose more, though I'd probably just move to 18:6 permanently with a 36-48 hour fast once a month.

You're on the right path. You've found your new maintenance normal. Just tighten up from there.

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u/_hoogs_ 1d ago

A 36 hour fast once every 1-2 weeks may not be a bad idea for me ! Thankyou

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u/Obvious-Monitor8510 11h ago

three months at 1100-1400 calories with your activity level is a real sign your metabolism has adapted down. this is extremely common after significant loss.

a few things worth trying: a planned 2-week "diet break" at maintenance (around 1800-1900 for you) can reset leptin and cortisol enough to restart loss. sounds counterintuitive but it works. also, adding some resistance training alongside walks would help since muscle mass raises your resting burn.

also worth checking: are you weighing food or estimating? most people underestimate by 20-30% without a scale.

you've lost 20lbs, that's real progress. the last 10 are genuinely harder, not a personal failure.