plateau in weight loss

["Beth Glace" <lb@nismat.org>]

Hi Amber [and Susan],
Actually more recent research would indicate that the best exercise 
to get past the plateau would be strength training or resistance 
exercise, since it stimulates muscle gain or anabolism.  In the 
dieting scenario it at least provides some stimulus to counter the 
inevitable breakdown of muscle during a diet.   Muscle will be 
sacrificed during any weight loss [dieting] period, but it will be 
sacrificied to a greater extent during severe caloric restriction. An 
800 - 1000 calorie diet is a very bad idea since it will encourage 
muscle breakdown, thereby decreasing the metabolically active 
tissue.  I wouldn't suggest a caloric intake of less than 1500 calories 
per day for an active woman, or 1800 calories per day for an active 
man during a diet.  Most of the women on this list probably require 
about 2000-2500 calories per day to maintain their normal weight, 
and they can expect to lose 1 lb weekly for each 500 calories they 
cut back daily.  If you design an exercise program I'd include some 
aerobic exercise [higher intensity rather than low], such as uphill 
walking or jogging, stair master, cycling etc all of which are useful 
ways to burn calories.  Add to that some weight training several 
days per week, or as Susan suggested, an activity that combines 
strength and aerobic fitness such as kick boxing and so forth.
Good luck, and be kinder to yourself - 800 calories per day is self-
abuse!
Beth Glace MS
Sport Nutritionist 
Lenox Hill Hospital 
NY, NY

Susan wrote:
<<<Human physiology isn't my thing, but when I did the sports 
medicine option in undergrad/grad, I was taught that to break the 
plateau, you have to raise the metabolism, and that comes from 
more low-level, aerobic exercise, lots and lots of it, at least thirty 
minutes a day and preferably more.  I'd eat more (and exercise 
more) if I were you---at least for my body size, 800-1000 calories a 
day *is* starving, and the body goes into a metabolic emergency 
mode until more calories are supplied, then makes a big rush to 
store more of them as fat, so you end up further behind than where 
you started in the first place, and with less lean muscle mass to 
boot. :-( Anybody that's seen me in person will have noticed I can 
talk the talk, but have a history of not walking the walk.  Well, trying 
to correct that, too. 

If you don't have the time for more walking, and have a large space 
to exercise in front of a video, you might give those TaeBo 
(cardioboxing) tapes a try.  Those workouts work your fanny off 
(literally), but are alot of fun.  I'm drenched after a thirty minute 
workout, even in a cold basement with fans running.  I'm doing those 
three times a week, riding my bike for an hour three times a week 
and am seeing some encouraging changes in fat to
lean ratios. 
(Nobody ask me to condition score myself, I'd shoot myself).

Susan G

Beth Glace, MS, CDN