How to break a 4 week plateau?

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kacorlis
kacorlis Posts: 13 Member
in Motivation and Support
In October , I started logging my food again to lose 40 lbs I regained over the last couple of years. I was losing 1 to 2 lbs per week (since October). Now (February), I have remained the same weight for the last 4 weeks. I even lost during the holidays, but seem to be stuck now. At first I wasn't bothered, but last week I increased my exercise to try and shake this, and I still stayed the same! Help!

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  • fearlessleader104
    fearlessleader104 Posts: 723 Member
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    Buy a scale and weigh everything you eat/drink.
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
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    My weight loss has slowed quite a bit too. I just bought a scale and am starting to weigh stuff a lot more than I used to. I'm also trying to up my cardio a bit to see if that helps. I also am trying really hard to watch the sodium and drink more water because retaining water is the enemy of the scale.
  • oORosadaOo
    oORosadaOo Posts: 97 Member
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    Be sure to adjust your goals according to the weight you already lost.

    Drink lots of water, weigh your food, keep working out.

    Don't lose hope! My weight stalled all of December and into January, then, finally, 2 weeks ago, the pounds started dropping like crazy!
  • r5d5
    r5d5 Posts: 219 Member
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    Have you been measuring consistently? As in with a food scale? Sometimes we can get a little lax with time.
    And have you weighed yourself on the same days/same times? Because weight fluctuates over the course of the day.
    And have you taken body measurements? Maybe the scale hasn't moved, but you might have lost some inches overall.

    Keep with it! Don't get discouraged! You got this :)
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    Be sure you are taking in fewer calories than you're burning. (Weigh, measure, log accurately, etc.)

    Don't eat exercise calories.

    You might increase your cardio slightly (duration, intensity),
    or decrease your calories slightly (try dropping 50).

    Finally, trust science. If you really are burning more than you're eating, you will lose weight.

    In NOV I looked at my average weight loss since last January & decided I should be able to be under 200 by 31DEC. My doctor agreed it was a reasonable goal. My body had other ideas. :angry: I sat at pretty much the same weight for close to 4 weeks. Made onederland about a week after I'd hoped to, but it was frustrating.
  • timobrien0617
    timobrien0617 Posts: 11
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    Check your levels of caffeine. If you haven't been abusing it... You can get a nice boost from caffeine. That's the easy way. Your body will become dependent after long term usage. But to cut a few lbs let it rock! (Disclaimer talk to a doctor first)
  • kacorlis
    kacorlis Posts: 13 Member
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    Thank you everyone for all your suggestions. I always weigh and measure food, as I am a lifetime member of weight watchers (lost and kept off weight for 5 years), and weigh in weekly. I also drink plenty of water. I weigh in every Monday night in same clothes each week (which are very loose!). I think I will try MKEgal suggestion of dropping 50 cals., watch my salt/sodium (convenience foods), and keep doing what I'm doing. I know if I keep tracking etc. the scale will have to move soon. Just being on this board gives me hope.
  • Holly92154
    Holly92154 Posts: 119 Member
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    I just broke my plateau. I started at the end of September and I'm down 48 pounds. Everything was great until 1/1. It just stopped. Nothing. I cut more calories, ran more miles, slept 10 hours, etc. For two weeks I was frantic. Then I started doing more research and bought a book on Amazon. I looked at my macro and micro nutrients. I changed my daily goal to "maintenance", cut out a few carbs and upped my protein to 100-130 a day. Two days later I dropped two pounds. Instead of sticking to a strict amount I've kept my goal at maintenance and as long as I'm above 1200 and under 1930 I'm golden ;)

    I'm more than half way to my goal and I knew eventually the 2lbs a week weight loss would stop. So, I'm learning to adjust my expectations.

    Hope that helped ;)
  • statterton041254
    statterton041254 Posts: 2 Member
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    I can identify. Weighing and measuring quantities, drinking water, eating 1200 calories and checking that they are balanced nutrionally is no real chore or hardship, but weight is just sticking at the minute. As a result of an accident my mobility is impaired and walking is now reduced to small slow steps with a stick, no chance I'd brisk walks or running I'm afraid. Would reducing calorie intake to 1000 a day work do you think?

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