How to Kickstart Weight Loss During a Plateau

tabby_123
tabby_123 Posts: 80 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!

I'm only approaching my third month of calorie counting and I'm already at a plateau. I started at 185 lbs and have been hovering around 171 for almost two weeks. I haven't changed anything: I've been eating around 1100-1400 calories a day. I unfortunately do not work out much. What are some surefire ways to kickstart weight loss during a plateau?

In case it's helpful, I am a 5'4'' female and quite sedentary (living that law student lifestyle!)

Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    for me having a high calorie day (around 3,000) then back on track. I always lose lbs in 3-4 days of being back on. Only do this if you do not have binging issues, and coomit to getting rightback on! Also, try not to load on sugar.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    2 weeks isn't a plateau. Could easy be time of month or water retention for some other reason. Just keep weighing and measuring your food and logging it. Stay consistent and the scale will drop. Weight loss isn't linear. Keep up the hard work!
  • JimFsfitnesspal
    JimFsfitnesspal Posts: 313 Member
    tabby_123 wrote: »
    Hello everyone!

    I'm only approaching my third month of calorie counting and I'm already at a plateau. I started at 185 lbs and have been hovering around 171 for almost two weeks. I haven't changed anything: I've been eating around 1100-1400 calories a day. I unfortunately do not work out much. What are some surefire ways to kickstart weight loss during a plateau?

    In case it's helpful, I am a 5'4'' female and quite sedentary (living that law student lifestyle!)

    Thank you in advance!

    For you it is obvious... start exercising.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    esjones12 wrote: »
    2 weeks isn't a plateau. Could easy be time of month or water retention for some other reason. Just keep weighing and measuring your food and logging it. Stay consistent and the scale will drop. Weight loss isn't linear. Keep up the hard work!

    This. Weight loss isn't linear. My weight loss is at a stand still for days or weeks and then suddenly I'll lose 1-4lbs overnight. It has been this way for going on 9 months now. It would be nice if I lost a little every day, but that's not how it goes.

    If you are really sedentary, figuring out ways to move more is a good idea to ensure you're burning more calories than you take in.

  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
    I'd ride it out for another week before you make any changes. I would also get really consistent with your nutrition/calorie goal. Exercise will also get the ball rolling. Try to find something that is has variety. It doesn't have to be lone. 30 minutes of intense exercise 5-6 days/week is awesome.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I would add a 30 minute walk.
  • tabby_123
    tabby_123 Posts: 80 Member
    Thanks everyone for your replies! I will try to add a little cardio to my routine. It's difficult as is since I usually have 12-16 hour workdays, and this week will be particularly difficult due to deadlines. But I know nothing worth it comes easy!
  • TheSurge0n
    TheSurge0n Posts: 113 Member
    Trick your body by altering BMR once a week by eating +2000 cal and then back on regular routine.
    You will definitely see changes
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    You're on a stall, patience is key.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    tabby_123 wrote: »
    Hello everyone!

    I'm only approaching my third month of calorie counting and I'm already at a plateau. I started at 185 lbs and have been hovering around 171 for almost two weeks. I haven't changed anything: I've been eating around 1100-1400 calories a day. I unfortunately do not work out much. What are some surefire ways to kickstart weight loss during a plateau?

    In case it's helpful, I am a 5'4'' female and quite sedentary (living that law student lifestyle!)

    Thank you in advance!

    To start with you need to stay hovering at 171 for another 4-6 weeks to be in a plateau

    it's just a natural stall

    if your CICO equation is right and you're logging properly both food and exercise it will drop again

    if not tighten up on those

    if you move more you can eat more
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    poohpoohpeapod wrote: »
    for me having a high calorie day (around 3,000) then back on track. I always lose lbs in 3-4 days of being back on. Only do this if you do not have binging issues, and coomit to getting rightback on! Also, try not to load on sugar.

    This works for me also. If I have an unusually high calorie day it seems to jump my bodies metabolism.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited February 2015
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    poohpoohpeapod wrote: »
    for me having a high calorie day (around 3,000) then back on track. I always lose lbs in 3-4 days of being back on. Only do this if you do not have binging issues, and coomit to getting rightback on! Also, try not to load on sugar.

    This works for me also. If I have an unusually high calorie day it seems to jump my bodies metabolism.

    yeah .. no it doesn't .. your metabolism doesn't need a kick-start, it just keeps on going on
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    I weigh myself multiple times a day and make mental note of my weight range rather than randomly picking a time and single number. (I've noticed a drop of 2-4 pounds overnight every night, for example, obviously all water!) I notice that, while my range is on a downward trajectory overall, there is always a week to 10 day period out of every month where my range either stagnates or even bumps up a couple of pounds. Then, my rage and trips to the drugstore taper off, and the range jolts back down and continues on its merry way.

    So, 2 weeks ago, I was solidly fluctuating between 127.5 and 129. I called it 128 for MFP tracking purposes. Then, last week, the range bumped up to bouncing from 129 all the way back up to 132. I could have been irritated...but my multiple data point strategy told me to ride it out. Last night was 129 before bed, I got 127.0 this morning when I woke up. Stupid Aunt Flo, messing up my data.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    Plateaus usually happen when you lose enough and hit an equilibrium point. Eat a bit less, exercise a bit more and get back into a deficit.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    poohpoohpeapod wrote: »
    for me having a high calorie day (around 3,000) then back on track. I always lose lbs in 3-4 days of being back on. Only do this if you do not have binging issues, and coomit to getting rightback on! Also, try not to load on sugar.

    This works for me also. If I have an unusually high calorie day it seems to jump my bodies metabolism.

    yeah .. no it doesn't .. your metabolism doesn't need a kick-start, it just keeps on going on

    My bad. Didn't realize that was incorrect terminology.

    Rephrase: When I feel like I have hit a weight loss plateau, I raise my calorie intake for a day... I have absolutely no idea how it works but it works for me and my body.
  • pinkteapot3
    pinkteapot3 Posts: 157 Member
    edited February 2015
    Weirdly, for me, eat more!

    I'm on a net cal goal of 1,280 which I'm sticking to. When my weight's been stuck for a couple of weeks, I have a day of eating more (going 400-500 cals over) and stick to it the rest of the week. No idea but this works for me!

    When I go over, I'm still within maintenance cals so it shouldn't make me put on weight. If I'm staying the same anyway, I figure it can't hurt to have what is effectively a maintenance day. But shaking up the amount of food I throw at my body seems to kick something into gear...

    Also, if you've lost a chunk, fiddle with your goals in MFP. Change it to a different weight loss target then back again. I did this recently and it gave me a slightly different goal (40 cals less) than I had been on. Maybe it hadn't automatically updated for my new, lower weight, as it needed to? Not sure how it works...
  • Briargrey
    Briargrey Posts: 498 Member
    Moving more does help. Even with busy days like yours, you can make something fit - doesn't have to be hardcore workouts even. Just stand a bit more, take the stairs a bit more, take a quick 5-minute break and walk around the building, etc. I'm on the 4th floor. I use the bathroom on the first floor most the time and just take the stairs down and back up to add some more movement in. If I need more movement, I up my water intake even more, LOL.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    poohpoohpeapod wrote: »
    for me having a high calorie day (around 3,000) then back on track. I always lose lbs in 3-4 days of being back on. Only do this if you do not have binging issues, and coomit to getting rightback on! Also, try not to load on sugar.

    This works for me also. If I have an unusually high calorie day it seems to jump my bodies metabolism.

    yeah .. no it doesn't .. your metabolism doesn't need a kick-start, it just keeps on going on

    My bad. Didn't realize that was incorrect terminology.

    Rephrase: When I feel like I have hit a weight loss plateau, I raise my calorie intake for a day... I have absolutely no idea how it works but it works for me and my body.

    high calorie day would be easier on your stress level right. I could go further but I do not want to confuse OP.

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