Help! I Can't Break This Plateau

nicolewood415

My most recent weigh-in was the lowest number I've seen so far and this week I've been really good about staying within my calories, generally doing well on my macros and exercising. However, I get on the scale this morning and I'm up 3 lbs. This just baffles me, because I feel like this cycle keeps happening over and over. I know weight can fluctuate, but it's probably been in this back and forth cycle for 6 months.

I know not all things work for everyone, but since I really haven't found anything that will get me passed this, I am open to any suggestions on what I could change to get off this plateau/ back and forth weight.

Does anyone have any ideas on why this is happening and can suggest things I might change?

JenMc14

I need more info. What's your workout like? How long have you been doing that workout? What is your normal caloric intake? How tall are you and how much do you weigh? I'd suggest Lifting, doing cardio and playing with your calories. If you're eating at the lower end of the scale right now, up them by 100, give it 4 weeks and see how you feel. If you're typically near the top of your number, dial it back a bit, give it 4 weeks and see how you feel.

nicolewood415

You can see my diary for some of the info. My last weigh in was 138.2, but today is about 141. I try to work out 1-3 times per week. I usually start with a quick cardio warm up, sometimes a 30 min run, then I will do a mixture of exercises with weights, body weight and ball. Generally about 40-60 minutes.

jacksonpt

In my experience, most people plateau for 2 reasons:

1) they get lazy with their logging. When they start out, motivation is high and they log/weigh/measure every bite and every sip. As time passes, motivation drops and they get lazy, and their logging becomes sloppy. They stop weighing/measure, and they stop logging things like the pizza crust they ate while cleaning up dinner, or the handful of Hershey kisses they grabbed as they walked out the door or the cupcake they had during the office birthday party.

2) they get lazy with their workouts. This may or may not be an issue with motivation. Sometimes it's simply not increasing the intensity of their workout as their bodies get stronger/faster/etc. They are still running the same 20 minutes at basically the same speed/intensity, not realizing that it isn't working the body as hard as it was when they started. Increasing intensity is crucial.

CharitaC

I can understand jacksonpt's reasoning for people plateauing but I have plateaued also and can't seem to get past 19 lbs lost and I still log EVERYTHING. I have not been exercising as part of my weight loss regime so I can't contribute the lack the exercise to my sudden plateau.

Yesterday I was thinking that since I've lost 19 lbs, maybe at some point, I should have reduced my calorie intake but since intake vs outgoing calories still confuses me, I just don't know what else to think.

All I know is that I have 23 lbs left to lose and the lack of recent weight loss is very discouraging. I've 5'9 and weigh 233 lbs and I've been 1240 calories since I began loosing weight around April 22nd.

Any suggestions?

jacksonpt

I can understand jacksonpt's reasoning for people plateauing but I have plateaued also and can't seem to get past 19 lbs lost and I still log EVERYTHING. I have not been exercising as part of my weight loss regime so I can't contribute the lack the exercise to my sudden plateau.

Yesterday I was thinking that since I've lost 19 lbs, maybe at some point, I should have reduced my calorie intake but since intake vs outgoing calories still confuses me, I just don't know what else to think.

All I know is that I have 23 lbs left to lose and the lack of recent weight loss is very discouraging. I've 5'9 and weigh 233 lbs and I've been 1240 calories since I began loosing weight around April 22nd.

Any suggestions?

Have you recalculated your daily calorie goal based on your new weight?

MayaSPapaya

I was at a plateau for a while, broke it, the next time I hit one, I broke it again. Here's what I did.
1) Try upping your calories! I know that sounds scary, but anything under your TDEE will make you lose. I was terrified to up, but now I'm at 1600, losing (slowly but surely) and am really happy.
2) Change up your workouts. Sometimes, the body gets used to them and they don't help you lose as easily.

212ackley

Change your workout! I lost 19# then was stuck for 3 weeks...It scared the wits out of me to quit Zumba for a month to start swimming but I did it and lost 3# the first week....got to my lowest point and have been slacking for the past 3 weeks...going back at it strong after my weekend festival is over....back to Zumba too..I sure miss that class!!!!

CharitaC

Well I just thought about that yesterday and it recalculated from 1240 to 1200, so I just made the adjustment yesterday. Hopefully I will see results over the course of a week. Is there where I've made my mistake.? Also I was thinking this morning: Is a 40 calorie reduction going to make that big of a difference? Thoughts please.

jacksonpt

Well I just thought about that yesterday and it recalculated from 1240 to 1200, so I just made the adjustment yesterday. Hopefully I will see results over the course of a week. Is there where I've made my mistake.? Also I was thinking this morning: Is a 40 calorie reduction going to make that big of a difference? Thoughts please.

1240 to 1200 shouldn't make any difference. 1240 is so low that you should still be losing. Something else is going on.

CharitaC

The only other thing that I can think of is this: I am not a cook so I eat at places where low cal foods are served. If I do cook, I use recipes found online that provide nutritional information. Since I am not a cook I try to follow the recipe to a "T." But even at that, I'm only cooked 2 (maybe 3 times) in the past couple of weeks. I'm not given up, but the loss of 1 additional smile would bring a smile to my face.

GeeGirl82

I've been at the same weight for 2 weeks and a few days ago I changed my calories from 1200 to 1300 and am trying to eat more of my exercise calories back. The scale appears to be moving in the right direction again.

Francl27

It can just be linked to your cycle. Sometimes my weight goes up a bit, doesn't move for 2-3 weeks, then I lose again.

jacksonpt

The only other thing that I can think of is this: I am not a cook so I eat at places where low cal foods are served. If I do cook, I use recipes found online that provide nutritional information. Since I am not a cook I try to follow the recipe to a "T." But even at that, I'm only cooked 2 (maybe 3 times) in the past couple of weeks. I'm not given up, but the loss of 1 additional smile would bring a smile to my face.

If you're eating out most of the time, are you track cals based on the restaurant's nutrional information? Or are you guestimating?

Eating out is often 2x-3x the calories of eating at home, so it's VERY easy to underestimate cals when eating out.

darwinwoodka

You're close to your goal weight so it's tough. That's kinda where I am too. Things to try: more protein, less carbs, up the calories. Lift heavier. Switch up your exercise and challenge your body in a different way. Do some extra challenging workout days -- hiking, swimming, long bike ride or run, etc. Alternate high, medium and low carb days. Get more sleep. Track your sodium and go for lower calorie foods. Eat more salmon or other fish. Pick something and just change it up somehow so your body gets moved out of its comfort zone...

nicolewood415

Thanks for the suggestions! I think changing my routine will help for sure. I mix up my workouts usually but I definitely need to increase my weights and will try adding more calories.

fknlardarse

I stopped losing weight tho i was logging everything and exercising. I cut out sugar as much as possible (including absolutely no alcohol even tho it was within my calorie allowance) pounds have dropped off since. Sugar metabolises easily into fat?

mrsroc2010

I am also having the same problem with stagnant weight loss, I started reading up on eating more to weigh less. (scary thought) but they have a very informative web site and a group here on MFP. Check it out...

CharitaC

I usually go to restaurants that provide nutrition information. Otherwise, I don't trust myself to take a stab in the dark at how many calories I might be consuming. I feel certain that it has to be something that I'm doing.

CharitaC

Eating more to weigh less is a very scary thought to me.

jacksonpt

Eating more to weigh less is a very scary thought to me.

which shouldn't make any sense when taken at face value. More food = more cals, more cals = less calorie deficit, less deficit = less weight loss.

tcraw15

I was at a plateau for a while, broke it, the next time I hit one, I broke it again. Here's what I did.
1) Try upping your calories! I know that sounds scary, but anything under your TDEE will make you lose. I was terrified to up, but now I'm at 1600, losing (slowly but surely) and am really happy.
2) Change up your workouts. Sometimes, the body gets used to them and they don't help you lose as easily.

This. I was stuck in a plateau for 2-3 weeks. Didn't stop what I was doing. Kept increasing workout intensity and ate just a little bit more. I was losing inches but the pounds wouldn't come off. Low and behold, it dropped shortly after.

So don't worry too much about it. Whatever you do, don't stress out about it. High levels of negative stress will definitely keep you from losing weight.