I'm stuck on a plateau

GettingJennFit

I'm brand new here so I'm not sure how most of this program works (groups, adding friends - how and why?, forums, etc) but I thought I'd give this forum a try.

I've lost 30lbs but have been stuck at the same weight for a month now (which is why I joined MyFitnessPal a few days ago, to help me track everything on my phone). I'm still overweight (by BMI standards I have to lose about 5-6lbs to get into the "healthy" range but my goal is to drop 10-15). I know weight loss will be slower the closer I get to my goal, but a month ago I started running 3x a week to increase my calories burned and hopefully keep losing weight. Instead, I've been stuck.

It's getting discouraging to know that I'm eating at/below my calorie target and exercising frequently (running isn't the only exercise I do, but it's what I've added to my routine recently along with Bikram yoga) and am not making any further progress as far as my weight goes. I signed up for a 10k in July so at least that keeps me motivated to stay with the running training program, but I'm starting to lose confidence that I can get to my goal weight - or even just a healthy weight.

Does anyone have advice on how to get past plateaus? (Hopefully more than just "change your routine" because that's what I've done and a month later no change in weight.) Has anyone experienced a plateau like this? If so, how long did it take you to get past it?

Thanks!

janejellyroll

If you open your diary you may get some helpful specific advice.

ninerbuff

A plateau is 6 weeks or more or consistent calorie deficit and exercise with no weight movement. IF you broke that consistency anywhere during that time, it's NOT a plateau. What you may be experiencing is a stall.
Normal reasons weight doesn't move:

Eating more than you really thing you are.

Under eating thereby lowering your metabolic rate.

Micronutrients may be unbalanced.

New exercise routines and/or increase in intensity of exercise causing water retention.

Lack of adequate rest.

Increased stress.

Reassess honestly. If you've been throwing in some extra treats, or food and not recording them. Your workouts aren't as hard as you're logging them to be. There are usually small things that are unaccounted for when a stall happens.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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GettingJennFit

ninerbuff - thank you. I get 8-9 hours of sleep a night, no increased stress, I haven't changed my eating (no treats), but I haven't tracked nutrients. Since I started two new types of exercise (running and Bikram) I initially just figured my body was adjusting/retaining water/gaining muscle, but I didn't expect it to last a month.

MrM27 - I'm 5'4", starting weight was 181 but I only started tracking calories (manually in a paper diary) in January when I was at 166 (I'm at 150 now). Since January my intake has been 1200 calories per day (on a coach's recommendation) and it worked well...until it didn't.

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urloved33

It could very well be that your entire system is just used to what you are and have been doing...and has become unresponsive. Do something out of the ordinary....in other words shock your system into movement.


Please...do not repost me to tell me what to do or don't do, harrass or address me in any way. thank you. I do get to post about my experience, knowledge and opinions without being harrassed.

lemurcat12

Are you sticking to 1200 or also eating back calories for the running? That seems awfully low given the exercise. (I'm 5'3, 125, and also run, so am not coming from a totally different framework. For me weight loss got increasingly slower at 140, which is not far off from you at 150.) Any cheat days or unlogged days in there? Many people find they get less compliant as they get closer to goal also--which at 1200 I'd think was actually a good thing. For me, as weight loss seems less urgent it's easier to just be sloppy in a day and figure it's okay if I maintain another week rather than lose.

That aside--and if that's not you--I'd say although it's frustrating try to give it time and focus on the running goals rather than the scale for motivation. I've always found that adding new exercise or upping intensity causes a short term stall but then pays off eventually.

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GreenIceFloes

It takes a comparatively longer time to lose the last 10-15 lbs. Set MFP to lose 0.5-1 lb/week, log everything you consume/burn, track religiously and accurately (weigh all your food), and give it another month.

As a side note, Bikram Yoga is nothing but yoga done in a dehydrated state. Not the healthiest thing you could do. Might I suggest regular yoga?

DeguelloTex

urloved33 wrote: »

It could very well be that your entire system is just used to what you are and have been doing...and has become unresponsive. Do something out of the ordinary....in other words shock your system into movement.


Please...do not repost me to tell me what to do or don't do, harrass or address me in any way. thank you. I do get to post about my experience, knowledge and opinions without being harrassed.

It would be nice if there were a way to auto-delete posts that mention shocking your system.

janejellyroll

urloved33 wrote: »

It could very well be that your entire system is just used to what you are and have been doing...and has become unresponsive. Do something out of the ordinary....in other words shock your system into movement.


Please...do not repost me to tell me what to do or don't do, harrass or address me in any way. thank you. I do get to post about my experience, knowledge and opinions without being harrassed.

If you don't want people to address what you say, perhaps an online forum isn't the best place for you to post. These are conversations. People are going to address each other.

DeguelloTex

janejellyroll wrote: »

urloved33 wrote: »

It could very well be that your entire system is just used to what you are and have been doing...and has become unresponsive. Do something out of the ordinary....in other words shock your system into movement.


Please...do not repost me to tell me what to do or don't do, harrass or address me in any way. thank you. I do get to post about my experience, knowledge and opinions without being harrassed.

If you don't want people to address what you say, perhaps an online forum isn't the best place for you to post. These are conversations. People are going to address each other.

On the flip side, you don't have to address her in any way to point out the neutron-star-level density of the stupidity of her post.

Or to laugh at her ludicrous take on how public forums work. Or at the delicate flower's concept of harassment.

Cardio4Cupcakes

Have you been measuring? Losing inches but not pounds can happen.

sofaking6

Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »

Have you been measuring? Losing inches but not pounds can happen.

It's true. This is a problem when we only have the scale to tell us whether we're progressing. I suggest getting a tape measure and getting your measurements today - that way if/when you hit another plateau, you'll be able to see if you're losing inches rather than pounds.

GettingJennFit

Sorry about the delay! I don't get notifications on my phone when people post on here and I'm so new to this program that I forget to check! Thank you everyone for your above and comments!!

@lemurcat12 I was just eating at 1200 without eating back any exercise calories, but I recently started eating back on exercise days (thanks to mfp telling me to). I'm definitely happier when I focus on running goals and I've been beating my pace time almost every time I go for a run, so that's a huge motivator.

@GreenIceFloes and everyone else concerned with my tracking, after making this post I started paying much closer attention to calories again (like I did when I started) AND the content of those calories (new for me). It's definitely working.

@Cardio4Cupcakes and @sofaking6 I haven't been as good about measuring, but I'll take that advice and create a chart with measurements so I can see if progress is occurring in inches rather than pounds.

I just want to let you all know that the stall broke! After focusing on running and really getting into the nitty gritty of what I've been eating, I dropped about a pound this week. Thanks again to everyone here!

bibliocephalus

sofaking6 wrote: »

Cardio4Cupcakes wrote: »

Have you been measuring? Losing inches but not pounds can happen.

It's true. This is a problem when we only have the scale to tell us whether we're progressing. I suggest getting a tape measure and getting your measurements today - that way if/when you hit another plateau, you'll be able to see if you're losing inches rather than pounds.

I agree, I had this experience when I increased the intensity of my workouts. It was only for a couple of weeks, but I too felt anxious about it.

GreenIceFloes

jleavittcruz wrote: »

I just want to let you all know that the stall broke! After focusing on running and really getting into the nitty gritty of what I've been eating, I dropped about a pound this week. Thanks again to everyone here!

Good for you!