Yet another plateau query

crazyjerseygirl
crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
nope, I haven't hit one yet, and yes I used the search function!

There's much talk of plateaus, but what is a plateau?

How many weeks of being the same weight before you call it and begin to make changes? Do you take things like measurements into consideration, or just weight?

MFP, I leave it to you!

Replies

  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    as far as I understand it, a plateau is technically defined as no change in weight on a scale, or in measurements at all either up or down, for 6 weeks :-)
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    I consider it a plateau when I stay the same weight for around 4 weeks (including my monthly visitor always, it messes with the scale big time) if I have been following the same routine with eating/exercising. I usually wait a little longer to worry if I've started something new, or know that I have been too relaxed with watching how much and of what I eat.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I have gone 4 weeks without losing weight then had a "whoosh" where I lost 3lbs...

    I personally have yet to experience this thing called a plateau by mistake...it's always on purpose because I am eating at maintenance.

    A plateau is typically defined as no change in weight for at least 4 weeks...probably over 4 weeks.

    Typically it happens because someone isn't logging accurately and eating more than they think.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    4-6 weeks. Got it!
    I understand what causes them, I just don't want to go through a revamp over a 2wk stasis if that is relatively common!
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    IMO its a mythical thing kind of like a unicorn. When one thinks they are plateauing there is often another issue. Such as inaccurate logging, over-estimating burns, or both. Or its impatience, and the person may be doing all they should but need to give it more time to see the trend due to water weight.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
    There are plateaus and they usually are 6 weeks are longer. A lot of the time, a true plateau is due to not really eating in a calorie deficit because your weight loss has caught up with you calorie needs and you need to adjust. Sometimes, it's due to something else going on.

    Then there are stalls, which can last 3-6 weeks and are just your body being a jerk (this is presuming that your logging is tight as a drum, of course). There's really no need to do anything to shake things up, but when I hit one, SideSteel recommended cutting carbs just a hair. I was about to give that a try, but I had the famed whoosh happen before I could implement it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    4-6 weeks. Got it!
    I understand what causes them, I just don't want to go through a revamp over a 2wk stasis if that is relatively common!

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
    here is a good article on "whooshes"...helps clear up some stress usually.

    Remember if you stress...cortisol levels rise causing water retention which makes it look like you aren't losing as well...which causes stress...cortisol levels rise...you see how that goes.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    There are plateaus and they usually are 6 weeks are longer. A lot of the time, a true plateau is due to not really eating in a calorie deficit because your weight loss has caught up with you calorie needs and you need to adjust. Sometimes, it's due to something else going on.

    Then there are stalls, which can last 3-6 weeks and are just your body being a jerk. There's really no need to do anything to shake things up, but when I hit one, SideSteel recommended cutting carbs just a hair. I was about to give that a try, but I had the famed whoosh happen before I could implement it.

    THIS. This is what I'm trying to tell. I know no loss during shark week is a fluke, and I know there are slow weeks occasionally, but I didn't know where stall ended and plateau began.

    I know what tends to cause a plateau (assuming health) and I'm ready to tweak when/if it happens, I just don't want to overcut calories due to a short stall. I've already been loosing swiftly, I've no need to hurry it along!
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    There are plateaus and they usually are 6 weeks are longer. A lot of the time, a true plateau is due to not really eating in a calorie deficit because your weight loss has caught up with you calorie needs and you need to adjust. Sometimes, it's due to something else going on.

    Then there are stalls, which can last 3-6 weeks and are just your body being a jerk. There's really no need to do anything to shake things up, but when I hit one, SideSteel recommended cutting carbs just a hair. I was about to give that a try, but I had the famed whoosh happen before I could implement it.

    THIS. This is what I'm trying to tell. I know no loss during shark week is a fluke, and I know there are slow weeks occasionally, but I didn't know where stall ended and plateau began.

    I know what tends to cause a plateau (assuming health) and I'm ready to tweak when/if it happens, I just don't want to overcut calories due to a short stall. I've already been loosing swiftly, I've no need to hurry it along!

    Trust the math. Seriously.

    When I hit the stall, knowing that my logging was as tight as could be and that I was being as accurate as could be with the weighing and my entries, I sort of sailed calmly through the three weeks because I trusted the math. I KNEW that the numbers should be working out and that there was no need to try to cut calories to make something happen.

    It was a really, really awesome feeling.

  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    4-6 weeks. Got it!
    I understand what causes them, I just don't want to go through a revamp over a 2wk stasis if that is relatively common!

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
    here is a good article on "whooshes"...helps clear up some stress usually.

    Remember if you stress...cortisol levels rise causing water retention which makes it look like you aren't losing as well...which causes stress...cortisol levels rise...you see how that goes.

    Ha! Don't worry, I don't stress, I'm just lazy and don't want to implement changes if I don't have to!

    I find the best weapon against stress is knowledge. Knowing when to chill and when to act during a stasis will serve me well if I find myself stressing out. I'll just logic it away, track the time, and if I'm still flat after 6weeks, recheck my food/logs/etc.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    edited April 2015
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    4-6 weeks. Got it!
    I understand what causes them, I just don't want to go through a revamp over a 2wk stasis if that is relatively common!

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
    here is a good article on "whooshes"...helps clear up some stress usually.

    Remember if you stress...cortisol levels rise causing water retention which makes it look like you aren't losing as well...which causes stress...cortisol levels rise...you see how that goes.

    Ha! Don't worry, I don't stress, I'm just lazy and don't want to implement changes if I don't have to!

    I find the best weapon against stress is knowledge. Knowing when to chill and when to act during a stasis will serve me well if I find myself stressing out. I'll just logic it away, track the time, and if I'm still flat after 6weeks, recheck my food/logs/etc.

    I replied more for the link on whooshes...it's a good one.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    There are plateaus and they usually are 6 weeks are longer. A lot of the time, a true plateau is due to not really eating in a calorie deficit because your weight loss has caught up with you calorie needs and you need to adjust. Sometimes, it's due to something else going on.

    Then there are stalls, which can last 3-6 weeks and are just your body being a jerk. There's really no need to do anything to shake things up, but when I hit one, SideSteel recommended cutting carbs just a hair. I was about to give that a try, but I had the famed whoosh happen before I could implement it.

    THIS. This is what I'm trying to tell. I know no loss during shark week is a fluke, and I know there are slow weeks occasionally, but I didn't know where stall ended and plateau began.

    I know what tends to cause a plateau (assuming health) and I'm ready to tweak when/if it happens, I just don't want to overcut calories due to a short stall. I've already been loosing swiftly, I've no need to hurry it along!

    Trust the math. Seriously.

    When I hit the stall, knowing that my logging was as tight as could be and that I was being as accurate as could be with the weighing and my entries, I sort of sailed calmly through the three weeks because I trusted the math. I KNEW that the numbers should be working out and that there was no need to try to cut calories to make something happen.

    It was a really, really awesome feeling.

    Hey if ya can't trust math what can you trust, right?

    I know I'm supermassive, but I don't think physics is breaking down at my event horizon.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    4-6 weeks. Got it!
    I understand what causes them, I just don't want to go through a revamp over a 2wk stasis if that is relatively common!

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
    here is a good article on "whooshes"...helps clear up some stress usually.

    Remember if you stress...cortisol levels rise causing water retention which makes it look like you aren't losing as well...which causes stress...cortisol levels rise...you see how that goes.

    Ha! Don't worry, I don't stress, I'm just lazy and don't want to implement changes if I don't have to!

    I find the best weapon against stress is knowledge. Knowing when to chill and when to act during a stasis will serve me well if I find myself stressing out. I'll just logic it away, track the time, and if I'm still flat after 6weeks, recheck my food/logs/etc.

    I put the link in more for the whooshes article it's a good one.

    Reading now, thanks!
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