The dreaded plateau

marekdds

I guess, we all have had them. We are watching what we eat, working out and - nothing. What did you try to get over them? Were you successful? Or maybe you never had one. What do you think?

nikkib0103

I have had so many plateaus over the years. Usually they cause me to just give up. But what I have found effective at times is jiggling calories, eating more one day, much less the next. also, believe it or not, sometimes boosting my crabs a little and throwing in a few more minutes of exercise has also worked.

BRaye325

For the first 60 pounds, I didn't have any plateaus. Now for the last 30 it's been a regular occurrence. Here is what I've tried so far:

1. Double-check my weighing and measuring on all portions sizes.
2. Don't eat while standing, only sitting with measured portions.
3. Add more protein to help keep me more satiated.
4. Increase my activity for a couple of weeks to help break through.
5. Stay hydrated - at least 8 cups of water per day.

I'm to the point where my calorie intake is about as low as I can handle without risking binging due to hunger or getting too lightheaded. I think if I am going to continue losing on a regular pace, I have to concentrate on being more active. Still my rate of loss will be less than before, but I'm not in a race. A slow decline is fine with me.

Purple1105

Shake things up. If you have a 'regular' exercise routine, throw something new in there. Find a different routine that burns more calories for a few days. Change you old stand by meals. Changing things up will help. Continue to plug away at exercise and eating habits because sometimes you aren't losing weight but you are losing inches!

BRaye325

I did find I was being a little 'generous' with my portion sizes. Especially if I had an open bag or container, so weighing and measuring has really helped me reign that in and now the weight has started dropping again over the past month. Increasing my activity has been the other key.

ahoy_m8

If it's been less than 3 or 4 weeks, it could be this.
If it's been longer, you're eating at (or very close to) maintenance. Try plotting a 28-day trailing average of your daily weigh-in. Does the trend line go down? If so, and if you are satisfied with that result, hold steady the course. If not, then see if your logging can be tightened up someplace. If not, your TDEE might be lower than you estimated. I hope it's not the last one!

ETA: For me personally when I'm losing, it's not uncommon to see nothing on the scale for a couple weeks then *whoosh* 3 lb gone in 2 days. I use the training average for weight so normal fluctuations don't make me crazy. Also, I lose really slowly to preserve that hard earned LBM, so the trend line helps me see progress that's not obvious with fluctuations.

whmscll

I am in a plateau right now. Gaining and losing the same pound for almost two weeks. Despite the logic and everything I know and have experienced with plateaus, I'm becoming frustrated. I want to be at goal NOW. Reading this thread has helped! Thanks!

luluinca

I've been doing this for 21 months now and have broken through several plateaus. I find that most of the time when my weight loss stalls it's because I've either gone a little to crazy with a cheat meal here or there, I've become somewhat bored with my workout routine, or I'm just a little tired of eating at a deficit and lean more toward maintenance for awhile whether I realize it or not, usually because I'm not using my scale as often.

Generally, I just have to rededicate myself to losing, pick up the pace of my workouts or add in something new, and then stick to my deficit every day. Recently I added a bit of a jog to my dog walks and I lost a pound in the last couple of weeks. I'm nearly at, or at, maintenance, depending on who I'm listening to on a particular day, so I'm not that worried one way or another. It's nice to know I can still lose if I really want to though.

One thing about plateaus that are actually encouraging is that we're teaching ourselves to maintain which will come in handy when we do reach our goal weights.

BRaye325

Bumped

nikkib0103

I am on a plateau now. I don't know for sure what is causing it. part of the blame could lie with the fact that that special time of the month has not blessed me for two months straight. (No, I will not be the world's oldest mother!). Another part could be that I have been slacking on veggies. And water. I am going to shake a couple of things up and see where it gets me!

marekdds

Good plan nikki

Farback

I was at 198 in May from over feeding my power lifting habit. Apparently it didn't all turn to muscle... I dropped 5 before my doctor appointment mid-May (one of the joys of heart disease) He read me the riot act and we agreed I'd be 185 before my next appointment in mid-August. Or I have to return the heart. (Kidding, just one stent in the original equipment) I dropped from 195 to 190, then plateaued for a few weeks. Dropping again now through serious attention to exercise and watching the quality of what makes up my 2000 or less calories. 187 today, heading for 178. I may go to 175 and if the gut is gone use 175-180 as my 'zone'. My BMI number, 165, I feel is not reasonable with heavy weight lifting twice a week. We'll see if I have to beat women-folk off with a stick at 175.

marekdds

That is marvelous progress.

Farback

marekdds wrote: »

That is marvelous progress.

Thanks. I was 240 once at my worst. I was at 185 and fit when I had my heart attack last year. I was running 5k's once or twice a week, had gone bow hunting in deep snow for seven miles two days before, and fought a fire the day before. I couldn't believe I was getting dropped by a heart attack. Genetics just doesn't care.

nikkib0103

Farback wrote: »

marekdds wrote: »

That is marvelous progress.

Thanks. I was 240 once at my worst. I was at 185 and fit when I had my heart attack last year. I was running 5k's once or twice a week, had gone bow hunting in deep snow for seven miles two days before, and fought a fire the day before. I couldn't believe I was getting dropped by a heart attack. Genetics just doesn't care.

I am pretty sure no one thought anything could get the drop on you. As a friend of mine told me after my stroke: 'God was throwing pebbles at you to get your attention about your health. You ignored Him so he dropped a brick wall on your head. Now are you listening?'. These events are the biggest alarm clocks in the world. You are doing super. your doctor has nothing to complain about,

Slashnl

nikkib0103 wrote: »

Farback wrote: »

marekdds wrote: »

That is marvelous progress.

Thanks. I was 240 once at my worst. I was at 185 and fit when I had my heart attack last year. I was running 5k's once or twice a week, had gone bow hunting in deep snow for seven miles two days before, and fought a fire the day before. I couldn't believe I was getting dropped by a heart attack. Genetics just doesn't care.

I am pretty sure no one thought anything could get the drop on you. As a friend of mine told me after my stroke: 'God was throwing pebbles at you to get your attention about your health. You ignored Him so he dropped a brick wall on your head. Now are you listening?'. These events are the biggest alarm clocks in the world. You are doing super. your doctor has nothing to complain about,

I like that quote from your friend. We all need to watch for the pebbles!

giusa

Thank you for starting this thread @marekdds. Empathize with each and every one of you.
In February, between starting a new lifting program and hormones I gained 6 lbs in one month, and to make matters worse I'v been losing and gaining the same 3 of those 6 lbs since. Hoping for that big whoosh and at least get back to my January weight at some point.