PLATEAU...I'm so frustrated
Chiema
Posts: 13 Member
I have been trying to lose the same half pound for two weeks now! It is very stressful to work so hard and have zero results. Anyone have suggestions on how to get over this stupid plateau!?!?
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Replies
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It's not really a plateau unless it sticks for months, but I get your frustration. Try not to worry too much, though, it's just a fluxuation. Make sure your food weighing is tight and your exersize numbers not inflated if you eat them back. You'll start dropping again. Good luck!0
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Two weeks is not a plateau. It's called "life".
You're not going to lose weight every week. Some weeks you'll do everything right and will see a gain. Our weight fluctuates constantly due to a number of factors (hormones, water retention, etc.). Hang in there.0 -
Faithful_Chosen wrote: »It's not really a plateau unless it sticks for months, but I get your frustration. Try not to worry too much, though, it's just a fluxuation. Make sure your food weighing is tight and your exersize numbers not inflated if you eat them back. You'll start dropping again. Good luck!
This. Keep weighing and logging all of your food and drinks that you consume, make sure that if you are using MFP calorie burn estimates for exercise that you are not eating all the calories back as they tend to be grossly exaggerated (aim to eat 1/3 to 1/2 of those calories back), and stay patient even though it is hard to do and super frustrating at times!
Also, measure inches, the way your clothes fit, better fitness levels as a way to see improvements in your health and body shape when the scale doesn't seem to be cooperating. I have found that for me the non-scale victories like dropping a clothing size or finishing a 5k without walking is more motivating than what the scale says.
Good luck!0 -
I found that not adding extra salt to my food gave more consistent weight loss readings. Although I like salt, so I have to deal with the scale bouncing all over the place.0
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Hang in there
The closer I got to my goal weight, I struggled to lose a half pound every two or three weeks. Incredibly frustrating for sure 0 -
Weight loss isn't linear. A plateau in weight loss is 6 weeks or more of no weight movement IF one is consistent with diet and exercise. If one doesn't stick to it even for a day, it's NOT a plateau because consistency was disrupted. This would then be a stall, but even then any type of inconsistency can lead to no loss.
Read this for more info.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1
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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Oh you're fine. If you're truly still in a deficit, you'll lose. It might come off all at once.0
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I'll take a plateau over a gain ANY day! Stick with it - don't get discouraged and give up!0
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Two weeks isn't a plateau.
Weight loss isn't linear. There will be some weeks with no loss shown even in a deficit. Somethings that can affect weight loss are meals high in sodium, your TOM, or starting new exercise. Just keep at it.
If you don't have a food scale to weigh your food, I'd suggest investing in one.0 -
Patience and application. You are frustrated becayse you are placing the stress on yourself and have unreasonable expectations, nobody else sees whats happening to you as anything like a plateau. It may be that the weightloss insnt linear should apply to your situation, but it may also prove to be the case if your weight does not move that you have hit maintenance levels, in which case you will need to consider moving more and maybe eating less.0
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I am DEFINITELY not at a maintenance phase. I have 100+ pounds to lose. Plus I don't think a half a pound was unreasonable in a two week period. I have small goals set to reach my long term goal. I understand that the goals are not always going to be met but my recent expectations are by no means unreasonable. I know many people would say that I was wrong but I had a fast day yesterday and dropped 2.8. I drank plenty of water to stay hydrated but it was enough to get me over the bump. With having 150 pounds to lose I think that a fast day or an all liquid day every once in a while is perfectly acceptable. Everybody is different and everybody doesn't need to be as extreme as I have been. I have not hurt myself and over the next few days I will ease my way back into eating normal. My only wish at this moment is I hope the 2.8 I lost does not creep back over then next few days. I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks! ☺️0
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Do you weigh ALL your solid food and dont use cups/spoons or serving sizes?
Can you open your diary
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I just came off of a two week stretch like that, only I was struggling with about the same 2 pounds. Then this weekend they dropped off along with 4 of their buddies. Just be patient.
If a fast day works for you then by all means go ahead. Personally I couldn't do it. I like my food. 0 -
What's with the "mandatory" weighing? So long as you are not fooling yourself and saying that a cup of ice cream or whatever includes an inch high mound I think it's fine to use cups and spoons. I also go by serving size as posted in food packages. In fact, I never measure anything, I just eyeball it. But then I have been cooking for 50 plus years and am very good at it, not recommended for everyone.
From the comments all over MFP I know that I am in a minority on this weighing/measuring cup issue but I think the only benefit of weighing vs cups is that weighing has a smaller margin of error. But who knows. I dont think most of us are using highly calibrated scientific scales. Who's to say that the scale is telling me 30 grams when it's really 33?
PS I am 65, losing an average of 1-2 lbs a week, no exercise except daily activities of living. 1200 to 1400 cal a day.
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Yikes.
Believe it, or not, a two week "plateau" gaining or losing the same 2lbs isn't, even with guys who do not have to deal with TOM issues.
This is going to happen again if you continue with your weight loss.
And you did NOT deal with the issue particularly well, at least in my random internet opinion.
So, do yourself a favour before embarking on fast days as a solution to every two or three week "plateau".
Sign up for www.weightgrapher.com, or another weight trend line generating application.
When these applications tell you that you are no longer in a deficit (not when they say you're not achieving your planned deficit, but when they say you are no longer losing, at all) THAT's when you're in a plateau!0 -
Yes, it's more accurate.From the comments all over MFP I know that I am in a minority on this weighing/measuring cup issue but I think the only benefit of weighing vs cups is that weighing has a smaller margin of error. But who knows. I dont think most of us are using highly calibrated scientific scales. Who's to say that the scale is telling me 30 grams when it's really 33?
Also, it doesn't really matter if the scale tells you 30 grams when it's really 33. As long as you are consistent, you'll be able to adjust intake based on your results. If you're guessing about what you've got in a cup or a tablespoon, you're not going to have the same consistency.
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What's with the "mandatory" weighing? So long as you are not fooling yourself and saying that a cup of ice cream or whatever includes an inch high mound I think it's fine to use cups and spoons. I also go by serving size as posted in food packages. In fact, I never measure anything, I just eyeball it. But then I have been cooking for 50 plus years and am very good at it, not recommended for everyone.
From the comments all over MFP I know that I am in a minority on this weighing/measuring cup issue but I think the only benefit of weighing vs cups is that weighing has a smaller margin of error. But who knows. I dont think most of us are using highly calibrated scientific scales. Who's to say that the scale is telling me 30 grams when it's really 33?
PS I am 65, losing an average of 1-2 lbs a week, no exercise except daily activities of living. 1200 to 1400 cal a day.
Well... because MOST people have no idea exactly what 1 ounce or 28 grams feels like in the hand. As it happens I do. Most people who have cooked extensively are very good at estimating measurements by eye and feel. However in today's' world people like us are the minority. These days people really are out of touch with basic cooking skills, nevermind dealing with lots of measurements. People don't learn to cook from their family so much anymore and most people live mainly on carry out, dining out and prepackaged meals.
Having spent about 20 years in the food industry. I also thought I had a good handle on estimating portions. I also recall that as a professional cook I did weigh out every single portion of everything. It was just something you did as a part of the job. Food cost is serious business. Even when I knew that I was accurate by feel 99% of the time. It only makes sense. It's not hard to do. It does not take much time to do it. And it saves money and calories. A few here or there can add p to a lot over time. And when I stopped and thought about those things and started doing it at home I realised that there are a lot of things I was way off on. Treating my personal meals with the care I had treated my professional cooking has paid off.
I am glad it works for you to just eyeball it but it really is not good to criticize people who do need to use a scale. A lot of these people already have low self esteem along with their weight issues and your comments could hold someone back from doing a simple thing that might just really mean the difference between their success or failure.
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What's with the "mandatory" weighing? So long as you are not fooling yourself and saying that a cup of ice cream or whatever includes an inch high mound I think it's fine to use cups and spoons.
Ice cream, other pastes, liquids and free flowing powders are probably fine measured by volume providing you have reliable data on cals per volume or density.
Other things like broccoli or fruit are probably hopeless for volume measurement.
I am somewhat in agreement, we don't know our calorie expenditure to 10% accuracy so the need to weigh inputs to 0.1% is debatable.0 -
I have been trying to lose the same half pound for two weeks now! It is very stressful to work so hard and have zero results. Anyone have suggestions on how to get over this stupid plateau!?!?
This is me! I was bouncing around gaining and losing the same three pounds for two weeks and starting to get frustrated even though it was obviously water weight fluctuations. I only have 10 pounds to lose, so every tiny bit of loss is important to me. I just kept weighing, logging, exercising and staying within my calories. Two days ago I woke up and the scale was down 1.5 pounds. Today it's up .5 again, but that still means I've lost a pound. So hang in there, the scale WILL eventually start moving down again if you keep eating less than you burn.0 -
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Is this serious?0
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dunno0
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I am DEFINITELY not at a maintenance phase. I have 100+ pounds to lose. Plus I don't think a half a pound was unreasonable in a two week period. I have small goals set to reach my long term goal. I understand that the goals are not always going to be met but my recent expectations are by no means unreasonable. I know many people would say that I was wrong but I had a fast day yesterday and dropped 2.8. I drank plenty of water to stay hydrated but it was enough to get me over the bump. With having 150 pounds to lose I think that a fast day or an all liquid day every once in a while is perfectly acceptable. Everybody is different and everybody doesn't need to be as extreme as I have been. I have not hurt myself and over the next few days I will ease my way back into eating normal. My only wish at this moment is I hope the 2.8 I lost does not creep back over then next few days. I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks! ☺️
Just becayse you have 150lbs to lose doesnt mean you cant be at a maintenance level in terms of calories in v calories out. There are alarm blls going off over what you are posting and your undersanding of how the weight loss journey will work, but I feel you are quite headstrong and are going to do it your way no mayyer what other people might warn you about. Good luck.0 -
I'm so frustrated by people who ask for advice. Are given tried and true advice by people who have been successful. People whom are giving the same advise, that I have followed for two months, and lost an average of 2 pounds a week. Then people say no thanks for giving me that advise, I would rather keep doing what I am doing. Go ahead don't weigh your food, do sloppy logging, as for me, I will take the advice and the loss that goes with it. If i fast for a day, which I do once a month for religious reasons, and lose weight I will not be upset if that loss was temporary because I know what over time really works.0
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daniwilford wrote: »I'm so frustrated by people who ask for advice. Are given tried and true advice by people who have been successful. People whom are giving the same advise, that I have followed for two months, and lost an average of 2 pounds a week. Then people say no thanks for giving me that advise, I would rather keep doing what I am doing. Go ahead don't weigh your food, do sloppy logging, as for me, I will take the advice and the loss that goes with it. claps.....
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What's with the "mandatory" weighing? So long as you are not fooling yourself and saying that a cup of ice cream or whatever includes an inch high mound I think it's fine to use cups and spoons. I also go by serving size as posted in food packages. In fact, I never measure anything, I just eyeball it. But then I have been cooking for 50 plus years and am very good at it, not recommended for everyone.
From the comments all over MFP I know that I am in a minority on this weighing/measuring cup issue but I think the only benefit of weighing vs cups is that weighing has a smaller margin of error. But who knows. I dont think most of us are using highly calibrated scientific scales. Who's to say that the scale is telling me 30 grams when it's really 33?
PS I am 65, losing an average of 1-2 lbs a week, no exercise except daily activities of living. 1200 to 1400 cal a day.
I was cooking rice, on the package it said 1/4 cup dry (46g), I measured a cup and thinking it will be 184g. Just to be sure, I tossed it on my scale, and it was over 250g.
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Try not to get discouraged when some of the weight yo lost doing your fast comes back. I guarantee a significant percentage was water weight. Just keep logging, if you do it accurately the scale will eventually go down.0
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I get the feeling that some peoe are actually mad at my choices here! Is this not an OPEN forum where support, advise, and encouragement is one of the goals to help people through their specific issues? Everyone is different and where something works well for one person doesn't for other, is that cause to be snippy and discourage the person by telling them they are headstrong? If you don't want to give any positive feedback I really don't want to hear it. If you don't like people, such as me, asking for advise then don't read the posts!! Pretty freaking simply I think. I enter EVERYTHING into my diary every day. I log into MFP multiple times through out the day just look at at forums and articles of interest that may be of help for ME on MY specific issues. The people here who have said to stay strong and science will win out I applaud your good nature toward what I see as my problem. For the people that call me headstrong and say that I am going to whatever I want to do, I do not need your comments. It only weakens my strength to push through this already difficult time. I do not appreciate you being sarcastic toward me. You don't know me...you don't know what I have been through...you don't know what struggles I may have had in the past! Don't pass judgement on a stranger!0
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I truly do not think people are passing judgement, Chiema. They are giving advise that truly does work, if you are willing to listen to it. Many of them, I suspect, were once (or still are) overweight and they know the struggles. They might not know the specifics of your situations, but because the basic formula for weight loss is so simple, it applies to basically everyone. If there is information you need them to have so you might get advice you are willing to hear, it would be much more prudent to provide that than leave us a post like above.
To me, it seems like you are treating weight loss as a sprint--drop as much as possible in a short amount of time by whatever means possible and hope it magically stays off. Unfortunately, that is not how you achieve sustainable results. You need to change what you eat, how much you eat of it, and you 'relationship' with food. You need to know what food does to your body and what it needs to be sustained throughout the day on lower overall intake calories. There are basic mechanisms in play that work against you now but will be your greatest aids once you realize what they are.
People in the thread have been very supportive. They are telling you that you should relax, settle in for the long haul, and try to enjoy at least some of the ride. The problem with treating weight loss as a sprint is that you are going to burn out long before the actual finish line emerges. If you eat at a deficit, you will loose weight. The greater the deficit, the quicker you will loose. You also have a body that needs to be nourished, though. One that needs a basic amount of fuel every day to do what it needs to do. There is nothing wrong with intermitten fasting if you understand the practice enough to know when it is appropriate to try--and I am frankly not sure that just skipping a day of food is in your best interest right now. Try working on your relationship with food instead.
I wish you the best of luck with your journey and I hope you will listen to the splendid advice you have been recieving. There people care, else they wouldn't have commented. That goes for me, too. Please try to keep that in mind.0
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