Have hit a plateau, it seems

Sued0nim

eeyore004 wrote: »

lorrpb wrote: »

How often do you weigh yourself? It is normal to fluctuate up and down from day to day. I simply can't believe that you've weighed exactly the same every day for 20 days to the tenth of a pound. If you are referring only to 2 weigh ins--today and the one 20 days ago, you could have weighed yourself on a "low" day then, fluctuated up and down, lost a few pounds, then fluctuated up today when you weighed again. Consider weighing daily if a few times per week to see your fluctuations, and track the trends and averaged on an app like Happy Scale.

That's actually a really good idea. I became a bit obsessive with weigh-ins in high school so I don't keep a scale in my home. I try to weigh in at the same time each week when we bring the kids to visit family after church on Sundays. Because of holiday busy-ness and traveling I did only have the two data points for the last 20 days. I'll try again this week and try to be optimistic!

That's your issue

So you don't know what clothes you're wearing you may have different foods in your body.

Everybody's weight fluctuate .. we don't have a scale weight but a scale weight range, generally around 5lbs

What affects the weight you see on a scale?
Food in digestive tract, weight of clothes and the big one ... water weight:
Lowering carbs then increasing them - increase water weight
Increased sodium = increase water weight
Change up in exercise = increase
As a woman your weight will fluctuate due to hormones around ovulation and menstruation as well

So the answer is if you need that data - buy a scale

Weigh first thing in the morning, after you've got up before you've eaten, after you've used the bathroom and nekkid

Track it in a trend app like Happy Scale or Libra or on a site like trendweight.com or weightgrapher

And just keep doing - improve your food logging accuracy if possible and move a little more

you'll be good .. sometimes weight loss goes in stalls and whooshes

Sued0nim

lynnstrick01 wrote: »

I don't know why so many people in here are opposed to the belief that while you are losing fat you are also gaining muscle which is heavier "by volume" (which is kind of the whole point) and therefore can cause a stall in loss of lbs. this is not something I just came up with off the top of my head, it has been told to me by medical professionals. Bottom line, if you FEEL better, If your clothing is fitting looser, If you have lost in INCHES, then something good is happening to your body, don't let the scales get you down they are only 1 part of the equation

Hypertrophy is anabolic not catabolic and demands the right conditions .. adequate energy and macros and progressive resistance

It simply isn't as easy as you seem to believe it is .. we all, those of us who weight train, wish it was

It is possible to recomp your body at maintenance but it's a long .. really long process

It is possible to gain muscle in defecit but under specific conditions and not to the extent that it will mask any weight loss over a period

there are reasons that scale weight doesn't move in a linear fashion .. but muscle gain in defecit is very rarely one .. and never for someone who isn't following any progressive resistance

ninerbuff

It's not a plateau since that's usually defined as 6 weeks or more of no weight movement IF one was consistent in diet and exercise. Any break in that routine wouldn't make it a plateau. You're in a stall and it's not uncommon. How can you break it? I'd first try increasing my intensity of activity whatever it is. Work that much harder for a week and see what 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

akern1987

*hugs* just keep logging. Sounds like you are doing great, and your body will catch up. However, if you really feel you need a little boost, change up your diet. Cut carbs from your diet for a few weeks, or start your day with a green smoothie for a while. You will get over the hump! Good luck

Sued0nim

akern1987 wrote: »

*hugs* just keep logging. Sounds like you are doing great, and your body will catch up. However, if you really feel you need a little boost, change up your diet. Cut carbs from your diet for a few weeks, or start your day with a green smoothie for a while. You will get over the hump! Good luck

sweet
but really will make no difference .. apart from emotionally

Kim55555

ninerbuff ... I dont think she is in a stall as she states she has noticed improvements which means she has lost fat! I'd say the water weight is masking the fat loss that has occurred. it's just that the scale has not moved. The scale is always the last to move. It will sooner or later.

I can remember one time I got frustrated as the scale hadn't moved in 4 weeks. I was very down that morning so i decided to try my black skirt on that I'd tried on 4 weeks earlier. I could only do it up half way 4 weeks prior and then 4 weeks later I could do it all the way up! That gave me heart to know I was progressing well, losing fat and I knew I just had to have patience, keep eating the amount i was eating, keep exercising and have faith that the scale would move eventually and not too much later the scale moved. I had a good scale loss. Some women like myself lose in patches. I don't lose for 3-4 weeks on the scale and them lose all my scale weight in the space of 1 week. My new low scale weight sticks around for a little while before heading up again.


OP whereabouts are you in your cycle? Is it coming up soon? The scale will stay high in the lead up to your period and the first few days of it. Have you started a new exercise routine? That could be another reason for retaining fluid.

Ibeachlover

My first suggestion would be to exercise more. I know you mention you are a stay at home mom, with a toddler, but you can do so many things at home, often without equipment. Check out the net...lots of good videos and references, and you can do these 10-15 minutes at time, or less, while toddler is otherwise occupied. Your workout doesn't need to be in one stretch; you can do it in 2-3 segments a day. LOL, better yet, get the toddler to join you, they will consider it playtime.

CalorieCountChocula

Kim55555 wrote: »

The scale is always the last to move. It will sooner or later.

What is the science behind this that makes it more than a feel-goodism. Don't say "muscle gains" because no one is ever gaining muscle (see MFP rule 354453).

christierenea

The same thing happened to me, after I lost 40 pounds, I stopped losing weight and was staying at at a certain number. My nutritionist said I wasn't eating enough calories and/or variety of food. I went from 1200 calories a day to 1550, added in more variety of foods because I'm a picky water, added strength training in with my cardio and this helped has helped me start losing again. I hope this helps.

LindaAntons

I have no sage advice, other than don't give up. You'll get there.
What I can do is send you a big Hang in there, and a big hug

auddii

CalorieCountChocula wrote: »

Kim55555 wrote: »

The scale is always the last to move. It will sooner or later.

What is the science behind this that makes it more than a feel-goodism. Don't say "muscle gains" because no one is ever gaining muscle (see MFP rule 354453).

Often when people first start, they do everything at once, which can lead to a "perfect storm" of stress on the body (fewer calories, increased activity, reduced sleep, etc). This can increase cortisol levels, which increases water retention. This may mask weight loss on the scale, but eventually the scale will catch up with the weight loss as long as the person is consistent.

Muscleflex79

why are you so intent on repeatedly telling people (across so many different threads) that they are gaining muscle when they are eating in a deficit and doing NO strength training?!?!

lynnstrick01 wrote: »

I don't know why so many people in here are opposed to the belief that while you are losing fat you are also gaining muscle which is heavier "by volume" (which is kind of the whole point) and therefore can cause a stall in loss of lbs. this is not something I just came up with off the top of my head, it has been told to me by medical professionals. Bottom line, if you FEEL better, If your clothing is fitting looser, If you have lost in INCHES, then something good is happening to your body, don't let the scales get you down they are only 1 part of the equation

chastity0921

Maintenance practice! Keep the deficit, and it will happen. Maybe up the exercise, or eat at maintenance calories for a day. Just remember, maintenance feels like this. No exciting losses... Just stagnate weight. Congrats on your loss!

eeyore004

Thanks so much for the encouragement, everyone. I'm going to stick with it, maintain the daily exercise, and do my best! Water is definitely a possibility, and I'm pretty sure muscle gain is unlikely. I also don't expect my cycle to impact my weight very much since I'm on Mirena so my cycle is more or less nil ;-)
I'll weigh in again this weekend and cross my fingers for some happy numbers on the scale.

Francl27

Edit : ok period or not, it's fine. You'll probably start losing soon again. It just takes some patience.

HutchA12

aceman8206 wrote: »

This may sound crazy but actually eat more. If you've been eating 1200, try 1500. I got to a point where I was eating 2000 a day and I stopped losing weight, literally wouldn't lose any more. I bumped my calories up to 2400 and started losing weight again. Don't be afraid to eat more and try different things. Fasting ended up being the thing that got me where I wanted to be. I carb cycled and had great results with that, then I went vegan for a week then vegetarian for like 5 months. Then I started fasting, I would go 19 hours no food, obviously tons of water, then I would have 2200-2500 calories in a few hours. It worked for me, Im not sure why. Im just backing up what I said, dont be afraid to eat more and try different things good luck!!

Seriously in every thread there is the eat more answer. The problem is they are either eating to much or being impatient. It always is.

eeyore004

I appreciate all of the support, everyone! Down 1.2 pounds at today's weigh-in and it's just the motivation I need to keep going (although I took a few stubborn weight-maintenance days this week because everyone needs a break from the stress now and then!)