First plateau - so frustrating!

MamaSooz89129

I didn't think I would hit a plateau so soon - I'm guessing I've so messed up my metabolism over the years that my body is freaking out right now. I did a 2 week sugar detox starting July 1. The first week lost 9.5 lbs - BAM. I expected things to slow down... 4 days later I was down 11 lbs. For the last week and a half I float between 11-12 lbs down. This is the week I started cardio (5 times for 20 minutes each this week) and one attempt at strength training (I know, I need to be consistent at this) and a couple of yoga sessions before bedtime. No treats, eating between 1200-1400 cals. Lots of veggies, lots of protein. I have so far to go - another 70+ lbs. Why is the scale needle sticking so soon? What can I do to dislodge it short of passing out from exhaustion?

gillie80

you need to give it time. lots of people lose big in the first few weeks, i did too, but then when you've lost all the water you've been holding onto for a rainy day you're left with the fat to shift, and it's a whole load harder. give it time, it can take several weeks to see the scales moving again. don't panic, as long as you are logging accurately, eating at a deficit you'll lose. it's all about CICO for me. eat less than i burn, and the scales will move. good luck.

ninerbuff

Not a plateau. That's defined as 6 weeks or more of no weight movement IF one has been CONSISTENT with diet and activity.
The first couple of weeks you've lost mostly must water and depleted your glycogen stores. Not uncommon on a "sugar detox" (which by the way is just reducing your sugar intake and not really a "detox"). It's been LESS than a month. Your expectation of weight loss isn't uncommon when embarking on these initial fast loss programs.
More than likely you're trying to lose 2lbs a week and if you're under 200lbs, that doesnt' last long. Should for 1lbs a week. Be consistent with your food and exercise and it will happen.

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

GrmaCheez

I understand the plateau issue. I went from 174 to 148 between Feb. 1 and June 1. Now I'm at 146 and struggling. I bounce up and down 2-3 pounds and just can't seem to break that 145 barrier. It's very frustrating!

diannethegeek

1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.

2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.

3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.

4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.

5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.

6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.

7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.

8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.

9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.

MamaSooz89129

Thank you for all your comments. I guess I just need to learn some good old fashioned patience. I've got the scale, I'm logging everything and will try hard to be a Dory and "just keep swimming".

lorrpb

You've lost 11 lbs in 27 days. There is no problem.