Do you have a "wall"?

CattOfTheGarage

A podcast I was listening to brought up the concept of a weight loss "wall" - a weight that you struggle to get below, not because of physical difficulties but because you have a mental block - you just can't imagine yourself being that light and so when you approach the boundary you self-sabotage or quit. The interviewee said this happened to her several times at the 200lb mark before she finally got a handle on it.

Anyone else identify with this? I think I have a bit of a block about 12 stone - somehow it just feels like the difference between being "fat" and being "almost normal" and I struggle with the idea of being lighter than that - it sounds wonderful but at the same time impossible and a bit scary. It's the point I reached last time before I stopped logging and made a wrongheaded attempt to maintain without logging or weighing (of course I put all back on plus 7lb). As I'm approaching 12 stone again, I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on this idea.

leoniemcdee

I've definitely experienced a wall. Weirdly, mine was at 12 stone too. It took me 6 months (in which I gained about 6lbs) to break through. Now I've broken through I seem to be mentally stuck again. Did the podcast provide any useful tips for overcoming it?

size102b

12 stone too I get just past it then stop it's really frustrating

jelleigh

For me, in my skinnier days, I was always convinced that I could never be tiny. That no matter what I was going to be a size 8/10 because I was just a large frame (sounds laughable now - I would LOVE to be an 8/10 now lol). Anyhow, I got eating healthy and I to an actual exercise routine and stopped thinking about the numbers. Just focused in how I wanted this routine for me - for my health . And I didn't care what came of it if I could just get stronger etc. I went from 143 to 127. At 5'8" that out me at a 4 or 6. I never thought it was possible. But when I started working for goals other than a number, my body did what it did and I surprised myself. Fast forward 8 years and I'm in a journey to lose the 70 lbs I put on and I'm glad to know from my own personal paat experience that it's possible. But for anyone out there that isn't sure, that can't picture yourself skinny and fit, go to the Success Stories and look at all the amazing inspiring people of MFP who have made it. They are just Normal people just like you. And they maybe had to come just as far as your have to go (maybe farther!) And maybe they did it with even more obstacles. And if they can do it, so can you.

msf74

You mean something akin to the set point theory?

I think it's a common experience for a lot of people and damn annoying.

leanjogreen18

Yeah mine is 190's. After reaching onederland it seemed I lost steam. I bounce between 190-195. It coincided with 6 months of being in a deficit which is usually when diet fatigue sets in and with 2 family members having a serious illness.

The positive note is I can maintain for 2 months lol!!

I've gone back to zig zagging my calories as of yesterday, it seems I like having high and low calorie days. I'm getting back on track with my workouts too so stay tuned I'll bust that wall and hit 180's soon!

missh1967

Yep. I hate it.

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ladyreva78

I'm currently running up against a wall... Bloody annoying too!

I'm below obese BMI (barely but below). I'm just 4kg off from being lighter than I've ever been as an adult. I've been stuck in the same 2kg range since December. It's a bit of a strange idea to think I'm that light and can't really seem to wrap my head around that fact. In my head I'm still 30kg heavier and I'm laughing at the idea that I might be creeping closer to normal weight. Sorry girl, but that can't be true (it is... in case you're wondering).

I know what I need to do to get lighter, but between my incredulity that I might be that light and the fact that my appetite has been enhanced by a low dosage hormonal BC (side effects: migraines and an appetite to rival a dragon's. The others I tested were a lot worse), I've hit the wall - HARD.

I'm actually proud that even with all of that, I'm maintaining my losses and not stuffing my face silly (which I totally would if I weren't tracking my food intake). If I can manage to shift those 4kg to reach 'lightest I've ever been as an adult' within this year, I'll be ecstatic (I had planned with a 10kg loss for the year, but that plan has been scraped). The reality will probably be closer to: spending the year in maintenance to try and develop strategies to deal with the appetite so that I can again cut my calories lower without that gnawing feeling of hunger creeping up into my brain and devouring everything in its path on the way up... I'll also need to develop strategies to deal with my silly brain. Yes brain, I DO deserve to be that light, so go bugger off please!

Since I'm a bit stuck (hormones be damned!) I'm using the opportunity to work on my fitness goals:
- run a 5k (I can run it, I'm just not sure if I wouldn't currently be faster walking, so I'm trying to improve on my speed)
- do 10 unmodified push-ups in a row (I can do them with my knees to the ground... so getting there)
- Stronglifts 5x5 has become my new best friend (loving how my jeans are fitting right now...)

So even though my scale is currently stuck and I can expect little to no progress on that front, my body is changing for the better. It's a learning experience and I'm definitely up for the challenge.

CattOfTheGarage

msf74 wrote: »

You mean something akin to the set point theory?

Not really. Set point implies a physical tendency to be at a certain weight. I'm thinking about a psychological barrier. A head problem.

CattOfTheGarage

Duplicate post

CattOfTheGarage

leoniemcdee wrote: »

I've definitely experienced a wall. Weirdly, mine was at 12 stone too. It took me 6 months (in which I gained about 6lbs) to break through. Now I've broken through I seem to be mentally stuck again. Did the podcast provide any useful tips for overcoming it?

I think mainly awareness and changing mental attitude to challenge the belief that you can't be lighter. As @jelleigh said, the Success Stories forum could be a good source of inspiration.

JaydedMiss

150 ish ...i seem to be hovering lately Been here a month hoping to break through soon, I have hit 145 on dehydrated days, but no matter what i do i keep getting back to 150 xD And thats with walking 5-10 miles a day and a semi large defecit

kristikitter

How interesting!!

The more I consider it the more I think, for me, it's 10 stone - when I get there I'm like Oh right, I'm skinny now. I'm 5' 4", for reference.

I would actually look better with another stone off (a weight I haven't been for, like, fifteen years). My optimum slenderness is probably closer to 8 stone!! And I can't even picture it - to me that involves not eating anything and agonising over every bite.

I do have a lot of psychological blocks, including just not being able to understand how people can't eat enough to maintain a healthy weight. I look at a Mars Bar and gain five pounds... or it seems that way.

TimothyFish

Seems simple enough to deal with. If you are eating at a deficit and nearing your "wall" then just quit weighing for a couple of weeks so the next time you weigh you are past it.

GottaBurnEmAll

Yes. For me it's apparently 115. I've regained a couple of pounds from there. I think I'm going to get back to there and maintain and recomp. I wasn't accounting for loose skin and what the weight of that was doing to me.

StealthHealth

Interesting discussion.

Despite being a very data driven person I don't feel that I have a number (scale or tape measure) that is a mental block for me. But, I do relate to the concept in as much as I have a visual target for myself. In the past I've approached that and then self-sabotaged myself away from it.

I still struggle a little to rationalise that self-sabotage but it's also fair to say that my "everyday" body composition is closer to my goals of yesteryear; my current goals being a further improvement.

Thought process seems to be:

• "Hey, looking good, a few more weeks and I'll be at goal"
• "Maybe you need a diet break"
• "didn't you read something about leptin recently?"
• "Ripped Instagram dude eating epic cheat meal"
• "Lifestyle vs diet"
• "Family event coming up"
• "I desrve a cheat meal > Day > Weekend"
• "Friday and Monday are part of the weekend right?"
• "Wow, it's been a week of crappy eating"
• "Hmmm, not looking so good... need to buckle down!"

VintageFeline

I hovered around the upper end of the 160s for a long time last year, losing incredibly slowly. Some of it was my mental health and some of it was just struggling with compliance because I was basically back where I was at my smallest as an adult. More about dress size for me psychologically as it's only since losing I've used a scale. I was a large 12/small 14 (US 8-10) and my whole life I felt totally cool with being that size and when I started that was the size I wanted to get back to. Getting smaller felt entirely alien.

For whatever reason I got over myself at the start of this year and I'm now in the 150s nearly a size 10 (US 6) and have got my eye on a healthy BMI, which is in the 140s. I'll admit, it feels pretty good!

Rabid_Hamster

I completely agree with that concept. I've had a hard time breaking through the 160lb mark. I'd come close then go up a few pounds... hovering back and forth. I've been fighting myself for at least 6 months now..Ironically enough, I just stepped on the scale this AM and I officially broke through it: 159.4!!!!

Glasscandle

Major kudos for tearing down that wall!! Great job!

CattOfTheGarage

TimothyFish wrote: »

Seems simple enough to deal with. If you are eating at a deficit and nearing your "wall" then just quit weighing for a couple of weeks so the next time you weigh you are past it.

That's an intriguing dodge, I wonder if it would work or if I'd still find reasons to eat extra and sabotage myself.

Gallowmere1984

I have one, but it's there for a reason. I end my cuts at 165, so I can caliper and tape measure after a refeed. This allows me to gauge composition changes at that weight, to see how bulk/cut cycles progress, and if I need to change anything. I'm also hoping to compete in the 165 for my first powerlifting meet, so I obviously don't want to stray too far from that in either direction.

lemurcat12

125. I've been below it, spent months at 120 even, but I always seem to bump back up to 125+. I know it's mental and habit, not my body having a problem with it. Part of it is that I'd like to be thinner but find it hard to care that much when I'm 125-130.

sijomial

Maybe think in pounds instead of stones?
Stones being a large measurement it somehow seems far more significant.

In my head 11 stone something (even 11stone 13lbs) seems far less than 12 stone.
I also start to associate 11 stone something as getting into skinny territory (which is a negative term to me).
When I've dropped as low as 11st10lbs (for a big cycling event) there was a voice in my head saying "weak, puny, skinny" despite logically that made no sense at all.

My self-image is definitely a person that should weigh 12 something although realistically I could be healthy/strong/lean and less than that.

Francl27

135 lbs. Every time I go under, I just get so hungry...

deluxmary2000

Absolutely! Mine is about 5-10 lbs over my "healthy" weight range. It's the point where I look at myself and think "Meh - I look pretty good" and get lazy about wanting to look BETTER.

malibu927

Yeah. I hit that around 184, which was when I dropped below obese on the BMI chart.

trigden1991

When I go below 3% bodyfat, I die.

Apart from that no.

ronjsteele1

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad you voiced this because I thought I was the only one. I definitely have a wall! It seems like I lose 15#'s and as I'm headed to 20#'s I get "stuck" mentally. I have my weight loss broken into 20# increments to make it feel more manageable, but for some reason, I struggle between the 15 and 20# mark. The good news is I've proven to myself that I can maintain, but I NEED to continue to losing for health. I've been working through Beck's CBT trying to break this mental barrier. I'm kind of relieved to know I'm not the only one that struggles with this. Maybe it won't be so hard to get past it now that I know that.....

LynnBBQ72

I'm sorta stuck in one now - I got to 180, which is the smallest I've been in 12-14 years, and have really struggled the last couple of months. It hit at the same time I reached the 6 month mark of dieting, and a really busy time at work, and a lot of family drama, blah blah blah. And I'm just so incredibly tired of logging and having to constantly think of what I can eat that is in my calorie limit. And my doctor didn't seem very impressed with my 50 lb weight loss - he told me to go home and lose 50 more lbs, bringing me down to 135 lbs. I can't wrap my mind around 135 right now, but I still hear his voice in my head and I'm partially convinced that I will never ever make it to 135. Maybe 140? I'm just tired of dieting being my only hobby and I want this to be over. I'm down to 175 so still losing, but I have definitely hit a wall. Sorry for the rant.

newheavensearth

140. I got to 138 and then the "you're too skinny" interventions started. And I let it mess me up. Went back up to 147 for a year. I was nowhere near too skinny, people just weren't used to seeing me at a healthy weight ever in life (cultural issues involved too). I was 141.4 this morning. My size 4s are getting loose. I feel anxious, but at the same time I want and need to cross that line to get to 125. If I end up a 2 or 0 who needs to know? They're not checking my clothes and it's no one's business but mine. I'll be 41 soon and I want to be in shape already!