How to break through a plateau
usmcmp
Posts: 21,219 Member
A plateau is typically described as no weight loss over the period of a month or more. Plateaus can be frustrating and many people experience them as they lose weight. Here are some steps you can take to break a plateau if you haven't lost weight in the past 30 days:
1. Buy a food scale and weigh absolutely everything every day. This means your "cheat meals" need to be within your calorie goal now. Accuracy is going to give you an accurate picture of what your calorie intake really is. If you can't log it you can't eat it.
2. Stop going out to eat. Calorie counts at restaurants, fast food chains, and coffee houses are notoriously inaccurate. If you are the one to cook everything you know exactly how many calories you are eating. This is a temporary sacrifice to get the scale moving.
3. Ensure your calorie goal is appropriate. If you've lost a lot of weight your calorie needs will change. If your activity level changes your calorie needs will change. If your exercise calorie burns seem a bit high you might not want to eat back all of them or adjust them down a bit.
4. Adjust your macros. Macros are rarely a make it or break it part of weight loss, but an adjustment may help. Adequate fat is important for hormones. Adequate protein is important for muscles and exercise recovery. More carbs can improve exercise performance and increase non-exercise activity.
5. Increase your daily calorie burn. You can accomplish this through exercise or through daily non-exercise activity.
6. Take a diet break. If you are sure that your calories are completely accurate and you have been sticking to your goal closely every day for a month then it's a good time for a diet break. Take one to four weeks off of dieting to eat at maintenance. This is good for your body and for your mental health.
I know the handy flow chart gets shared a lot (feel free to post below) and is a great reference. This is similar information posted in a different way.
1. Buy a food scale and weigh absolutely everything every day. This means your "cheat meals" need to be within your calorie goal now. Accuracy is going to give you an accurate picture of what your calorie intake really is. If you can't log it you can't eat it.
2. Stop going out to eat. Calorie counts at restaurants, fast food chains, and coffee houses are notoriously inaccurate. If you are the one to cook everything you know exactly how many calories you are eating. This is a temporary sacrifice to get the scale moving.
3. Ensure your calorie goal is appropriate. If you've lost a lot of weight your calorie needs will change. If your activity level changes your calorie needs will change. If your exercise calorie burns seem a bit high you might not want to eat back all of them or adjust them down a bit.
4. Adjust your macros. Macros are rarely a make it or break it part of weight loss, but an adjustment may help. Adequate fat is important for hormones. Adequate protein is important for muscles and exercise recovery. More carbs can improve exercise performance and increase non-exercise activity.
5. Increase your daily calorie burn. You can accomplish this through exercise or through daily non-exercise activity.
6. Take a diet break. If you are sure that your calories are completely accurate and you have been sticking to your goal closely every day for a month then it's a good time for a diet break. Take one to four weeks off of dieting to eat at maintenance. This is good for your body and for your mental health.
I know the handy flow chart gets shared a lot (feel free to post below) and is a great reference. This is similar information posted in a different way.
74
Replies
-
Good post is good. Hopefully people who need it will find it.9
-
diannethegeek wrote: »Good post is good. Hopefully people who need it will find it.
Thank you! I know it's been stated a lot and there are a few other threads like this out there. I'd be happy if it helps just one person.4 -
This is helpful, thank you! :-)2
-
I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?4
-
I have been on this journey two years and for me personally, it has happened more than once.
Perhaps my body has become used to the nutritional intake and my lifestyle.
Perhaps hormones may have something to do with it also.
I have found a break from the 'norm', or a fruit and vegetable cleanse for a week or so has been beneficial. This has been a healthy and practical reboot for my body.
Plateaus are extremely frustrating and can sabotage even the most committed of us on this journey.
Use this time to regroup and perhaps research other dietary plans and exercise strategies.
For anyone going through this.
You are definitely not alone.
USMCP offers very wise advice. Thank you.10 -
J9LynnHelton wrote: »I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?
@J9LynnHelton that's part of the point that for most people they are not eating at a deficit despite thinking that they are. All but the last step are ways to help them get into a deficit. During long term dieting there can come a time where a diet break is necessary.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/7 -
I love this!2
-
I recently had my first real diet break while on vacation for 2 weeks. I didn't log or track anything. I've been home less than a month and have lost more since returning than I did the 3 months leading up to my trip7
-
Excellent,
I think we need a sticky.
Cheers, h.5 -
2 -
8 -
This content has been removed.
-
I need something that gets me over an emotional/motivational plateau. I've not list any real weight for about 3 months, but it's because I've been a slacker. At least I haven't really gained weight. Feel ready to get back on track now and lose that last 7pounds0
-
So I have been dieting and exercising for a year and have lost 63 pounds. I need to lose at least 80 pounds more to first big goal, problem is I have been on a plateau for 2 months. I have tried upping my calories, exercising more, eating more protein etc and nothing has worked. I have Hashimotos so my Thyroid is very sluggish even on meds. HELP! Oh I am 63 (in 10 days) and have DJD in joints but I need to do something....any body help?1
-
So I have been dieting and exercising for a year and have lost 63 pounds. I need to lose at least 80 pounds more to first big goal, problem is I have been on a plateau for 2 months. I have tried upping my calories, exercising more, eating more protein etc and nothing has worked. I have Hashimotos so my Thyroid is very sluggish even on meds. HELP! Oh I am 63 (in 10 days) and have DJD in joints but I need to do something....any body help?
Have you read the OP's post? that's all the help you need right there.
Eating more is never going to help a plateau. To lose you have to take in less calories than you burn.3 -
If you haven’t had your thyroid and antibody levels checked recently make sure that isn’t the problem. Also, individuals with Hashimoto's should aim for TSH levels in the lower half of the normal range. If your thyroid is being managed by your GP you may want to consider checking in with an endocrinologist to make sure you’re on adequate thyroid replacement.0
-
I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?
Good question. people on here have all kinds of opinions on that matter and not all of them agree with each other. But I think it depends on the person who is going through it.
I have issues with constipation...:( That can stall my weight in the scale at least. Or stall it in a way that I am not losing at the rate I should be, based on the scales number only.
But I have a friend who lost from 210 pounds and she stalled at 70 pounds for 2 months. Then suddenly the scale moved again. She was very adamant about her diet.
1 -
After initial fast success of 9 lbs in 7 weeks, I went for the next month only loosing 1 lb, even though I was doing everything 'right' - I went through the chart above and everything. It was frustrating, but I just stuck with it. Recently I've starting loosing again, phew! and one thing that has changed is I've started some simple weight lifting. Maybe the thing that has pushed me past the plateau? I'm not sure, but glad to be on track again!0
-
A friend of mine lost a bunch of weight last year. When she hit a plateau, she said she tried intermittent fasting to help and it worked for her.3
-
^0
-
So I have been dieting and exercising for a year and have lost 63 pounds. I need to lose at least 80 pounds more to first big goal, problem is I have been on a plateau for 2 months. I have tried upping my calories, exercising more, eating more protein etc and nothing has worked. I have Hashimotos so my Thyroid is very sluggish even on meds. HELP! Oh I am 63 (in 10 days) and have DJD in joints but I need to do something....any body help?
Gluten free low carb and high protein diet + calorie counting + exercise = your best bet. With Hashimoto's you should completely eliminate certain foods from your diet. Reduce sugar intake, do not eat anything that contains wheat or gluten. Diary should be limited to fermented products only, such as kefir. Make sure that you get enough selenium in your diet, it reduces antibody levels. If you do not eat much seafood or fish, try eating 2 brazil nuts every day, they will provide you with enough selenium without the need for supplements.15 -
So I have been dieting and exercising for a year and have lost 63 pounds. I need to lose at least 80 pounds more to first big goal, problem is I have been on a plateau for 2 months. I have tried upping my calories, exercising more, eating more protein etc and nothing has worked. I have Hashimotos so my Thyroid is very sluggish even on meds. HELP! Oh I am 63 (in 10 days) and have DJD in joints but I need to do something....any body help?
Gluten free low carb and high protein diet + calorie counting + exercise = your best bet. With Hashimoto's you should completely eliminate certain foods from your diet. Reduce sugar intake, do not eat anything that contains wheat or gluten. Diary should be limited to fermented products only, such as kefir. Make sure that you get enough selenium in your diet, it reduces antibody levels. If you do not eat much seafood or fish, try eating 2 brazil nuts every day, they will provide you with enough selenium without the need for supplements.
Be careful with selenium, OP.
The tolerable upper intake level (maximum with reasonable assurance of safety) for adult women is 400mcg. One brazil nut can contain as much as 70-90mcg. Since most first-worlders aren't deficient to start, and some over-the-counter multi-vitamin/mineral supplements include selenium, it can be surprisingly easy to reach a potentially dangerous level.
Eating brazil nuts now and then is fine, but it's important to realize that eating multiples every day over a longer term has some potential for harm. It would be good to know whether you're deficient before adding more than a small amount on a daily basis.
I disagree that some other things in the quoted post are actually necessary, but they're reasonable to try out and see. Overdoing brazil nuts could actually possibly cause a problem, depending on starting status. (I personally wouldn't eat 2 every single day, though it's probably OK . . . but "if 2 is good, 6 is better" would be a bad way to think about them, perhaps.)
More info here:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
I know about this because I love, love, love brazil nuts. So I love them in moderation.
4 -
So I have been dieting and exercising for a year and have lost 63 pounds. I need to lose at least 80 pounds more to first big goal, problem is I have been on a plateau for 2 months. I have tried upping my calories, exercising more, eating more protein etc and nothing has worked. I have Hashimotos so my Thyroid is very sluggish even on meds. HELP! Oh I am 63 (in 10 days) and have DJD in joints but I need to do something....any body help?
Gluten free low carb and high protein diet + calorie counting + exercise = your best bet. With Hashimoto's you should completely eliminate certain foods from your diet. Reduce sugar intake, do not eat anything that contains wheat or gluten. Diary should be limited to fermented products only, such as kefir. Make sure that you get enough selenium in your diet, it reduces antibody levels. If you do not eat much seafood or fish, try eating 2 brazil nuts every day, they will provide you with enough selenium without the need for supplements.
Be careful with selenium, OP.
The tolerable upper intake level (maximum with reasonable assurance of safety) for adult women is 400mcg. One brazil nut can contain as much as 70-90mcg. Since most first-worlders aren't deficient to start, and some over-the-counter multi-vitamin/mineral supplements include selenium, it can be surprisingly easy to reach a potentially dangerous level.
Eating brazil nuts now and then is fine, but it's important to realize that eating multiples every day over a longer term has some potential for harm. It would be good to know whether you're deficient before adding more than a small amount on a daily basis.
I disagree that some other things in the quoted post are actually necessary, but they're reasonable to try out and see. Overdoing brazil nuts could actually possibly cause a problem, depending on starting status. (I personally wouldn't eat 2 every single day, though it's probably OK . . . but "if 2 is good, 6 is better" would be a bad way to think about them, perhaps.)
More info here:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
I know about this because I love, love, love brazil nuts. So I love them in moderation.
Hashimoto's is a chronic autoimmune condition causing an underactive thyroid. Many people with this disease show deficiency in selenium in their blood work. I only suggested what i did because I know someone very close to me with the disease and what many health professionals told her to eat or not to eat to help with thyroid issues. She is not using any prescription medication yet, because it is still possible for her to control the disease with proper eating. This is not a case of agreeing or disagreeing, it is simply what is needed for the condition and nothing to do with weight management. Overdoing on selenium is dangerous to your health and can result in hair loss and lots of other health problems, but I am sure OP knows how much of it she needs and if she uses selenium supplements, she would be better off replacing them with foods such as fish or brazil nuts.2 -
I’m not trying to lose although I have been slightly. However, my mom is on a diet right now and so are some friends. They’ve all sworn by a cheat day to break through a plateau. I think it seems legit. One day off eating what you want, but in reasonable portions, then get back on track and woosh
0 -
I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?
Your weight isn't simply governed by CICO. Many other factors which CAN influence it (i.e., hormonal issues, disease, etc). Although CICO is a good road map in the battle, it's possible to be at a calorie deficit and STILL gain weight.1 -
Honestly, if I hit a stall and care enough to generate a 'whoosh' (and that is what it is for me) cutting sodium some, and eating at maintenance, laying off the exercise and getting enough sleep for a few days almost always makes it happen.
My fat loss was always consistent but if I needed that water weight to drop sooner for some reason (including curiosity) then just c utting things that encourage water retention (including a long term deficit) typically made it happen.3 -
I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?
Your weight isn't simply governed by CICO. Many other factors which CAN influence it (i.e., hormonal issues, disease, etc). Although CICO is a good road map in the battle, it's possible to be at a calorie deficit and STILL gain weight.
*Fat* weight, the thing most of us really care about, is directly governed by calorie balance. Total bodyweight, including water and non-fat body tissues, not to mention volume of food/drink in our digestive system en route to becoming waste? Not directly governed by calorie balance.
So, yeah, scale weight is not simply governed by calorie balance (CICO), because scale weight includes all of those things, not just body fat.5 -
I am very curious why people plateau. If they are still eating at a deficit, how can they go a month with no weight loss?
Good question. people on here have all kinds of opinions on that matter and not all of them agree with each other. But I think it depends on the person who is going through it.
I have issues with constipation...:( That can stall my weight in the scale at least. Or stall it in a way that I am not losing at the rate I should be, based on the scales number only.
But I have a friend who lost from 210 pounds and she stalled at 70 pounds for 2 months. Then suddenly the scale moved again. She was very adamant about her diet.
I've stalled for a month or two...because I was eating at maintenance. I'm woman enough to own my unplanned eating.3 -
..and in-regards to breaking a plateau, calorie cycling has always worked for me.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions