Plateau...

dpeiffer85

After 50lbs lost, I've plateaued. I've tried changing my calorie intake, but, that hasn't helped. Any more ideas on what I can do?

cathipa

Congrats on your loss so far!! When was the last time the scale changed at all?

ladyhusker39

Search "plateau" on here. You'll find tons of answers really fast.

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 that match whether you're weighing raw or cooked 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.

dpeiffer85

Thanks so much for the replies. I do know I need to enhance my weight loss with food scales and some type of tracker. This is such an intimate and personal journey for me and I really appreciate all the feedback. Thanks for the support!

jemhh

dpeiffer85 wrote: »

Thanks so much for the replies. I do know I need to enhance my weight loss with food scales and some type of tracker. This is such an intimate and personal journey for me and I really appreciate all the feedback. Thanks for the support!

I lost my first 30 lbs without using a scale and just writing my food down. Then I got to where you are now, not being able to lose more. I think it's common to have to tighten up your method once you get closer to goal. Congrats on your success so far and good luck as you keep going

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Embrace the plateau!

Nony_Mouse

First step is tightening up on logging to ensure you are actually at a calorie deficit.

Also, if you haven't taken a break from dieting, you might like to read this: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/

Then wander into this thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks#latest - warning, it's long!! First 6 pages are pertinent reading, handy synopsis on p.6, we're working on a new tl;dr for the thread, but there are loads of personal stories from those of us utilising these strategies that are worth the read. Also, kitties, puppies, and about a million other tangents!

cathipa

Just remember the closer you get to your goal weight the slower the weight loss will be. Agree with @jemhh the food scale is probably the single most important tool for weight management. Log everything you consume with accurate entries (no generic or homemade).

Mandygring

I've experienced this too when I got close to my goal. You are definitely not alone.

FattieBabs

You may need to reset to lose 1/2 pound a week if nearer your total weight loss. Also double check your logging. Sometimes you can plateau for 3 weeks or more, particularly if you have not too far to go.