Frustrating Plateau. What can I do.
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And you don't need to cut carbs to lose weight. I have only monitored my overall calorie intake, and more recently my protein intake, and have lost weight.
If you don't miss carbs, count away.
I am someone who functions poorly (mentally and at the gym) with low carbs, so that approach doesn't work for me. My refusal to reduce my carb intake outside of reducing my overall calorie intake hasn't hurt my weight loss at all.4 -
TheDusticle wrote: »TheDusticle wrote: »Hey @jrhammond79 counting carbs? I try to limit them, but I lied, the one thing I have added as a light snack is some Skinny Pop popcorn. I wonder if that is an issue. That said, I've cut the beer during the week, so figured I'd be winning....
For future reference, when a person is limiting carbs, any sudden increase is going to result in a water weight spike which can result in the number on the scale going up or at least temporarily masking fat loss. It's normal, has nothing to do with your progress, and will level out eventually. It's the reason many dieter's have a higher carb meal/day and assume carbs make people gain weight. It's just water from the increased glycogen stores.
Very insightful. I had no idea. This is really good to know @try2again . Looking for anything to stay positive. And this helped, a lot!
You, sir, are going to do awesome because you are taking everything on board and willing to hear everyone's suggestions
Patience is for sure necessary when it comes to weight loss, and the food scale will be a big help. Ironically, once you use one for a while, you get better at eye-balling portions when you need to, because you get used to seeing that weighed out portion on your plate. Hang in there and good luck!3 -
That's so good to hear @MarylandRose , because I go really hard at the gym (cardio and then a circuit for a particular muscle group), and if I had skipped out on a lot of carbs the day before, I feel like absolute *kitten* with about half as much energy as I normally do when I hit my baseline.
Protein, monitoring you are getting enough?0 -
MarylandRose wrote: »And you don't need to cut carbs to lose weight. I have only monitored my overall calorie intake, and more recently my protein intake, and have lost weight.
If you don't miss carbs, count away.
I am someone who functions poorly (mentally and at the gym) with low carbs, so that approach doesn't work for me. My refusal to reduce my carb intake outside of reducing my overall calorie intake hasn't hurt my weight loss at all.
And what is 'Achievement'?0 -
TheDusticle wrote: »TheDusticle wrote: »Hey @jrhammond79 counting carbs? I try to limit them, but I lied, the one thing I have added as a light snack is some Skinny Pop popcorn. I wonder if that is an issue. That said, I've cut the beer during the week, so figured I'd be winning....
For future reference, when a person is limiting carbs, any sudden increase is going to result in a water weight spike which can result in the number on the scale going up or at least temporarily masking fat loss. It's normal, has nothing to do with your progress, and will level out eventually. It's the reason many dieter's have a higher carb meal/day and assume carbs make people gain weight. It's just water from the increased glycogen stores.
Very insightful. I had no idea. This is really good to know @try2again . Looking for anything to stay positive. And this helped, a lot!
You, sir, are going to do awesome because you are taking everything on board and willing to hear everyone's suggestions
Patience is for sure necessary when it comes to weight loss, and the food scale will be a big help. Ironically, once you use one for a while, you get better at eye-balling portions when you need to, because you get used to seeing that weighed out portion on your plate. Hang in there and good luck!
Well aern't you awfully sweet @kimny72 !! Honestly, The last 5-10 years where I have really ballooned, I thought I know it all ya know. Don;t get me wrong, I knew eating like crap was bad and non-exercise was awful, but just stubborn to think that when I hit the gym, I'd need a month and be back to where I wanted to be. Everyone use to say age was a variable that didn't make it that easy. And man is that true. So thanks again for the amazing comment. You've made my day.
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Do you workout frequently? Sometimes your body just needs a new workout! Routine is good but if you’re doing the same exercises your body will get familiar with it and you won’t get much change. But I think so far that’s awesome! Changing eating habits is the most difficult part.3
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inezpacheco2 wrote: »Do you workout frequently? Sometimes your body just needs a new workout! Routine is good but if you’re doing the same exercises your body will get familiar with it and you won’t get much change. But I think so far that’s awesome! Changing eating habits is the most difficult part.
I have a very consistent routine. Monday --> Friday I do 20 minutes on the treadmill at a good pace, followed by 40 minutes of weights, different muscle group each day (M: Chest, T: Tri's and Abs, W: Back, Th: Legs, F: Bi's and Shoulders). Saturday and Sunday I take the pup out for a 8km/5Mi walk. So I am not too sure if that is too routine, or spaced out enough.....and you nailed it. Food change is by the hardest...thanks for the comment @inezpacheco20 -
Just thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in too. The initial weight loss at the beginning of any diet and especially a low carb one (from experience) is water loss. There of course is some fat loss too but the body tends to let go of a bunch of water. When you have been dieting for a while the water balance in your body is restored but since fat is still being lost you end up with... you guessed it a stall in weight loss. Since you have only been on your program for a couple months this could be the issue. Also if you have increased your exercise there could be some water weight for muscle repair. A true plateau seems to be considered about 6 weeks! Yikes, I know been there. You're doing great and 20 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. While we are on the subject though you might want to be sure you have updated your calorie requirements in MFP because as your weight drops the calories you need to maintain get smaller thus to lose you will have to continue to cut back a bit. I know, I'm full of bad news. The upside is more exercise gives a few extras if you have the time. Good luck and don't give up!0
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You're killing me @cheryldumais !! Kidding of course. I love the education re: Carb and water retention and loss, plus water weight from muscle repair. All stuff I dis not know. What I do know, is I am being a bit impatient. Was just great to see the first 20lbs rip right off. So that's on me. So if it is indeed 6 weeks, well, that's what it will be. This is a long haul after all. No more crash diets. And great point. I actually never thought to update my calorie intake...which I am more than okay with. I seem to have a few hundred to spare each day lately anyhow. Thanks again Cheryl. Your 2 cents is welcome any day!0
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Oh, I don't mean you will be stuck 6 weeks just saying it is often that amount of time before anyone deems it a plateau. At your point I suspect in a week or two you will see another drop. I didn't truly plateau until I had been dieting for a year and had lost about 70 pounds. Hang in there the losses are gonna continue. Keep going.HarveysBud wrote: »You're killing me @cheryldumais !! Kidding of course. I love the education re: Carb and water retention and loss, plus water weight from muscle repair. All stuff I dis not know. What I do know, is I am being a bit impatient. Was just great to see the first 20lbs rip right off. So that's on me. So if it is indeed 6 weeks, well, that's what it will be. This is a long haul after all. No more crash diets. And great point. I actually never thought to update my calorie intake...which I am more than okay with. I seem to have a few hundred to spare each day lately anyhow. Thanks again Cheryl. Your 2 cents is welcome any day!
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cheryldumais wrote: »
Oh, I don't mean you will be stuck 6 weeks just saying it is often that amount of time before anyone deems it a plateau. At your point I suspect in a week or two you will see another drop. I didn't truly plateau until I had been dieting for a year and had lost about 70 pounds. Hang in there the losses are gonna continue. Keep going.HarveysBud wrote: »You're killing me @cheryldumais !! Kidding of course. I love the education re: Carb and water retention and loss, plus water weight from muscle repair. All stuff I dis not know. What I do know, is I am being a bit impatient. Was just great to see the first 20lbs rip right off. So that's on me. So if it is indeed 6 weeks, well, that's what it will be. This is a long haul after all. No more crash diets. And great point. I actually never thought to update my calorie intake...which I am more than okay with. I seem to have a few hundred to spare each day lately anyhow. Thanks again Cheryl. Your 2 cents is welcome any day!
I gotcha!! And that makes more sense. Thanks again Cheryl!! 1 -
TheDusticle wrote: »TheDusticle wrote: »Hey @jrhammond79 counting carbs? I try to limit them, but I lied, the one thing I have added as a light snack is some Skinny Pop popcorn. I wonder if that is an issue. That said, I've cut the beer during the week, so figured I'd be winning....
For future reference, when a person is limiting carbs, any sudden increase is going to result in a water weight spike which can result in the number on the scale going up or at least temporarily masking fat loss. It's normal, has nothing to do with your progress, and will level out eventually. It's the reason many dieter's have a higher carb meal/day and assume carbs make people gain weight. It's just water from the increased glycogen stores.
Very insightful. I had no idea. This is really good to know @try2again . Looking for anything to stay positive. And this helped, a lot!
You, sir, are going to do awesome because you are taking everything on board and willing to hear everyone's suggestions
IKR? We get so used to pushback or being blown off that when someone thanks you & takes suggestions to heart it makes you want to cry! 3 -
HarveysBud wrote: »That's so good to hear @MarylandRose , because I go really hard at the gym (cardio and then a circuit for a particular muscle group), and if I had skipped out on a lot of carbs the day before, I feel like absolute *kitten* with about half as much energy as I normally do when I hit my baseline.
Protein, monitoring you are getting enough?
yup, I took the 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight guideline that I've seen mentioned here and I think of that as a minimum number. To be fair, I also see my calorie goal as more of a minimum than as a ceiling to fear. I would rather lose slowly and retain the muscle I do have and have great workouts the whole way through than lose slightly faster and be miserable. Plenty of people prefer the faster route and that's perfect for them. I just know that I don't need to voluntarily add routine gym frustration to my life.
All this, of course, goes hand in hand with the advice to log everything you eat (including that one Andes mint I found in my purse while getting hangry in the checkout line) and use a food scale as much as possible.
As for Achievement, it's an app. They essentially pay you for access to your fitness data. Whenever you log a day's food or water intake in MFP, it syncs to Achievement and you earn points. Hit 10k points, get $10. I average about $30/year for 'selling' my fitness data...in other words, for doing what I do anyway (log food & exercise), I get a little cash back.1 -
TheDusticle wrote: »TheDusticle wrote: »Hey @jrhammond79 counting carbs? I try to limit them, but I lied, the one thing I have added as a light snack is some Skinny Pop popcorn. I wonder if that is an issue. That said, I've cut the beer during the week, so figured I'd be winning....
For future reference, when a person is limiting carbs, any sudden increase is going to result in a water weight spike which can result in the number on the scale going up or at least temporarily masking fat loss. It's normal, has nothing to do with your progress, and will level out eventually. It's the reason many dieter's have a higher carb meal/day and assume carbs make people gain weight. It's just water from the increased glycogen stores.
Very insightful. I had no idea. This is really good to know @try2again . Looking for anything to stay positive. And this helped, a lot!
You, sir, are going to do awesome because you are taking everything on board and willing to hear everyone's suggestions
IKR? We get so used to pushback or being blown off that when someone thanks you & takes suggestions to heart it makes you want to cry!
Never. I appreciate all the insight. May not take to all to heart; but certainly helps me weigh my options!!...so thank you.0 -
MarylandRose wrote: »HarveysBud wrote: »That's so good to hear @MarylandRose , because I go really hard at the gym (cardio and then a circuit for a particular muscle group), and if I had skipped out on a lot of carbs the day before, I feel like absolute *kitten* with about half as much energy as I normally do when I hit my baseline.
Protein, monitoring you are getting enough?
yup, I took the 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight guideline that I've seen mentioned here and I think of that as a minimum number. To be fair, I also see my calorie goal as more of a minimum than as a ceiling to fear. I would rather lose slowly and retain the muscle I do have and have great workouts the whole way through than lose slightly faster and be miserable. Plenty of people prefer the faster route and that's perfect for them. I just know that I don't need to voluntarily add routine gym frustration to my life.
All this, of course, goes hand in hand with the advice to log everything you eat (including that one Andes mint I found in my purse while getting hangry in the checkout line) and use a food scale as much as possible.
As for Achievement, it's an app. They essentially pay you for access to your fitness data. Whenever you log a day's food or water intake in MFP, it syncs to Achievement and you earn points. Hit 10k points, get $10. I average about $30/year for 'selling' my fitness data...in other words, for doing what I do anyway (log food & exercise), I get a little cash back.
Haha, so funny you said that. I found myself adding 1 Jolly Rancher a month back. Who has Jolly Rancher's anymore anyways! And I certainly agree. I still feel I have some of my 20's muscle under this layer of warmth I have going on here. So I am doing my best to incorporate a good balance of cardio and weights. Just looking for that secret recipe to rid of this beer belly while still gaining a bit of muscle mass.....I am going to check out the protein per pound guideline you are talking about thought. Never heard of it. Same with the App. Why not! You guys are the best..0 -
Definitely not a plateau for me down to 1740
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