If you think you've plateau'd - read this
Replies
-
Nice job describing MY weight loss pattern to a tee, and dismissing how much effort it takes, then adding another layer of sexual politics to make the conversation even less productive.
News flash: your doctor patronizing you because you are whining.
You obviously missed the point.
Do you find yourself saying this to people a lot?
Because it's generally a mistake to assume people must have "obviously missed the point" just because they point out you are wrong.
How can it be that you are so different when our weight loss follows the same pattern? It's totally normal. As in, yr weight loss, as you described it, follows a normal pattern. Can it be you are so into dramatizing your personal struggles that you can't conceive of others succeeding unless their own struggles are easier?
So sick of being told it's easier for men. I work my *kitten* off for this. Also very sick of women not understanding that men have hormonal fluctuations that affect our moods, weight, and behavior.
It really sucks that you grew up in a dying patriarchy and I feel for you, but it's not the ONLY struggle in life, and in any case it hurts everyone, not just women.
You are confusing my FAT loss with my WEIGHT loss. They are not on the same pattern and that is due to hormone fluctations of hormones you don't have in anywhere near the same amounts.
Please tell me again how your progesterone and estrogen levels bounce around throughout the month causing weight changes that are different from your fat changes. Not saying your pattern is linear in both respects, but the root cause is obviously different.
Unless you are a woman posing as a man behind that little screen of narrow vision.
As someone who measures skin folds every day, I am the last one to confuse fat loss with weight loss. When I see the scale go down and the fat stay the same, I get upset about the muscle loss and I realize this comes down to hormonal fluctuation. Only in my case it's a lot harder to nail down WHY I experienced low testosterone. The signs are there though. Irritability, decreased libido (or none at all), muscle loss and fat gain, lassitude, and sometimes depression. A simple comment can trigger dramatic changes in my hormonal balance.
The problem is, you haven't actually researched this. Yes I do have hormone fluctuations, as a man. Sorry to burst your bubble. Look it up. Further, some men are more stable than others, and some women are more stable than others, and all this occurs on a spectrum. Which means that some women are more stable than some men. As a man, my hormonal fluctuations are also much more affected by circumstance. If I am elevated to a leadership position, the balance changes. If I am demoted to a low social status, the balance changes again.
I fully support feminism and the dismantling of the patriarchy. I don't support establishing a new, highly regimented and segregated view of humanity based on a one sided and incomplete view of human biology.
Big difference between actual science and your pop science. Man or woman, this is hard. Man or woman, we are all cut from the same cloth and more alike than different. It's up to you whether you choose to focus on what makes us the same or what makes us different, and I would suggest it comes down to your motivations.
http://www.hormonesmatter.com/hormones/Men make predominantly testosterone from the testes in a relatively constant amount, with small amounts of estrogen and progesterone either manufactured by the testes and adrenal glands or converted in the fat or liver from other precursor hormones.
Women produce mainly estrogens and progesterone from the ovaries in a cyclic pattern with a small amount of testosterone from the ovaries and adrenal glands.
<snip>
Unlike in the male, female sex steroid levels fluctuate in a specific pattern controlled by the interaction of the pituitary gland in the brain and the ovary. It is these fluctuations that make women so different from men in so many different areas of physical and mental well being.
Weight gain, high blood pressure, depression, mental fog, strokes, autoimmune disease, endometriosis, breast cancer, and infertility are some of the problems either caused or worsened by hormonal fluctuations.0 -
Interesting read, thanks0
-
...Only in my case it's a lot harder to nail down WHY I experienced low testosterone. The signs are there though. Irritability, decreased libido (or none at all), muscle loss and fat gain, lassitude, and sometimes depression. A simple comment can trigger dramatic changes in my hormonal balance.
...If I am elevated to a leadership position, the balance changes. If I am demoted to a low social status, the balance changes again.
This is fascinating. I understand changes in mood based on a comment, promotion, etc, but how do you know it's hormonal fluctuation? Or are all changes in mood hormonal? It makes sense from a biological/evolutionary standpoint because lower-ranking males shouldn't waste their energy on producing large amounts of testosterone, but I'm surprised it's something you've noticed.
I heard an interview with a woman taking testosterone supplements (transitioning to a man). What I remember is she said it gave her an overwhelming desire to have sex all the time, even with strangers on the bus. This reminds me of the "why are women jealous" thread. I don't know why people think we can separate how we feel and act from biological (and sociological) pressures. But that is way way off topic.
You must have been listening to This American Life. I heard it too. Interesting to hear about a feminist who suddenly can't stop objectifying women because of testosterone!
I think everyone can agree that both sexes have hormones that may be out of balance. But our hormone levels are different and therefore affect each sex differently. There's also a lot of individual variation. Everyone happy now? Seems it's everyone's TOTM! I personally am just fine as long as I stay on the pill lol. Off it I'm a demon half the time :devil:0 -
You must have been listening to This American Life. I heard it too. Interesting to hear about a feminist who suddenly can't stop objectifying women because of testosterone!
That was it! I couldn't remember where I heard it. It was a whole show about testosterone, but I only caught the one segment. They also interviewed a man who lost testosterone. I found it here:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/220/testosterone
and a transcript here:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/220/transcriptI think everyone can agree that both sexes have hormones that may be out of balance. But our hormone levels are different and therefore affect each sex differently. There's also a lot of individual variation. Everyone happy now? Seems it's everyone's TOTM! I personally am just fine as long as I stay on the pill lol. Off it I'm a demon half the time :devil:
I'm happy now! At least until the next estrogen surge.
0 -
Pretty much same here, went 5 months on between 1,000- 1,100 lost 20 lbs (down to 10 st 2 lbs) ate 1,600 cals for the next two months and put on 7 lbs....
Eat more to loose weight my *kitten*! Back on 1,100 now haaa!0 -
Yup, difference between women and men is, at least women can expect a predictable pattern. Men are not so lucky, plus nobody will give us a break on it because pop science doesn't cover men's hormones.
So here is what women should do to get lean: eat below tdee.
And for men: eat below tdee.
What women should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
What men should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
Big ****ing surprise!0 -
pcastagner, i like you - you have a brain and thats a rare thing around here!0
-
Not if you have certain medical issues. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and I also have Lyme disease. Both can make weightloss very slow and very difficult, even when exercising and eating well.
[/quote]
you are amazing!
a true inspiration!
thank you for sharing your personal info - and congrats on your weight loss!!!!0 -
great and interesting read - thanks for sharing OP
:happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: 0 -
Great read! Thanx for posting It does make total sense, but I didn't actually know to give it 3 weeks.. Great info in there too! Keep this one going! 0
-
Great information, thank you!
I have never had a problem with plateaus, and this made me understand why, I think. I am a math nerd when it comes to losing weight, and I'm always fiddling with the numbers, making charts and graphs, accounting for everything I possibly can (within reason). I probably take it beyond the realm of what most people could tolerate, but I just happen to be one of those people who has a love of details. For me, it's fun. 0 -
Great read and very timely for me. Thanks again, ritchie.0
-
Yeah, it should be that easy, shouldn't it? But sometimes it really isn't. I eat pretty much the same thing every day- at least the same meals I just rotate from time to time. It hasn't changed in months and months. Then I started exercising- nothing major, just a walk a few days a week. Maybe burning an extra 300 calories on those days, but it's hard to know for sure. My weight loss slowed dramatically and my measurements are not changing in any significant way. I am eating exactly the same way I was before and now burning a few calories more, and it seems to have put on the brakes. It seems like basic math- but it's not adding up. I keep doing it because I literally don't know what else to do and I'm sure not going to let myself slide backwards, but I'm not going to lie, it's damn frustrating.0
-
Yeah, it should be that easy, shouldn't it? But sometimes it really isn't. I eat pretty much the same thing every day- at least the same meals I just rotate from time to time. It hasn't changed in months and months. Then I started exercising- nothing major, just a walk a few days a week. Maybe burning an extra 300 calories on those days, but it's hard to know for sure. My weight loss slowed dramatically and my measurements are not changing in any significant way. I am eating exactly the same way I was before and now burning a few calories more, and it seems to have put on the brakes. It seems like basic math- but it's not adding up. I keep doing it because I literally don't know what else to do and I'm sure not going to let myself slide backwards, but I'm not going to lie, it's damn frustrating.
If I had to guess, based on your post, I'd think it might have something to do with the fact that you're not really changing your diet. If you've lost a significant amount of weight, then it means that you require fewer calories per day to fuel your body than it did before. This means that you have to work that much harder (or eat that much less) in order to get the deficit needed to lose. Sometimes this causes people to plateau- because they're working out/eating based on old calculations.0 -
Yeah, it should be that easy, shouldn't it? But sometimes it really isn't. I eat pretty much the same thing every day- at least the same meals I just rotate from time to time. It hasn't changed in months and months. Then I started exercising- nothing major, just a walk a few days a week. Maybe burning an extra 300 calories on those days, but it's hard to know for sure. My weight loss slowed dramatically and my measurements are not changing in any significant way. I am eating exactly the same way I was before and now burning a few calories more, and it seems to have put on the brakes. It seems like basic math- but it's not adding up. I keep doing it because I literally don't know what else to do and I'm sure not going to let myself slide backwards, but I'm not going to lie, it's damn frustrating.
Love it when the problem and the solution are really obvious. It's normal not to be able to see it when it's you that you're talking about too. Love that. Humans are neat.0 -
Great information, thank you!
I have never had a problem with plateaus, and this made me understand why, I think. I am a math nerd when it comes to losing weight, and I'm always fiddling with the numbers, making charts and graphs, accounting for everything I possibly can (within reason). I probably take it beyond the realm of what most people could tolerate, but I just happen to be one of those people who has a love of details. For me, it's fun.
A math nerd, or an arithmetic nerd?
Take a look at some growth curves, and listen to the radio lab episode about "natural counting". If you expect linear progress in base 10, you get disappointed.
I think what this really comes down to though, is putting your weight loss into an emotional context. Which means constantly reminding yourself that this is your life now, and your desire for easy fixes and quick results is probably what got you here (I feel bored/tired/sad so I eat too much food and it feels better). You're essentially trying to swim upstream, since your environment and genetics encourage obesity. That's why I feel we should address personal responsibility with individuals, and at the same time public health with government or cultural intervention. It's not one or the other.0 -
Great information, thank you!
I have never had a problem with plateaus, and this made me understand why, I think. I am a math nerd when it comes to losing weight, and I'm always fiddling with the numbers, making charts and graphs, accounting for everything I possibly can (within reason). I probably take it beyond the realm of what most people could tolerate, but I just happen to be one of those people who has a love of details. For me, it's fun.
A math nerd, or an arithmetic nerd?
Take a look at some growth curves, and listen to the radio lab episode about "natural counting". If you expect linear progress in base 10, you get disappointed.
I think what this really comes down to though, is putting your weight loss into an emotional context. Which means constantly reminding yourself that this is your life now, and your desire for easy fixes and quick results is probably what got you here (I feel bored/tired/sad so I eat too much food and it feels better). You're essentially trying to swim upstream, since your environment and genetics encourage obesity. That's why I feel we should address personal responsibility with individuals, and at the same time public health with government or cultural intervention. It's not one or the other.
"Arithmetic Nerd" is probably closer to the mark, technically speaking- but "Math Nerd" is a geekery reference to a t-shirt I frequently wear. Sometimes I use the expression when I shouldn't because I forget that other people aren't in on the joke.
I agree with you that personal responsibility combined with public health and government/cultural intervention are key in addressing these issues. In fact, I'm a very vocal advocate for public education related to health/fitness/nutrition; it appears that a lot of people struggle with their weight, at least in part, because they do not possess the knowledge they need to make better decisions. I'm the sort of person who chooses to educate herself on matters of interest; however, I also recognize that I come from a place of privilege in my ability to do this. Not everyone has the same access to information or resources that I do, and so may depend on others to help get them where they want or need to be. What's unfortunate, at least with respect to this topic, is that so much misinformation exists, which only serves to confuse in the long term.0 -
It's not just access to education, although that is super important.
A lot of money and energy goes into researching ways to trigger overeating in human populations, because selling food is profitable. That's where we as an overall population are currently investing our resources. That's aside from the political context and whether you are a socialist, capitalist, or whatever. It's undeniable.
I'm saying we need some kind of counterbalance, whatever political means are used to achieve it, because the costs are too high to sustain this state if affairs.
Personally, I lean towards things like regulations and controls, like removing refined sugar and salt from the "generally regarded as safe" list, or including a label on packaging when sugar, fat, and salt are deliberately combined in ways that trigger strong tendencies to overeat without ever feeling sated. I cheered when NYC forced calorie counts on chain restaurant menus.
I understand all the issues surrounding that and don't want to have a left vs right debate, so I'll accept that the means to achieving some kind of improvement will vary depending on political context.0 -
Bump to read good topic!0
-
Yeah, it should be that easy, shouldn't it? But sometimes it really isn't. I eat pretty much the same thing every day- at least the same meals I just rotate from time to time. It hasn't changed in months and months. Then I started exercising- nothing major, just a walk a few days a week. Maybe burning an extra 300 calories on those days, but it's hard to know for sure. My weight loss slowed dramatically and my measurements are not changing in any significant way. I am eating exactly the same way I was before and now burning a few calories more, and it seems to have put on the brakes. It seems like basic math- but it's not adding up. I keep doing it because I literally don't know what else to do and I'm sure not going to let myself slide backwards, but I'm not going to lie, it's damn frustrating.
Love it when the problem and the solution are really obvious. It's normal not to be able to see it when it's you that you're talking about too. Love that. Humans are neat.
So glad I could amuse you. Thanks for pointing out that it's obvious and not actually stating what IS obvious, because it's clearly not obvious to me. *kitten*.0 -
Yup, difference between women and men is, at least women can expect a predictable pattern. Men are not so lucky, plus nobody will give us a break on it because pop science doesn't cover men's hormones.
So here is what women should do to get lean: eat below tdee.
And for men: eat below tdee.
What women should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
What men should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
Big ****ing surprise!
Lest you forget....the original point was that the "whooshes" that women experience can often take longer than two weeks to experience. (And that fat loss is not linear) 0 -
Yup, difference between women and men is, at least women can expect a predictable pattern. Men are not so lucky, plus nobody will give us a break on it because pop science doesn't cover men's hormones.
So here is what women should do to get lean: eat below tdee.
And for men: eat below tdee.
What women should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
What men should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
Big ****ing surprise!
Lest you forget....the original point was that the "whooshes" that women experience can often take longer than two weeks to experience. (And that fat loss is not linear)
And lest you forget, if you substitute "men" for "women" in your sentence, it's still true.
This is frustrating for both sexes! The patterns I see women blaming in TOM are remarkably close to what I experience! And I also get the sneaking suspicion my own challenges are tougher than everyone else's.
Welcome to being human!0 -
Great article! And timely for me. Thank you.:flowerforyou:0
-
Yeah, it should be that easy, shouldn't it? But sometimes it really isn't. I eat pretty much the same thing every day- at least the same meals I just rotate from time to time. It hasn't changed in months and months. Then I started exercising- nothing major, just a walk a few days a week. Maybe burning an extra 300 calories on those days, but it's hard to know for sure. My weight loss slowed dramatically and my measurements are not changing in any significant way. I am eating exactly the same way I was before and now burning a few calories more, and it seems to have put on the brakes. It seems like basic math- but it's not adding up. I keep doing it because I literally don't know what else to do and I'm sure not going to let myself slide backwards, but I'm not going to lie, it's damn frustrating.
Love it when the problem and the solution are really obvious. It's normal not to be able to see it when it's you that you're talking about too. Love that. Humans are neat.
So glad I could amuse you. Thanks for pointing out that it's obvious and not actually stating what IS obvious, because it's clearly not obvious to me. *kitten*.
Good thing I don't take it personally when someone illustrates the emotional context of weigh loss.
Feel free to friend me. I'm an *kitten* but I get **** done.0 -
Yup, difference between women and men is, at least women can expect a predictable pattern. Men are not so lucky, plus nobody will give us a break on it because pop science doesn't cover men's hormones.
So here is what women should do to get lean: eat below tdee.
And for men: eat below tdee.
What women should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
What men should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
Big ****ing surprise!
Lest you forget....the original point was that the "whooshes" that women experience can often take longer than two weeks to experience. (And that fat loss is not linear)
And lest you forget, if you substitute "men" for "women" in your sentence, it's still true.
This is frustrating for both sexes! The patterns I see women blaming in TOM are remarkably close to what I experience! And I also get the sneaking suspicion my own challenges are tougher than everyone else's.
Welcome to being human!
I don't disagree with your statement. It's the OP that disagreed, suggesting that two weeks is all it should take. 0 -
Yup, difference between women and men is, at least women can expect a predictable pattern. Men are not so lucky, plus nobody will give us a break on it because pop science doesn't cover men's hormones.
So here is what women should do to get lean: eat below tdee.
And for men: eat below tdee.
What women should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
What men should do when their weight fluctuates: keep going.
Big ****ing surprise!
Lest you forget....the original point was that the "whooshes" that women experience can often take longer than two weeks to experience. (And that fat loss is not linear)
And lest you forget, if you substitute "men" for "women" in your sentence, it's still true.
This is frustrating for both sexes! The patterns I see women blaming in TOM are remarkably close to what I experience! And I also get the sneaking suspicion my own challenges are tougher than everyone else's.
Welcome to being human!
I don't disagree with your statement. It's the OP that disagreed, suggesting that two weeks is all it should take.
He doesn't strike me as the religious type. So I'm sure he's willing to accept there are times when the math can just work out like that.
Personally, I feel we focus too much on short term results.
At the same time, when I was taken from my home environment and dropped in Japan, my weight started to drop precipitously. I can't track well here but you can bet it's lack of calories. 16:8 is hard here! I wasn't remotely annoyed with my "plateau" back home, because I was making gains in athletic ability and not busy enough to go on a steep cut without getting bored. But here, I'm so distracted I don't notice, except I have to take an extra day off every week due to slow recovery.
Obviously I REALLY cutting now, and one way or another I was not REALLY cutting before.0 -
In purely for entertainment value.
Love how calories in vs calories out is Broscience.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.9K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 430 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 15 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.7K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions