Weight has plateaued.
xxzenabxx
Posts: 935 Member
It’s been 3.5 weeks since my weight has been stuck at 158.9 lbs. It will either go up to 160lbs or down to 158.9lbs. Super frustrating. Yes I’m weighing all my food. I finished my period 2 days ago, but I should’ve lost something by now. Feeling discouraged by the scale.
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Replies
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It’s been 3.5 weeks since my weight has been stuck at 158.9 lbs. It will either go up to 160lbs or down to 158.9lbs. Super frustrating. Yes I’m weighing all my food. I finished my period 2 days ago, but I should’ve lost something by now. Feeling discouraged by the scale.
Have you been feeling particularly bloated with your period this time around?1 -
How many pounds have you lost so far, and how long has it been since you recalculated your calorie goals?
When I get stuck like this, I sometimes find it helpful to make a small change for a week and then come back to whatever I was doing. Change your work out. Bump your calories by 50/day in either direction for a week. Take a maintenance break.
It may not be what gets the scale moving again, but the shift in attitude makes it easier for me to keep on, keeping on, or will highlight a mistake I'd been making in food measuring or calorie estimation. Sometimes both.
Sometimes I just find a new workout that I really like and look forward to improving rather than just going through the motions.
This is your *life.* The scale can tell you very little about your quality of life, but it can sometimes provide a reminder to go review everything else.
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Can you give us a bit more information? How long have you been dieting? What rate of loss did you choose? Before the stall did you have a big loss? How much do you have left to lose? Are you weighing your food? Do you have "cheat" days? So many things can affect the response. If you are close to goal this is very common and means that you will have to weigh everything and log every bite. No little tastes here and there. If you have a long way to go you might be eating too many calories. If you had a big loss before the stall your body may be just getting the water level in your system balanced. Wait for a whoosh. If you haven't recalculated your goal and have been dieting for a while you may need to do that because your calories might be too high for your new lower weight. If you have been dieting for a long time and this is really a stall you may need a diet break. If you do "cheat" days you might be eating enough to wipe out your deficit. As you can see many things can affect rate of loss.6
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The scale is not the only metric, and many times it's not even the best metric. Take measurements (arms, legs, torso, etc), take photos (you don't have to share them), get calipers and measure body fat (there are many online calculators that indicate where to measure) or just track your problem areas (mine are love handles and belly).
The scale doesn't always cooperate, but you can still find other ways to measure progress.2 -
Thanks for the replies everyone. I’m 26 F 5’ 4” with a goal of 129lbs. I started on 2nd September after a really long break from dieting. I lost 6 lbs by 12th October but nothing since then. So I lost 6 lbs in 6 weeks. No I don’t do any cheat days. Currently averaging at 1750 calories a week and exercising 5 days a week. I did eat at maintenance this Saturday as well as a few other days in September where I ate at maintenance. I’ve been the most consistent with my deficit this time round! Aiming to lose 1 lb a week. Clothes are looser though.0
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »It’s been 3.5 weeks since my weight has been stuck at 158.9 lbs. It will either go up to 160lbs or down to 158.9lbs. Super frustrating. Yes I’m weighing all my food. I finished my period 2 days ago, but I should’ve lost something by now. Feeling discouraged by the scale.
Have you been feeling particularly bloated with your period this time around?
I wasn’t bloated but I do suffer from constipation even when I eat fibre, fats and enough veggies. I also drink plenty of water.0 -
Could be a water issue. Sometimes when you lose really fast at the beginning alot of the drop is water. Then when your body realizes that this is the new normal it reintroduces the same water level which can mask subsequent fat loss. I would keep going for a while and see if it starts dropping again. Since you said clothes are looser I would guess you are losing fat. I know 1 pound a week doesn't sound like alot but you aren't that overweight so you may lose a bit slower. Make sure you weigh everything to be sure you are staying at your 1750. Congrats on the 6 lbs!2
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I wasn’t bloated but I do suffer from constipation even when I eat fibre, fats and enough veggies. I also drink plenty of water.
Have you had that checked out by the doctor? When I was about that age, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and the symptom that clued the doc in was rather extreme constipation despite a very healthy diet.
I'm not necessarily suggesting that you have a thyroid problem, but constipation is a *symptom* of a variety of things that it's probably best to know the root cause of before putting it aside as something that you tolerate long term.5 -
ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »I wasn’t bloated but I do suffer from constipation even when I eat fibre, fats and enough veggies. I also drink plenty of water.
Have you had that checked out by the doctor? When I was about that age, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and the symptom that clued the doc in was rather extreme constipation despite a very healthy diet.
I'm not necessarily suggesting that you have a thyroid problem, but constipation is a *symptom* of a variety of things that it's probably best to know the root cause of before putting it aside as something that you tolerate long term.
I’ve got pcos but I’ve never thought of hypothyroidism. I thought it slows metabolism but my TDEE is pretty much what the calculator says: 2250/2300. The constipation is annoying though. I’ll wait a few weeks and see if my weight drops.1 -
cheryldumais wrote: »Could be a water issue. Sometimes when you lose really fast at the beginning alot of the drop is water. Then when your body realizes that this is the new normal it reintroduces the same water level which can mask subsequent fat loss. I would keep going for a while and see if it starts dropping again. Since you said clothes are looser I would guess you are losing fat. I know 1 pound a week doesn't sound like alot but you aren't that overweight so you may lose a bit slower. Make sure you weigh everything to be sure you are staying at your 1750. Congrats on the 6 lbs!
I feel very overweight. I want to be at least 150 lbs by the end of the year. Clothes did not fit me at all. I’ve definitely lost fat. Hoping it’s just a water issue.2 -
@xxzenabxx At my diagnosis, I was at my lowest weight since high school and not really having trouble losing weight, except for the whole bathroom issue. The change in metabolism is SLOW and can take MONTHS or YEARS without treatment to be a thing.
If your constipation is *different* from your usual in either direction, I'd get it checked out just to be sure. As with hypothyroidism, PCOS comes with a laundry list of possible comorbidities that can trip you up when you think you're doing well, so if anything changes for an extended period of time, it's best to report it to your doctor.1 -
I have occasionally had a bit of a problem with constipation - I have found that taking a probiotic a couple of times a day has helped a bit. Obviously I drink lots of water and try to keep my fibre consumption at a reasonable level too.0
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I’m 26 F 5’ 4” with a goal of 129lbs. I started on 2nd September after a really long break from dieting. I lost 6 lbs by 12th October but nothing since then. So I lost 6 lbs in 6 weeks. No I don’t do any cheat days. Currently averaging at 1750 calories a week and exercising 5 days a week. I did eat at maintenance this Saturday as well as a few other days in September where I ate at maintenance. I’ve been the most consistent with my deficit this time round! Aiming to lose 1 lb a week. Clothes are looser though.
If your goal was to lose 1lb a week, and you have lost 6 pounds in just over 8 weeks while eating at maintenance for periods in between, then I would say you are right on track. Some of your initial weight loss may have been water weight up front, but this is why people stress that weight loss is not linear. I had periods of time where I lost nothing or even gained slightly, and other periods where I dropped weight quickly. This is why I tracked my weight with an app, and the idea that weight loss is not linear was made obvious over time. I would imagine you will start losing again soon if you stick with the plan and have a consistent deficit.7 -
I wouldn’t rely solely on the scale. Take weekly measurements and try increasing your daily steps. The scale will fluctuate a lot. Normal. If you don’t see changes in 3 weeks then I would drop calories a bit.1
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I’m 26 F 5’ 4” with a goal of 129lbs. I started on 2nd September after a really long break from dieting. I lost 6 lbs by 12th October but nothing since then. So I lost 6 lbs in 6 weeks. No I don’t do any cheat days. Currently averaging at 1750 calories a week and exercising 5 days a week. I did eat at maintenance this Saturday as well as a few other days in September where I ate at maintenance. I’ve been the most consistent with my deficit this time round! Aiming to lose 1 lb a week. Clothes are looser though.
If your goal was to lose 1lb a week, and you have lost 6 pounds in just over 8 weeks while eating at maintenance for periods in between, then I would say you are right on track. Some of your initial weight loss may have been water weight up front, but this is why people stress that weight loss is not linear. I had periods of time where I lost nothing or even gained slightly, and other periods where I dropped weight quickly. This is why I tracked my weight with an app, and the idea that weight loss is not linear was made obvious over time. I would imagine you will start losing again soon if you stick with the plan and have a consistent deficit.
Im fully aware that it’s not linear and the sad thing is ever since I started using my app properly I’ve gotten more anxious. Right now, because I haven’t lost weight for 3.5 weeks it’s saying that I’m only losing “0.1lb per week”! The trend is always so slow I don’t get it. The app is called Weight Diary and I got it so I could avoid the fluctuations and see the trend but instead it’s just turned into another form of worry for me (yes I’m just a worrier/over thinker). No one wants to see that they’re only losing 0.1 lb per week. Thanks though, I’m just gonna stick through it.1 -
1. Double check that your measurements for your food are correct. I've had that problem before. I thought they were fine, and then I found out weeks later that I converted units incorrectly when tracking.
2. You could lower your calories. 100 calories is safe drop.
3. You could add an extra cardio session, or increase the calorie expenditure for your current cardio sessions.3 -
ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »@xxzenabxx At my diagnosis, I was at my lowest weight since high school and not really having trouble losing weight, except for the whole bathroom issue. The change in metabolism is SLOW and can take MONTHS or YEARS without treatment to be a thing.
If your constipation is *different* from your usual in either direction, I'd get it checked out just to be sure. As with hypothyroidism, PCOS comes with a laundry list of possible comorbidities that can trip you up when you think you're doing well, so if anything changes for an extended period of time, it's best to report it to your doctor.
Adding to this, IMU clinical results suggest that the direct calorie burn impact of hypothyroism on BMR is less than 5%, even in more extreme hypo.
(Water retention and fatigue can add a variable impact on scale number or TDEE respectively.)
Regardless, if the constipation is new, see your doctor. It can be lots of things. Only a few of the possibilities are Really Bad, and those are less likely, but it's good to play safe, right?3 -
What type of workouts do you do? I find that switching up my cardio helps! So maybe instead of a 3k run, I do an intense 20 minute HIIT session or take a zumba class. Also, I vary my calorie distribution like instead of consuming the highest calorie meal at night, I make it my lunch.
I was at 131-132 for a couple weeks. Last night I decided to skip my full on meal (chicken, veggies, etc.) for dinner and just stick with a very filling protein shake and peanuts... woke up lean so I weighed myself and dropped to 129.4. Finally.3 -
My weight has plateaued for at least a year...I just redid some of my settings, as I'm not getting as much exercise everyday as I used to(I worked as a custodian for twenty one years)...I have just retired, and I am figuring that I can't eat as much as I used to...Before exercise calculations I should be eating, about, 1200 calories a day...It is very hard to stay under that and not go under 1000/day(they say that that is unhealthy)...Good luck to you...A plateau of a couple of weeks I wouldn't worry about...If you go a couple of months I would think about changing some things up...Good luck...2
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One observation on measuring vs weighing... I love Boom Chicka Pop popcorn. The bag says 7.5 cups is 250 calories. Now that's alot of popcorn. It also says that's 50 grams. NOT. I started weighing it instead and it is alot heavier than the bag indicates. I found I was probably going over on popcorn alone by 100 or more calories a day. If a product gives a per item or per cup measure next to the weight I suggest you weigh because often times it is off and sometimes by as much as 25 or 30 percent.8
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cheryldumais wrote: »One observation on measuring vs weighing... I love Boom Chicka Pop popcorn. The bag says 7.5 cups is 250 calories. Now that's alot of popcorn. It also says that's 50 grams. NOT. I started weighing it instead and it is alot heavier than the bag indicates. I found I was probably going over on popcorn alone by 100 or more calories a day. If a product gives a per item or per cup measure next to the weight I suggest you weigh because often times it is off and sometimes by as much as 25 or 30 percent.
Yep that’s a good point for those of us who eat a lot of the same prepackaged things. I find protein bars often weigh more than the package says. As if dieting isn’t *kitten* enough already grrrr3 -
ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »@xxzenabxx At my diagnosis, I was at my lowest weight since high school and not really having trouble losing weight, except for the whole bathroom issue. The change in metabolism is SLOW and can take MONTHS or YEARS without treatment to be a thing.
If your constipation is *different* from your usual in either direction, I'd get it checked out just to be sure. As with hypothyroidism, PCOS comes with a laundry list of possible comorbidities that can trip you up when you think you're doing well, so if anything changes for an extended period of time, it's best to report it to your doctor.
Adding to this, IMU clinical results suggest that the direct calorie burn impact of hypothyroism on BMR is less than 5%, even in more extreme hypo.
(Water retention and fatigue can add a variable impact on scale number or TDEE respectively.)
Regardless, if the constipation is new, see your doctor. It can be lots of things. Only a few of the possibilities are Really Bad, and those are less likely, but it's good to play safe, right?
Constipation isn’t new though. I’ve had it since I was a baby/child. I was a colic baby. I think I’m going to try some probiotics again. Here in the UK it’s not easy to get diagnosed. The GPs are so stubborn when told her/him my symptoms they would just give me lactulose (a prescribed laxative).2 -
cheryldumais wrote: »One observation on measuring vs weighing... I love Boom Chicka Pop popcorn. The bag says 7.5 cups is 250 calories. Now that's alot of popcorn. It also says that's 50 grams. NOT. I started weighing it instead and it is alot heavier than the bag indicates. I found I was probably going over on popcorn alone by 100 or more calories a day. If a product gives a per item or per cup measure next to the weight I suggest you weigh because often times it is off and sometimes by as much as 25 or 30 percent.
Yeah I get it these protein wraps that are apparently 48g but whenever I weigh them they are 56g, 57g or 59g! Never trust these labels.2 -
healthyanav wrote: »What type of workouts do you do? I find that switching up my cardio helps! So maybe instead of a 3k run, I do an intense 20 minute HIIT session or take a zumba class. Also, I vary my calorie distribution like instead of consuming the highest calorie meal at night, I make it my lunch.
I was at 131-132 for a couple weeks. Last night I decided to skip my full on meal (chicken, veggies, etc.) for dinner and just stick with a very filling protein shake and peanuts... woke up lean so I weighed myself and dropped to 129.4. Finally.
I workout at home with dumbbells, body weight, yoga, Pilates, fitness blender workouts for cardio and I walk. I think I’m pretty active. I try not to sit for long. Yep I vary my calories too and go by my weekly average of 1750. Glad that you broke through your plateau!0 -
My weight has plateaued for at least a year...I just redid some of my settings, as I'm not getting as much exercise everyday as I used to(I worked as a custodian for twenty one years)...I have just retired, and I am figuring that I can't eat as much as I used to...Before exercise calculations I should be eating, about, 1200 calories a day...It is very hard to stay under that and not go under 1000/day(they say that that is unhealthy)...Good luck to you...A plateau of a couple of weeks I wouldn't worry about...If you go a couple of months I would think about changing some things up...Good luck...
Oh no, hope things workout for you.0 -
When I started and inputted my info into MFP I started weighing and tracking convinced I was eating very healthy. But after several weeks of a stall and reading all the stickies I realized I was eating very little protein and probably too little calories. Ironically, I upped my protein increased my calories 100-200 day, my workouts improved and I started losing weight. Everything of course is personal and requires individual tweaking. I wish you luck.
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Anabirgite wrote: »When I started and inputted my info into MFP I started weighing and tracking convinced I was eating very healthy. But after several weeks of a stall and reading all the stickies I realized I was eating very little protein and probably too little calories. Ironically, I upped my protein increased my calories 100-200 day, my workouts improved and I started losing weight. Everything of course is personal and requires individual tweaking. I wish you luck.
I would add that, while it's tempting to CHANGE ALL THE THINGS and just kind of button mash until you get your weight moving again, it is better to do one thing at a time and give each a chance to work, or when something *does* finally work, you won't have any idea which change actually helped. 5 -
ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »Anabirgite wrote: »When I started and inputted my info into MFP I started weighing and tracking convinced I was eating very healthy. But after several weeks of a stall and reading all the stickies I realized I was eating very little protein and probably too little calories. Ironically, I upped my protein increased my calories 100-200 day, my workouts improved and I started losing weight. Everything of course is personal and requires individual tweaking. I wish you luck.
I would add that, while it's tempting to CHANGE ALL THE THINGS and just kind of button mash until you get your weight moving again, it is better to do one thing at a time and give each a chance to work, or when something *does* finally work, you won't have any idea which change actually helped.
In some cases, whether changing all the things or changing one thing at a time, weight gets moving again when it would've gotten moving again.
If loss has been going along somewhat steadily and suddenly stops, in the context of no material change in daily life activity, exercise or logging accuracy, then the likeliest explanation is water retention (which can happen for a dozen different reasons, from sunburn to hormones to stress and beyond), and that stuff is going to drop off when it's going to drop off.
If our strategy had been sacrificing progressively larger animals inside a pentangle of lighted black candles in the basement (vegans may use progressively larger vegetables), we'd decide that sacrificing the goat (eggplant) was what did it, if that's how the timing worked out. It's how our human brains work.
Causation? Maybe, maybe not.
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Check out video's on YouTube by a Dr Mindy Pelz, they are geared almost exclusively to woman doing keto, very big on fasting, IF, ADF and longer... https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mindy+pelz0
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I just started experiencing a plateau in the last two weeks, but I've been doing a lot of strength training. I'm new to weight-loss, and the feedback I've gotten is that I may be gaining (via water) with the weight-lifting exercises. I already do a lot of cardio and endurance sports. Although my weight has stalled, my waist has gotten thinner during the stall, and I am stronger. So, I'm learning to measure my progress beyond the scale, and the changes in my body and energy too.4
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