Almost a plateau
VeryKatie
Posts: 5,959 Member
Hi hi.
So I am not technically in a plateau yet as it has only been since October 4 roughly. But I was wondering how do you beat it apart from the list below if it does happen?
1) tighten up logging/weighing
2) reduce calories in/increase out
Does changing things up in terms of what you're eating or your eating schedule actually help? Even without reducing calories further? Something like switching to 5:2 for a couple of weeks then moving back into a standard calorie daily deficit? Changing what you're eating? Increasing exercise (though I know adding more can cause one to hold on to "water" while the muscles acclimatize to the change)...
I've been a member of MFP for 7 years and I've never run into this before. I suspect I'm just being impatient. But I have gotten to goal twice before without any plateau problems (once initially, then once after my first child, now im trying to lose the last 7lb after my second child). I was doing perfectly fine up till July when I took a maintenance break till October. Now what I was doing seems to not be working quite as well.
I have made a few changes...
1) I'm taking some iron pills which are causing their typical issues with... not expelling waste as well as I would like.
2) I am menstruating again since weaning my child so im experiencing more fluctuations. I wasn't able to lose while nursing as I kept losing my milk even at a slight deficit so its been long postpartum this time, baby is almost 21 months old.
Straight up, I do not weigh everything. If it is prepackaged I just log it as the package says. I weigh things in recipes I make. And I do some guess work based on having been able to do it pretty accurately over the past 7 years. But I rarely "guess". More like if I eat an apple I will log it as 150 g even though I could guess its closer to 130 g. And i never guess if it isnt a fruit or veg. I weigh the higher cal fruit and veg like bananas, avos, potatoes, carrots... But this would be based on buying the same apples over and over, weighing them for years, and 150 g being the max they ever are type thing. The reason I log this way is because weighing absolutely everything makes me feel super anxious, especially after having children (had some PPA after my first and its never gone completely away though it is generally manageable). So I figure... log as exactly as im willing... and adjust the calorie goal to meet the goal weekly weightloss... and if the numbers aren't technically "true" as long as there are results then its still the same. Even if im eating 1700 when I think im eating 1500... if im seeing the results I want then good enough. Its my balanced approach for mental health and success...
So obviously the first step is to tighten up logging by weighing better... within reason. Which I am doing now.
But I was curious if anyone found they had to mix things up a bit more than that to actually get over the hump.
I'm considering switching to taking the iron every other day just for more comfort and I am very much wondering if they are part of the cause of my not yet a plateau. That and timing with my cycle.
I've almost got my home gym all set up again but need to wait till the next pay cycle to buy a heater since we moved it to the garage and im not interested in putting a -5 C (or colder as the days go) bar on my back lol.
In terms of exercise calories... I eat back 50% of what mfp tells me I burned since this has been what historically works for me... but I dont really do much purposeful exercise these days. So there isn't much to eat back lol.
I used the Scooby-Doo calculator and a spreadsheet to take weekly and monthly averages to get that I typically maintain at a little over 2000 calories a day. I aim to eat 1500-1600 calories a day, knowing that my logging isn't perfect so its probably more. But with 7lbs left to lose, I dont mind literally eating into that 400 calorie deficit to slow things down. Slow is fine... stopped... not so much.
So I am not technically in a plateau yet as it has only been since October 4 roughly. But I was wondering how do you beat it apart from the list below if it does happen?
1) tighten up logging/weighing
2) reduce calories in/increase out
Does changing things up in terms of what you're eating or your eating schedule actually help? Even without reducing calories further? Something like switching to 5:2 for a couple of weeks then moving back into a standard calorie daily deficit? Changing what you're eating? Increasing exercise (though I know adding more can cause one to hold on to "water" while the muscles acclimatize to the change)...
I've been a member of MFP for 7 years and I've never run into this before. I suspect I'm just being impatient. But I have gotten to goal twice before without any plateau problems (once initially, then once after my first child, now im trying to lose the last 7lb after my second child). I was doing perfectly fine up till July when I took a maintenance break till October. Now what I was doing seems to not be working quite as well.
I have made a few changes...
1) I'm taking some iron pills which are causing their typical issues with... not expelling waste as well as I would like.
2) I am menstruating again since weaning my child so im experiencing more fluctuations. I wasn't able to lose while nursing as I kept losing my milk even at a slight deficit so its been long postpartum this time, baby is almost 21 months old.
Straight up, I do not weigh everything. If it is prepackaged I just log it as the package says. I weigh things in recipes I make. And I do some guess work based on having been able to do it pretty accurately over the past 7 years. But I rarely "guess". More like if I eat an apple I will log it as 150 g even though I could guess its closer to 130 g. And i never guess if it isnt a fruit or veg. I weigh the higher cal fruit and veg like bananas, avos, potatoes, carrots... But this would be based on buying the same apples over and over, weighing them for years, and 150 g being the max they ever are type thing. The reason I log this way is because weighing absolutely everything makes me feel super anxious, especially after having children (had some PPA after my first and its never gone completely away though it is generally manageable). So I figure... log as exactly as im willing... and adjust the calorie goal to meet the goal weekly weightloss... and if the numbers aren't technically "true" as long as there are results then its still the same. Even if im eating 1700 when I think im eating 1500... if im seeing the results I want then good enough. Its my balanced approach for mental health and success...
So obviously the first step is to tighten up logging by weighing better... within reason. Which I am doing now.
But I was curious if anyone found they had to mix things up a bit more than that to actually get over the hump.
I'm considering switching to taking the iron every other day just for more comfort and I am very much wondering if they are part of the cause of my not yet a plateau. That and timing with my cycle.
I've almost got my home gym all set up again but need to wait till the next pay cycle to buy a heater since we moved it to the garage and im not interested in putting a -5 C (or colder as the days go) bar on my back lol.
In terms of exercise calories... I eat back 50% of what mfp tells me I burned since this has been what historically works for me... but I dont really do much purposeful exercise these days. So there isn't much to eat back lol.
I used the Scooby-Doo calculator and a spreadsheet to take weekly and monthly averages to get that I typically maintain at a little over 2000 calories a day. I aim to eat 1500-1600 calories a day, knowing that my logging isn't perfect so its probably more. But with 7lbs left to lose, I dont mind literally eating into that 400 calorie deficit to slow things down. Slow is fine... stopped... not so much.
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Replies
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I think you will find that some people DO report that "mixing things up" gets them over a plateau. The difficulty comes in verifying this is the case. If I'm in a plateau and introduce something like 5/2 or eliminating certain foods while I continue my regular efforts with logging calories and hitting my calorie goal and I begin to lose weight again, was it the "mixing up" that did it? Or did I happen to begin mixing up and it just happened to coincide with the time when my weight loss would have resumed anyway?
With seven pounds left to lose, you're heading into the territory where accuracy becomes very important and it's going to take consistency to get there (which I know you already realize). If you have mental health reasons where you can't increase the accuracy of your logging (which obviously is a reality for some people), then it's just going to require more patience.
That said, if you were thinking about trying something like 5:2 ANYWAY, I don't think it will hurt you. There's nothing wrong with trying different things while you're losing weight as long as you aren't impairing your enjoyment of life.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »I think you will find that some people DO report that "mixing things up" gets them over a plateau. The difficulty comes in verifying this is the case. If I'm in a plateau and introduce something like 5/2 or eliminating certain foods while I continue my regular efforts with logging calories and hitting my calorie goal and I begin to lose weight again, was it the "mixing up" that did it? Or did I happen to begin mixing up and it just happened to coincide with the time when my weight loss would have resumed anyway?
With seven pounds left to lose, you're heading into the territory where accuracy becomes very important and it's going to take consistency to get there (which I know you already realize). If you have mental health reasons where you can't increase the accuracy of your logging (which obviously is a reality for some people), then it's just going to require more patience.
That said, if you were thinking about trying something like 5:2 ANYWAY, I don't think it will hurt you. There's nothing wrong with trying different things while you're losing weight as long as you aren't impairing your enjoyment of life.
I have tried 5:2 in the past and it definitely would not be a long term method for me. I could put up with it for a couple weeks. I feel out of the loop on methods to try these days lol.1 -
Oh and youre right i probably beed to find a way to log more carefully without stressing myself out. Last time i reached goal i was breastfeeding so it likely helped me get there. Not the case this time.0
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Oh and youre right i probably beed to find a way to log more carefully without stressing myself out. Last time i reached goal i was breastfeeding so it likely helped me get there. Not the case this time.
I didn't mean to say you NEED to. You wouldn't be the first person who had reasons why you stick with a style of logging because you know that it won't be good for your mental health to make changes.
In your case, it sounds like you've got several things confounding your progress right now. You're menstruating again, which can lead to lots of flukey stuff on the scale. And you've got extra waste in your body, which can also lead to unpredictability. It sounds like a lot of things are hitting all at once and I didn't mean to make it sound like your logging was the issue.1 -
I don't personally think 'mixing it up' does anything but help cope with the passage of time, and that its actually the passage of time that makes a difference. As in, the scale eventually catches up (when all else is right).
If you don't want to start weighing items you scan, you may want to start logging them at 1.05x. I've found many scannable items have more than the label indicates, so this will help account for the overage.4 -
I can't help with your actual question as my logging was quite tight from the beginning. I'm short and sedentary, with a fairly low maintenance number, so I didn't have many calories to play with in the first place in order to lose weight. It wouldn't have taken much inaccurate logging to wipe out my deficit, so I often had a few weeks where I was seemingly the same weight.
With only 7lb to go, your rate of loss is probably going to be slow. It may just be that it's so slow it's taking time to show up on the scales. My last few pounds were very much like that - and then suddenly my scales showed that I'd dropped 1kg (2lb). Add iron pills and menstruating into the mix and maybe you need to give it a bit longer.
As you'll have no doubt read on here, many times, see what's happened in 6 weeks.
Also, how often are you weighing yourself? If it's weekly / not daily, is it possible that you weighed on an 'up' day?1 -
nanastaci2020 wrote: »I don't personally think 'mixing it up' does anything but help cope with the passage of time, and that its actually the passage of time that makes a difference. As in, the scale eventually catches up (when all else is right).
If you don't want to start weighing items you scan, you may want to start logging them at 1.05x. I've found many scannable items have more than the label indicates, so this will help account for the overage.
Good idea, that does sound easier! And not way overestimating either.1 -
I'll be honest, I've never really had a true plateau. If my weight stalls it's because I added more exercise (especially lifting volume so it's just water weight) or I'm eating too much.
I am a fairly lean female always within less than 20lbs of goalweight. Because I am always so close to goal water weight fluctuations can really mess with things. Luckily trend weight apps are super helpful and have been the best tool to help me personally with my goals.
Tightening up your logging especially close to goal can help. But it's up to you how you want to go about it. I don't track my intake at all. If I am not losing after two weeks or so (and I know it's not exercise or cycle related) I cut down my lunch portions or cut out a snack. Or I cut out wine or dessert. Sometimes I add 10 min of cardio per day. That usually gets things going again. I try to do only one of those things at a time otherwise I'll be losing over 1lb per week which is not good for my stats. I also do weekend refeeds and take diet breaks every 8-12 weeks as I get leaner.
I also don't just use the scale, but measurements, the mirror and progress photos since sometimes the scale can be misleading (again close to goal those pesky water swings).
In your case you have a lot going on that could be affecting swings on the scale so maybe give it some time.
Good luck!
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Strudders67 wrote: »I can't help with your actual question as my logging was quite tight from the beginning. I'm short and sedentary, with a fairly low maintenance number, so I didn't have many calories to play with in the first place in order to lose weight. It wouldn't have taken much inaccurate logging to wipe out my deficit, so I often had a few weeks where I was seemingly the same weight.
With only 7lb to go, your rate of loss is probably going to be slow. It may just be that it's so slow it's taking time to show up on the scales. My last few pounds were very much like that - and then suddenly my scales showed that I'd dropped 1kg (2lb). Add iron pills and menstruating into the mix and maybe you need to give it a bit longer.
As you'll have no doubt read on here, many times, see what's happened in 6 weeks.
Also, how often are you weighing yourself? If it's weekly / not daily, is it possible that you weighed on an 'up' day?
I weigh every 1-3 days and log it in a trend app on my phone called Libra. Its kind of averaging out as flat over the last 3 weeks.0 -
I never had an unexplained plateau, sort of (yes, I'll explain later). Here's the thing: Slow loss - which is what to expect, a good thing to plan, and something it sounds like you're shooting for - requires taking the long view. Like a *really* long view. If one gets down in that half a pound a week fat loss area, it can take multiple months to clearly show up amongst the usual pound or two day to day variability . . . even with a trending app.
For fun, here's my last few months, during which I've been shooting for 1/2 a pound a week or slower:
I won't explain Libra charts to you, since you use it. Look at July. Maintaining? Gaining? Nah, look longer: Losing. In July, I started gradually re-including strength training in my routine, and I'm not talking major weights, just 3x a week, light weights to condition & work my way up, probably half an hour each time at that point. Mild stuff. Over 6 months or so (say April to October), it's obvious that I'm losing slowly. You might not be going *quite* that slowly
🤣), but I think the concept still applies. It takes time to show up, more than you're used to.
I agree with Jane's idea that sometimes people think "mixing things up" broke a plateau, when really what "mixing things up" did was give them something else to think about while waiting, and maybe reduce stress a little by Taking Action, and stress reduction can release a little water weight. 😉3 -
Had a bit of a mini revelation... its colder outside now... I was probably going outside and walking around with the stroller a lot more in July than I am now. So I am not burning as much. Thats probably another reason it has slowed my weight loss.
I did skip the iron yesterday and my weight is down some this morning... but I also tightened up calories so who is to say lol.2 -
Had a bit of a mini revelation... its colder outside now... I was probably going outside and walking around with the stroller a lot more in July than I am now. So I am not burning as much. Thats probably another reason it has slowed my weight loss.
I did skip the iron yesterday and my weight is down some this morning... but I also tightened up calories so who is to say lol.
Good insight: I think it's fairly common for people to underestimate the impact of "minor" changes in daily life activity.
Research studies suggest that just *fidgetiness* can result in calorie burn a couple of hundred calories higher than otherwise similar non-fidgety people. More incidental walking, or more activity around home, can make a difference, I'm convinced. It's hard to estimate the calorie differences, but they show up on the scale long term.2 -
Had a bit of a mini revelation... its colder outside now... I was probably going outside and walking around with the stroller a lot more in July than I am now. So I am not burning as much. Thats probably another reason it has slowed my weight loss.
I did skip the iron yesterday and my weight is down some this morning... but I also tightened up calories so who is to say lol.
Re the iron - I take iron bisglycinate with buffered powdered vitamin C and have no issues with constipation.
https://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Gentle-Iron-Vegetable-Capsules/dp/B00013Z0QA
Last time I took ferrous gluconate I ended up in Urgent Care with the worse pain I've ever had in my life.
Other people here said you should take iron every other day, and I was somewhat skeptical about this until my new hematologist said the same thing.
This study showed iron is absorbed better when taken every other day in a single dose:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31413088/2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Had a bit of a mini revelation... its colder outside now... I was probably going outside and walking around with the stroller a lot more in July than I am now. So I am not burning as much. Thats probably another reason it has slowed my weight loss.
I did skip the iron yesterday and my weight is down some this morning... but I also tightened up calories so who is to say lol.
Re the iron - I take iron bisglycinate with buffered powdered vitamin C and have no issues with constipation.
https://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Gentle-Iron-Vegetable-Capsules/dp/B00013Z0QA
Last time I took ferrous gluconate I ended up in Urgent Care with the worse pain I've ever had in my life.
Other people here said you should take iron every other day, and I was somewhat skeptical about this until my new hematologist said the same thing.
This study showed iron is absorbed better when taken every other day in a single dose:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31413088/
Im not totally contipated. Just things arent as efficient as they were lol.
Yeah i use polyride fe which is a gentle dose as well. I think ill switch to every other day anyway. My levels will be fine with that i think since im intervening a bit earlier than i normally do.0
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