Dealing with plateaus?

Hi I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on dealing with those times when the scale just refuses to budge for weeks. It's so easy to be motivated when you're seeing consistent loss but what about when you plateau for a few weeks? How to avoid the temptation to just binge and handle the frustration? Sorry if this sounds dramatic lol, it's been a bit of a challenging week for me

Also, is it normal for the weight to come off in a slightly uneven way (eg, plateau for 2 weeks then losing 3 lbs in 5 days?)

Replies

  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
    It is normal. I plateau after every 5-10 lbs. Currently in one actually since last month I lost 5 lbs. I have come to realize that things in your body are changing even though the scale does not move. If you are working out you are probably getting more muscle.

    What helps me is uping my calorie intake for a few weeks and then dropping it again. This is what I did for my last plateau and it worked. I was losing a half pound every three days for a couple weeks before it slowed down again. I am currently eating at a 250 cal deficit and next month I'll drop it to 500 again. During this whole time though I am still lifting weights and exercising.
  • Plateaus are the worst! The most demoralizing was my last plateau- I had 3 weeks where I sat within 1-2 pounds of my first goal weight the entire time... so frustrating!

    The thing I find that helps is to remind myself that it's a lifestyle. It doesn't matter how long it takes to lose the weight- once you're there you'll need to maintain it, using the skills you're learning now. So no rush.

    I also found that taking up a new challenge or exercise helped a lot. During my last plateau, I started a running program. That way, even when the scale doesn't move, you have another goal to focus on that day.
  • joy5877
    joy5877 Posts: 168 Member
    I feel your pain! I have been trying to lose these last 5 pounds for 2 months to hit a goal - not the final goal but to finally hit 100! I have changed calories both up and down, changed exercise and nothing is working right now. I know that I have to keep on going and I will but it is so frustrating!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    A plateau is generally considered 4-6 weeks without a loss. Weight is going to naturally fluctuate from week to week and day to day, so a week or three without a loss is perfectly normal. Especially if you have an uneven routine that might lead to some water weight/glycogen changes.