I Got Cocky

Mrs_Marvel

I have always gone through reading everybody's posts about not being able to lose weight. I'll admit it, I judged you and thought that you were all doing something wrong. I had such an easy time losing 111 pounds and assumed that the only way you would be having issues is if you were expecting unrealistic results or being uneducated about weight loss (netting below 1200 and so on).

Well, here I am. Stuck. I am not asking for help. I have researched weight loss, often and know I am eating correctly and working out correctly. I don't have unrealistic goals and I eat more than 1200 calories a day. I ALWAYS net at least 1200 but it ranges from 1200 to 1500 daily. I do cardio 5x a week (and eat back my calories for a healthy net number) and mix up the machines so that my body isn't getting use to the same routine. I Zig Zag my calories so my body isn't getting use to a certain calorie amount each day. I don't restrict any certain food group. No food is considered a bad food. My body simply wants to stay at this weight. I'm not 115 pounds or anything like that expecting to lose the last 23. I started out at 284 and weighed in this morning at 173. I am 5 foot 6 and only need to lose 20 pounds to be within my weight range for my height.

Basically, this post is a bit of a warning to those of you who have had weight loss be so easy for you. It DOES get harder as you get closer to your goal. Don't think that a plateau is not going to happen to you. You can be doing everything right and still deal with weight fluctuation and maintaining for weeks at a time. Don't just assume (the way I did) that the people asking for help are doing things incorrectly. Things just don't always go as we plan.

webbeyes

I think we need a "LIKE" button :-)

mamma_nee

Don`t I know it Plateaus suck big time but untill the body is ready to let go of the weight again we just keep on keeping on.

randomtai

Do you weigh and measure everything?

Mrs_Marvel

Yes. I use measuring cups/teaspoon and tablespoon measures, and a food scale for everything I eat.

Schtroumpfkin

Great, honest post.

juliettechurch77

I hear your pain, but keep your head up and push through your plateau.

My longest lasted 3 months.

Remind yourself how far you have come, remember how much better you fell in yourself now and stay strong!

It will happen for you, just don't be tempted to do anything 'faddy' to try and shift it.

randomtai

Maybe you need to recalculate your TDEE and BMR. You could not be eating enough and causing a plateau.

Phrick

Yes. I use measuring cups/teaspoon and tablespoon measures, and a food scale for everything I eat.

You said you've lost 111 pounds so far - I think that's positively brilliant!! Bet it took a fair bit of time too which is what leads me to my question(s): Do you still look at the food labels often, or do you have some (or a lot) of foods that you eat on a regualr basis that you've memorized the calorie counts for? I ask only because companies change formulas sometimes and usually without warning, thereby sometimes changing calorie counts and if you're going off memory without looking something you eat frequently could have changed without you knowing, thus putting your counts off. Just a thought - it happened to me recently so I thought I'd mention it

spicypepper

Welcome to my world. I've been battering a 10 # weight gain since last March. I'll lose it then gain it back. It's a cycle that I cannot break and before that point I was losing 1-2 # a week. I'm not near goal yet. Still have a way to go but I'm stuck. I quit posting on here for help because there wasn't any.

Mrs_Marvel

I always look at food labels. It has become a habit now, even if I already know the calorie count. I have also noticed how food labels change. For example, I use a certain type of cheese that has 40 calories per slice. Sometimes the package says 35 calories, and the next time I buy it, it will say 40. From time to time, I also drink a diet Mountain Dew from time to time because lets face it, soda is fantastic. A Diet Mountain dew says 0 calories per serving on some containers and other bottles says 10 calories per 12oz. I wish they would get their story straight .

Mrs_Marvel

I am doing the same thing since June. I have been fluctuating between 171 and 177, but for the past month have managed to stay between 172 and 173. I am pretty sure that my issue may have something to do with giving birth in May. It can take a while for your body to get back into losing weight. I make a new MFP and deactivate my old one each year. I started out in 2011 and got pregnant in 2012, giving birth in 2013 so I have had a few life events that put a pause in my weight loss. I know what you mean about the forums which is why I have after this post 4 post total. I am more of a reader now than a poster.

jlahorn

Great post, and I am right there with you. I had relatively little trouble dropping the bulk of the weight that I needed to lose. I'm actually at a healthy BMI right now, but there's a tenacious last 10 lbs that just will. not. budge. I eat the exact same diet I have for the last year and a half when I was successfully losing and I work out the same variety of ways. When I raise my calories, I gain. When I lower calories (from my normal 1450 to 1200) I am way too hungry and have a tendency to binge. I'm not SUPER worried about it because I look ok-enough in clothes and at least I haven't gained and lost more than 3-4 pounds in the last 6 months, but damn, I would really like to see my goal weight some day.

I think I actually know what I need to do, at least as preached by MFP... weights. But I HATE weights so very, very much. I think I'd rather stay slightly lumpy

cebreisch

AMEN!!! Love your post, and am right there with ya!

Mrs_Marvel

Great post, and I am right there with you. I had relatively little trouble dropping the bulk of the weight that I needed to lose. I'm actually at a healthy BMI right now, but there's a tenacious last 10 lbs that just will. not. budge. I eat the exact same diet I have for the last year and a half when I was successfully losing and I work out the same variety of ways. When I raise my calories, I gain. When I lower calories (from my normal 1450 to 1200) I am way too hungry and have a tendency to binge. I'm not SUPER worried about it because I look ok-enough in clothes and at least I haven't gained and lost more than 3-4 pounds in the last 6 months, but damn, I would really like to see my goal weight some day.

I think I actually know what I need to do, at least as preached by MFP... weights. But I HATE weights so very, very much. I think I'd rather stay slightly lumpy

We are on the exact same page because weight training is the ONLY thing I haven't done yet. I actually just took a suggestion mentioned above to check my TDEE and BMR once again. As scary as this is for me, I will again up my calorie intake by about 200 calories so that I never net below 1500. I have an appointment with a personal trainer this Sunday to start weight training and will see what happens 6 weeks from now. The way I see it is I am already maintaining so what I am doing really isn't helping at the moment. I eventually did want to up my calories and start strength training anyway. In order to get back to an athletic build, I have to. I am a former soccer player so I know there is no way to get to that physical condition again without the weights. I might as well just do it now. The only thing that was holding me back was the fear of not losing weight and those 3 weeks of retaining water. I'm already not losing weight so who cares. Lets do it now lol.

randomtai

Great post, and I am right there with you. I had relatively little trouble dropping the bulk of the weight that I needed to lose. I'm actually at a healthy BMI right now, but there's a tenacious last 10 lbs that just will. not. budge. I eat the exact same diet I have for the last year and a half when I was successfully losing and I work out the same variety of ways. When I raise my calories, I gain. When I lower calories (from my normal 1450 to 1200) I am way too hungry and have a tendency to binge. I'm not SUPER worried about it because I look ok-enough in clothes and at least I haven't gained and lost more than 3-4 pounds in the last 6 months, but damn, I would really like to see my goal weight some day.

I think I actually know what I need to do, at least as preached by MFP... weights. But I HATE weights so very, very much. I think I'd rather stay slightly lumpy

We are on the exact same page because weight training is the ONLY thing I haven't done yet. I actually just took a suggestion mentioned above to check my TDEE and BMR once again. As scary as this is for me, I will again up my calorie intake by about 200 calories so that I never net below 1500. I have an appointment with a personal trainer this Sunday to start weight training and will see what happens 6 weeks from now. The way I see it is I am already maintaining so what I am doing really isn't helping at the moment. I eventually did want to up my calories and start strength training anyway. In order to get back to an athletic build, I have to. I am a former soccer player so I know there is no way to get to that physical condition again without the weights. I might as well just do it now. The only thing that was holding me back was the fear of not losing weight and those 3 weeks of retaining water. I'm already not losing weight so who cares. Lets do it now lol.

That's the spirit! :drinker: You can do it... Good Luck! :flowerforyou:

blc1971

This can be so frustrating, and it's worse when you are told flat out that you are not doing everything you should be, even when you know you are, and that you must be lying. I hit a nearly 3 month plateau over the summer and I finally relaxed about it when I read an article that says a plateau is a real thing and that it is the body's way of adjusting to the weight you've already lost. During my plateau I fluctuated up/down about 2 lbs, but I noticed my clothes were consistently looser. The article explained that the body's composition can change during a plateau and weight is shifting and redistributing even though the scale isn't moving. I stopped stressing (which can cause you to hold the weight), continued to log accurately, worked out consistently, and began losing again. It just takes time so stick with it. You will start losing again. Good luck!!

Mrs_Marvel

This can be so frustrating, and it's worse when you are told flat out that you are not doing everything you should be, even when you know you are, and that you must be lying. I hit a nearly 3 month plateau over the summer and I finally relaxed about it when I read an article that says a plateau is a real thing and that it is the body's way of adjusting to the weight you've already lost. During my plateau I fluctuated up/down about 2 lbs, but I noticed my clothes were consistently looser. The article explained that the body's composition can change during a plateau and weight is shifting and redistributing even though the scale isn't moving. I stopped stressing (which can cause you to hold the weight), continued to log accurately, worked out consistently, and began losing again. It just takes time so stick with it. You will start losing again. Good luck!!

Do you know the link the the article by any chance?

sigridolsen

I want to like this post too.

89nunu

good post

Although I have to be the bady and say that I never actually plateaued... I did change my goal from losing 1lb a wekk to 1/2 lbs a week when I hit the last ten though... and I guess I didn't have to lose that much to begin with.

I don't quite know what the point of my post is... maybe just that you dont necessarily have to plateau.
(just to make you all feel better I suck at gaining muscle though)

HealthWoke0ish

Right there with you. No judging here.

chopper_pilot

lol

gcbma

Oh how I HATE plateaus! They are the reason I gave up sooo many times before. My last one lasted 6 weeks. I believe I'm in the middle of another one... and I'm in on a dietbet. Good timing, body. Good timing....

blc1971

I don't but I sure wish I had saved it!! I spent a lot of time Googling "weight loss plateau" and similar phrases. This came from a trainer's site but I really can't remember who it was. However, I did find similar advice from Jillian Michaels website, Shape, and Dr. Oz. They give suggestions to get over the plateau but also remind you to be patient with your body as a plateau is a form of a reset.

FWIW, I followed the advice given about increasing workouts/intensity, double-checking calories and measurements, cycling calories, etc. None of that worked quickly but it did finally work. I just had to relax about the scale and the number while continuing to do what's best for my body.

Stripeness

Remembered this post while sulking over the scale today. I'm looking at 1 lb for this week, not the 2-3 I'm targeting. Your description of how it feels just tickled. So, thank you!
:flowerforyou:

RoyBeck

I'm down 56 from 266 to 210. I've weighed 210-212 for 3 months now despite logging accurately and running 10 miles a week. It's frustrating but ill lose again.

Sharonks

Plateaus can be so discouraging. I had one for over 6 months. Life threw a bunch of crap at me and I wasn't able to get as much exercise as usual and my eating wasn't what it should be. 3 months later I had gained everything I lost back (like 8 lbs) over the last 2 years. Back down about 4 now that I'm back on track. Hoping I bust through the plateau weight this time.

You should recalculate your TDEE every 5 lbs so for some people that may be the problem. Otherwise, have patience. Realize that my goal is a pound a month and I usually can't reach that despite trying. I do have some metabolic issues which don't help.

Edensienna

I have been trying to lose these last few pounds for a long time... I am stuck too. It's frustrating

Francl27

How long a 'plateau' are you talking about though? I have 3 weeks stalls every month. It's just how it works. With what you have left to lose, if you haven't lost weight for over a month, you've been eating too much.

Also, you can't 'use measuring cups and spoons and a food scale for everything you eat'. It's one or the other really. So just use the scale.