Plateau busting!

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asaffell
asaffell Posts: 43 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone!

I've been a casual user of MFP for like 3 years now. I lost 30 pounds last year and then got pregnant. Ended up at my highest weight ever and have steadily lost most of what I gained in pregnancy, but still have some extra laying around. I dropped 14 pounds in 10 weeks from August to November and through the holidays I stalled out again. Now I'm getting really serious about my intake because the scale isn't moving and I'm not getting the results I know I can get.

A little more about me - I'm a mother of four at 28 (we started early), and I'm a huge advocate for natural parenting and living. I love homebirths, breastfeeding, and all that jazz. I also knit and love working out, but just finding time with a 7 month old is proving to be harder than I expected. ;)

Looking forward to finally hitting my goals in 2014!

- Ashley

Replies

  • RamonaFr
    RamonaFr Posts: 112
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    Another knitter here -- I love knitting and it has the added side benefit that I can't eat and knit at the same time! Best wishes for your success.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    Congratulations on your progress and hard work!

    Here's what the Mayo Clinic says about getting past a weight loss plateau:
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/weight-loss-plateau/art-20044615

    Specifically, this:
    A plateau occurs because your metabolism — the process of burning calories for energy — slows as you lose muscle. You burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight even doing the same activities. Your weight-loss efforts result in a new equilibrium with your now slower metabolism.

    At this new equilibrium, calories eaten equals calories expended. This means that to lose more weight, you need to increase activity or decrease the calories you eat. Using the same approach that worked initially may maintain your weight loss, but it won't lead to more weight loss.

    Weight loss naturally slows the closer one gets to goal. My longest plateau was 48 days. I just kept making sure I was eating at a deficit and the pounds came off eventually.

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