At a Plateau... And I just started!
fossn22
Posts: 10
Can someone please help me with a motivation problem I'm having? I started to restrict calories to 1200-1400 per day around 2 weeks ago. At that time I also started going to the gym and exercising at least 30 minutes 4-5 times per week. Before that, my diet pretty much consisted of snack food and inconsistent (not healthy) meals. Now I eat 3 meals a day with a couple of healthy snacks in between. And I drink at least 8 cups of water a day, where before all I drank was diet soda.
I know that I'm not giving this enough of a chance, but I have not lost any weight at all. I keep fluctuating the same three pounds. I lose them, then I gain them, then I lose them. So I guess technically you could say I've lost 3 pounds... until I gain them back again.
I'm trying really hard to stay motivated... but it's difficult when I'm working so hard to be good and not seeing any decent results. Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong?
I know that I'm not giving this enough of a chance, but I have not lost any weight at all. I keep fluctuating the same three pounds. I lose them, then I gain them, then I lose them. So I guess technically you could say I've lost 3 pounds... until I gain them back again.
I'm trying really hard to stay motivated... but it's difficult when I'm working so hard to be good and not seeing any decent results. Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong?
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I should also mention that I'm not ready to give up by any means. I WILL do this, because it is what I want and need to do. I just need a little bit of a pep talk and some advice I guess.
Just didn't want everyone to think that I was being a whining quitter after 2 weeks.
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A plateau is generally defined as 4-6+ weeks without a drop on the scale. What you're seeing are the normal day-to-day fluctuations of the body. Weight loss isn't linear and it's going to take some time.
It's not uncommon to see a stall or even a slight gain on the scale when you start a new exercise routine or increase an old one. Our bodies flood sore muscles with fluid to help cushion and repair them, which can mask any fat loss that's happening. Don't worry; it's temporary. Drink plenty of water, keep doing what you're doing, and give your body some time to adjust. :flowerforyou:0 -
when i hit plateau i lost motivation and i didnt train until i realised i looked ****e.. dont do this mistake just go harder the other week0
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Your body is probably holding onto more water. You used to only drink diet soda which if it has caffeine will act as a diuretic and make you pee out lots of your body water. Now not only have you stopped the diet soda, you've upped your water intake and your exercising which is going to make you retain more water as your muscles are repaired.
I'd suggest 1) start lifting weights if all you are doing is cardio 2) try lowering your sodium intake. Water follows salt so more salt intake=more water weight 3) ditch the scale for awhile. Don't weigh yourself but every 2-3 weeks because your weight is naturally going to fluctuate on a daily basis. Besides, there are so many benefits to getting active and eating better besides watching an arbitrary number go up or down on a scale 4) stick with it. Losing weight and getting healthy isn't a sprint. Hell it's not even a marathon. Living healthy is just that, a lifestyle! Don't approach it like there is some deadline you need to meet in regards to how much weight you lose.0 -
Hey Iowan!!!
First I need you to understand something. This shouldn't be a diet. Change how you eat and live now and reap the benefits forever. If you don't you will be back in a year or 2 right where you are now or worse. Second, You are a girl. This is a really common occurrence with girls. Third you started working out where you weren't working out before. Woman have less muscle mass than men. Its harder for you to build and harder to maintain. However if you are just starting to be active its quite possible that you are quickly building muscle mass that has been dormant.
I strongly encourage you to take measurements of your body as soon as you are able and make note of them somewhere. Continue to log your food religiously. continue your exercise regimen and come back in 30 days with your new measurements and new lower weight.
I know you can be successful!0 -
I am having the same problem so I appreciate the responses to your post. I have always exercised and for the most part I eat healthy but I think my all day grazing/snacking is my biggest problem and most likely my age (49) too. For the past 2 weeks I have increased my exercising and reduced my snacking. The scale just goes up and down 3 lbs. So, it sounds like I need to get off the scale for a few weeks and just keep trying! I find that I get frustrated because my clothes feel tighter not looser.
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Thank you everyone! I really appreciate all of the great advice!
I really do want this to be a lifestyle change. I want for these good habits to become second nature for me. It's just difficult to go from eating whatever I wanted to cutting out most of my favorite things just like that. I'm also embarking on this journey with my mom. I know she is a different person and is going to have completely different results than me. However, she dropped 6.5 pounds in her first week, so that was difficult for me to see and not get just a little discouraged.
I will continue doing what I'm doing and take the advice here. I am truly thankful for all the support! 0 -
I am having the same problem so I appreciate the responses to your post. I have always exercised and for the most part I eat healthy but I think my all day grazing/snacking is my biggest problem and most likely my age (49) too. For the past 2 weeks I have increased my exercising and reduced my snacking. The scale just goes up and down 3 lbs. So, it sounds like I need to get off the scale for a few weeks and just keep trying! I find that I get frustrated because my clothes feel tighter not looser.
I totally know what you mean! My clothes are tighter than ever right now! If some of the inches come off even when the pounds weren't, I would be completely ok with that!0 -
Are you eating back those exercise calories? You should be.0
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It takes me forever to start losing weight... like 5 weeks; eating healthy and exercising. After some time passes though my body becomes more efficient and I start losing a little faster. I also fluctuate the same 3 pounds day to day until there are sudden undeniable drops of the additional 3-5 ibs.0
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WHOA!!! STOP!
Lifestyle change does not mean cutting out the things you love. DIET means that. I couldnt have been successful cutting out the things I loved.
No one can maintain a restrictive diet as a lifestyle forever. You must make room for the things you love. You just have to think about it differently and PLAN PLAN PLAN!!!.
No you cant eat an entire row or two of oreos anymore. BUT if you really want some you coudl have 3! you have to stop EATING based on URGES and reteach yourself to eat based on needs not wants.
If you want oreos plan it into your meal for the following day DO NOT give into that temptation.0 -
you haven't been doing this long enough to have a plateau.
however if you have stalled it could be three things
1. Your body is figuring things out
2. You haven't found the best time of the day to weigh (I usually and consistently weigh the least at about 2-3 pm)
3. You aren't measuring/tracking your food properly and have snuck up to maintenance levels.0 -
WHOA!!! STOP!
Lifestyle change does not mean cutting out the things you love. DIET means that. I couldnt have been successful cutting out the things I loved.
No one can maintain a restrictive diet as a lifestyle forever. You must make room for the things you love. You just have to think about it differently and PLAN PLAN PLAN!!!.
No you cant eat an entire row or two of oreos anymore. BUT if you really want some you coudl have 3! you have to stop EATING based on URGES and reteach yourself to eat based on needs not wants.
If you want oreos plan it into your meal for the following day DO NOT give into that temptation.
TOTALLY agree. Yesterday I had ice cream (frozen yogurt actually, 1/2 cup), pasta (3/4 cup w/ veggies), wine (8oz only), goldfish crackers (1/2 serving), and fig newtons (only 3). (not that that's how I eat everyday but I decided to work out a little bit harder to give myself the extra calories I needed for a few snacks.
I'd say I eat clean about 80% of the time... if I want a snack... I let myself have a little bit... and just plan it into my day. I've been doing New Rules of Lifting for Women since November... and losing consistently ever since (all the while eating 1500-1800 calories). Before that, I was eating about 1300 and working out 2hrs/day and not losing. You do the math.0 -
If the scale results are affecting your motivation, maybe it would be a good idea to not weigh yourself as much. Focus on healthy habits, do that for a month or two, and then step on the scale to see where you are.0
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I think the journaling is key here. That is probably another one of my issues. I can journal fairly well during the day because I pack my food for work and I can enter what I packed when I get to work. But once I get home I start to snack a little before dinner and rarely go back online to enter what I ate. I am wondering if anybody find that hand written journaling works better for them. I think I might try it but seems silly since I have an iphone and an ipad - both have the MFP app.0
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I think the journaling is key here. That is probably another one of my issues. I can journal fairly well during the day because I pack my food for work and I can enter what I packed when I get to work. But once I get home I start to snack a little before dinner and rarely go back online to enter what I ate. I am wondering if anybody find that hand written journaling works better for them. I think I might try it but seems silly since I have an iphone and an ipad - both have the MFP app.
My iphone is never far from my side. I journal in the morning when I get to work on my computer... then in the evening everytime I eat something I go on the MFP app and enter the rest. It really helps that they have the barcode scanner too.... that makes it so much easier to do things. I'm also pretty obsessed with my fitbit app and constantly checking it to see how many steps/calories I'm at for the day. It just becomes a habit.0 -
You haven't plateaued, sounds like you have been just barely eating at a deficit on some days and eat around maintenance on others.
If you are in fact eating a calorie deficit you will lose weight. All that is required for fat loss is a calorie deficit. If you're not losing you have not done what is required to lose. This could be due to errors in calculations of your calorie intake, errors in calculations of calories burned, or a combination of both.
People try to make it more complicated than it really is, you just have to make sure everything you put into your mouth is logged as accurately as possible, and if you log exercise calories it's a crap shoot at best on estimating calories burned. Good luck!0 -
I think the journaling is key here. That is probably another one of my issues. I can journal fairly well during the day because I pack my food for work and I can enter what I packed when I get to work. But once I get home I start to snack a little before dinner and rarely go back online to enter what I ate. I am wondering if anybody find that hand written journaling works better for them. I think I might try it but seems silly since I have an iphone and an ipad - both have the MFP app.
Like you, I journal just fine while I'm at work and have a harder time when I'm at home. I have a paper notebook that sits on my kitchen counter during the evenings and I write everything down there. Then I find some time to log it the next morning. I might be a little over or under on my paper log because I'm worse at math than the MFP site, but it all works out in the long run.0 -
Well that can't happen since a plateau is considered 6 weeks or more of no weight movement while being consistent with diet and exercise.
As mentioned, your body is adapting to your habits now and may take as long as a month to adapt.
But as also mentioned, DON'T DIET. If you're doing a program that you don't think you can sustain long after you've reached goal, then chances are high that weight regain will happen. Look for an eating program that you can do for the long haul.
Personally I eat whatever I want, however I do make sure to reach my personal macronutrient goals each day. If I have calories left over after doing that, I'll eat/drink whatever it is I want without exceeding the calorie limit for that day.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
When you first start out with losing weight, I would suggest going by measurements mostly and not so much the weight. The weight will come off, you just gotta be patient.0
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Good idea on having a notebook in the kitchen - because most likely those of us that are struggling are really eating and consuming more calories than we think. It all adds up!0
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I know what you mean about a plateau and losing motivation. I've been there a hundred times. But so far with this mfp it is so easy and I have stayed motivated. I.ve lost 6lbs in 2 weeks and some days I go up and then next day I go down. Stayed the same for about 3 days. I am so determined to complete this journey that reading these posts have helped. I eat just below 1500 calories a day and weigh every morning before anything else. Hope I have helped you with motivation, cause I know how hard it is.0
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Ok I now understand that plateau was the wrong word to use here. What I should have said was that my weight loss is stalled. I do think there's some great discussion going on here, so keep it up! But I think we're past defining what a plateau is. 0
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WHOA!!! STOP!
Lifestyle change does not mean cutting out the things you love. DIET means that. I couldnt have been successful cutting out the things I loved.
No one can maintain a restrictive diet as a lifestyle forever. You must make room for the things you love. You just have to think about it differently and PLAN PLAN PLAN!!!.
No you cant eat an entire row or two of oreos anymore. BUT if you really want some you coudl have 3! you have to stop EATING based on URGES and reteach yourself to eat based on needs not wants.
If you want oreos plan it into your meal for the following day DO NOT give into that temptation.
This is great advice! I think right now I'm wrestling with self control. It's hard for me once I have one of something I really want to stop there. I will take your advice about planning it into the next day. Thank you! 0 -
You might want to play around with your calorie intake. When I first started I set my daily goal to 1200 calories and my body REFUSED to lose any weight. After a few frustrating weeks I found a post that stated that some people just need more food to lose weight, so I up'ed it to 1680 and the pounds started melting off. I'm now around 1800 most days and when I exercise I eat back those calories. My body just needs more. It's weird, but it works.0
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You might want to play around with your calorie intake. When I first started I set my daily goal to 1200 calories and my body REFUSED to lose any weight. After a few frustrating weeks I found a post that stated that some people just need more food to lose weight, so I up'ed it to 1680 and the pounds started melting off. I'm now around 1800 most days and when I exercise I eat back those calories. My body just needs more. It's weird, but it works.
That's really interesting... I had never heard of that approach. Thank you for the advice! I've been trying to make it a point to not eat back the calories I burned, but maybe that's something I need to try. Thanks! 0 -
Whatever you do, DON'T LOOK AT THE SCALE. It will hurt you and discourage you. Keep up what you are doing and after three weeks TRY THE SCALE. you'll be surprise.
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A couple of things:
If you're asking for help on this you should probably open up your diary for others to view.
Especially when you start, sometimes you're not all that accurate at logging your food. I would recommend weighing and measuring all food if you're not already.
I try to log a day ahead on my food, and if I am going to add in anything extra (snacks or whatever) I log it BEFORE it eat it. That can sometimes make you think twice - ie: I'm only going to have one biscuit, not 3, or actually I don't need that at all, or I can have it but I'm going to have to add 20 min to my exercise to make up for it. Logging as much of your food ahead of time means you can plan in your higher calorie foods, takeaways, alcohol whatever, account for it and make choices about portion size and what you eat for the rest of the day - but still have the foods you love.
Beware the exercise calorie counts on MFP (or on exercise equipment at the gym) - they are often high and inconsistent between different exercises. I would recommend a Heart Rate Monitor - then at least you can be consistent and see what works for you in terms of loss or maintenance. Keep this in mind when eating back exercise calories - there is a lot of debate here whether or not you should or not and its up to you to figure out what works for you but just remember if using MFP exercise database calorie burns, you may want to only eat back a portion of your exercise cals, rather than all to allow yourself some buffer.0 -
1 be patient
2 weigh your food
3 fuel your body properly - i eat back at least 1/2 exercise calories
4 this should be something you can do long term, healthy life style not a diet
5 find an activity you enjoy
6 never quit, if you fall pick yourself up
Not being fit is hard, being fit is hard. Pick your hard.0 -
Definitely not a plateau
If I were you I would eat back my exercise calories and add in strength training.
Don't get discouraged, it takes time to see change!
Good luck!0
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