Help, I can't break 200lbs !!

andrewharman

Hi, I hope someone can offer advice on how to break through my weight loss plateau. So far I've managed to lose nearly 50lbs in 6 months; this has been achieved through exercise and sensible eating. However, over the last few weeks I seem to have stuck at the 205lb mark. Has anyone any ideas how I can break through this seemingly impermeable barrier.

cfregon

I'd suggest gritting down and actually using the food diary. It's possible that you are unknowingly grazing at foods and sabotaging yourself. The diary also tracks water intake. If you make it your goal to drink the full eight glasses, it can help curb grazing and false hunger brought on by dehydration. Many of us mistake dehydration for hunger feelings. Though you exercise and eat sensibly, getting down to it and tediously recording everything, you may see where your hold-up is. Again, it could be something you're totally unaware of, but the conscious recording of everything will let you know.

soze

We all will reach a plateau at some point. Just keep eating right and exercising.

I saw where one person gave the advice to change your exercise routine and move to different foods.

Best Wishes!

meggonkgonk

Hi andrew-

1) I think your body is likely adjusting and will move past 205 when its ready. So don't push anything too hard- plateaus are when your skin firm up and all the things in your body get adjusted to your new size- 50 lbs in 6 mo is steady and good but your body most like just needs to re group

2) Changing up your workout a bit often helps- new weight machines, a new style of cardio

3) Dietarily there are a couple of things you can do- Eat all of your cals and go over (with healthy foods) 1 or 2 x per week- really give your metabolism something to burn. Also what works for me personally is to add in natural diuretics like leeks or grapes or dried food (plus an extra glass or two of water, to avoid dehydration).

Above all- patience! keep doing what you know is healthy for your body and eventually you'll move down again!

Good luck!

dporter1183

Try having a pig out day or two to "reset" your metabolism. then pick back up on your normal healthy eating habits. Your body can become adjusted to the regular routine you have.

And maybe change up your workout routine a little as well.

edorice

Human homeostasis refers to the body's ability to physiologically regulate its inner environment to ensure its stability in response to fluctuations in the outside environment and the weather. The liver, the kidneys, and the brain (hypothalamus, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system[1]) help maintain homeostasis. The liver is responsible for metabolizing toxic substances and maintaining carbohydrate metabolism. The kidneys are responsible for regulating blood water levels, re-absorption of substances into the blood, maintenance of salt and ion levels in the blood, regulation of blood pH, and excretion of urea and other wastes.

1: Back off. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't exercise; it just means that if you ease up a bit, you'll likely recover and get stronger. Oftentimes your body is overtrained, exhausted, and just in need of a break. If you are finding it suddenly difficult to get through a workout that was easy the week before, this is most likely the case. You should cut down on your intensity and focus on technique and flexibility. It's a perfect time for a recovery-specific workout like Slim Series® Cool It Off!, Tony Horton's Ho' Ala ke Kino, or some easy cardio, yoga, and/or stretching workout. Another option would be to lower your workout weight or pick easier workouts. Gauge this so that you finish workouts feeling refreshed rather than knackered. When your energy level returns, launch back into your original program, or a more difficult one, harder than you did before.

2: Turn it up a notch. The antithesis of backing off, because a plateau may also happen when you're purely bored and/or listless. The easiest way to increase intensity is by adding resistance. Change bands or add weight so that you start failing at around 6 to 8 reps on all of the exercises, which changes the energy system you're using. This added intensity will force your body to adapt and turn that improvement line skyward again. You'll know if this was the right tactic in one of two workouts because you'll either respond by feeling energized or you'll hardly be able to finish the workout.

3: Streamline your diet. Most of our diets could always use a little improvement. If you've been giving yourself little rewards for a job well done (a good idea in general), then it's time to stop. Try a super-strict week wherein you do everything perfect. If you don't have a great example—like the P90X diet—scour the Message Boards for help.

4: Add some morning cardio. Twenty minutes or more of easy- to moderate-level cardio in the morning on an empty stomach can help get your metabolism steamrolling again. You can train your body to more efficiently use stored fat as fuel, and this is one of the easiest ways to do it.

5: Add or subtract 500 calories per day. If everything else seems fine and you're at wits' end, then try this. Your diet might just be miscalculated and you could be under- or overfeeding yourself. This is common, especially as you get fitter, because your body composition changes, which is why adding calories is one of the main ways our members kick themselves off of plateaus. Five hundred calories per day works out to 3,500 per week, which equates to a pound. Keep in mind that this will only work if you are eating proper nutrients. If not, try #3 first, and then try altering the number of calories you're eating.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_homeostasis
http://teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/59#43000