Detox to get past my "stall"

I've had a few people recommend that a detox or cleanse my help me get past my current "stall" in weight loss.

Has it worked for anyone else? or is this just another diet myth? :ohwell:

If it worked, any suggestions on what to try? I've never done a detox before. :huh:

I am heading out for vacation at the end of the week but I am looking for a little "kick start" when I get back. :happy:

Thank for your input! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • Myth.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Your body detoxes itself so to buy a detox something or another will be a waste of your money. Have a good time on vacation and deal with any weight issues when you get home.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    "The evidence presented in this study indicates that even very high and unrealistic levels of metabolic adaptation do not affect the timing of weight plateaus. Rather, the seemingly innocuous intermittent loss of dietary adherence results in weight graphs with 6-mo plateaus, and these results point to the sensitivity of dietary adherence in determining the kinetics of weight loss."

    From: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2570111/Am J Clin Nutr-2014-Thomas-ajcn.113.079822.pdf

    Basically, you're probably lacking dietary adherence to your calorie goals. Just buckle down, ensure your accuracy in both your intake and output is as tight as possible.

    A cleanse won't do anything but lighten your wallet or put you in an extreme deficit. Just be more accurate.
  • Booda101
    Booda101 Posts: 161 Member
    How long have you been stalled? Are you accurately weighing and logging everything?
  • Leenda62
    Leenda62 Posts: 96 Member
    I am having a bit of a stand off with the scale myself. How long have you been stalled? Have you hit a plateau before? Are you eating enough? Could it be stress?

    I have looked back at past logs to see if I could see the difference. I spot a couple of things that could be problematic but not horrible. Hang in there and have a good vacation.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Would you be willing to open your diary for us to take a look?

    How long has it been since you last saw a drop on the scale? Some people go a few weeks without seeing a loss on the scale because of water weight from exercise, sodium, hormones, etc. which can mask any fat loss that's still going on. If it's been less than three weeks or so, there may not be anything to worry about.

    You're logging everything you eat? Including condiments, cooking oils, veggies, cheat days, etc? Are you using a food scale, measuring cups, or eyeballing your portion sizes? Most people can be off in their estimates by several hundred calories when they eyeball portions. Measuring cups are better, but a food scale is going to be the most accurate.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1290491-how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

    And make sure that you've calculated your calorie goals appropriately. Remember that these are just estimates. You may need to play around a little to find what works best for you.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    If you're exercising and eating back your earned exercise calories, be sure that you're using accurate estimates of your burn. MFP and gym machines have a tendency to overestimate certain activities, which can cause you to eat back more calories than you need to. Even a heart rate monitor isn't 100% accurate. If you're eating those extra earned calories it might be a good idea to eat only 50-75% of those.

    A detox might help you lose some water weight, but that's about all that it will do. If you've been stalled for more than a couple of weeks then there's likely something else going on. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1159755-looking-for-a-detox-cleanse
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Have a Poo - Detox done
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    NO.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    No. And people who are telling you to do a "detox" are not people you should be taking weight loss advice from.

    It's probably just time to re-evaluate how much you're eating and moving.

    As you get smaller, it gets harder to lose the weight and it comes off slower. Make sure you aren't slacking on the food weighing and the tracking. You'll need to make sure you're eating the appropriate amount for whatever weight you're at now, and move a bit more as your body becomes more efficient at burning calories.

    In other words, you'll need to turn it into overdrive a bit. Good luck.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    Stall/Plateau = myth

    Chances are that you aren't weighing/measuring your food accurately, therefore causing you to eat more than you think you are.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    Drink more water.
  • Speaking as somebody who has done them before due to pressure from the mother - they are a waste of your money to often do the exact same thing a laxative will.

    If you want to do a cleanse, drink more water. You can still eat, you don't need to take anything, just drink water. Water naturally flushes your system, also, the more you drink the more your digestive system works!

    I find, when I plateau, adding more time to my daily walk tends to help. Often, plateauing happens because you eat more than you think, or you need more exercise to boost yourself.

    Hope this helps!
  • I was told that if you hit a "stall" in your weight loss, change up your routine. I was told that your body gets used to the physical activity (same old work outs day in and day out) and so it isn't as effective as it once was.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Detoxes and cleanses have zero proven benefits. Save your money and health. Just take a poo.
  • I was told that if you hit a "stall" in your weight loss, change up your routine. I was told that your body gets used to the physical activity (same old work outs day in and day out) and so it isn't as effective as it once was.

    This.

    This is why a personal trainer (haha, if only we could all afford one... and a chef to cook healthy meals... and a mansion...) is excellent, because they force you to do different things each time.

    For me, I was swimming daily. After a few months, I stalled. I switched to walking and jogging, and it boosted me again.

    You burn fat by working the muscles, after all. Yes, there is a lot more to it than that, but its a basic start.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I was told that if you hit a "stall" in your weight loss, change up your routine. I was told that your body gets used to the physical activity (same old work outs day in and day out) and so it isn't as effective as it once was.
    Detoxes are a myth, and so is this. Your body is as effective as the amount of food you put in it.