No weight loss in September

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mhlew
mhlew Posts: 377 Member
in Motivation and Support
What a discouraging month this has been. My first 4 weeks of changing my diet and comitting to more consistent excersize I lost 13 pounds in August. September has been a plateu with my weight fluctuating around 3 pounds. luckily I have not gained any weight back, but how do I snap out of this?

Some changes I am going to make are food prepping more (as I believe I was doing this more in August). Has anyone else been in a 3-4 week plateu and snapped out of it? Hope to make an impact in October.
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Replies

  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    Oh yeah, the first couple of months the weight just melted off. Once I got closer to my goal weight the weight loss went at a snail's pace. For me I was doing cardio alone at the beginning. Once I added weight lifting to my routine I finally (slowly) got to my goal weight. It took me almost a year to lose 60 lbs so don't give up, it just takes some time. Good luck!

    Edited for spelling.
  • austinsneeze
    austinsneeze Posts: 222 Member
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    Are you weighing yourself everyday? I get discouraged if I weigh myself everyday because there is so much fluctuation. I weigh myself twice a week now. Also, are you working out? You might be losing inches.
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    Good advise Blue.. Suprisingly I still feel motivated for the most part but know there are a few tweaks I can make that I can always improve on. I do weight lift 3 X a week

    Austin- I don't weigh daily however I will sometimes have a peak throughout the week (I am trying not to do this as often) but I only record my "official weigh in's" on Saturday mornings. I work out 5 x a week- and suprisingly I did receive a few comments that I looked slimmer, and another friend did not mention I looked like I lost weight, but just said I was looking good, like clearer in the face, so whatever that means.. But I will take it.

    I have been lifting somewhat heavier lately. It's all diet though, I know there are area's I can do better at but I still expected better results because I have made drastic improvements from my diet a couple months ago.
  • terrillscott
    terrillscott Posts: 13 Member
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    Frustrating, but ... I was told this last week when I had the same discouraged feeling about little losses when I had made such huge changes in my life - "It took you longer than a month to put on the weight, so real weight loss will take time too". Stay the course and ask yourself lots of questions to see what the weak points were in Sept. Portion size, social outings with restaurant food, shorter work outs ... really dig in, as the truth is out there :)
  • mom2my4boys
    mom2my4boys Posts: 148 Member
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    My weight loss slowed dramatically this summer. I don't work during the summers (but i kept up my cardio and weights work outs) so naturally i set my activity to sedentary from lightly active. Bad idea! I'm now within 25lbs of a healthy weight and since going back to work and bumping my activity (and calories) back up, i'm loosing again. I don't understand it, but if your close to goal maybe this may be an issue for you? You say you still have motivation, so that's great and one of the most important parts! I don't know the answer for you but hopefully someone a little more experienced will come and help you out. Good luck :smile:


    Edited to add: I did loose inches this summer though, so maybe try measuring yourself.
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    Frustrating, but ... I was told this last week when I had the same discouraged feeling about little losses when I had made such huge changes in my life - "It took you longer than a month to put on the weight, so real weight loss will take time too". Stay the course and ask yourself lots of questions to see what the weak points were in Sept. Portion size, social outings with restaurant food, shorter work outs ... really dig in, as the truth is out there :)

    Great Advice.. I can make a list here, I rather be honest and put it out there, Here are some differences between Aug to Sept.

    1) I didn't drink my meal replacement drink as often. I need to go back to 2 x a day.
    2) Drank a little more alcohol in Sept then august- which leads to poor food choices/ late night eating- In this case it was mainly portion choices
    3) Roomate had a BBQ and had an increase sodium intake this past weekend
    4) Did not food prep as much as usual- back on it now.

    As for excersize my level has been about the same (5 x a week/ 3 x a week lifting)
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,361 Member
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    Happens to me all the time. Even with a little gain, sometimes. Yet, in the end, it comes off and plus some. I seem to have one loss a month all within a few days anymore.

    I started September at 173. Pretty much stayed there until a week ago at up/down a pound or so. Then boom! Am 164 today.
  • mhlew
    mhlew Posts: 377 Member
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    My weight loss slowed dramatically this summer. I don't work during the summers (but i kept up my cardio and weights work outs) so naturally i set my activity to sedentary from lightly active. Bad idea! I'm now within 25lbs of a healthy weight and since going back to work and bumping my activity (and calories) back up, i'm loosing again. I don't understand it, but if your close to goal maybe this may be an issue for you? You say you still have motivation, so that's great and one of the most important parts! I don't know the answer for you but hopefully someone a little more experienced will come and help you out. Good luck :smile:


    Edited to add: I did loose inches this summer though, so maybe try measuring yourself.

    I am FAR from goal. I weigh 278-280 lbs right now (started at 293-294) so it is defenitly not because I am close to goal, I think its something's I did better in August then I let slip through the cracks in Sept. So I am going to try and incorporate those things back in to October and see if that gets me back on track.
  • DvlDwnInGA
    DvlDwnInGA Posts: 368 Member
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    I have seen no loss on the scale in September, though I have dropped another belt loop on my belt. If you are weight lifting sometimes the scale is going to move a lot slower than if you are just eating less and tracking calories. Last year at this time before I went back to my bad eating habits, I lost weight a lot quicker, but I was not incorporating any weight lifting.

    Keep at it man, make sure you are honest with yourself and your diet. Long term goals beat any short term quick losses.

    Good luck!
  • jennm426
    jennm426 Posts: 7
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    I know it is so easy to become discouraged. DON'T! . You can do this. Keep pressing through. I started my nutritional plan on 9/23/2014 and have lost 11.5 lbs and 10inches. My body feels better than ever!. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and packed on the pounds before, during and after treatment. I felt like my life was over because I was in so much pain every day. I begged God to deliver me and show me a better way. He did. Day 3 of my nutritional plan it was like I went back to being a teenager! I jumped out of bed and I hurt less than I had hurt in as long as I could remember. It was like a fog was lifted. I consider that nothing short of miraculous! I went to an apple orchard over the weekend with my family. I spent the whole day walking and playing with my kids with NO FATIGUE! That has not happened in 5 years. I am so thankful and greatful. This nutrition plan is allowing me to take my life back and live it...I am taking it by storm! Be encouraged! Dont ever quit or give in. You deserve to have the health and life you want! Always be thinking "how woulding having the health I want change my life?" Picture it hold on tight and dont let go. Get a death grip on your goals and dreams. Be encouraged.
  • ZombieMom79
    ZombieMom79 Posts: 70 Member
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    I went a long time plateauing on the scale but ended up losing inches. Sometimes the scale doesn't show the whole truth.
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
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    Meh, life goes on. I had a 4-month plateau over the summer. Ask yourself if those potato chips are worth sabotaging everything you've worked for.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    I know it is so easy to become discouraged. DON'T! . You can do this. Keep pressing through. I started my nutritional plan on 9/23/2014 and have lost 11.5 lbs and 10inches. My body feels better than ever!. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and packed on the pounds before, during and after treatment. I felt like my life was over because I was in so much pain every day. I begged God to deliver me and show me a better way. He did. Day 3 of my nutritional plan it was like I went back to being a teenager! I jumped out of bed and I hurt less than I had hurt in as long as I could remember. It was like a fog was lifted. I consider that nothing short of miraculous! I went to an apple orchard over the weekend with my family. I spent the whole day walking and playing with my kids with NO FATIGUE! That has not happened in 5 years. I am so thankful and greatful. This nutrition plan is allowing me to take my life back and live it...I am taking it by storm! Be encouraged! Dont ever quit or give in. You deserve to have the health and life you want! Always be thinking "how woulding having the health I want change my life?" Picture it hold on tight and dont let go. Get a death grip on your goals and dreams. Be encouraged.

    This exact post was copypasta'd to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1462437-knee-pain-during-body-combat?page=1#posts-21715293

    Plus in other threads you are trying to sell stuff.

    Please stop. It's against the TOS.
  • garnerish
    garnerish Posts: 67 Member
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    Weirdly enough, I've had the same september. I lost 50lb since April, and then I've kinda run into this wall this month.

    By run into a wall, I mean hard slacking off. I've overindulged way too much, and can't quite break that 280 barrier yet. I think that 50lb milestone was like "Well I should celebrate" and it went on waaaaay too long.

    Here's to a better october. Just keep your calories on track and you'll get there mate.
  • thepandapost
    thepandapost Posts: 117 Member
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    This is all a process. There have been times where the scale danced back and forth for MONTHS for me. Discouraged doesn't even come close to how I felt. :explode:

    Then I remembered, I have been doing "this" for over a decade. My weight has gone up, down and all around throughout the years. What it comes down to is changing things up in October, which it looks like you already know what to do.

    Just make yourself the priority and the progress will come.
  • independant2406
    independant2406 Posts: 447 Member
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    Definitely keep that added focus on your diet. I'm sure you'll find what the trouble is in no time. :) You're doing great. I'm sure with a few minor adjustments you'll see the changes you need. :)
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    Meh, life goes on. I had a 4-month plateau over the summer. Ask yourself if those potato chips are worth sabotaging everything you've worked for.


    potatoe chips? sabotaging? are you serious?
  • bradsbaby1996
    bradsbaby1996 Posts: 154 Member
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    You definitely have to be true to yourself! I can't falter any little bit.. Do what you did to begin with! With that said....

    I stayed the same weight from August 10 til September 26 except for going up 4 pounds when I started lifting.. After a couple weeks that 4 pounds came off but I still bounced from 154-156.. I kept doing everything right and the morning of the 26th I was down to 153! Yeah, just one pound but it hasn't went back up! After being the same for a month and a half I will take it!
    Don't get discouraged! If I can do this you can !
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I have seen 3 week plateaus regularly over my time on here..the longest spell without a loss was 6 weeks. When I look back it was because I took my eye off the ball, wasn't being as meticulous in weighing my food, or simply forgetting to log things, sometimes we do eat mindlessly and not even realise. For me its when baking cakes, I can never resist tasting the cake batter! (I know! what a habit but its something I always loved as a child). I wouldn't log that kind of thing yet its calorie laden.
    Be meticulous about weighing/logging your food.
    If you exercise change what you've been doing a little bit - our bodies respond well to change in routine.
    The main thing is to keep on going, maintaining is better than gaining but you'll see you'll soon be seeing losses on the scales once more.
    As for getting on the scales, if you can't cope with fluctuations then stay off them and just weigh once a week.
    For me I take notions - I will weigh in most days and track it on a weight app that I have - as long as the trend is downward all is fine.
    Remember the body fluctuates a few pounds on a daily basis from the foods we eat and other contributions like muscles retaining water from exercise to hormones.

    Wishing you all the best in your journey :)
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    I've had a similar issue in September, though I've gained weight. I haven't logged my weight yet, because I keep hoping it is wrong. Even on days when I went over my goal calories, I still had a net calorie deficit on all but 2-3 days (one of which was yesterday when I just said "f**k it" and decided I was not going to be hungry that day). I've decided to log my weight by Sat. regardless. I'm not lifting weights, and I don't expect to be gaining.

    It's discouraging, and I wish I could offer some encouraging words, but I can't. The only thing I can offer is to say "you are not alone."

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