No weight loss in September
mhlew
Posts: 377 Member
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.
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
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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.0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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
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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
Edited to add: I did loose inches this summer though, so maybe try measuring yourself.0 -
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)0 -
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.0 -
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
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.0 -
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!0 -
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.0
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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.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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. 0
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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?0 -
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 !0 -
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 0 -
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."0 -
It is always easy to lose at the beginning. The secret is to find a way to continue and not to give up because of setbacks. I found this article from prevention magazine, which I find true for me. I think it applies to men too, though it is written for women:
"Here, weight loss experts explore the mysterious minds of "naturally" slim, and how to eat like skinny women. Learn what they do, what they don't, and how you can act the part.
1. They choose satisfied over stuffed
On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, skinny women stop eating at a level of 6 or 7, says Jill Fleming, RD, author of Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates. The rest of us may keep going to an 8 or 10. Why? It may be because you mistakenly equate the sensation of fullness with satisfaction and feel deprived if you stop short, says Fleming. Or you may just be used to finishing what's in front of you, regardless of whether you really need it.
Copy them: To eat like skinny women, about halfway through your next meal, put your fork down and, using the 1 to 10 scale, rate your level of fullness. Do it again when you have about five bites left. The goal is to increase your awareness of how satisfied you feel during a meal. (Bonus: It also slows down your eating, which allows the sensation of fullness to settle in.)
2. They realize hunger isn't an emergency
Most of us who struggle with extra pounds tend to view hunger as a condition that needs to be cured—and fast, says Judith S. Beck, PhD, author of the new Beck Diet Solution. "If you fear hunger, you might routinely overeat to avoid it," she says. Thin people tolerate it because they know hunger pangs always come and go, buying them some time.
Copy them: Pick a busy day to purposely delay lunch by an hour or two. Or try skipping an afternoon snack one day. You'll see that you can still function just fine. Then next time you feel those grumbles, you'll hold off before making a beeline for the fridge.
3. They don't use food to cure the blues
It's not that skinny women are immune to emotional eating, says Kara Gallagher, PhD, a weight loss expert based in Louisville. But they tend to recognize when they're doing it and stop.
Copy them: Add the word 'Halt' to your vocabulary, says Gallagher. More than just a command (as in stop eating that entire sleeve of cookies), it's an acronym that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired—the four most common triggers for emotional eating.
If you're truly hungry, eat a balanced snack, such as a handful of nuts, to tide you over until your next meal. But if you're angry, lonely, or tired, seek an alternative calorie-free solution to your emotional need. Blow off steam by going for a run or just jumping around—the heartbeat boost will help dissipate your anger. Lonely? Call a friend, e-mail your kid, or walk to the park or mall. Being around others will make you feel more connected to your community (even if you don't bump into anyone you know). If you're tired, for heaven's sake, sleep!
4. They eat more fruit
Skinny women, on average, have one more serving of fruit and eat more fiber and less fat per day than overweight people, reports a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Copy them: Start tinkering. To eat like akinny women, examine your diet for ways to add whole fruits (not juices) to your meals and snacks. Aim for two or three servings per day. Sprinkle berries in your cereal or on your yogurt. Add sliced pears to your turkey sandwich, or bake an apple for dessert. Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen table or desk to motivate you to think fruit first, vending machine never.
5. They're creatures of habit
Any dietitian will tell you that a varied diet is good--but too much variety can backfire, says Katz, author of The Flavor Point Diet. Studies have shown that too many tastes and textures encourage you to overeat, he explains. "Thin people have what I call a food groove—the majority of their meals consist of well-planned staples," says Beck. "There are a few surprises thrown in, but for the most part, their diets are fairly predictable."
Copy them: Try to eat as consistently as possible with your major meals—have cereal for breakfast, a salad at lunch, and so forth. It's okay to add grilled chicken to the salad one day and tuna the next, but by sticking to a loosely prescribed meal schedule, you limit the opportunities to overindulge.
6. They have a self-control gene
Researchers at Tufts University found that the biggest predictor of weight gain among women in their 50s and 60s was their level of disinhibition, or unrestrained behavior. Women with low disinhibition (in other words, a finely tuned sense of restraint) had the lowest body mass index. High disinhibition (i.e., low restraint) was linked to an adult weight gain of as much as 33 pounds.
Copy them: Prepare for moments when your disinhibition is likely to be higher—such as when you're in a festive atmosphere with a large group of friends. If you're at a party, tell yourself you'll take one of every fourth passed hors d'oeuvre. If you're out at dinner, order an appetizer portion and share dessert. Or if you're stressed—another low-restraint moment—make sure you have a source of crunchy snacks (like fruit or carrot sticks) at the ready.
7. They're movers and shakers
On average, skinny women are on their feet an extra 2 1/2 hours per day—which can help burn off 33 pounds a year, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Copy them: Try a reality check. Studies have shown that people often overestimate how active they really are, says Gallagher. Most people actually spend 16 to 20 hours a day just sitting. Wear a pedometer on an average day, and see how close you get to the recommended 10,000 steps. Your day should combine 30 minutes of structured exercise with a variety of healthy habits, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or mopping the floor with extra vigor.
8. They sleep—well
Skinny women snooze 2 more hours per week, compared with overweight people, says a study from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Researchers theorize that a lack of shut-eye is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin.
Copy them: Break it down: Two extra hours of sleep a week is only 17 more minutes a day—a lot more manageable, even for the most packed of schedules. Start there and slowly work toward 8 hours of snooze time a night—the right amount for most adults.
Quick tip Eat breakfast! 78% of successful dieters do it every day, according to the National Weight Control Registry, a database of more than 5,000 people who've lost more than 30 pounds and kept the weight off for at least a year.
Published November 2011, Prevention"0 -
I am not a woman- but thanks for the lengthy article.
Thanks for all the messages, I like to post my frusturations and set backs to get feed back, and also remind myself that others have been through the same and broken out of it. I am looking forward to Saturdays weigh in and hope to record a loss as I am going to put extra effort into a better diet.0 -
Have you been logging your food properly? Did you adjust your goals on MFP? If you know you've been eating at a deficit, you'll just need patience, stalls of 3-4 weeks are not uncommon, even for men.0
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Have you been logging your food properly? Did you adjust your goals on MFP? If you know you've been eating at a deficit, you'll just need patience, stalls of 3-4 weeks are not uncommon, even for men.
I log as accurately as possible. I know a lot of people use food scales, but I am just being honest with myself and everyone on here that if I had one I probably would use it for a week then put somewhere up high in a pantry, I just do not have enough dedication to weight every piece of food. Would this help my weight loss if I literally weighed everything , every day, every meal? most likely it would, but is it realistic me to invenst in something I will likely not stick to- No. Can weight loss still be achieved with a scale? - Yes it can.
I know you did not mention food scale but just wanted to let that be known in case someone else chimes in about weighing food. I have adjusted my goals on MFP- when I lost 10 lbs it had me adjust it and it is set at to lose 2 lbs a week. I am paying closer attention to my diet this month- I need to watch it like a hawk like I did when I first got motivated to drop weight- then I lost 13 lbs and although I was still doing a good job- little set backs can cause a platue- luckily I am not gaining anything back but just want to continue to lose. Looking forward to some losses this month.0 -
If you have another week where you don't lose you are going to have to think seriously about a food scale. You will not get bored with it, in fact its VERY enlightening.
At the start I just eye balled everything, two months in I bought a food scale and what an eye opener.
They are very cheap to buy and the digital ones are flat so take up no room at all - mine sits on the kitchen work top all the time.
Seriously without weighing your food you ARE eating more than you think
unless you are buy your meals all pre-made which lists the calories on the packaging.0 -
Have you been logging your food properly? Did you adjust your goals on MFP? If you know you've been eating at a deficit, you'll just need patience, stalls of 3-4 weeks are not uncommon, even for men.
I log as accurately as possible. I know a lot of people use food scales, but I am just being honest with myself and everyone on here that if I had one I probably would use it for a week then put somewhere up high in a pantry, I just do not have enough dedication to weight every piece of food. Would this help my weight loss if I literally weighed everything , every day, every meal? most likely it would, but is it realistic me to invenst in something I will likely not stick to- No. Can weight loss still be achieved with a scale? - Yes it can.
I know you did not mention food scale but just wanted to let that be known in case someone else chimes in about weighing food. I have adjusted my goals on MFP- when I lost 10 lbs it had me adjust it and it is set at to lose 2 lbs a week. I am paying closer attention to my diet this month- I need to watch it like a hawk like I did when I first got motivated to drop weight- then I lost 13 lbs and although I was still doing a good job- little set backs can cause a platue- luckily I am not gaining anything back but just want to continue to lose. Looking forward to some losses this month.
how are you logging if you don't know what the serving size actually is?
eyeballing is notoriously inaccurate.0 -
I have been trough MONTHS of plateau! Keep doing what you are doing, and make sure you do not eat less calories than your metabolism at rest (my nutritionist told me that if I eat less than 1500 Kcal a day -which is what my body burns to live at rest- I will end up gaining weight on the long run).
Hope this helps! Good luck!0 -
I have been trough MONTHS of plateau! Keep doing what you are doing, and make sure you do not eat less calories than your metabolism at rest (my nutritionist told me that if I eat less than 1500 Kcal a day -which is what my body burns to live at rest- I will end up gaining weight on the long run).
Hope this helps! Good luck!
That makes sense... I've been gaining rapidly for the past few weeks. And that coincides with when I re-adjusted my settings to aim for 1 lb./week loss, which is apparently less than my RMR based on an online calculator I found.0 -
Have you been logging your food properly? Did you adjust your goals on MFP? If you know you've been eating at a deficit, you'll just need patience, stalls of 3-4 weeks are not uncommon, even for men.
I log as accurately as possible. I know a lot of people use food scales, but I am just being honest with myself and everyone on here that if I had one I probably would use it for a week then put somewhere up high in a pantry, I just do not have enough dedication to weight every piece of food. Would this help my weight loss if I literally weighed everything , every day, every meal? most likely it would, but is it realistic me to invenst in something I will likely not stick to- No. Can weight loss still be achieved with a scale? - Yes it can.
I know you did not mention food scale but just wanted to let that be known in case someone else chimes in about weighing food. I have adjusted my goals on MFP- when I lost 10 lbs it had me adjust it and it is set at to lose 2 lbs a week. I am paying closer attention to my diet this month- I need to watch it like a hawk like I did when I first got motivated to drop weight- then I lost 13 lbs and although I was still doing a good job- little set backs can cause a platue- luckily I am not gaining anything back but just want to continue to lose. Looking forward to some losses this month.
how are you logging if you don't know what the serving size actually is?
eyeballing is notoriously inaccurate.
I will usually inflate the amount of food logged. Just because I do not have a scale does not mean I can't decifer measurements. I will not invest in something I know I am not going to use. There big, bulky, get in the way.0 -
Have you been logging your food properly? Did you adjust your goals on MFP? If you know you've been eating at a deficit, you'll just need patience, stalls of 3-4 weeks are not uncommon, even for men.
I log as accurately as possible. I know a lot of people use food scales, but I am just being honest with myself and everyone on here that if I had one I probably would use it for a week then put somewhere up high in a pantry, I just do not have enough dedication to weight every piece of food. Would this help my weight loss if I literally weighed everything , every day, every meal? most likely it would, but is it realistic me to invenst in something I will likely not stick to- No. Can weight loss still be achieved with a scale? - Yes it can.
I know you did not mention food scale but just wanted to let that be known in case someone else chimes in about weighing food. I have adjusted my goals on MFP- when I lost 10 lbs it had me adjust it and it is set at to lose 2 lbs a week. I am paying closer attention to my diet this month- I need to watch it like a hawk like I did when I first got motivated to drop weight- then I lost 13 lbs and although I was still doing a good job- little set backs can cause a platue- luckily I am not gaining anything back but just want to continue to lose. Looking forward to some losses this month.
how are you logging if you don't know what the serving size actually is?
eyeballing is notoriously inaccurate.
I will usually inflate the amount of food logged. Just because I do not have a scale does not mean I can't decifer measurements. I will not invest in something I know I am not going to use. There big, bulky, get in the way.
seriously?
it takes up the foot print of a coffee pot- and has a low profile- mine sits on top of my microwave- and I use it daily- and I'm considering purchasing one for work- it takes up no more space than a mug of coffee or a stack of papers.0
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