Plateau??

TammyLanham

I've lost 26 pounds since January 18th. 3 weeks ago, I lost 3 pounds, last week, I lost.8 and this week, .2. Not sure if I'm hitting a plateau or what. I have done the same exercise routine every morning for 3 months (20-25 minutes on my elliptical, burning 350 calories each time) because I'm a creature of habit. I love doing the same thing everyday (I know - weird, right?). I read, I listen to music, sometimes, I just pray but I enjoy the routine of doing the same thing everyday. And I've continued to lose weight at a steady pace of an average of 1.5 pounds a week. I do add 2-3 other exercise routines through the week (yoga, walking, etc.) in additional to the elliptical.

About 2 weeks ago, I increased my workout intensity and set a goal to burn 3500 calories a week (almost double my usual 1800 caloires per week) and that's when I stopped losing as much weight. I am eating back about 50% of my exercise calories. Any suggestions? I've had a few friends tell me to zigzag calories? I'm not sure what that is or how to do it. I've also been told to switch up my workout routine (which I despise the idea of doing) but if it'll work, I'll do it. I drink tons of water (usually upwards of 10-13 glasses a day).

Aesop101

I'm in a bit of one myself. I've heard to change up your routine, not only exercise but food amounts and types too.


In regards to your sig, aren't kids the cutest things! hehe

Amy_B

My suggestion is to vary your exercise routine so you are not always doing the same exercise. Also, eat back more of your exercise calories. I plateaued for an entire year. I added more (net) calories in, and I started losing. Of course, my workouts were more intense then also.

Panda86

I would say that maybe you aren't eating enough, and also, you should be doing strength training and not just cardio. Strength training will build up the muscles that will burn more calories, even while resting, thus raising your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR).

MiNiMoNkI

Ive hit a plateau 3 weeks ago and it aint shifted yet, but ive been so up and down with my excercise and calories and ive hardly weighed myself.

when i have weighed myself ive gone from 8stone 11 to 8 stone 7 and then back up, back down, etc. Its driving me mad, so this week, as i havent done my 30ds for a while i shall be doing it every night, plus walking 4 miles a day and anything else i can fit it, im going to really power hard this week, taking ym cals up to 1300 instead of 1200 and see how that goes. Good luck, i know how annoying it is! x

bamakerry

I agree with the others, you need to change up your routine more...your body gets use to it when you do the same thing over and over so you have to confuse it a little by doing something different.

lisapickering

Your body is definitely getting used to doing the same thing. I would suggest changing your execise, trying something other than the elipitical. I understand the idea of doing the same thing everyday but that's because is easy... it shouldn't be easy! You need to challenge your body.

I would also suggest eating more. As you get closer to your goal weight it becomes more important to eat back more of your exercise calories.

healthybones

Try zig-zagging your calories like friends have said. You eat the same amount of calories every week, but not the same amount every day. For instance, say you normally eat 1500 a day which is 10500 a week. Instead of eating 1500 every day, eat 2000 one day, 1500 the next, 1800 the next day, then 1600 the next, etc, etc... all as long as the calories add up to the weekly total. Hope this helps!

butrfly86

You may need to eat more calories each day. It's good that you're drinking tons of water. I remember in Weight Watchers they always suggested drinking tons of water whenever you hit a plateau. Maybe work toward a gallon a day (you're almost there anyway!). Switching up your workout routine would also be a good idea. It creates muscle confusion which helps you burn more calories throughout the day. We also retain more water at certain times of the month so that could be affecting you as well so don't get discouraged. Hope this helps! You are doing great.

BigDaddyRonnie

I have been on a plateau for more than 2 months. But I am OK with it as I am strength training and my body is in a constant state of flux. The scale reads one thing, but I see and feel my body responding in a different way.

As others have said, if you are going hard for the weight loss, you will need to trick your body. Spice it up a bit with a few minor changes that you feel could work for you and your routine and you will have the results.

For me, I know what I need to do to lose more, but at this point I am interested in mass gains, as well as fat loss. As a result, the scale numbers don't mean much to me right now. Do what works for you. Make it a game! If you don't go up, you are succeeding and winning.

melsinct

I am at a plateau as well. It has been almost three weeks since I have lost, though I haven't gained either. I have a sneaky feeling I may not have been eating enough so I upped my calories by 100 last week, then by another 100 starting today. I have always zig zagged and I don't have time to do more exercise so I will just have to see where upping my calories lands me. It is extremely frustrating that you put in the time and effort of calorie counting, meal planning, and exercising just to have your weight stay the same. :mad:

AmandaHammill

I think you are getting some good suggestions from others here. I also started eating a bit more, changing up my exercise and doing strength training, when I plateaued at 200 and have found that I'm getting more steady again at about 1 to 1.5 per week loss now.
I did notice when I went through your food diary that you tend to replace a great many of your exercise calories with things like chocolate or candy or processed food. I know with Easter having just passed this is a time when that seems normal, but I went fairly far back and this seems to be a regular pattern for you. Although how you eat your exercise calories is definitely up to you (I am in no way a perfect eater), I think you might find some good changes if you start replacing the empty calories you are getting from candy with something more wholesome/nutritious that your body can really work with.
Good luck with your journey...you're doing great losing what you have already! Don't get too discouraged, it will come off as long as you continue to watch the calories and exercise. (at least that's what I keep telling myself!)

Tree72

I would definitely try switching up your exercise routine. I've heard it takes about 8 to 12 weeks for your body to adapt to what you are doing and that you need to switch things up at least that often. If elliptical is what you enjoy, why not switch up how you are doing it? Instead of doing a steady pace, try doing intervals. I've recently added intervals to my treadmill (walking/running) routine and have definitely noticed a difference.

Also, remember to have patience with yourself. You've made quite good progress, and your body may just need a little time to make some changes that aren't so visible on the scale.

Best wishes for pushing trough this obstacle and on to the next part of your journey.

melsinct

I started a Plateau Support thread in the Motivation forum because I am getting frustrated and need support!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/226252-anyone-else-need-plateau-support

Feel free to join me!

Aeriel

I hit a plateau at about 30 lbs lost and the only thing that worked for me was reducing my rate of weight loss (giving me more calories). I went from 1.5 pounds target per week to 1 pound per week and within 10 days was dropping steadily again. It translated to about 250 calories more per day. Did the same thing at 50 pounds lost (down to 0.5 pounds per week target). As your body gets healthier and closer to target, you need less of a deficit to maintain loss. I will edit this if I can find the link to the topic that explains this.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

iamhealingmyself

I agree, even if you change your exercise simply by doing 2 days on one day off instead of every other day, or even twice in one day and skip two days, it could help. I also agree with eating more. I know it sounds like it is counter productive but if you've increased your workouts and you're still eating back your regular workout calories (what amounts to half) it won't be enough to sustain you long term. Remember your goal calories are set for you to lose weight without the exercise so even if you ate back every last crumb of a calorie, you'd still loose weight as planned.

You also have to consider that you've been doing the same exercises for 3 months now. That makes them part of your normal activities. I would suggest you up your activity level which will give you more food and still allow you to lose weight and you won't feel like you have to eat so much back at the end of the day.

Zig zagging can help. It's a method of staggering your calories over the week so your body doesn't get used to having x amount everyday and it will kind of put it in that guessing mode which is where our bodies seem to thrive. Guess it's all in the design. There are a couple of ways to do it. Search the forums for zig zag (unless someone already posted the link) there is a great post out there about one way to do it. The underlying theory is that if you need 1200 calories a day x 7 days you need 8400 calories a week. Instead of taking them at 1200 a day, you mix it up by using your maintenance level, your max fat burn level (the least you should eat) and something in the middle. In the end you're still eating the same amount, just not everyday.

You also fast on Mondays. Do you make up this calorie deficit over the week? Remember that while we focus on the day, we should still be meeting our weekly caloric needs to continue that weight loss plan (per MFP) since it takes your weekly and divides it to show you the daily. I think if you tried adding back those lost calories on Mondays over the week it could help too.

One thing I wouldn't do is try all of this at one time since you won't know what's working. Pick one and try it for at least 2 weeks. If it's not giving you the results you want then try something else. In the end you can end up having a variety of things to use to keep your intake and exercise fresh and yet still familiar.

I understand totally about doing the same things everyday. It's comforting and helps keep your life more relaxed. You know what to expect. The only problem is that so does your body and that's what hurts us the most. How would you feel about having like 4 or 5 different workouts - you can do one each week or every two weeks, this way you have a sense of doing the same thing but you're still changing it up often enough to keep your body guessing? Something else to consider.

Oh, as you get leaner you will also have to work harder to get your heart rate up as high as it was. That's just a fact of getting into better condition. Don't take it as a a set back because it's really a testament to how WELL you are doing!

Good luck and keep up the great work!

iamhealingmyself

I am at a plateau as well. It has been almost three weeks since I have lost, though I haven't gained either. I have a sneaky feeling I may not have been eating enough so I upped my calories by 100 last week, then by another 100 starting today. I have always zig zagged and I don't have time to do more exercise so I will just have to see where upping my calories lands me. It is extremely frustrating that you put in the time and effort of calorie counting, meal planning, and exercising just to have your weight stay the same. :mad:

it might be frustrating now, but consider this - you have maintenance down pat!

TammyLanham

Thank you!! Everybody has given me amazing advice and I'm anxious to get started again tomorrow - today was stinky...