That Dirty Word: Plateau

Jenn_W

I am sure most of us have been there.

I have been gaining and losing the same five pounds for a couple months now and I think I have hit that 'That's it- I'll cut off a limb just to loss some weight' point. I have amp'ed up my workout and started tracking on here, which seems to be a little better, but I am still holding in the stupid 170s! I am learning my 'bad' food habits and trying to adjust. This whole lifestyle change is still hard after 11 months...

What healthy things have you had success with to help you through that flat plain Plateau?

*Side Note:
Most days my Calorie intake is around 1800. (With work-out and try lower if I workout less.)
Do a Boot-Camp 3 days a week - Typically work-out (hard) at least 60 minutes a day. Aerobics/ Dance/ Sculpting Class/Jogging/Spinning/Etc.
I feel I do best in class atmospheres, motivation to keep going...

Thanks!!

Jenn

MissMaryMac33

I can't wait to see the replies -- I am in the same boat as you!

Up and down the same 6 pounds for months now... my daily is 1400 (i'm 5'4) and typically go to zumba/hip-hop/boot-camp at least 7 times a week... I'm a big group fitness class person like you! You get to know people and they keep you accountable --- if I don't show up, they ask me where I was

Tereztaylor07

I haven't got stuck yet, but my husband did. He took two weeks off from his heavy workouts (light cardio only) and ate a little more most days (but not unhealthy foods, just higher calorie). Then, he went right back into it and lost five lbs the next week. It was kind of a body reset. Your body gets really efficient in the same routine.

Jamcnair

Have you changed up your workouts? I've heard that helps a lot. Also, you may need to add a couple hundred more healthy calories to your diet because at a lower weight, your body gets used to that number of calories and thinks you're starving and holds onto the weight. How much water are you drinking?

AHealthierRhonda

Do you do any weights in your workouts? I have started using 5 lb ankle weights and doing exercises like I would at the gym on a machine. I also hold them and do arm workouts as well as ab workouts and squats. It's only 5 lbs but it makes a huge difference! Muscle does more for weight loss to than just doing cardio.

beth40n2

One thing I find when I am not loosing weight is to lower my carbs. We can still eat the same calories a day, but it a lot of those calories are from vegetables it really helps. I have done things like cut back on bread and eat a "Flat Out" Flatbread wrap that is low carb. There are low carb tortilla's also.

Most of my carbs come from fruits. Also watch the carbs in things like salad dressings and other condiments. I am 5'2" and 195 now, but I used to be a major carbaholic. I try now to keep about 100 net carbs per day. Carbs -fiber=net carbs.

Jenn_W

Lots and Lots of Water... Maybe too much some days.... Not uncommon for me to drink 100-150oz per day (esp. in the heat and working out)

I switched from mainly all cardio with light weights to classes that use more (and higher) weights.

I did just read the artcile that was linked on a different topic about 'why the scale lies' (http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm) and have vowed to only weight myself once a week instead of daily. Hopefully to help discourage negative vibes...

Thanks again, Everyone!!

Goal4Good

I'm stuck in a plateau right now so I totally get it. I keep hearing that I should eat more calories cause I already strength train and switch up my workouts daily. I do between 1 hour and 1-1/2 hours a day of exercise. Heavy exercise! I stay slightly under or right at my daily caloire allowance plus I eat the exercise calories I burn. However, the scale isn't budging. Its VERY frustrating!!! But the whole eating more thing confuses me. I already take one day off a week to eat a little bit more but nothing happened. Should I eat more 2 or 3 days a week? Its very confusing. Seems like the whole thing is this game of trick the body, trick the scale! UGH!!!

jaitken_22

I've just had plateau month..... sooooo depressing!! I never did anything differently to what I'd been doing to get through this, I think you end up losing the inches rather than the pounds during this time. I was told to just be patient and eventually be back to losing weight eventually - I weighed myself yesterday and lost another 1lb!