What's the longest plateau you have been on?

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Mine is currenlty 4 months, crazy right?
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  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
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    When I started in March 2010 I lost 10 pounds over the next couple of months...hit a wall in May that lasted until around September. That is when I found MFP and started C25K, so 4 months.
  • Raiderxx
    Raiderxx Posts: 105 Member
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    4 months?! That is crazy. Try not to let it get you down though. Change up the foods you are eating and your exercise and see if that helps at all. (I'm sure you have done this already by now, but just a suggestion)

    My longest so far has been about a 4ish weeks.
  • regthelittleone
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    I have been "STUCK " at my current weight since.......... JULY 2011!!!!!!! Not a happy camper :( The scale/ measurements haven't changed since then!!!
  • chatterbox3110
    chatterbox3110 Posts: 630 Member
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    I had a 6 week plateau a few years back, didn't budge an ounce either way, and in the end I gave up on the dieting, hence being back where I am now.

    The longest plateau I've had since being on MFP was 3 weeks, then I lost just 1lb, but it was enough to motivate me again. I tried everything but my body just did not want to cooperate!

    It happens sometimes.........
  • amys31
    amys31 Posts: 108 Member
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    I have been "STUCK " at my current weight since.......... JULY 2011!!!!!!! Not a happy camper :( The scale/ measurements haven't changed since then!!!

    I have too:-( I have vasilated a few pounds here and there but, yes since July!!
    Although I have to be honest with myself...I haven't eaten as clean as i should..that is my goal this year and to move every chance i get!!!
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
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    ur plateau shouldnt last more than a month! two at max!!! there is always little changes you can do to break out of a plateau!
  • regthelittleone
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    EuroDriver12 : Ideas on changes? Because I've tried alot, maybe I'm missing something :)
  • JodaNord
    JodaNord Posts: 496 Member
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    Bump...
    Been at same weight for 3 months...
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I have not been stuck for any longer than a week or 2, which is not long enough to really consider a plateau. Make sure you are eating *enough* (if you have not previously eaten any of your exercise calories, try eating a portion of them and see what happens, it might make your body happy :-) - or if you HAVE been eating them, but have been estimating them based on MFP or gym machine estimates, try eating less or more of them, it might be that the estimates are not true to what your body is really doing, so you could end up under or over eating if you're having to trust those estimate - play around with it and see if changing things up helps you see some progress again) but also make sure you are being really really accurate with your calories - count every single thing you eat or drink, weigh everything on a kitchen scale so you can be really accurate with the calories. My idea of a serving of cheese and what the scale shows me is a serving are REALLY different - kitchen scale = great investment. I weigh everything now that doesn't come pre-portioned or can't be measured accurately in a measuring cup - cheese, cereal, meat, even produce. I've also seen it mentioned that it's a good idea to switch up your workout routine - if you've been doing the same things for a long time, try something different so your body has to work more to do it. You want to be challenged. Some people have great success breaking plateaus by zig-zagging their calories, too - go over your usual goal on some days and under it on others. You can do it yourself or you can use calculators online that will give you a zig-zag schedule (there's one on freedieting.com).
  • regthelittleone
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    CMmrsfloyd: Thank you!!!! I was thinking about investing in a kitchen scale( going to now!!!) I've tried zig-zagging and used that calulator on free-dieting ( I lost a pound then went back up- I'm fluctuating between the same few pounds) Err.... Started lifting weights & doing the 30 day Shred ( this week ) along with my HIIT workouts, so hopefully that will help( kick it up a notch) :) Thanks so much for the advice !!!!
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
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    EuroDriver12 : Ideas on changes? Because I've tried alot, maybe I'm missing something :)

    -when im cutting "cheat days" come in handy,
    -upping cardio or changing it to something different,
    -changing your workout...
    -go from free weights to machines for 2 weeks or vice versa
    -if doing free weights instead of doing heavy weight do slow controlled full range of motion reps
    -supersets, trisets, circuit training
    -changing rep ranges
    -do dropsets, pyrmaids, 21's
    -take extra 2-3 days off in the week (if you been at it for 6+months streight)
    list goes on on what you can do lol but those are the main ones i use..

    n if u find muscles are lacking you can fix that too.. e.g. i felt like by biceps were falling behind so for about 2 months i would work them on my back day as they are being worked already i did just 2 sets of seated incline curls and 1 dropset of hammer curls and then later in the week i would work my biceps again and do 21's once in while.. what do you know month later guys at the gym were walking up to me saying holy crap man ur arms starting to look big! put a big smile on my face because extra work was paying off =D

    just goes to show that lots of people think you need to do huuuge things to break out of a pleatu but its really not its literally as easy as slowing down your motion with lighter weight and consetrating more! i havent been getting sore (sign of plateau) n i have 2 training partners and on monday we did chest.. usually chest day is about 7 things.. that day we did 4 things but i changed from super heavy weight to about 10-15lbs lighter and more controlled, slower, full ROM reps and at the end of the workout guys went "wtf thats it? we are not even going to get any bigger!" what do you know lol they come in on back day whining and b*tching that they are so sore they cant move their arms back lol
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    I bounced around the same 3 pounds for 5 months......BUT my measurements were changing. I tried the zig zag, the exercise routine changes, went on maint. for a month, I even did a couple weeks where I averaged 1000 a day. The scale just wouldn't budge. It did move in October by 7 pounds, hadn't changed anything, it just dropped..?? I am hoping that since I pretty much went off the rails (+5) over the holidays that I will start dropping again soon.
  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
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    ive been fluctuating with the same few pounds since september so 4 months for me too. SUCKS.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    Oh yes and like pp mentioned, take your measurements. Even if your weight plateaus, you might see changes in your measurements that show progress the scale doesn't show.
  • regthelittleone
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    Thank you for sharing :)
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
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    oh plus if ur "cutting" n get stuck near the end... supplements help... like ECA.... but u gotta be fit before you can take them..
  • FatassFairy
    FatassFairy Posts: 166 Member
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    about 9 months, pretty much since i have joined this site
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    I've never been on a plateau. If you completely understand the science behind fat loss/water weight/nutrition/etc you'll realize they really don't exist. IF your weight is not going down, there is an explainable reason behind it. You simply have to understand what that reason is and adjust accordingly.
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    My scales haven't gone down since October 4 of 2011, but I have lost inches.
  • Blueberry09
    Blueberry09 Posts: 821 Member
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    I have been "STUCK " at my current weight since.......... JULY 2011!!!!!!! Not a happy camper :( The scale/ measurements haven't changed since then!!!

    I have too:-( I have vasilated a few pounds here and there but, yes since July!!
    Although I have to be honest with myself...I haven't eaten as clean as i should..that is my goal this year and to move every chance i get!!!
    June for me! I, too, vasilate a pound or two but seem to be permanently stuck where I am.