What's the longest plateau you have been on?

proverbs31chick

Mine is currenlty 4 months, crazy right?

BobbyDaniel

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

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

I have been "STUCK " at my current weight since.......... JULY 2011!!!!!!! Not a happy camper The scale/ measurements haven't changed since then!!!

chatterbox3110

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

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

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

EuroDriver12 : Ideas on changes? Because I've tried alot, maybe I'm missing something

JodaNord

Bump...
Been at same weight for 3 months...

CMmrsfloyd

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

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 : 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

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

ive been fluctuating with the same few pounds since september so 4 months for me too. SUCKS.

CMmrsfloyd

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

Thank you for sharing

EuroDriver12

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

about 9 months, pretty much since i have joined this site

Sublog

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

My scales haven't gone down since October 4 of 2011, but I have lost inches.

Blueberry09

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.

scapez

I was stuck for a few months, so I upped my calories from 1350 to 1600 and that did the trick for me.

timadotcom

my plateau last like 1.5 months - what finally made me get over this was eating once a day for 2 days straight.

FatassFairy

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.

bully for you

Yanicka1

Since April....so I would say 9-10 months. Thank god I really do not care that much what the scale is saying.

In the same time, my belly went from this :


Photo 009 by yanicka, on Flickr

To this :


Photo by yanicka, on Flickr

My Body fat dropped from 30% to 23%
I was able to squat 70 pounds more.

Cait_Sidhe

I've been on a plateau since I quit smoking late July. I'm changing things up a little, hoping things change.

LeighErin

I have been stuck at the same weight since December 2010....tried everything to get off it. Finally rejoined mfp to try again and hired a personal trainer 3 days a week. Stomach hasn't shrunk either. I hit a weight and fat ratio and my body refuses to move (even though I used to me 20 lbs lighter)

Kkmama

Basically since June 2011 I have been fluctuating with the same 5 lbs. I am still sticking with it and playing with my calories right now to see if I can get some movement. But actually what I want is less fat and more lean muscle!

Weight_less

I've been plateauing for 2 months so far. But you all guys made me scared! 4 months, 9 months, years... I'm afraid to stuck for such long term.