I've hit the wall!!

lyddy87

Hi, I've been on here since January and it all started so well! Lost 11 pounds over the first 3/4 weeks and was super motivated. Now, I haven't lost anything in almost 3 weeks and I'm feeling more and more like cheating - any words of wisdom would really help, common sense says it will pass and I'll start to lose again but I'm feeling so unmotivated at the moment.

Thanks guys!

NicolaNash

Take your measurements as well as just monitoring your diet - even if the scales aren't going in the right direction you may be losing inches.

Then check are you accurately recording everything? Do you weigh yout food rather than estimate it? Do you remember to log all drinks, snacks etc - its amazing how calories in drinks can add up.

Keep going it will be worth it, the initial weight loss is always the easiest/quickest and unfortunately it does slow down after that. Try and keep active to help burn off calories as well.

hudnharsmom

go ahead and cheat! its what keeps me going i just keep it in my limit of calories...i have even hear DR. OZ say that cheating will help keep you on your journey. i have seen some people that don't keep track over the weekend but try to be reasonable. are you eating all your calories? if not your body is protecting its self by storing everything because it is starvation mode. you have to eat to loose. if you work out maybe try to change your work out some how, do something different.

NicolaNash

And don't cheat - it feels good at the time but not in the long run!

I read a great quote recently, you know how when you fall off the wagon its so easy to carry on pigging out that day/week saying oh well I've ruined my diet today now so I can continue, I'll start again tomorrow? Well someone said, when you spill a drink such as red wine on your top you don't say oh well its ruined now and pour the rest of the bottle over you do you, no you try and rectify the situation and wash it before it is ruined.............

poledancing_ninja

Since January?! Your first 11 pounds were probably just the shock at the lifestyle change and now it's steadied itself for the long haul. Keep going and it will work

jomiley23

Me Too....almost exactly in the same boat as you. Last night, I went through my calorie history and in the beginning, I was eating back my exercise calories. I tried to have my net calorie count for the day match the goal. It was working so well that I QUIT and just tried to keep my food calories at or under the goal plus work out more. And that's when I stalled out on the scale. -- If it was working so well, WHY did I quit doing the exact same thing?

My shape is changing, and yours probably is too. Definitely take the measurements like everyone suggests.

Don't consider yourself cheating, because that may push you too far over the edge, mentally, away from your long term goals. Think "calorie shifting", so you'll still be honest and track your more expensive snacks and meals.

Hang in there.

poledancing_ninja

It might be helpful to set a fitness goal i.e I want to run a 5k race, I want to bench press 10kg etc. I was stuck for months and months but I took up climbing and am training for a half marathon in September and it helped me keep focused. I've not lost any pounds but my size 12 jeans fell off and I had to get a 10 - the scales aren't always the best to go by

SilverioRojas

The human body is very resilient. After a while, your body will start to get accustom to what you're doing, both with food and your work out. You have to shock your body for what ever you're doing to work.

For your work out, increase the time or the effort. Don't get used to your routine. You're getting stronger and don't even know it.

For your food, eat something higher in calories every once in a while (i.e. cheat - I don't like calling it that), maybe once a week. This will stop the body from getting used to the calories you're taking in on a regular basis. Your body is efficient. It will work with what you give it. For example, if you are on a 1500 calorie "diet", your body will get used to it. The day you exceed 1500 calories, your body will store the excess as fat. If you shock your body maybe once a week with extra calories (have a pastry or something. enjoy yourself), you're body wont get accustom to the 1500 calories a day and will continue to burn.

Also, if you're not losing weight, you might be gaining muscle in place of fat. That is not a bad thing at all. Keep up the good work. Do it for you and do it for those who care about you. Trust me, I'm right there with you.

psuLemon

Also, if you're not losing weight, you might be gaining muscle in place of fat. That is not a bad thing at all. Keep up the good work. Do it for you and do it for those who care about you. Trust me, I'm right there with you.

This is highly unlikely. You would need a combination of a lot of protein, a very good lifting program and a very small deficit in order to create lean muscle mass. I have a 20% deficit (2800 calories), do P90X2 and I am a 200 lb guy at 12% body fat and it's even hard for me to build muscle.


From my experience, it's a great chance a person is under eating rather than building muscle. Not to say this is the case but we need to know how many calories the person is consuming and their workout routine, but I do agree with the other stuff you discussed.