Plateau-Close to goal Question?

MommyRobin

I have seriously hit a plateau. I have been stuck at 145 since April 8th. 2 weeks tomorrow. I've done this twice before. I was at 169 for a little over 2 weeks. & 155 for 2 weeks. I don't know what's going on. My calorie intake is good. I've actually started jogging every day. And I've added an upper arm routine with 5 lb. weights. The only thing I can think of is that I am building muscle and retaining water as the muscles heal. It's just frustrating after doing so well, to be stuck. I am so close to my goal. Just 10 more lbs. I'm tired of the 140's. lol. Anyone else experience this after a steady weight loss success? And what did you do to break the plateau?

creature275

HIIT

beachdiva2010

Bump for later.

MommyRobin

HIIT

What? lol

hbehrle

Change up your routine. Do the whole thing backwards and confuse your body. If you normally do cardio first, do your weights first. If you do elliptical....do it pedaling backwards. Or choose a different cardio routine all together. Good luck!

Lolli1986

two weeks at the same weight when you're near to goal while increasing exercise is probably not a plateau.

i've been hovering around 148 for a month while increasing my fitness rapidly. weight isn't changing, but inches are falling off.

i'd say give it a bit more time and check your measurements.

looking gorgeous, by the way

HarlCarl

HIIT

What? lol

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

lisakyle_11

HIIT

What? lol

High Intensity Interval Training...

I don't really do HIIT, but probably should! I do run/walk intervals (with varying intensities) on the treadmill at times and do think it's an effective calorie burner. As far as the plateau....that's a hard one. I have only about 7 pounds to go and I am in the same boat unfortunately!

misssmiles

i was at the same weight for 4 months. stick with it... but change up your exercise.

BeautyFromPain

with weights, make sure you are working each muscle group not just the ones you can see.
eg 2 exercises for arms, 2 for shoulders, 2 for back, 2 for legs, 2 for pecs

MommyRobin

two weeks at the same weight when you're near to goal while increasing exercise is probably not a plateau.

i've been hovering around 148 for a month while increasing my fitness rapidly. weight isn't changing, but inches are falling off.

i'd say give it a bit more time and check your measurements.

looking gorgeous, by the way

Thanks. Well, it feels like a plateau to me, because I lost almost 2 lbs. a week steadily for almost 8 months. lol. I've lost 80 lbs. in about a year. Now that I am close to my goal it seems really hard to lose. I check my measurements the beginning of each month.

MommyRobin

i was at the same weight for 4 months. stick with it... but change up your exercise.

Thanks. I will stick to it. I've come too far to give up now. I have recently changed my exercise routine and I think that may be causing the stall. I think I am building muscles in my legs and retaining water as they heal. I normally just did elliptical with occasional Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred workout. I add ab and arm exercises on days that I don't do the Shred. I added running a 5k at the local track every day for the last month or so. I have dropped the Shred since I've been running. I also added an arm workout with 5 lb. weights.

MommyRobin

HIIT

Does Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred or Ripped in 30 workouts count as HIIT? I plan to start another round of Shred May 1. Thanks.

jdm120

Jillian Michaels would certainly count as interval training. Anything that raises your heart rate, then brings it back down again, and then up again etc will make your body work harder. I have heard it is the most effective way to burn. My session at the gym includes a 10 min warmup, weights for about 20 minutes then I do 20 minutes of interval followed by stomach exercises and then if I'm still not done, another 10 mins of cardio.

Also, I am not sure what you're eating but I've heard the last 10lbs are the most stubborn. You're probably eating well already considering how much you've lost but if you haven't already, start looking at the kind of calories you're consuming vs plain calories. A high protein diet might kick your off your plateau and get you going again.

Good luck

heybales

two weeks at the same weight when you're near to goal while increasing exercise is probably not a plateau.

i've been hovering around 148 for a month while increasing my fitness rapidly. weight isn't changing, but inches are falling off.

i'd say give it a bit more time and check your measurements.

looking gorgeous, by the way

Thanks. Well, it feels like a plateau to me, because I lost almost 2 lbs. a week steadily for almost 8 months. lol. I've lost 80 lbs. in about a year. Now that I am close to my goal it seems really hard to lose. I check my measurements the beginning of each month.

Did it stop losing almost immediately - like when you started exercising?
Or did it slow down the weeks before, 2lbs loss, 1.5, 1, .5, nothing, nothing?

And did you increase calories or feed those workouts when you started them?

And is this the first decent aerobic workouts you have been doing up until now?
Running really trains the muscle to store glucose/water, since it's generally needed. And if going at high intensity mainly burning carbs, body responds by trying to store more of them.

MommyRobin

two weeks at the same weight when you're near to goal while increasing exercise is probably not a plateau.

i've been hovering around 148 for a month while increasing my fitness rapidly. weight isn't changing, but inches are falling off.

i'd say give it a bit more time and check your measurements.

looking gorgeous, by the way

Thanks. Well, it feels like a plateau to me, because I lost almost 2 lbs. a week steadily for almost 8 months. lol. I've lost 80 lbs. in about a year. Now that I am close to my goal it seems really hard to lose. I check my measurements the beginning of each month.

Did it stop losing almost immediately - like when you started exercising?
Or did it slow down the weeks before, 2lbs loss, 1.5, 1, .5, nothing, nothing?

And did you increase calories or feed those workouts when you started them?

And is this the first decent aerobic workouts you have been doing up until now?
Running really trains the muscle to store glucose/water, since it's generally needed. And if going at high intensity mainly burning carbs, body responds by trying to store more of them.

I lost about 2 lbs. a week since Sept 2011 til Feb, 2012. After Valentine's Day I have lost about a lb. a week. until April 8. I haven't lost any weight since then. I started running right around that about a week before that.

I do 120 min. of elliptical every day at about 50 to 60 RPM at a level 5 resistance. I have been doing elliptical since Sept, 2011, never missed a day. Thanks.

Lolli1986

I lost about 2 lbs. a week since Sept 2011 til Feb, 2012. After Valentine's Day I have lost about a lb. a week. until April 8. I haven't lost any weight since then. I started running right around that about a week before that.

I do 120 min. of elliptical every day at about 50 to 60 RPM at a level 5 resistance. I have been doing elliptical since Sept, 2011, never missed a day. Thanks.

This looks about right. i saw that you're within healthy BMI, so i'd recommend setting your calorie goals to reflect a 1lb or possibly as low as 0.5lb loss so that you continue getting plenty of fuel.

I can't see your diary so can't comment on diet much, but if you're running you're going to be building muscle for a while, so try to eat a bit more protein than usual.

Good luck!

Di3012

I have seriously hit a plateau. I have been stuck at 145 since April 8th. 2 weeks tomorrow. I've done this twice before. I was at 169 for a little over 2 weeks. & 155 for 2 weeks. I don't know what's going on. My calorie intake is good. I've actually started jogging every day. And I've added an upper arm routine with 5 lb. weights. The only thing I can think of is that I am building muscle and retaining water as the muscles heal. It's just frustrating after doing so well, to be stuck. I am so close to my goal. Just 10 more lbs. I'm tired of the 140's. lol. Anyone else experience this after a steady weight loss success? And what did you do to break the plateau?

The closer to your goal that you get, the slower the weightloss. Do nto be fooled however, stick to your plan, continue your exercise - eventually you reach your goal - but yes, it does tend to slow towards the end.

Charloo1990

I so know how you feel, for the past 3 weeks i've been stuck at 141.4lbs and its so frustrating cause im doing really well with food and exercise. So this week i've decided to change my plan a little. Im just dying to get back into the 130s and being stuck at 141.5lbs for the past 3 weeks just takes the biscuit! ha

heybales

two weeks at the same weight when you're near to goal while increasing exercise is probably not a plateau.

i've been hovering around 148 for a month while increasing my fitness rapidly. weight isn't changing, but inches are falling off.

i'd say give it a bit more time and check your measurements.

looking gorgeous, by the way

Thanks. Well, it feels like a plateau to me, because I lost almost 2 lbs. a week steadily for almost 8 months. lol. I've lost 80 lbs. in about a year. Now that I am close to my goal it seems really hard to lose. I check my measurements the beginning of each month.

Did it stop losing almost immediately - like when you started exercising?
Or did it slow down the weeks before, 2lbs loss, 1.5, 1, .5, nothing, nothing?

And did you increase calories or feed those workouts when you started them?

And is this the first decent aerobic workouts you have been doing up until now?
Running really trains the muscle to store glucose/water, since it's generally needed. And if going at high intensity mainly burning carbs, body responds by trying to store more of them.

I lost about 2 lbs. a week since Sept 2011 til Feb, 2012. After Valentine's Day I have lost about a lb. a week. until April 8. I haven't lost any weight since then. I started running right around that about a week before that.

I do 120 min. of elliptical every day at about 50 to 60 RPM at a level 5 resistance. I have been doing elliptical since Sept, 2011, never missed a day. Thanks.

No comment about increasing calories.

You've probably gotten to the level that even though your metabolism should be slower at less weight, it's even slower than that, and you increasing burn and a bigger than wise deficit and not feeding the workouts is causing you to slowly enter eating at maintenance level.
Explains why you slid into this, didn't just stop.

If you are adding workouts, you need to eat more. Your deficit that has been potentially realistic this whole time no longer is, and you've added to it by more workout using up eaten calories first.

You really don't want to go into goal weight with slower metabolism, you'll find it very difficult if not discouraging to try to eat at maintenance and gain weight.

As others suggested, change goal to 1lb or 1/2 lb weekly, and feed that additional workout.

You probably are not adding new energy stores since you've already been doing cardio, so that's not it.

jjelizalde

I so know how you feel, for the past 3 weeks i've been stuck at 141.4lbs and its so frustrating cause im doing really well with food and exercise. So this week i've decided to change my plan a little. Im just dying to get back into the 130s and being stuck at 141.5lbs for the past 3 weeks just takes the biscuit! ha

That's me too. I'm adjusting my whole exercise regime to see if that helps.