Getting Frustrated

jeremy_c

I have been dieting for 11 weeks now and have lost a total of 11.4 pounds. 1 pound a week, not a bad target for me as I only need to loose a total of 20 pounds. What I am frustrated about, though, is that for the last 4 weeks I have lost NOTHING! I have tried upping my calorie intake, I have tried lowering my calorie intake, I do exercise almost every single day of the week, sometimes some very large exercise sessions. Apr 22, I was 169.4 today I am 170. My typical week this last month goes like this 169.4, 169.8, 169.6, 170.0, 169.4, 169.6, 169.4. Sometimes something amazing happens and I go like this: 169.6, 168.0, 168.2, 170.0!!!

Now, I know some will say due to my strength training (part of my exercises, I know does not burn a lot of fat, but builds my lean body mass which will help burn fat) that I am gaining muscle and that's why there is no weight change. That's not true in my case. I am not taking any drugs, so max I can expect under perfect conditions is 1/2 pound - 1 pound of muscle gain a month. My scales that measure my body fat *does* indicate that my body composition is changing slightly. It has reported my bf % in the 20.6%-20.9% at the start of my diet, these past two weeks it has consistently been in the 19.2%-19.6% range. That is a 1.4% reduction over the course of 11 weeks, that 1.4% equates to 2.3 pounds across my 11 weeks of dieting.

My waist measurement has changed 1 1/2" across 11 weeks, but has not changed even a 1/4 of an inch these past 4 weeks.

I have logged every single piece of food that I have eaten since I started my diet. I have not cheated one bit.
I'm about ready to fast for the next week!

I'm about ready to fast for the next two weeks! With this last month, however, it wouldn't surprise me if I somehow gain weight during a two week fast.

I'm going to keep on going. No way am I going to quit on getting to my ideal body weight but I'd really like to see some progress again.

Jeremy

kcoftx

You may be having more success than you think. Do you graph your daily weighing? I do. I see a lot of M's along the way. What I look for are those bottom valleys. If the valleys are lowering over time, that's what you pay attention to--not the peaks. Try looking to see how many days you went between each new lowest point. Sometimes that can vary too. Mine can be 0.8 one week and then nothing for two weeks and hit a 0.4. Weight loss is not linear. But if you look over the course of a month, I lose about 0.4lbs a week pretty regularly. If I'm moving at all within the month, I'm pretty happy. I'm set for 0.5lb loss a week and I know those last few pounds can take a bit.

yarmiah

Could be a plateau?!

Many would recommend changing things in diet and/or exercise. Work out on different machines. Do different cardio. Work out at a different time of day.

*shrug*

Oh and gratz in your success thus far!

jeremy_c

You may be having more success than you think. Do you graph your daily weighing? I do. I see a lot of M's along the way. What I look for are those bottom valleys.

Yes, I do. I have one valley, and that was 168.0 on Apr 24. Other than that my weight is either 170.0, 169.8, 169.6 or 169.4, and that for a full month now :-( I'd be ecstatic if I were at my target weight and keeping it this consistent, but I'm not there yet!

Jeremy

kcoftx

I wouldn't be concerned about the daily fluctuations, even ones that seem more normal than the valleys. Mine shows that all the time. What you do need to look at is that it has been since April 24th since your last valley.

Recently, however, I hit my second time in 3 months to see a wait over two weeks. It took 2 weeks and 6 days. Then I hit a 1lb valley. The closer you get, the harder it is to come off. I definitely wouldn't throw in the towel yet.

Most people won't call it a plateau until it has been at least a full month. Yours has been 2 weeks and 6 days. It is frustrating but I would give it more time. Also, when you play around with changing things, you have to give it more than a few days to see the effects. It's okay to try to change it but changing it multiple times in a few short weeks doesn't tell you anything.

The closer you get, the harder it really is to come off. Focus on your NSV's and give it a few more weeks. Then start playing with some plateau busting tips. Hang in there.

Here's what that 2 weeks and 5 days looked like.

142.4
143.2
144.8
144.8
146.2
146.2
145.4

145.4
144.8
144
144
144.2
142.4
143.4

142.8
142.4
143
143
142 (finally, new set point)
141.4 (now a total of 1lb loss) (3 weeks and 6 days)
______
141.8

143
141.2 (Wow. Another loss so soon. I didn't even know it until you made me pull it out like this! Thanks!)

I did have an almost 3 week pause. Like you though, I had gotten used to more immediate feedback most weeks. What's funny is I'm set for 1/2lb loss per week. If you divide 1.2lbs (new one today) between 3 weeks, it equals 0.4lbs per week. That's right on track. Sometimes weight loss isn't as linear as we want it to be.

YoungLance

book: "Burn the Fat; Feed the Muscle"...zig zag method can break you through a plateau...vary calories 20-30% lower than target calories for 3 days...then at target for one...then 3 below again...the target day every 4th day keeps the body from slowing metabolism; working for me right now...lots in the book besides the zig zag, but it comes to mind when I hear "plateau"...others may have more substance to add, but that's what I suggest

kcoftx

It is supposed to say 2 weeks and 6 days beside that weight. By the time I caught it, it wouldn't let me change it. It FELT like that long!

steinbok

Try eliminating ALL processed carbs, jeremy. (breads, pastas and rices) I did exactly that back in late february and Ihave lost nearly 25#. Give it a try, let us know.

kcoftx

How are you doing Jeremy?

ninerbuff

I have been dieting for 11 weeks now and have lost a total of 11.4 pounds. 1 pound a week, not a bad target for me as I only need to loose a total of 20 pounds. What I am frustrated about, though, is that for the last 4 weeks I have lost NOTHING! I have tried upping my calorie intake, I have tried lowering my calorie intake, I do exercise almost every single day of the week, sometimes some very large exercise sessions. Apr 22, I was 169.4 today I am 170. My typical week this last month goes like this 169.4, 169.8, 169.6, 170.0, 169.4, 169.6, 169.4. Sometimes something amazing happens and I go like this: 169.6, 168.0, 168.2, 170.0!!!

Now, I know some will say due to my strength training (part of my exercises, I know does not burn a lot of fat, but builds my lean body mass which will help burn fat) that I am gaining muscle and that's why there is no weight change. That's not true in my case. I am not taking any drugs, so max I can expect under perfect conditions is 1/2 pound - 1 pound of muscle gain a month. My scales that measure my body fat *does* indicate that my body composition is changing slightly. It has reported my bf % in the 20.6%-20.9% at the start of my diet, these past two weeks it has consistently been in the 19.2%-19.6% range. That is a 1.4% reduction over the course of 11 weeks, that 1.4% equates to 2.3 pounds across my 11 weeks of dieting.

My waist measurement has changed 1 1/2" across 11 weeks, but has not changed even a 1/4 of an inch these past 4 weeks.

I have logged every single piece of food that I have eaten since I started my diet. I have not cheated one bit.
I'm about ready to fast for the next week!

I'm about ready to fast for the next two weeks! With this last month, however, it wouldn't surprise me if I somehow gain weight during a two week fast.

I'm going to keep on going. No way am I going to quit on getting to my ideal body weight but I'd really like to see some progress again.

Jeremy

Change your workout. Your body has adapted after 11 weeks time. Try just doing this. Rest only 30 seconds between sets, bump the weight up and lower the reps by 2, BUST YOUR *kitten*. Scale may go up a bit for a week, but then proceed to go back down.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sir1ush

Have you considered the food you are eating. I know we have certain caloric limits we adhere to, but the "type" of calories may be making a difference. Are you eating anything that fits within your caloric limits, or are you eating "clean". I know that defeats the purpose of counting calories,but switching to just lean meats and vegetables (if you have not already done so) might help you get over the hump.

vim_n_vigor

i graph my daily weighing, it is actually pretty interesting. I drop, then slowly gain to slightly below my last peak, slowly go down to a lower point than my last drop. Sometimes this cycle can take 1-2 weeks, other times it can take more than a month, but it happens every time. I no longer sweat the rise.

tigersword

You have less than 10 pounds to go, you shouldn't be expecting any more than 1-2 pounds a month at this point.