Mike and my plateau - reasoning why
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fiveohmike
Posts: 1,297 Member
Hey Guys,
So I have been at a plateau for a couple of weeks, and want to let you know why (for people that may think they are doing good).
I was getting frustrated with EM2WL for a few. REAL frustrated. I have been at 285.4 for 3 weeks and have not lost. I have been hitting my numbers (or so I thought) for the last 3 weeks.
Anyways, I was like 3 seconds from seriously cutting calories. however, before I did that, I made an effort to parse through ALL my numbers/date for the last month. What I found was pretty shocking and I know why I plateaued.
1. Alcohol - Yep, its a killer for me. Over the last month I have let wine back in, and the bar on the weekend. While I was "leaving room" for my wine, while drinking it I would get careless with my food a bit.
This resulted in me not estimating my calories well/eating less health choices. We all know alcohol gets processed first by the liver, and can lead to fat retention due to other foods not being processed properly.
2. Two binges, because of drinking, completely wiped out two weeks worth of work. Two Fridays in a row me and my buddies drank a ton, and hit jack in the crack afterwards (when drunk the justification is "Damn im working out I can eat!".
Anyways when your running at a 500 calorie a day deficit, a drunk time + trip to jack in the box will wipe out your progress for a given week, Nuclear Holocaust style.
3. I needed a mental break. While we all know that weight loss is hard work, its nice to take some time off to recharge the mental batteries. I took off from working out and counting calories (i did NOT eat unhealthy, and ate basically what I eat on my healthy days anyways).
So I sabotaged my own weight loss, and my first inclination was to blame EM2WL when I had no-one but myself to blame.
Things I hope you take from this.
Because we are running at TDEE - 15%, in some cases being 300 calorie deficit, one slip up during the week can sabotage that weeks weight loss. Thats a 2100 calorie weekly deficit. One night of drinking, or one errant jack in the box trip that sends us over our TDEE can ruin the hard work in that week. We may not gain weight (hitting our Maintenance weight), but you might kill that weeks weight loss.
I was lax on this, however I am recharged, and re-doubling my efforts.
Ill be burning about 3000 calories with 2 hikes this weekend to kick off my getting on track week.
Just sharing
Mikew
So I have been at a plateau for a couple of weeks, and want to let you know why (for people that may think they are doing good).
I was getting frustrated with EM2WL for a few. REAL frustrated. I have been at 285.4 for 3 weeks and have not lost. I have been hitting my numbers (or so I thought) for the last 3 weeks.
Anyways, I was like 3 seconds from seriously cutting calories. however, before I did that, I made an effort to parse through ALL my numbers/date for the last month. What I found was pretty shocking and I know why I plateaued.
1. Alcohol - Yep, its a killer for me. Over the last month I have let wine back in, and the bar on the weekend. While I was "leaving room" for my wine, while drinking it I would get careless with my food a bit.
This resulted in me not estimating my calories well/eating less health choices. We all know alcohol gets processed first by the liver, and can lead to fat retention due to other foods not being processed properly.
2. Two binges, because of drinking, completely wiped out two weeks worth of work. Two Fridays in a row me and my buddies drank a ton, and hit jack in the crack afterwards (when drunk the justification is "Damn im working out I can eat!".
Anyways when your running at a 500 calorie a day deficit, a drunk time + trip to jack in the box will wipe out your progress for a given week, Nuclear Holocaust style.
3. I needed a mental break. While we all know that weight loss is hard work, its nice to take some time off to recharge the mental batteries. I took off from working out and counting calories (i did NOT eat unhealthy, and ate basically what I eat on my healthy days anyways).
So I sabotaged my own weight loss, and my first inclination was to blame EM2WL when I had no-one but myself to blame.
Things I hope you take from this.
Because we are running at TDEE - 15%, in some cases being 300 calorie deficit, one slip up during the week can sabotage that weeks weight loss. Thats a 2100 calorie weekly deficit. One night of drinking, or one errant jack in the box trip that sends us over our TDEE can ruin the hard work in that week. We may not gain weight (hitting our Maintenance weight), but you might kill that weeks weight loss.
I was lax on this, however I am recharged, and re-doubling my efforts.
Ill be burning about 3000 calories with 2 hikes this weekend to kick off my getting on track week.
Just sharing
Mikew
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Replies
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Anyways when your running at a 500 calorie a day deficit, a drunk time + trip to jack in the box will wipe out your progress for a given week, Nuclear Holocaust style.
oohhh Ya... And sometimes even after drinking and then hitting up your favorite/closest fast food place you are still hungry.. Really been avoiding all of those temptations but all it takes is 1 fun night.. my weakness is also alcohol, just the lifestyle of going out with friends usually involves drinking.0 -
Anyways when your running at a 500 calorie a day deficit, a drunk time + trip to jack in the box will wipe out your progress for a given week, Nuclear Holocaust style.
oohhh Ya... And sometimes even after drinking and then hitting up your favorite/closest fast food place you are still hungry.. Really been avoiding all of those temptations but all it takes is 1 fun night.. my weakness is also alcohol, just the lifestyle of going out with friends usually involves drinking.
Thats been my problem as well. Just good to realize it and not blame anyone or anything else for it.
I am setting small goals for myself.
No drinking for at least 1 week starting today. Simple goal. When I hit this, I will set the next goal.
Ect.
I just hope people can see my setback, and take a deep look into what they are doing if they were where I was.0 -
Mike - THANK YOU. I now realize I've totally been doing this too. Going from super restrictive low-cal to this, I let myself eat more variety and just more... too much more and beyond what I should have been doing. My weight has been dropping so very slow since being on this, but if I'm being truthful to myself, I've been lax.. and it is MY fault.. not EM2WL.
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I am a non alcoholic most of the time, but every once in a while I will have a drink. Last weekend I had a date night with the hubby and consumed 2 margaritas......which totaled a whopping 900 calories!! That basically ruined my efforts for the week. I was down 0.2 lbs this morning, but I KNOW that it would have been more if I had not had those blasted (but tasty) margaritas. Note to self: Alcohol isn't worth it. It's good that you can recognize the set back and hopefully learn from it. Good luck this weekend! 0
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Mike - THANK YOU. I now realize I've totally been doing this too. Going from super restrictive low-cal to this, I let myself eat more variety and just more... too much more and beyond what I should have been doing. My weight has been dropping so very slow since being on this, but if I'm being truthful to myself, I've been lax.. and it is MY fault.. not EM2WL.
Awesome!
Gotta be honest with yourself before you can begin to move forward.
Plus it shows us mods are not infallible
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Mike, I see this as a NSV victory for you! You were able to take a step back, reassess, and make adjustments. Very proud of you!0
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I am a non alcoholic most of the time, but every once in a while I will have a drink. Last weekend I had a date night with the hubby and consumed 2 margaritas......which totaled a whopping 900 calories!! That basically ruined my efforts for the week. I was down 0.2 lbs this morning, but I KNOW that it would have been more if I had not had those blasted (but tasty) margaritas. Note to self: Alcohol isn't worth it. It's good that you can recognize the set back and hopefully learn from it. Good luck this weekend!
Hey my problem goes like this
"I am going to have 100 calories of wine with dinner"
an hour later
"ahhhh another glass wont hurt
a bottle later
" ah damn"0 -
This is actually why I had to pull back my calories during the week but just a couple hundred. My family loves food, we love GOOD food out at nice restaurants, and we love going to festivals etc. So I'd do really well during the week, but since my deficit was much lower, my weekends would kill me. Eating just a couple hundred less during the week doesn't make me hungry, but it DOES help even out a couple nice meals on the weekends. :-)0
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It must feel good (to some extent) to be able to reflect on this and to see how far you're coming.
This also helped me. I have deficits a lot and it is amazing how much it can add up. Thank you for sharing. 0 -
Mike: Thanks for posting this. I have been so tempted to have a "cheat day" but so far I haven't. After reading your post, now I know I won't, at least not for now. I'll save the no counting calories, etc. and drinking for vacation, which isn't until November. Even then, we buy BajaBobs margarita mix for our margarita's in the condo. Thanks again for sharing and good luck!0
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Mike Thanks for posting this!!!!! :flowerforyou:
Like the song says "tequila makes her take her clothes off", but with me the only thing I take off is food wrappers!!!!:sad:
And sometimes I don't really log it correctly because what I thought I ate turns out to be.....well......more than I thought I actually ate
That's why I've scaled way back on my vino!!!0 -
Thanks for posting! Just what I needed to hear, cause let's be honest, we probably all do this to some extent. It's an easy habit to fall back in to if you aren't careful!
I bet you get some more girls to add to your "collection" after that post too! 0 -
Thanks for posting! Just what I needed to hear, cause let's be honest, we probably all do this to some extent. It's an easy habit to fall back in to if you aren't careful!
I bet you get some more girls to add to your "collection" after that post too!
Lol already happened 0 -
Good for you on owning it and getting back on track! I know just how hard both of those can be.0
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I do the exact same thing on the weekends. I budge a good sized glass of merlot. Then I have one more. Oh a beer won't hurt. Before I know it, 1,000 calories of alcohol. I came to this revelation last weekend. This is a problem of mine and so is eating on the weekends with my husband, who never has to watch what he eats or drinks (unless he's driving that is!).0
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I really wish there was some kind of "really really like" button 0 -
I haven't had a drink in over a month! I didn't drink often, just a drink the on the weekends. But I am *trying* to give my body only things it wants and needs. Good luck mike!0
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Thank you for your refreshing honesty! As much as we believe this lifestyle is correct, it's not always easy to believe it all the time!0
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You got this Mike!! Good job really thinking about what's stalling you out and how to turn it around. Drinking is totally a diet killer if you do it too much. I have Vino/Vent night with hubby once a week where we split a nice bottle of wine (mmmmm Crooked Vine Cab Franc!!) and some tasty treats for dinner after the kid goes to bed. That's pretty much my drinking for the week though. I don't deny myself but I don't go overboard either.0
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Nice accountability and honesty
Look forward to reading future updates of getting back on track now you have come to this realisation.0
