Can a Plateau literally last forever?

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meechi53
meechi53 Posts: 195 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
OK I plateaued since APRIL 14, losing/gaining same 1 lb with travel, TOM, water gain whatever. This is ridiculous. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1500, I took 2 weeks "off" at the beginning of this month from logging and zumba/kickboxing classes, I've "zig zagged" my calories, and still here it is now going on 3 months and nothing. I'm 14 lbs away from my "first goal" and after that I was going to set a second goal of 15-20 more lbs. as my first goal would have put me at 150 lbs and I'm 5'2 and right now weigh 164 which is still overweight. I've not lost any inches in 6 weeks either. I work out 5-6 days a week.

This is always what has happened to me in the past, I'd lose 20-25 lbs and then stall FOREVER, and usually give up and gain it all back and then another 5 lbs. Years ago I did WW and it took me 8 months to lose 17 lbs and I followed the plan, watching people around me lose that amount in a month or two. Is is possible for the body to plateau or adjust to a weight that is still overweight and you can NEVER lose it all except for starvation/being anorexic or having surgery?
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Replies

  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    Can you open up your diary so potential helpers can see what's going on?
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
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    Have you tried upping the exercise and/or switching the type of exercise and not eating back the exercise calories? Leaving all or most of my exercise calories on the table seems to work for me when my weight loss stalls. Good luck.
  • littledumplings
    littledumplings Posts: 223 Member
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    Tell me about it! Same 2lbs going on and off for AGES!! I've upped cals, dropped cals, ate exercise cals, not eaten exercise cals....and no inches off here either even though I'm doing SL..although I think my thighs are getting bigger!

    Love to hear the responses :)
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    It would then be called maintaining.

    Echo the 'please open your diary' echo.

    I've been on a plateau since April. I've just broken through it. It's easy to say just be patient, but it's better to be at your current weight than go back to where you were.

    What are your current stats?
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    the answer is no. but it sure can seem like it is lasting forever when you hit a plateau. if you are actually overweight and your plateau is 8 weeks running, then it is time for changing something. assuming no thyroid or other medical issue, the real key is to be as accurate as possible on the calories in and calories out.

    1. research plateau busting from multiple sources (avoid any adice that is trying to sell you something)

    2. get your body fat tested by a professional. actual weight is not as important as your true body fat %.

    3. try a different approach like eat stop eat or leangains to see if that will help. it surely will not hurt you. it will always be about calories in and calories out but intermittent fasting seemed to help me bust a plateau.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I'm 5' 2" and I wouldn't be able to lose weight on 1500 calories even when young with a much faster metabolism unless I was exceptionally active.
  • smdurdle
    smdurdle Posts: 2
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    I have been there! Finally found a trainer that explained I was under eating and my body was just fighting to survive. Gradually increase calories to about 1700 a day with a bit higher in lean proteins.
  • sloanie1
    sloanie1 Posts: 276 Member
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    I just broke mine after 8 months!!!!!! and yes I agree with above better than gaining! you can check out my diary if you like, I'm on day 34 of 40 of a clean eating challenge I set myself....its TOUGH but it was an experiment and proves it always comes back to the food and what we put in our mouths.....I had tried everything prior to this and nothing and I'm not a junk food eater either, I have now dropped a dress size and I've retained all the muscle I've been building (and can actually see it now) over 20 months...my motto is NEVER GIVE UP! we have to make sacrifices to get to where we want to be....:o)
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Hard to tell. You have to do something really different and drastic to break through it. Your body is used to the same ol', and it's not going to let go without a fight.
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    Count your blessings. I've been plateaued since December thanks to thyroid problems.

    It's really frustrating, but never stop trying.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Hard to tell. You have to do something really different and drastic to break through it. Your body is used to the same ol', and it's not going to let go without a fight.

    diasgree that it has to be a "drastic" change. if its too drastic it can be detrimental.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    Ok, so truth is, when people who are still overweight get stuck it's because they are not pushing hard enough. Plain and simple. You are still consuming more calories than you are burning. Whether you eat 1200 or 1500 it won't matter. Your diary is closed so I can't say that with 100% certainty because medical issues are always a possible, but they are rarely the case. Everyone always wants to blame something else when it's still a denial factor. And yes, I know this from experience because I did the same thing. I was "stuck" for 4 months and not until I opened my eyes and truly re-evaluated what I was doing and pushed HARDER did the weight start to come off again.

    Eating less will not help you. DO NOT net less than 1200 calories. Period. I don't care what others tell you. If you don't want the weight to come back once you eat more again, do not do not do not NET less than 1200.

    Eat healthier. No, you dont have to eat clean, but make good choices. Whole grains over white, fresh fruit over juice, etc.

    PUSH HARD during your workouts. Change does NOT happen in the comfort zone. If you are not screaming at yourself to keep going during your workouts, you are not pushing hard enough, plain and simple.

    I hate how ppl tip toe around others on here. Best to be blunt if you ask me.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Ok, so truth is, when people who are still overweight get stuck it's because they are not pushing hard enough.

    not always true, by a long shot.
  • meechi53
    meechi53 Posts: 195 Member
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    Well there is no way in hell I'm consuming more than I'm burning especially to put me at maintenance for 3 months. I do zumba and kickboxing which I log on the low end depending how hard I feel the instructors worked us, I only put it between 500-650 calories, I can't be convinced a Zumba class burns 1000-1200 calories. Most of the time I eat back my workout calories because that's what I've been told to do and I believe it. I didn't up my calories to 1500 until end of May and now I lowered them to 1400 and have been zig zagging this week. I also opened up my food diary
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Hard to tell. You have to do something really different and drastic to break through it. Your body is used to the same ol', and it's not going to let go without a fight.

    diasgree that it has to be a "drastic" change. if its too drastic it can be detrimental.

    We can just disagree then. No problem. I believe it has to be extreme, for a bit, just to break where you are stuck. If we could talk, I know for a fact you'd agree, but I'm too lazy to type out a dissertation on exactly what I mean. But, if you don't push harder, way, way harder, in every aspect of diet and exercise, you'll continue to get the same results. If you want to break it, you have to get tough.
  • MariFitBody
    MariFitBody Posts: 287 Member
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    Bump
  • NYChick84
    NYChick84 Posts: 331 Member
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    Ok, so truth is, when people who are still overweight get stuck it's because they are not pushing hard enough. Plain and simple. You are still consuming more calories than you are burning. Whether you eat 1200 or 1500 it won't matter. Your diary is closed so I can't say that with 100% certainty because medical issues are always a possible, but they are rarely the case. Everyone always wants to blame something else when it's still a denial factor. And yes, I know this from experience because I did the same thing. I was "stuck" for 4 months and not until I opened my eyes and truly re-evaluated what I was doing and pushed HARDER did the weight start to come off again.

    Eating less will not help you. DO NOT net less than 1200 calories. Period. I don't care what others tell you. If you don't want the weight to come back once you eat more again, do not do not do not NET less than 1200.

    Eat healthier. No, you dont have to eat clean, but make good choices. Whole grains over white, fresh fruit over juice, etc.

    PUSH HARD during your workouts. Change does NOT happen in the comfort zone. If you are not screaming at yourself to keep going during your workouts, you are not pushing hard enough, plain and simple.

    I hate how ppl tip toe around others on here. Best to be blunt if you ask me.

    YOU ARE JUST BUBBLING WITH AWESOMENESS!!!! :)
  • meechi53
    meechi53 Posts: 195 Member
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    I opened up my food diary now there were some days I netted 1100 and some that I netted around 1600-1700 because I tried high/low
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    Yes, if you keep making the same mistakes over and over...
    Take ownership of this, find out why, then adjust your actions.
    Simple
    Good Luck :flowerforyou:
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Try sticking with the increased calories and switching up your macronutrient ratios for a few weeks to increase protein and decrease carbohydrates. You don't necessarily need to go to what is considered "low carb" but maybe try 30/40/30 (carbs/protein/fat). Just an idea. Also, make sure resistance/strength training is part of your exercise regimen.

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