New Study Reveals: Plateaus are NOT real...

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  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    I thought about it as well. But increasing my calories and activity didn't have any effect. Recently though, I came to the realization that perhaps my body fat percentage isn't shabby and that what I need is actually muscle to make me LOOK skinnier. Having little muscle and a low body fat percentage can make people look like they have extra fat.

    I try to stick with one plan of attack for at least 3 weeks before going to another. But with muscle gain, will need more than that.

    Sounds like a plan ;)

    Good luck mate.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    I would say that if you put 99% of the people who swear black and blue that they are at a calorie deficit and are not losing in a metabolic ward and monitored their intake careful they would start losing weight....

    You should seriously stop with all this pompous 99% of people are just doing it wrong BS asap. You dont give your peers nearly enough credit. Their common sense or their willpower.

    Why? I believe that scientifically human error is the most obvious reason, though not the only one.

    Human being are infallible in many ways including calorie counting. It's the way we are built

    because saying that of the 1 million people on a hypothetical plateau right now, 990,000 of them are just stupid and unmotivated is a bit revealing of how little you think of their intelligence and willpower.

    The human will is the single greatest force on this planet. Well.. maybe not yours- maybe you're assuming 990,000 people are are chronically weak.

    Not really - those are your own assumptions based on what I have written. You can choose to interpret them as you see fit but in reality you have no idea of my motivations or what my intent is here. In fact, you seem to be just making things up for reasons I cannot fathom.

    And, as I have already said a few times in this thread already I believe a true plateau to be one where there is no change in body composition despite being in a calorie deficit over and above scale weight. If your weight remains the same but your measurements improve, or your BF% improves then it is not a plateau.

    If you are in deficit then your body has no choice but to release energy from somewhere. If there is no change in any marker then I suspect the main reason is the person is not actually maintaining a deficit.

    OR hormones
    OR medication
    OR metabolic issues
    OR a million other things

    geez

    because you want so badly for 99% of people to be wrong and messing up JUST so you can run around proud to be in 1% of something.

    Thats just unfair. Its probably like 40%.

    id have no problem whatsoever with this post if it wasnt throwing around such absolute numbers. 99% of people are not doing it wrong. Or if it specified AMERICA or something.

    Not 99% of earthlings involved in any weight loss program are doing it wrong.

    its just a horrible fact WANT to be true.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Mine lasted 26 months.

    I went from 170 pounds, 33% bf size 12 to 170 pounds, 22.5% bf and a size 7.

    To me, that sounds like success, not a plateau. Maybe I am misunderstanding? If that happened to me, I would definitely see myself as having success.

    I think that was the point. There are different ways to measure success, and the scale doesn't always tell the whole truth.


    well when you weigh 170 you can just stop there and be happy with that number ok

    enjoy telling people you weigh one hundred and seventy damn pounds without trying to crawl inside of your own skin of embarrassment.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Mine lasted 26 months.

    I went from 170 pounds, 33% bf size 12 to 170 pounds, 22.5% bf and a size 7.

    To me, that sounds like success, not a plateau. Maybe I am misunderstanding? If that happened to me, I would definitely see myself as having success.

    I think that was the point. There are different ways to measure success, and the scale doesn't always tell the whole truth.


    well when you weigh 170 you can just stop there and be happy with that number ok

    enjoy telling people you weigh one hundred and seventy damn pounds without trying to crawl inside of your own skin of embarrassment.

    But you are tall... 170 is very good for you. I know. I'm the same height as you and that is my goal weight!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Mine lasted 26 months.

    I went from 170 pounds, 33% bf size 12 to 170 pounds, 22.5% bf and a size 7.

    To me, that sounds like success, not a plateau. Maybe I am misunderstanding? If that happened to me, I would definitely see myself as having success.

    I think that was the point. There are different ways to measure success, and the scale doesn't always tell the whole truth.


    well when you weigh 170 you can just stop there and be happy with that number ok

    enjoy telling people you weigh one hundred and seventy damn pounds without trying to crawl inside of your own skin of embarrassment.

    But you are tall... 170 is very good for you. I know. I'm the same height as you and that is my goal weight!

    ^^^ Agree!


    It's all perspective. I got up to 263 before I realized that I no longer weighed 175 like I thought I had for years. I don't think I have ever told anyone my weight because it never came up. Try being 5'4" and 135 pounds and trying to explain why you wear a size 18 when everyone else wears a size 6/7/8. Perspective. If I were to worry about a number, I would worry more about my pants size than scale weight. I am happy to lose inches. To lose weight, meh, ok, I'll take it, but I want those inches gone!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    TL:DR?

    Plateaus are fake because OP has never had one. People who claim they have had/are on a plateau are math stupid.

    I think that sums it up pretty well. :drinker:
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    OR hormones
    OR medication
    OR metabolic issues
    OR a million other things

    geez

    because you want so badly for 99% of people to be wrong and messing up JUST so you can run around proud to be in 1% of something.

    Thats just unfair. Its probably like 40%.

    id have no problem whatsoever with this post if it wasnt throwing around such absolute numbers. 99% of people are not doing it wrong. Or if it specified AMERICA or something.

    Not 99% of earthlings involved in any weight loss program are doing it wrong.

    its just a horrible fact WANT to be true.

    You're right. I shouldn't have said 99%. Maybe 99.8% or something. The reason I made the original statement with such certainty is that we have access to metabolic ward studies dating back it the 1930s where establishing a calorie deficit has never failed to elicit weight loss. Never. Some people have a tougher time of it undoubtedly due to hormonal issues etc and that may not be fair or just but that's just the way it is.

    Once again you are making up things about me. You don't know me or my motivations. In fact I would much prefer people were successful. Why? Because it means they are happier and a happy world is one I want to live in.

    I have experienced plateaus a number of times in my life and more recently I wanted them to be my fault, I wanted to be the quantity screwing up. You know why? Because if it's something I am doing then it's something I can change and I can rectify. If it was down to some unknown quantity, the lunar cycle or the dawning of the age of Aquarius then I would be buggered as I have no control over my circumstances.

    Hope springs eternal.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
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    now who's a *****?

    tumblr_me08t0vQzc1r071j5o1_500.gif

    ^^lol Well as the ol saying goes I am what I eat, but think I know who's got one between us, and unlike the other guy I don't need to add 45 lbs of weight to weigh me down in between my legs... haha genetics rule! :wink::flowerforyou:
  • vzryder
    vzryder Posts: 129 Member
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    Absolutely fascinating!
    Thank you so very very much for sharing and the time you put into this, and the thought!
    I would love a template if you can manage the time, many thanks and understand if you cannot fulfil my request.
    Good luck and happy health
    Pat
  • schondell
    schondell Posts: 556 Member
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    Sometimes I feel as though my weight loss stalls but when I make changes in my diet/exercise lbs fall off again.. Is that not a plateau??
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
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    Absolutely fascinating!
    Thank you so very very much for sharing and the time you put into this, and the thought!
    I would love a template if you can manage the time, many thanks and understand if you cannot fulfil my request.
    Good luck and happy health
    Pat

    Here's the spreadsheet. Very basic, but hopefully will serve the purpose of entering data to see where you are at.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiJHvhndZJWWdHdUa0RQby1BcldsU0g4WncwWmNtVnc#gid=0

    please contact me should you have any problems with it.



    To calculate BMR go here:

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-and-daily-calorie-calculator.html

    NOTE: I motified my number down from 2964 to 2500. I suspect you will need to do something similar to get the numbers to match up, and hopefully allow you to do some realistic goal setting over the long term.

    When entering the data for you BMR be sure to choose the lifestyle you are living WITHOUT your daily exericse since you are filling that field in separately on the spreadsheet. For me that is sedentary since I have a desk job. :).
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    metabolism slows down from eating less food.. case closed.
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
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    TL:DR?

    Plateaus are fake because OP has never had one. People who claim they have had/are on a plateau are math stupid.

    I think that sums it up pretty well. :drinker:

    huh? who said that?

    The spreadsheet can be an awesome weapon to add to your weight loss arsenal.

    How MFP does it now is like you are in a forest and only can see the tree in front of you. Yes, they have reporting but it is very meager and does not allow for any planning/goal setting other than for the day in front of you.

    A spreadsheet allows you to rise above the trees in the forest. Imagine yourself floating above that forest and being able to see with a birds eye view of where you have been. Bettter yet, you can then turn around and try to see what is in front of you.

    Here's the spreadsheet. Fill it in, it might surprise you. :)

    Here's the spreadsheet. Very basic, but hopefully will serve the purpose of entering data to see where you are at.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiJHvhndZJWWdHdUa0RQby1BcldsU0g4WncwWmNtVnc#gid=0

    please contact me should you have any problems with it.



    To calculate BMR go here:

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-and-daily-calorie-calculator.html

    NOTE: I motified my number down from 2964 to 2500. I suspect you will need to do something similar to get the numbers to match up, and hopefully allow you to do some realistic goal setting over the long term.

    When entering the data for you BMR be sure to choose the lifestyle you are living WITHOUT your daily exercise since you are filling that field in separately on the spreadsheet. For me that is sedentary since I have a desk job. :).
  • briannadunn
    briannadunn Posts: 841 Member
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    cool
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    There are always exceptions to the rule as I have written. Can't please all the people all the time. I think what I propose would work for 95% of people and would be more valuable than a lot of the misinformation on this site.

    Sorry that "one person" had such crappy results. I'm sure something was going on with their body. Something has to be going on. If you are taking in a lot less calories than you are burning but not losing weight over a long period of time something abnormal is going on. For my purposes though and for what I shared I don't care about abnormal. I care about the 99% that could benefit and don't have the very strange record that you mention.
    I have a one person 60 month record of data that would obliterate alot of what you said. and Im also a bit insulted. Actually a lot insulted.

    Good thing this isnt science.

    Un-insulted.
    Again, It's not a rule IT'S ANNECDOTAL EVIDENCE. There's a very important difference. There are very many factors involved...and you've swept all of them under the carpet.
  • FireballStrike
    FireballStrike Posts: 85 Member
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    Bump for later
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    My One persons study. It is not scientific... but I think is insightful. By not scientific I mean 100's of people would need to do something similar to what I have done and then see what the results are. So, my results are extremely subjective. Honestly, its just a provocative blog headline to get some attention.
    What study are you referring to?

    So based on results of what worked for you, you conclude that no one can possibly experience a plateau that lasts longer than a couple weeks?

    OK then ...

    not saying that at all. it's not my experience but I guess can surely happen. sounds like the case for you.

    please take the time to do some sort of analysis, like a spreadsheet. if you have not it might reveal something.

    good luck with that. plateaus suck.
    Your subject is: new study reveals. I asked what study you were referring to, you replied: your personal anecdotal evidence. Perhaps your subject line is the issue. Perhaps it should be: "I've just done a personal experiment and based on my physiology, age, gender, etc. my own personal plateau was not, indeed, a plateau. I wonder if my results would be replicated among various people with similar and different physiology."
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 723 Member
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    Bump
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
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    My One persons study. It is not scientific... but I think is insightful. By not scientific I mean 100's of people would need to do something similar to what I have done and then see what the results are. So, my results are extremely subjective. Honestly, its just a provocative blog headline to get some attention.
    What study are you referring to?

    So based on results of what worked for you, you conclude that no one can possibly experience a plateau that lasts longer than a couple weeks?

    OK then ...

    not saying that at all. it's not my experience but I guess can surely happen. sounds like the case for you.

    please take the time to do some sort of analysis, like a spreadsheet. if you have not it might reveal something.

    good luck with that. plateaus suck.
    Your subject is: new study reveals. I asked what study you were referring to, you replied: your personal anecdotal evidence. Perhaps your subject line is the issue. Perhaps it should be: "I've just done a personal experiment and based on my physiology, age, gender, etc. my own personal plateau was not, indeed, a plateau. I wonder if my results would be replicated among various people with similar and different physiology."

    Do you know nothing of marketing? there are so many posts here that NO ONE would have read my post/blog if I had made such a boring title as the one you suggested. Write something controversial as a headline to get the party started. Do you feel manipulated yet? muhahahaha
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    My One persons study. It is not scientific... but I think is insightful. By not scientific I mean 100's of people would need to do something similar to what I have done and then see what the results are. So, my results are extremely subjective. Honestly, its just a provocative blog headline to get some attention.
    What study are you referring to?

    So based on results of what worked for you, you conclude that no one can possibly experience a plateau that lasts longer than a couple weeks?

    OK then ...

    not saying that at all. it's not my experience but I guess can surely happen. sounds like the case for you.

    please take the time to do some sort of analysis, like a spreadsheet. if you have not it might reveal something.

    good luck with that. plateaus suck.
    Your subject is: new study reveals. I asked what study you were referring to, you replied: your personal anecdotal evidence. Perhaps your subject line is the issue. Perhaps it should be: "I've just done a personal experiment and based on my physiology, age, gender, etc. my own personal plateau was not, indeed, a plateau. I wonder if my results would be replicated among various people with similar and different physiology."

    Do you know nothing of marketing? there are so many posts here that NO ONE would have read if I had made such a boring title. Write something controversial as a headline to get the party started. Do you feel manipulated yet? muhahahaha
    Oh, so you're marketing something. :yawn: swell. You're not? Well, then don't play with hyperbole when folks are so invested. State facts as facts, and personal experience as such

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