Ideas to help beat the dreaded plateau?

Redkestrel

Hi guys,

I've been on here for a month now (35 days) and was greatly successful in the first couple of weeks. I lost 8-9 pounds. However, my weight hasn't budged since! Neither has my measurements.

I'm really good at sticking to the 1200 calories allotted by MFP, and am exercising at least twice a week.

Anyone else have this happen? Is this normal?

Any ideas on "shaking things up" and getting the weight loss going again?

MichelleBarefoot

My key is water and lots of it! I have found that I stop losing when I drinking. Also i have to exercise at least 4 days a week (treadmill). The plateau will pass, just hang in there.

Redkestrel

Thanks I'll try upping the water intake! Any ideas on how long these tend to last?

diannethegeek

It's tough to comment with your diary closed, but a couple of weeks with no loss sounds fairly normal to me. It could just be your body getting used to all the changes.

o_graham

My husband and I are in the same boat and I trying not to have a bad attitude about it! Today we weighed and I stayed the same and he gained. We are trying to figure out if we keep doing what we're doing or change it up. We work out 5 days a week and are logging everything we eat. We think maybe we're not eating enough. ?? It's our 3 full week and I've lost 20 and he's lost 30 but we're stuck now!

Redkestrel

It's tough to comment with your diary closed, but a couple of weeks with no loss sounds fairly normal to me. It could just be your body getting used to all the changes.

I've just made my diary public. Thanks! Hadn't noticed it wasn't ...

I hope you're right and this passes soon!

WBB55

Give it at least a couple more weeks at least before you change anything. I think it's pretty normal. Make sure you're not getting too much salt, since you can retain water.

BUT, if you want to give us your stats, like age, height, weight, how much you work out, BMR, TDEE, there's people here would would love to give you their opinion if 1200 is a smart amount for you to eat.

EmmaKarney

Definitely read this thread

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

It explains that even though MFP sets some people to to 1200 calories - for pretty much most people, this is too low (and hence your plateau)

You need to calculate your TDEE and eat 20% less than that

Happy reading.....

Redkestrel

My husband and I are in the same boat and I trying not to have a bad attitude about it! Today we weighed and I stayed the same and he gained. We are trying to figure out if we keep doing what we're doing or change it up. We work out 5 days a week and are logging everything we eat. We think maybe we're not eating enough. ?? It's our 3 full week and I've lost 20 and he's lost 30 but we're stuck now!

Wow -- 20 pounds is still quite an achievement! I'm going to try upping my water -- even though I've been good at drinking about 6-8 cups per day. I've also heard that eating smaller meals throughout the day will help your body understand that it's not starving.

Not sure what the answer is!

poedunk65

CHANGE YOUR WORKOUT. SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS CHANGING THE PORDER OF THE EXERCISE CAN JUMP START YOUR METAB AGAIN. maybe more cardio. try saome new exercises. 1200 cals seems low to. the mroe you workout the mroe you need to eat.

Redkestrel

Give it at least a couple more weeks at least before you change anything. I think it's pretty normal. Make sure you're not getting too much salt, since you can retain water.

BUT, if you want to give us your stats, like age, height, weight, how much you work out, BMR, TDEE, there's people here would would love to give you their opinion if 1200 is a smart amount for you to eat.

I'd love any input! I'm 44, 5 foot 4 inches, workout 2-3 times per week, 175 pounds -- BMR is 1432 and TDEE is 1969.

EmmaKarney

maybe more cardio.

Maybe weights!

angdpowers

It's our 3 full week and I've lost 20 and he's lost 30 but we're stuck now!

No matter what your starting wt...this is a lot for both of you...your body has to adjust. Don't quit! Great job on this much this fast and in so little time!!!

zeta30

I'm sorry to say but your initial eight loss, especially that much in a couple of weeks was just water and very little if any fat. The easiest form of weight loss your body will lose is water, that always drops off first, especially the first two weeks, that's why you did great at first now you have plateaued.

So you overcome this by eating a reasonable diet every day and staying with your intake goals. If you do this you will begin to lose weight again. Remember that losing fat is not and should not be fast as that is not safe, 1 - 2 1/2 lbs/week is normal. Anything above that isn't really safe and you probably aren't eating enough, (which is a different topic all together).

Here is a quick article that talks about water weight loss:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/392043-what-is-water-weight-loss/

Kabijots

Give it at least a couple more weeks at least before you change anything. I think it's pretty normal. Make sure you're not getting too much salt, since you can retain water.

BUT, if you want to give us your stats, like age, height, weight, how much you work out, BMR, TDEE, there's people here would would love to give you their opinion if 1200 is a smart amount for you to eat.

I'd love any input! I'm 44, 5 foot 4 inches, workout 2-3 times per week, 175 pounds -- BMR is 1432 and TDEE is 1969.

Then you are not eating enough! You shouldn't eat below your BMR. You should aim for 20% less than your TDEE so 1575. Aim for 1lb a week loss.

WBB55

Redkestral, I glanced at your diary. I think you're doing really well. Over the long term, I think you're going to do well even if you never made any changes. From here on out, I think all you need to do is tweak what you do now and then. Here's some things you could tweak in my opinion. Don't do all of these at once. Just pick a couple that seem do-able to you.

Add even more fresh fruit and vegies
Add more protein at each meal
Add weight lifting

Really... you're doing great. It just takes time, sometimes. Don't give up. ESPECIALLY if you're on this journey with your husband, and he's supportive of what you're doing. You guys are going to be so much happier and healthier if you keep making good choices, like you are.

angdpowers

Thanks I'll try upping the water intake! Any ideas on how long these tend to last?

Everyone is different. You must remember that no matter what the scale says OR measurements, you are making healthier choices regardless. I know this is hard to keep in mind though. I know a lot of ppl do well on 1200 cals (not going into that debate) but you may also need MORE calories. I've helped a lot of my friends. They bumped theirs up to 1400 (most of the time they are in the 1300 range) but then in a week they dropped 2lbs.

if you aren't wanting to add whole workouts, try looking up quick 5min workouts or challenges to incorporate.

Here would be an example:

Challenge: 10 burpees - 10 situps - 10 pushups - 10 jumping jacks - 10 squats - 10 double punches (for each arm) - 10 front kicks (for each leg) - 10 burpees

You do the challenge as fast as you can (so doing for time), but with the best form you can too. And modify if you have too...no worries...but its something new, different and short on time. Sometimes these little things shock your body enough to get the inches burning and cals burning

Good luck!

monty619

well u started at the bottom... so you bottomed out quicker and plateaued... slowly increase cals (100 cals every 1-2 weeks) to get ur metabolism a little better and do strength training if you arent already.

WBB55

Then you are not eating enough! You shouldn't eat below your BMR. You should aim for 20% less than your TDEE so 1575. Aim for 1lb a week loss.

She eats more sometimes. 1200 is her goal, but if you look at her diary, sometimes she's at 1000 and sometimes she's at 1700. I think she's averaging just above 1200. And she's still on the overweight side, so I think she's safe for a while at the amount she's eating. It's just my opinion, I know. I'm not trying to start an argument. I think if her and her husband are working together and they're both eating this well, then she's off to a GREAT start and should stick with it for a couple months until it becomes a permanent lifestyle change for the both of them.

EmmaKarney

I'd love any input! I'm 44, 5 foot 4 inches, workout 2-3 times per week, 175 pounds -- BMR is 1432 and TDEE is 1969.

Your BMR/TDEE numbers are similar to mine - my BMR is 1350

I've set my net calories to 1400 a day. Just the extra 200 a day is really making a difference to me on non exercise days to feel I'm eating enough.

sofielein

I've had the plateu after 3 weeks I think after a very rapid seeming weight loss on 1200 kcal... for a week nothing happened and then I read all kinds of advices:

A. just stick to what you've been doing and the loss will start eventually again - this seemed to work for a number of people
B. Increase exercise
C. Increase food intake - what most people recommended
D. Decrease food intake - it worked for some but the advice got largely booed at

My decision was to just make a lovely high-calorie pasta, one of my favourites for dinner on a weekend night, I ate a large portion, drank a ton of wine with it, felt absolutely content with it, went to bed, and the next day 1 lb was gone again. I have no clue how this worked or why but it did.

ocragal

This is a common problem for me at week 3 -4 of a diet then I traditionally give up. A personal trainer working with our medical center weight loss program said a commmon problem is low muscle strength in upper body which reduces overall calorie burn. He recommends strength training for upper body and as muscle tone develops, more calories are burned, and weight loss accelerates. I'm going to take his advice and add some upper body conditioning from Nike Training Club app.

Redkestrel

Definitely read this thread

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

It explains that even though MFP sets some people to to 1200 calories - for pretty much most people, this is too low (and hence your plateau)

You need to calculate your TDEE and eat 20% less than that

Happy reading.....

Thank you ! I've just read it through and done the calculations -- and saved the link. Much appreciated!

Redkestrel

Thank you very much everyone! I'm hearing all of you and will try increasing my calories to 1400 and see what happens there. I am doing weight training once per week (it's actually fitness ball and weights, but didn't know how to enter it except as circuit training).

I think I'll go buy some weights so I can do some at home too.

You guys rock!!!

EmmaKarney

[/quote]
Thank you ! I've just read it through and done the calculations -- and saved the link. Much appreciated!
[/quote]

I only discovered it myself one week ago - I never used to read the forums at all!

I'm only a week in...and i actually gained a pound since last week - but I'm sticking to the plan and confident it will come off eventually.

Good luck.

Redkestrel

Redkestral, I glanced at your diary. I think you're doing really well. Over the long term, I think you're going to do well even if you never made any changes. From here on out, I think all you need to do is tweak what you do now and then. Here's some things you could tweak in my opinion. Don't do all of these at once. Just pick a couple that seem do-able to you.

Add even more fresh fruit and vegies
Add more protein at each meal
Add weight lifting

Really... you're doing great. It just takes time, sometimes. Don't give up. ESPECIALLY if you're on this journey with your husband, and he's supportive of what you're doing. You guys are going to be so much happier and healthier if you keep making good choices, like you are.

I'm actually single -- no husband (that was from another commenter) but I have some support from my skinny friends!

ndj1979

what is your work out regimen like?

WBB55

'm actually single -- no husband (that was from another commenter) but I have some support from my skinny friends!

OH GOD. I must need more coffee. SO SORRY for my mistake. I think you're adorable and would hate for you to stress out about things when it looks like you're doing a great job overall. 1400 calories is a GREAT way to go. Just keep doing what you're doing. Don't make any drastic changes at this point, ok?

Redkestrel

My workout is general --

Monday - one hour of Yoga Fit (holding tough poses etc., no chanting LOL)
Wednesday -- one hour of more traditional yoga (chanting, stretching, more for balance)
Thursday -- one hour of Fitness Ball/Weights

Sporadically, (one or two times per week), one hour of power walking.

That's about it ...

ndj1979

My workout is general --

Monday - one hour of Yoga Fit (holding tough poses etc., no chanting LOL)
Wednesday -- one hour of more traditional yoga (chanting, stretching, more for balance)
Thursday -- one hour of Fitness Ball/Weights

Sporadically, (one or two times per week), one hour of power walking.

That's about it ...

hmmm well I would recommend that you get into more of strength based program with some cardio/yoga. Maybe build a program around deadlifts, squats, bench press, over head press, etc....and then do a three day a week total body workout (chest, arms, legs, back, shoulders)...that should help you break through and also tone everything up .....

leeceleste54

Hello.......I will agree with everyone else....drinking water is a great tip, but you may have to also increas the number of days that you work out. Also you may want to change your routine up.....your body gets use to the same routine; therefore you may not be getting the results you're looking for. Keep up the good work....I wish you much continued success.