Ever hit an unbreakable plateau after months of success?

JanaCanada

I'm a 53 yr. old menopausal female. I started MFP in Sept. 2012 and, up until a month ago, I've lost 43 lbs, and am halfway to my goal. I started at 1200 calories, but increased them over time, little by little, as my activity increased (mostly cardio, as I am handicapped with two really damaged knees).

I am not regimented about eating back calories - sometimes I have, sometimes I haven't.. I drink an obscene amount of water every day.

I am grateful to this site and this board for my past success. :flowerforyou: I want to keep going and get to my goal....but....I have hit a huge roadblock. :sad: .........................

I am now on Day 14 with no weight loss at all, and Day 30 of only logging a 1 lb. loss - no decrease in measurements, either.

I'm very frustrated. I think I've been doing all the right things, but who knows?...could it be be stress, water/sodium, hormones... the alignment of the planets?

And then there's the unanswered questions: What's happening here....and why? Should I start lifting weights? Work out harder/longer/more often? Should I cut calories or increase them? Eat back some/none/all exercise calories?

Then I start wondering if I never joined MFP until last month, would I have quit by now because of the lack of tangible results?

And lastly, the BIG question: Do I stick with this even though I'm obviously not succeeding anymore (dayum, I'm already working so hard!)?....or do I just accept that 43 lbs. is all I was ever meant to lose, and I'll be this weight for the rest of my life? Uuughhh. What to do what to do? :frown:

Has anyone else lost weight successfully for a long time, then hit a major plateau? How did you break it?

mjculbertson4512

My weight loss was only over three months. But I have only lost a pound since the first week of March. Losing inches tho. Frustrating:grumble: I have kept about the same speed walking over this period of time. Not making any progress there either. We have run into some bad weather and I have wimped out some.

No real advice here, just hang in there. Life is a journey, we don't always have the road map!

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Maybe you should take a week off, eat at slightly below maintenance and not do cardio.

We all need breaks. Come back in a week with a fresh mind.

And yes, incorporate strength training. You don't need to go pick up a barbell and do olympic lifts to see benefits, but strength training will do you some good. Cardio has a diminishing marginal return.

jzammetti

Have you taken your measurements? Might not really be stuck...

I have been at a constant weight (give or take 4 pounds) for 3 months or so but I have continued to lose inches. So, while the scale is stagnant, my body is not.

juleskitcat

Hi there. It sounds like something metabolic. Look into the amount of protein you are eating and when, also analyze the number of carbs. Maybe try and do an atkins like diet for a week or so, really limiting the carbs... (albeit stay within your calorie range...) and that could be just what you need to kick start... Also - perhaps the 5 small meals e.g., take your 1200 cals, limited carbs and divide them into 5 portions so you're body is having to digest 5 times vs. 3 - don't eat after 7pm... Just my thoughts of what I'd try. Good luck - you've done amazing so far esp. keeping it off!!!!

JanaCanada

Thank you all! I;m getting more inspired reading your posts. This one resonated with me:

Hi there. It sounds like something metabolic. Look into the amount of protein you are eating and when, also analyze the number of carbs. Maybe try and do an atkins like diet for a week or so, really limiting the carbs... (albeit stay within your calorie range...) and that could be just what you need to kick start... Also - perhaps the 5 small meals e.g., take your 1200 cals, limited carbs and divide them into 5 portions so you're body is having to digest 5 times vs. 3 - don't eat after 7pm... Just my thoughts of what I'd try. Good luck - you've done amazing so far esp. keeping it off!!!!

OK, I looked at my diary and discovered....I am a carb KWEEN! :laugh: But I am always way over on protein. OK..cutting carbs today! Bless you! xo

Doodlewhopper

Chill; youre not experiencing anything that we havent. Weight loss is not linear and hitting a plateau is normal. Try cycling your caloric intake.

For example:

If your daily target is 1800 cal per day (12,600 cal week) - day 1 eat 1515, day 2 eat 1725 & day 3 eat 2250 (12,600 cal week). Keep in mind that your caloric deficit is accumulative, so daily intake is null. Be patient, go eat a candy bar.

After posting this I saw that you were only eating 1200 cals. You may not be eating enough. Open your diary and provide your height & weight.

JanaCanada

Be patient, go eat a candy bar.

:laugh:
Oh, that made me laugh! Thank you! xo

Doodlewhopper

Be patient, go eat a candy bar.

:laugh:
Oh, that made me laugh! Thank you! xo

I eat a Butterfinger fun size very often. Only 85 cals. I eat what I want and you should to, just keep it within your target.

JanaCanada

After posting this I saw that you were only eating 1200 cals. You may not be eating enough. Open your diary and provide your height & weight.

Oh drat..I thought it WAS open, only to discover it's open only to friends. D'oh! I will change that...but for now, you asked:

I weigh 183 now (started at 225.5), and I am a shrimpy 5'3". I WAS at 1200 cals when I started, but now I'm at 1450.

Doodlewhopper

I didnt see anything in your diary that was glaringly bad, though you should try to eat a little more of your exercise calories, reduce the refined sugar, eat more fruit (I didnt see any) and add more protein- and maybe you should try the caloric cycling as I suggested above.

As a healthy suggestion, you might want to start tracking your sodium intake. I saw a lot of sodium in your diet...processed foods & cured meats are loaded. The RDA has been lowered.

Mayo Clinic <<The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you're age 51 or older, or if you are black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.>>

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284

Seriously, you have had good success and now you have to have patience. Stay the course, it will happen.

JanaCanada

Soooo helpful, Doodlewhoppper! Thanks a bunch!! :flowerforyou:

sweebum

I take a break every 12 weeks of an aggressive deficit. 1 week at maintenance.

Rocknut53

Chill; youre not experiencing anything that we havent. Weight loss is not linear and hitting a plateau is normal. Try cycling your caloric intake.

For example:

If your daily target is 1800 cal per day (12,600 cal week) - day 1 eat 1515, day 2 eat 1725 & day 3 eat 2250 (12,600 cal week). Keep in mind that your caloric deficit is accumulative, so daily intake is null. Be patient, go eat a candy bar.

After posting this I saw that you were only eating 1200 cals. You may not be eating enough. Open your diary and provide your height & weight.

I like your thinking on this, going to try that to break my plateau. Thanks!

aliceb39

I didnt see anything in your diary that was glaringly bad, though you should try to eat a little more of your exercise calories, reduce the refined sugar, eat more fruit (I didnt see any) and add more protein- and maybe you should try the caloric cycling as I suggested above.

As a healthy suggestion, you might want to start tracking your sodium intake. I saw a lot of sodium in your diet...processed foods & cured meats are loaded. The RDA has been lowered.

I often think you need more carbs at breakfast, but that may not be true, depending on when/what you're snacking. My diary has room for morning, afternoon, and bedtime snacks. I usually don't snack in the morning, but I want to make sure I don't have all my snacks after dinner, either.