plateau :(

eleonorawander
eleonorawander Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been the same weight since a month, now. I've been exercising everyday a lot more than I did last months (my workout was almost no workout!), cause I've started the 30ds.
I'm counting my calories, never going over the 1200 and trying to stay over the 800. I went on holiday for 10 days, not counting calories, not working out and my weight is still the same! I came back from the holiday last sunday and my weight is still the same.
What can I do to change this?

Replies

  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    Everything I have read says it isn't really a plateau unless you've been stuck for at least 3 months. Last year I plateaued for nearly 5 months and an RN told me to up my calories for two weeks by at least 200 more (1400). Of course, the extra calories should be food that is good for you like proteins and veggies. So, I did that and then dropped back to my weight loss level 1200 and immediately came off the plateau.

    Today, I am in my second major plateau (3 months) and have been eating 1400 calories for almost two weeks - will drop back to 1200 on Monday and see if it helps me get the last 10 pounds off. I guess the last 10 are the hardest...

    I am not a nturitionist (the RN is), but maybe you should try it. Don't get discouraged!!
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    It's only a month and you've lost a lot. Sometimes we pause.

    Look over your diary carefully. Has anything changed in the last month or so that is different than earlier? Otherwise, I would stick with it and see where you are in another few weeks.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    it's discouraging but try not to get so hung up on the scale--take pictures, measurements, and use your clothes to guide you. sometimes that says more about your progress than the scale!
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    What the other posters said: it's not really a plateau until you're not progressing with anything. If you don't lose weight, are also not gaining (or retaining) muscle, than it's not really a plateau.

    The number on the scale is not the only thing that shows progress; you need to take pics and/or measure.
  • NCTravellingGirl
    NCTravellingGirl Posts: 717 Member
    I feel your frustration. I was stuck for about 2 months. I went on a cruise and while I was active, I did not control eating sometimes to the point of my stomach hurting, which I hadn't done in forever.

    I literally gained 7.5 lbs in a few weeks. I'm sure some of it was bloat but NOT ALL! So now, two weeks later I'm down 4 lbs from that and only 3.5 over where I was. Hoping that two weeks off kicks me back into gear, and if that doesn't, than Jillian better, haha!

    I will say this to you. I know cutting calories seems like the way to lose weight, but you're eating very little really while working hard on 30DS. I think you need to eat more good stuff, especially protein. Looking at your diary, a lot of days you only had 30-40 grams and under 1000 net calories. You can do that and lose weight, but when you try to stop your body may gain because it's not used to fuel... just something to think about!
  • LifeIsNotADressRehearsal
    LifeIsNotADressRehearsal Posts: 745 Member
    You came back from a holiday without having gained weight??!! That's a major win in my opinion! Well done! I plateaued for 2 months then got a Fitbit which motivated me to walk more...it also syncs with MFP and automatically add calories when activity levels warrant. Ended up walking AND eating more and lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks....bye bye plateau!
  • eleonorawander
    eleonorawander Posts: 29 Member
    Thank you all!
    I know I have to eat more, two months ago I used to eat about 700 calories everyday but I wasn't exercising, and it still wasn't working!

    I'm at my parents' house for the summer, and here is full of unhealthy stuff. When I have to decide what to eat for a snack, I have an ice cream or I have nothing, cause there's nothing else! Also for dinner and lunch, I eat a little cause it's usually unhealthy things or fried things.
    In two weeks I'll come back to my own house, and I'll decide what to eat!

    So, I'll think about ways to increase my protein intake maybe by eating more eggs (I don't like them, any advice?), chicken and tuna. This may also help me with calories!

    (Today I choose to eat ice cream. I know that cardio can't cancel an unhealthy diet, but I'll try with 30 minutes of cardio!)
  • bkwhit1964
    bkwhit1964 Posts: 24
    Try eating a snack in between meals, that help me break the plateau.
  • wcjcjplourde
    wcjcjplourde Posts: 21 Member
    I hit a plateau that lasted TWO YEARS! I'd lost 120lbs, but still had 80 to go. Eventually, I got frustrated and gave up, gaininng back 80lbs. My doctor told me that everybody hits a plateau at different levels, for different lengths of time. The important thing is to not get frustrated and give up. Especially if you still see the difference in how your clothes fit. Oops!!!
    And, if you're gaining muscle, it's very likely you won't "see" weight loss.
  • barbellina
    barbellina Posts: 13
    never going over the 1200 and trying to stay over the 800
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    You break the plateau by resetting hormones.
    Eat at TDEE for 2 weeks then resume the diet at a moderate deficit of about 20%.
    I've broken 100s of plateaus this way.

    For my method check out:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • speediejane
    speediejane Posts: 496 Member
    change foods exercise and increase cals
  • eleonorawander
    eleonorawander Posts: 29 Member
    Today I was really sad cause I gained a pound since yesterday and I didn't eat enough, even if I forced myself to eat a snack (pancakes made in the healthy way!) and everything that my mom was making today was pizza, pasta, pizza, pasta, pizza, pasta. So I eat the only healthy things here. Tomorrow I'm going to do same shopping and I'm gonna buy yogurt, chicken, tuna and other things to increase my calorie intake. Let's see how it goes...
  • wcjcjplourde
    wcjcjplourde Posts: 21 Member
    How's the weight loss going? Have you gotten over your plateau yet?

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