This plateau has me in tears.
Options
Clarissia_Nicole
Posts: 79 Member
Since April, I've lost 30 lbs. I've had my bad weeks, but generally I usually lose 1 or 2 lbs a week. A few weeks ago I noticed it was getting harder to loose. At 164, I figured I must have reached a plateau. I still have 20 lbs left to loose til I reach my goal weight. I decided to start a video diary and post it on facebook. That would keep me motivated and I also wanted to be there to give tips or support to anyone else on my friends list who wanted to loose weight.
The first week, I lost a lb and some-odd oz, almost 2 lbs. I posted my first video and got loads of positive feedback. People 'liked' it and told me I looked great, and that they were so proud of me. A couple girls even said I was inspirational and motivational. It felt great.
The next week was stressful. I had loads of school work and exams and was trying to get this job I've been wanting. I stress ate a little. But I worked out 5 days. I expected to lose at least a lb. Well when I stepped on the scale, I had GAINED a pound. I was disappointed. but I tried to remain optimistic, as always. Like I said, Ive had my bad weeks. I figured I was reaching a plateau, but I didn't realize it would be this hard to get out of. I realized I would have to step it up a notch. Work out harder and go back to counting calories. ( I started just estimating in my head awhile ago and it had been working out) I made a video for that weekl, admitting to my gain, and explaining what I was going to do to get out of the plateau. I posted it and I got absolutley no response. No likes, no comments, nothing. I was upset. I felt like I had disappointed everyone.
So this past week, I really gave it 100%...I bought a new workout DVD and it kicked my *kitten* but I did it all week. I found this site and started logging my food and reading other people's advise and tips. I drank water, I did everything. I started feeling really good. I looked in the mirror and I thought I looked smaller. My hip bones became visible for the first time I can remember. I said to myself I KNOW i lost this week. I couldnt wait to weight to make a video about the 2 or 3 lbs I lost. I would have even been happy if I just lost one lb.
After class, I hurried to the scale at GNC and stepped on it. I felt butterflies as the little piece of paper spit out of the machine. When I looked at it and read what it said, my heart dropped. 164.one sixty -explicit- four. I cried the whole drive home. Never during this whole journey have I felt this devestated and just BROKEN. what more could I have done? I did some upper body at the gym, but just one day. I thought maybe that, combined with all the corestrength and lunges in the DVD I started, maybe I gained muscle? But that sounds like an excuse. Wouldnt the muscle have burned through SOME fat? I weigh exactly the same, down to the oz. I didnt even lose an oz. If I didnt gain weight in muscle, I don't know what's happened. All I know is that I feel broken. Its been an hour and Im still fighting back tears. I cant even make a video because Ill look like a failure. Part of me wants to just starve myself, hows that for a freaking defecit? Another part wants to binge. If I cant loose anymore weight, whats the point? I give up; it';s not worth working THAT hard just to maintain. Then the "logical" part says to just stick to it.....cut out strength training and tone after I burn the fat, watch my fats (since Ive been logging my food on here, I notice I need to cut my intake of fats) and trust the process......but I've been trusting the process to OVER A MONTH and where has it gotten me? 163...164...165...164...163...164...164....164 .... If I see 164 one more time I will flip my lid.
I just don't know what to do. I'm so confused and getting fed up
The first week, I lost a lb and some-odd oz, almost 2 lbs. I posted my first video and got loads of positive feedback. People 'liked' it and told me I looked great, and that they were so proud of me. A couple girls even said I was inspirational and motivational. It felt great.
The next week was stressful. I had loads of school work and exams and was trying to get this job I've been wanting. I stress ate a little. But I worked out 5 days. I expected to lose at least a lb. Well when I stepped on the scale, I had GAINED a pound. I was disappointed. but I tried to remain optimistic, as always. Like I said, Ive had my bad weeks. I figured I was reaching a plateau, but I didn't realize it would be this hard to get out of. I realized I would have to step it up a notch. Work out harder and go back to counting calories. ( I started just estimating in my head awhile ago and it had been working out) I made a video for that weekl, admitting to my gain, and explaining what I was going to do to get out of the plateau. I posted it and I got absolutley no response. No likes, no comments, nothing. I was upset. I felt like I had disappointed everyone.
So this past week, I really gave it 100%...I bought a new workout DVD and it kicked my *kitten* but I did it all week. I found this site and started logging my food and reading other people's advise and tips. I drank water, I did everything. I started feeling really good. I looked in the mirror and I thought I looked smaller. My hip bones became visible for the first time I can remember. I said to myself I KNOW i lost this week. I couldnt wait to weight to make a video about the 2 or 3 lbs I lost. I would have even been happy if I just lost one lb.
After class, I hurried to the scale at GNC and stepped on it. I felt butterflies as the little piece of paper spit out of the machine. When I looked at it and read what it said, my heart dropped. 164.one sixty -explicit- four. I cried the whole drive home. Never during this whole journey have I felt this devestated and just BROKEN. what more could I have done? I did some upper body at the gym, but just one day. I thought maybe that, combined with all the corestrength and lunges in the DVD I started, maybe I gained muscle? But that sounds like an excuse. Wouldnt the muscle have burned through SOME fat? I weigh exactly the same, down to the oz. I didnt even lose an oz. If I didnt gain weight in muscle, I don't know what's happened. All I know is that I feel broken. Its been an hour and Im still fighting back tears. I cant even make a video because Ill look like a failure. Part of me wants to just starve myself, hows that for a freaking defecit? Another part wants to binge. If I cant loose anymore weight, whats the point? I give up; it';s not worth working THAT hard just to maintain. Then the "logical" part says to just stick to it.....cut out strength training and tone after I burn the fat, watch my fats (since Ive been logging my food on here, I notice I need to cut my intake of fats) and trust the process......but I've been trusting the process to OVER A MONTH and where has it gotten me? 163...164...165...164...163...164...164....164 .... If I see 164 one more time I will flip my lid.
I just don't know what to do. I'm so confused and getting fed up
0
Replies
-
I reached a plateau after around 20 lbs of weight loss, so I went for a low carb diet and it transformed me. I have now lost a further 30 lbs in around 2 months, thanks simply to removing most carbs from my diet.0
-
It is a bit hard to read that, but how is your diet? Have you adjusted your calories as you go along? Women can benefit from decreasing carbs, from what I have been told.0
-
Switch up your exercise. Also remember if you switch up you might gain a lb or two for a couple weeks due to sore muscles.0
-
Adding the Couch to 5K program has helped me get through my latest plateau... that's on top of doing fitness boot camp twice a week and Zumba here and there. Also, drink lots of water. Anytime you eat out, drink more water than you can ever imagine drinking because there is so much hidden sodium in take out/fast food. And, don't give up! You will get there.0
-
I did the same thing. I too lowered my carbs and the weight started decreasing again. Check your CARBS!0
-
Have you updated your mfp goals/weight/etc in settings? You may have lost enough weight to change your daily energy expenditure. After all, that's 30lbs less you're carrying whenever you go about your normal activities.0
-
I would try and reduce the amount of carbs to push past the plateau.0
-
Gaining muscle IS NOT an excuse! You mentioned you are seeing your hip bones for the 1st time. How are your clothes fitting? Looser I bet. My trainer is currently doing a "jeans challenge" where he FORBIDS weighing during the 6 weeks. What you do is bring in a pair of jeans 1-2 sizes too small, get photographed with them, and leave them at the gym until the end. The point being
THE SCALES DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
When I startd working out, I didn't drop a single pound for 3 months, but I didn't get discouraged because my measurements kept decreasing. Listen to your clothes. And keep it up! :flowerforyou:0 -
The number on the scale is not an indicator of your overall health. Are you doing this to get to some magic number, or do you want to be healthier? There is no magic number. There is eating sensible foods in sensible proportions and getting regular exercise. Take a look at the big picture, and that might keep you from doing the "stress eating" that simply amounts to sabotaging yourself.
Having said that, maybe you need to be measuring and logging your foods regularly. Also, check in with your measurements. Your size could very well be changing in the direction you had in mind. Certainly, your health must be improving with the exercise.
Don't let the scale become your bully. Give yourself credit for what you've done so far, and the commitment you've made to your health.
Balance!0 -
Try not to be discouraged by weekly losses. Look at the big picture—monthly, even. I find that I will maintain the same weight for a few weeks and then drop two pounds suddenly in the matter of a day or two. That's just how I lose weight.
Now, that's too quick to gain muscle, but I'll tell you what it's not too quick for: water retention. If you're working out and causing some muscle tearing, your body will retain water, especially if you're drinking a healthy amount. Get some rest. It will go away. Also take into account whether you've eaten or drank anything and what you're wearing when getting on the scale. I'm not sure what GNC is, but if you're weighing in public with your clothes on, it's going to be important for you to do it in the same outfit, with the same shoes, after eating or not eating the same amount. Otherwise, you're not going to be able to gauge progress easily.
Like I said, try looking at your monthly progress. Weekly or daily weigh-ins are good for determining body reactions to certain things, but the big picture is what's important.0 -
Ive only been on here for the past week. Ive have been drinking water and I started the couch to 5k program yesterday. I can try cutting my carbs but it will be hard cause I already eat lowcarb.Have you updated your mfp goals/weight/etc in settings? You may have lost enough weight to change your daily energy expenditure. After all, that's 30lbs less you're carrying whenever you go about your normal activities.0 -
So the weight loss slowly decreased in amount until nothing for at least 3 weeks.
Several things you can confirm.
Have you gotten sloppy with the logging of what you eat? Less attention to serving size or amount?
Has your daily goal for eating lowered as the weight came off? Can't eat the same amount, because you use less energy moving less weight, daily and for exercise, so all values should report less.
So no open diary, so can't tell where eating and exercising level is.
For instance, have you been using the MFP method where deficit is taken without exercise being included, and when you do exercise you eat those calories back to maintain the same deficit?
If so, how are you determining the exercise calories you burn to eat back?
Have you done measurements besides the scale? Because you could be eating right, and now body is making improvements that is hiding the fact the fat is still burning off. In which case keep it up and once body is done improving, weight will start dropping again.
If you have not been eating back exercise, your metabolism finally caught up with your lack of eating right for your level of activity and has slowed.
If nothing other the other stuff applies, that means you are eating at maintenance right now, because of slowed metabolism. Slowed more than required or expected.
So, question is, do you want to go down the spiral of eating even less than could be eaten, and have it slow again, and plateau again?
Or do you try to fix the metabolism before it's too far gone.
BTW, working out as hard as you can each and every day is counter productive. You are asking your body to make improvements from the exercise, but when exactly are you giving it the rest to do so, and if undereating, the nutrition to do so?
It will feel like you are working hard, but nearly as hard as you could with proper feeding and rest for the exercise.0 -
1. Water weight fluctuations depend on water intake, sodium intake, potassium intake, and exercise level
2. Weight is not the same as body fat percentage
3. Does not sound like you are keeping your weigh in times constant (Same time of day, same day of the week, same exact clothes or nude, no exercise immediately prior to weighing in, etc.)
4. Estimating in your head is not the same as keeping track for calories
5. Any drastic changes to your routine will usually be followed by weight gain or lack of loss. This gain is NOT fat though so do not fret.
A problem many people see is they see the scale go down rather quickly at first, then they notice it stop for a while. They think they've stopped losing fat. Usually what happens is over the course of several weeks, you lose fat and water. After a while, you've lost all the water you're reasonably going to lose (so now mostly fat loss), but this makes the scale go down slower. From there, they may lose fat and gain some water, which might make the scale stop or even go up. Fat loss was remaining the same, but other things affected the weight.0 -
Drink lots of water and don't stop exercising. You don't about your diet. Is it possible there is room to improve there? Reduce the amount of processed or fast food? Are you within your calorie limits? Reducing carbs for a little while couldn't hurt. Just keep trying to eat right and exercise. It will work in the long run.0
-
Thanks thats helpful.....I probably did gain muscle, its the only explination I can think of since I know I created a defecit. I only overate one day, but I made up for it the next day on the track.Gaining muscle IS NOT an excuse! You mentioned you are seeing your hip bones for the 1st time. How are your clothes fitting? Looser I bet. My trainer is currently doing a "jeans challenge" where he FORBIDS weighing during the 6 weeks. What you do is bring in a pair of jeans 1-2 sizes too small, get photographed with them, and leave them at the gym until the end. The point being
THE SCALES DON'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
When I startd working out, I didn't drop a single pound for 3 months, but I didn't get discouraged because my measurements kept decreasing. Listen to your clothes. And keep it up! :flowerforyou:
&I know the numbers arent so important in "the bigger picture" but as I said, I started a video thing I posted and my goal was to lose 10 lbs by Halloween. Not everyone understands the way we sometimes reach plateaus and dont always see the numbers going down.0 -
We all struggle to get past a plateau at one time or another...try not to worry about your weight...focus on toning and building muscle. Before you know it you will boost your metabolism and the weight will start to come off again. Even if you don't loose more weight, you will loose inches by toning, and you will be healthier overall. Don't give up...keep it moving!!!0
-
So the weight loss slowly decreased in amount until nothing for at least 3 weeks.
Several things you can confirm.
Have you gotten sloppy with the logging of what you eat? Less attention to serving size or amount?
Has your daily goal for eating lowered as the weight came off? Can't eat the same amount, because you use less energy moving less weight, daily and for exercise, so all values should report less.
So no open diary, so can't tell where eating and exercising level is.
For instance, have you been using the MFP method where deficit is taken without exercise being included, and when you do exercise you eat those calories back to maintain the same deficit?
If so, how are you determining the exercise calories you burn to eat back?
Have you done measurements besides the scale? Because you could be eating right, and now body is making improvements that is hiding the fact the fat is still burning off. In which case keep it up and once body is done improving, weight will start dropping again.
If you have not been eating back exercise, your metabolism finally caught up with your lack of eating right for your level of activity and has slowed.
If nothing other the other stuff applies, that means you are eating at maintenance right now, because of slowed metabolism. Slowed more than required or expected.
So, question is, do you want to go down the spiral of eating even less than could be eaten, and have it slow again, and plateau again?
Or do you try to fix the metabolism before it's too far gone.
BTW, working out as hard as you can each and every day is counter productive. You are asking your body to make improvements from the exercise, but when exactly are you giving it the rest to do so, and if undereating, the nutrition to do so?
It will feel like you are working hard, but nearly as hard as you could with proper feeding and rest for the exercise.
^ALWAYS listen to Heybales...... he got me off my plateau. I'm not watching those scale numbers, but my inches lost and my clothes fitting better. Cardio does nothing for women, especially if you do it forever in a day.0 -
I hear ya sweetie! I'm down 47 and the scale has not moved since early July....it sucks butt.
So this week I decided to set my goals not to lose weight.....I'm going to up my calories, still exercise but not as much cardio as I was doing, more weight training.
I wanted to give up so many times....but in July I was in size 12....now I'm in size 8, so yes the scale has not moved...but my body is changing! You can do it!!0 -
Girl, save yourself some sanity and step off the scale for a few weeks. As you get closer and closer to your goal weight, the slower you will lose. Also you are correct that you are probably gaining muscle. In the mean time, track your cals, keep up on your workouts and get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep and excess stress can make you hold onto weight too, so there is no use getting upset over this. There are going to be times when you feel like you have no support, you have to kick yourself in the butt and keep going. Make little cards with your own personal motivations you can look at when you feel like no one is behind you or you're having a bad day.
I'd encourage you to put your scale in the back of your closet for about a month. Measure yourself instead, and pay attention to how clothes fit. Take pictures if you want. Just keep away from that scale, it's evil and it's trying to trick you. As I've gotten closer to my goal weight I've realized it's just a stupid number. Why do I have to get down to 130? Is it just because that's what my driver's license says! No! it's a number and it's stupid! I realized I was killing myself trying to get there. Anymore, I really don't care how much I weigh. I'm not a ballerina and don't have to be lifted into the air, so it doesn't matter. I've actually been gaining weight, but my waist gets smaller because I'm getting stronger. It took me along time to come around and realize I was setting myself up for failure by relying to heavily on scale goals.
Don't give up girlie or be discouraged! It takes a while to figure out your formula, and you just need some more practice figuring out how much to eat and exercise.0 -
Begin taking your measurements too. I wouldn't care if I "weighed" 200 pounds if I "looked" 150!!!0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 394 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 957 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions