Weight loss plateau after losing just 5-6 pounds :/

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lovetiffany
lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok so let me explain a bit.

My starting weight was 136. After about 3 and a half weeks I had lost about 5 pounds. My weight got to 130.8 (Yay!)

My calorie intake varied, some days it was in between 1000-1200 calories, some days exactly 1200, other days it went up to 1500.

I decided last Saturday that since I was going to take a 3 hour drive to visit my boyfriends family, I was going to have a cheat day. I mean, the whole purpose of having a lifestyle change vs a diet is to make it realistic right? So, while I didn't go overboard, I did eat what they made for lunch and dinner, and I had a few cookies for dessert. I didn't stuff myself, but I didn't turn anything down. No big deal, or maybe it was?

The day after I jumped on the scale and I weighed 134...Now I know most of this weight was just from water most likely (and I've read somewhere about undigested food?) I didn't freak out much. Instead I jumped back on the Wagon and started again.

That was Saturday, today is Wednesday and im still at 132 :/ I'm in week 5 of exercising and watching my calories and I haven't really lost anything....

I'm not hoping to get super skinny or anything, I was really just hoping to get to somewhere in between 120-125 (I weighed that much 2 summers ago and it was perfect). I'm 5'6-5'7.

For my exercises I've mostly been working on running. I started out only being able to run for like 2 minutes, and now I'm running for 1.5 miles before having to walk. I'm definitely improving in that sense. On my '' cross training'' days I do the ellipticalor climb stairs . I'm about to start incorporating weight lifting in to help exchange arm fat for muscle.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions? I'm not so discouraged that i'm going to give up, my main goal is to up my running endurance and eventually speed, but weight loss was a side goal of mine!

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this!

Replies

  • EmmaR25
    EmmaR25 Posts: 33 Member
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    This is not a plateau, weight fluctuates all the time. If you can't handle the daily fluctuations don't weigh everyday. Carry on what your doing and it'll be gone by Saturday.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,682 Member
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    A plateau is 6 weeks or more of no weight loss while being consistent on diet and exercise. You had a weight flux, which is normal. As mentioned, if you can't handle day to day weighing, then don't do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Gin66
    Gin66 Posts: 47 Member
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    I think you should try weighing yourself only once a week, same day, same time.........first thing in the a.m. Also a great way to jump start is to eat only protein in the morning, no carbs or fruit. Try that for a week and see what happens. Good luck.
  • lovetiffany
    lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
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    I can handle the fluctuations of day to day, I only take certain days to be serious, the rest I do just cause I can't keep off the scale. What I'm getting at is that for the past 4 and a half weeks, I have barely lost anything and im doing everything that i'm reading about. Im mixing my calories up, I'm getting enough exercise in, im mixing up my exercises a little bit, eating little meals spread out evenly, etc. I'm just confused about why it's going down the way it is.

    I don't really believe it's a plateau, it's way to early for that, but I don't know what else to call it...
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
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    A plateau is 6 weeks or more of no weight loss while being consistent on diet and exercise. You had a weight flux, which is normal. As mentioned, if you can't handle day to day weighing, then don't do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Yup
  • DebraYvonne
    DebraYvonne Posts: 632 Member
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    Since you only have about 10 or 12 pounds to go so it will probably take a good while to lose it the healthy way. Slow & steady!:smile:
  • deannajf4
    deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
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    1000 - 1200 calories is NOT enough food! That is not a sustainable lifestyle, so when you go out and eat 2000 calories on the weekend, your body is going to go crazy (I don't know the exact science etc) but really try to keep your calories a little higher - higher than 1200/day for sure.
  • JessicaG234
    JessicaG234 Posts: 12 Member
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    Yeah, don't weigh yourself too often! As someone else suggested, only jump on the scale once a week, in the AM before you eat or drink anything. Even if you have to put your scale out of sight so you're not tempted to weigh yourself but one day a week (and I'm speaking from experience here), do it! Plus, think about the progress you've made running! You will continue losing weight at a steady pace if you keep up with your exercise and eating plan. Best of luck to you!
  • BamsieEkhaya
    BamsieEkhaya Posts: 657 Member
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    I had a Plateau at 6-7pounds for 3 months but still going.... the weight is moving a little now (spiced things up a little) but even without much loss people have noticed the change (less chubby face, shoulders aren't so big etc)

    It's good to take measurements aswell
  • lovetiffany
    lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
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    Well I usually eat most of my exercise calories back, not all but most. So usually when it says I've eaten only 1100 calories its because I've really eaten 1400 but the exercise equaled out.
  • grnqueen
    grnqueen Posts: 35 Member
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    Just a question, are you still eating foods with added sugar? I'm not talking about fruits and other items that naturally have sugar, but even those foods we thing are "diet" foods can hang on to the weight longer. I am a very big believer in the "beyond diet" lifestyle change. Not only do I look better, but I FEEL 100% better and I have dropped 12 lbs since the first of the year. I'm a scale stalker like you and I never consider a loss an actual loss until Ive maintained it for at least 3 days or lost even a few more ounces. Ultimately for your height, you should be in the healthy weight range as it is.
  • lovetiffany
    lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
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    I agree that I shouldn't weigh as often, I totally agree. But I know that I'm going to do it anyways so I set aside 2 days a week for my weight to be taken seriously. The exact same days a week, at the exact same time. Always on Saturday and Wednesday, and always in the morning right after using the bathroom. I always make sure that my clothes weigh the same and that nothing had been eaten or drank yet...

    Thank you everyone for taking the time to help out!
  • lovetiffany
    lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
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    I'll take a look at the food I'm eating to check and see about the sugar, im honestly not sure. I'm trying to mix healthy choices with choices that I'll make after I reach my goal... For example, still have eggs and toast for breakfast but not add the cheese on the eggs or butter on the toast.

    And even with the weight loss issue, im still making progress with running so that's great. I'mnot having an energy issue (which would indicate to little calories ) and im progressing well so I'm still excited. I was just expecting my body to change at least a smudge in the first month. Maybe since like it's been said before, I weigh less so it's harder to lose.

    But while I'm in a healthy weight range, im more body fat than muscle, much more. My sister weighs 5 pounds less than me (Same height) and we look a least 10-15 pounds different. Which is why I evenstarted watching what I eat . I'm not obese butI do have extra fat, which isn't healthy at all.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,682 Member
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    I can handle the fluctuations of day to day, I only take certain days to be serious, the rest I do just cause I can't keep off the scale. What I'm getting at is that for the past 4 and a half weeks, I have barely lost anything and im doing everything that i'm reading about. Im mixing my calories up, I'm getting enough exercise in, im mixing up my exercises a little bit, eating little meals spread out evenly, etc. I'm just confused about why it's going down the way it is.

    I don't really believe it's a plateau, it's way to early for that, but I don't know what else to call it...
    A stall. But quit "mixing" it up. Stick with something for at least 2 weeks then reassess. You can't pinpoint any issue if you keep changing things up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • djfriedman81
    djfriedman81 Posts: 125
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    If you incorporate resistance training into your workouts, it will help you tone up better. The scale may not change but the body fat % will and you will start to look leaner. There are two kinds of skinny people, skinny fat and skinny fit. Aim for skiny fit.
  • Gin66
    Gin66 Posts: 47 Member
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    Who eats 2000 calories on the weekend? Who needs to? wow, not putting you down but 1000 to1200 calories a day is not only do-able but completely reasonable.

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