Weight loss plateau

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shannonsky
shannonsky Posts: 75 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm trying not to get discouraged and not worry about the scale, but I'd love some words of encouragement/wisdom. BF% is going down every week (about 3% this month), but the scale isn't budging. I lost 1lb the first week, gained 1.5lbs the next, lost 4 due to TOM ending, and that was on the 4th and I haven't lost anything since then. Actually, I'm up .7lbs as of this morning. If my goal is 20%BF, and I'm just above 30% now, and I continue to lose at 3%BF per month, I should hit my goal in about 3 mos...which does seem right to lose about 20lbs. But I'm not losing any WEIGHT, so how will that work???

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  • proboho
    proboho Posts: 62 Member
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    Me too! I am encouraged to hang in there. Losing cms but not any lbs for 3 weeks!
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    If you are losing inches, you are NOT in a "plateau". You are also not in a plateau if it has only been two or three weeks since you've seen any changes. Keep your head in the game--stay on track with your diet, keep lifting weights and doing whatever cardio you do or don't, and BE PATIENT. The weight shifts, but not necessarily according to your time schedule, or from where you want the fat to disappear from first.
  • shannonsky
    shannonsky Posts: 75 Member
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    If you are losing inches, you are NOT in a "plateau". You are also not in a plateau if it has only been two or three weeks since you've seen any changes. Keep your head in the game--stay on track with your diet, keep lifting weights and doing whatever cardio you do or don't, and BE PATIENT. The weight shifts, but not necessarily according to your time schedule, or from where you want the fat to disappear from first.

    All true things! Keep bashing me over the head with it until it sinks in. lol
  • SAPerkins01
    SAPerkins01 Posts: 9
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    Good topic for Motivation and Support. I lost 20 pounds and weighed in and gained 1.8 back. I think it is due to muscle weight. I am fine with that but it does sting a little not to see the scale come down agian. I was also not eating enough calories. So I am trying to work on that. I just don't ever have a large enough appetite. I am also vaying what I eat. This week, I am making steamed vegetables my final meal. I like veggies so that is not a big deal to me.

    So the take home message is, stay encouraged, keep your diet in good order and exercise. Whether or not you have hit a pleateau is unclear but what we all know is that if we quit, our weight loss will stop. So be encouraged! The scale will move again! :smile:
  • bclahane
    bclahane Posts: 9 Member
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    My weight stagnated going up and down around the same number after I lost my first 20 pounds. I have heard of many people going several months without losing anything. So when this happened I did some research and came across an article saying that most people hit some sort of "plateau" when they lose 10% of their body weight because the body needs time to adjust to its new metabolism. I cannot attest that this is true for everyone but it certainly was for me. 20lbs was exactly 10% of my initial body weight. I changed my routine and began exercising more and a month later I began losing strong again. So hang in there and youll get past it! Once it's over, you will look back and see it as a minor bump in this journey! :)
  • hanzaaaa93
    hanzaaaa93 Posts: 1
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    I am glad to see im not the only one with this problem!
    Lost 21 pounds so far, and after another week of low calorie dieting, walking and swimming it has not budged a bit!
    Trying to stick at it and not be down heartened so hopefully the scales will keep shifting again soon and it is just the plateau thingy!
    Good luck everyone :) x
  • shannonsky
    shannonsky Posts: 75 Member
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    My weight stagnated going up and down around the same number after I lost my first 20 pounds. I have heard of many people going several months without losing anything. So when this happened I did some research and came across an article saying that most people hit some sort of "plateau" when they lose 10% of their body weight because the body needs time to adjust to its new metabolism. I cannot attest that this is true for everyone but it certainly was for me. 20lbs was exactly 10% of my initial body weight. I changed my routine and began exercising more and a month later I began losing strong again. So hang in there and youll get past it! Once it's over, you will look back and see it as a minor bump in this journey! :)

    Ha, just did the math and I'm right about the 10% lost mark. Interesting...
  • elissiara
    elissiara Posts: 28 Member
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    My weight stagnated going up and down around the same number after I lost my first 20 pounds. I have heard of many people going several months without losing anything. So when this happened I did some research and came across an article saying that most people hit some sort of "plateau" when they lose 10% of their body weight because the body needs time to adjust to its new metabolism. I cannot attest that this is true for everyone but it certainly was for me. 20lbs was exactly 10% of my initial body weight. I changed my routine and began exercising more and a month later I began losing strong again. So hang in there and youll get past it! Once it's over, you will look back and see it as a minor bump in this journey! :)
    I'm so happy I saw this post I've been at the same weight for weeks now after loosing 47 pounds and I just worked out that 47lbs was 10% of my initial body weight. This week I have changed my gym routine so hoping to see some kinda of move in the right direction.
  • hwood247
    hwood247 Posts: 2
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    THANK YOU!! I am stuck at 27lbs and the last 2 weeks nothing has moved, I have upped my exercise and changed the type of foods I am eating ( trying to cut wheat out all together) I was getting so disheartened but now I have hope that if I stick with it, the weight may start shifting again! I am so glad you posted this.

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