Need help (Plateau)

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mayeuxj
mayeuxj Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys. I'm 6 weeks in and I've lost around 11 pounds. Pretty good right? But for the last week and a half I've been stuck and I'm having a hard time losing more weight. I have 9 more pounds to go before my wedding in 5 weeks and another 5 after that to get where I wanna be. I'm staying at or just below my daily caloric intake for healthy weight loss (around 2 pounds a week) and I'm going to the gym 2-3 days a week. Any advise on how to kick-start myself into finishing the final stretch? Thanks everyone.

Replies

  • laurenpence
    laurenpence Posts: 147
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    If you have been doing the same thing every day at the gym then your body will hit a plateau, my advice do a completely different routine and set calorie goals for when your at the gym. For example I never leave the gym until I have burned a minimum of 500 calories. So if you have been walking or running on the treadmill try doing a spin class or the stair climber. Switch it up!
  • tiggertoo57
    tiggertoo57 Posts: 22
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    Do a different workout. Something your body is not used to...change it up.

    You may have already done this but, find your new caloric base at your current weight and then subtract the 500 calories. Remember that your needs to maintain your current weight decrease with your size.

    Good luck.
  • wolverinefactor
    wolverinefactor Posts: 38
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    It's typical to plateau around the 6 week mark. Switch up what you do at the job, a drastic change like that will shift your body and make you lose some more weight.
  • MsElphaba
    MsElphaba Posts: 432 Member
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    Are you eating back the calories you work off? You don't want to let your body go into "starvation mode." Just like you need to keep your work out varied, you need to keep your metabolism guessing, too. If it gets in a rut and knows what it needs to burn, that is what it will do. Give it a little bit more to burn!

    You've made great progress. Actually, I'm right there with you at 11 pounds in 6 weeks. Hang in there. It will happen!

    L
  • Jamiebee24
    Jamiebee24 Posts: 296 Member
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    I agree, you should do different things to shock your body...but working out only 2-3 times a week won't do much if you don't have much to loose. you should try adding a day or two a week and that should definitely drop some pounds! :)
  • Punktorian
    Punktorian Posts: 224 Member
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    Just throwing it out there, have you been measuring? You might be getting results away from the scale. Otherwise the above post are good advice.
  • StrengthInPain
    StrengthInPain Posts: 155 Member
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    I know this is going to sound waaaay out of the ordinary, but it's what i do whenever i plateau and for the most part has worked... up your calorie intake and up your workouts. Yes, INCREASE how much you are eating... by around 200-300 calories. The trick is to not make those 200-300 calories junk food. For example, i'll have an extra piece of grilled chicken and some veggie on top of my usual dinner. I'll do this for 2-3 days, then drop back down to my usual calorie intake. While i do this, i change up whatever i'm doing at the gym.... increase my speed on the treadmill or resistance on the elliptical... do jumping jacks between my resistance training, do a boot camp class instead of my usual workout. I usually maintain my new workout because if I can do it once i can do it from then on. GOOD LUCK!!
  • KimmyBee
    KimmyBee Posts: 158 Member
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    Also, take note of your monthly cycle.

    Coming up to and while im on my TOM I cant lose a single lb, then once its finished i seem to drop 2 or 3 lbs to make up for the previous weeks..
  • obifatkanobi
    obifatkanobi Posts: 190
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    This link was just posted yesterday, and I thought it was very insightful, so I saved it. Toward the end he explains why the last ten or so pounds is so hard to lose. I hope it helps, he explains well how and what happen, and why.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • bjberry
    bjberry Posts: 665 Member
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    You have really good advice already, but you can also check your sodium and fat levels on your food page--click the part at the bottom about printing a page--it leads you to a page with many measurements of your foods eaten that day.
    Also, keep drinking your water--our bodies need it more than we think. Most of all, enjoy life. :drinker:
  • mayeuxj
    mayeuxj Posts: 22
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    All super advice. I'll definiely be taking them into account. Thanks for all the help everyone!
  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
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    I know this is going to sound waaaay out of the ordinary, but it's what i do whenever i plateau and for the most part has worked... up your calorie intake and up your workouts. Yes, INCREASE how much you are eating... by around 200-300 calories. The trick is to not make those 200-300 calories junk food. For example, i'll have an extra piece of grilled chicken and some veggie on top of my usual dinner. I'll do this for 2-3 days, then drop back down to my usual calorie intake. While i do this, i change up whatever i'm doing at the gym.... increase my speed on the treadmill or resistance on the elliptical... do jumping jacks between my resistance training, do a boot camp class instead of my usual workout. I usually maintain my new workout because if I can do it once i can do it from then on. GOOD LUCK!!


    I'll back you up on this one, when I need to drop weight for competition, I actually increase my calories, the weight just melts off.
  • mayeuxj
    mayeuxj Posts: 22
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    It's funny. Not 2 days after I complain about not losing any weight, I drop a pound. Maybe I should complain more often :)

    I did, however, change up my workout. Instead of doing 35 min. running, 15 cycling and 10 elliptical, I'm doing 20 min. cycling, 20 running, 10 elliptical and 10 stairmaster ( I really hate the stairmaster). I also plan on doing an extra day a week.

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