Plateau Patience

stacetherainbow
stacetherainbow Posts: 131
in Health and Weight Loss
I know there are many ways and opinions for breaking through a plateau in weight loss, but does anyone think you should just continue doing what was working until that point? Can you just wait it out until your body decides you aren't wasting away and speeds your metabolism up again? Is that just a wish on my part??

Replies

  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    It is what I do. Science says that if you still have over 7% BF your metabolism is only going to drop between 4% and 10% when you diet. In the often quoted MN study, one guy with 5% BF experienced 40% at one point and people quote that number like it happens to anyone that cuts back more than a little. It doesn't. Sometimes I take my calories a little lower for a couple of days just to see the scale move, but waiting it out works if you are eating less than you burn.
  • catolerico
    catolerico Posts: 25
    For me it was all about patience. I was stuck for a few months. I knew I was losing inches because I needed to tighten my belt and watch band but the scale wasn't moving. I kept doing what I had been (60 mins cardio 5x a week, weight training 3x and eating well) and now the scale is finally moving in the right direction.

    I think it also helped that I gave in and got a home scale (I had been using the one in the fitness center at work). I know people will say not to do this, but I weigh in every day. I know there are going to be fluctuations every day but it keeps me in check when a craving hits knowing that I'll see the evidence the next morning.

    Also, I wouldn't get too caught up in all the starvation mode stuff. I'm certainly not an expert but I don't think your metabolism falls off a cliff as quickly and far as some people here would have you believe. If it did how would anyone who gets gastric bypass surgery lose any weight? They might only be eating a few hundred calories a day – wouldn’t their bodies rebel and hold onto the weight if starvation mode happens the way a lot of people think it does?

    Keep it up – I’m sure you’ll eventually see the results.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    You have missed a few days logging recently and you seem to be under your net calories regularly, try sticking to them as closely as possible. Also weigh your food out with a scale if possible as a lot of people eat a LOT more than they think they are by under judging portion sizes.

    Edit - I also viewed a full report of 5 completely random days and 4/5 times you were way over 3,000mg of sodium, the other time you were still over the highest recommended intake. This might mean you are retaining a lot of water compared to others which could be the difference in a few pounds.

    http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/fda-recommended-sodium-intake-1873.html
  • stacetherainbow
    stacetherainbow Posts: 131
    Thanks for the feedback.
    I'm not actually experiencing a plateau (I'm substantially overweight, so the pounds are still coming off nicely)
    I just want to think ahead to the possibilities so that I can prepare myself for the week(s) that things don't budge. I don't want to lose momentum!
    Any other plateau advice is welcome.
    If I hit one, I'll be sure to look at myself as the first culprit (spotty weekend journaling, salt intake, etc)
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    for the past 3 weeks I have been up and down (gained a pound, lost a pound, now gained a pound again).

    I've adjusted my calories and just started pushing harder. Get up and walk more, take the dog on longer walks, started an extra yoga class a week. Because of medical reasons I can't go high impact or high intensity, so I just keep pushing along and try to push to do longer walks or picking up boxes in the warehouse at work and the like. If you're not hungry try cutting out a snack (obviously if you're hungry, don't starve yourself). Eventually it'll balance out.

    If you're not seeing a change - try changing your calorie intake little by little. I started at 1200 but not I'm at closer to 1300-1400 a day and I notice I'm not as hungry anymore (on 1200 I was STARVING and eating back all my exercise calories). Now I don't eat them back and I still feel full.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    BTW, I usually refer to plateaus as "perceived plateaus" because it is usually just a function of when you check and what is going on at a detail level that makes it seem like you are stuck sometimes. While I am losing, I claim the lowest weight I have seen recently as my current weight because that is the direction I am moving in. A few days ago, I had the "perfect storm" as far as getting a low weight was concerned; just finished a long run and had not yet really rehydrated, had been a while since the last meal and it was a light one and had just eliminated some waste (TMI? :tongue: ). I absolutely claimed and logged that weight. It makes it seem like I plateaued though, because I have not been able to edge it any lower since. That does not bother me. I will blow by it soon enough becaue what I am doing is working and I haven't stopped doing it.
  • darwinwoodka
    darwinwoodka Posts: 322 Member
    I've been on the long plateau for the last month. I look at it though and just think "Yay, I'm maintaining!" Would love to lose more but it seems my body is happy here for now.
  • joolsweb
    joolsweb Posts: 81 Member
    bumping for my topics, thanks :)

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