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Breaking the dreaded plateau!

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AliceNov2011
AliceNov2011 Posts: 471 Member
in Social Groups
At last! I've switched to very low carb (down from moderately low at 80-135g daily to <50g), and have broken through. The scale is ticking down again.

And yet, as frustrating as a 9-month plateau has been (I think you call that "maintenance at the wrong weight"), I must remember that I'm down 15 pounds from this time last year, so chins up!

Are you stuck or moving? What's your secret?

Replies

  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,440 Member
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    I'm going to have to bite the bullet and lower my carbs, as much as I love my carbs :cry: I have been "maintaining at the wrong weight" for 9 months myself.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    Congratulations on breaking through the plateau! I haven't plateaued yet, but I do lose weight VERY slowly! My ticker here shows 15 months of slow, steady loss.
  • Gail3260
    Gail3260 Posts: 354 Member
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    Totally stuck here, for 6 months rather than 9. I do like the concept of 'maintenance at the wrong weight'!!

    I have almost resigned myself to staying as I am. It is difficult to find the motivation to do anything very different because I know those last few pounds won't make me look or feel different.

    I am trying to increase protein and reduce carbs but I cook and eat with my family so that is not easy. There is no way I am cooking a meal for them that I am not going to eat myself!
  • hairsprayhon
    hairsprayhon Posts: 334 Member
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    I am definitely maintaining at the wrong wieght! My theory throughout this weight loss journey has been to make life style changes and not to get into calorie deprivation or anything that I didn’t think I could live with the rest of my life. Now that I am getting close to my goal and stuck on a plateau, the temptation is there to do something more drastic to get the scale to the goal number. I am going to continue to resist that temptation and believe that when my body is ready, it will get off of the plateau and get to maintaining at the number that I want. Right now people have started to say “are you where you want to be-you shouldn’t be losing much more weight” but then I look at some of the success stories here at MFP and I see “before” pictures of people who are my current weight. I think part of my current problem is that I have achieved everything, except the number on the scale, that I set as my goals and reasons for losing weight, my closet is filled with size 14 and 12 beautiful clothes (from goodwill and consignment) when I was originally only hoping to get to a size 16. So it may just be that motivationally, I don’t have a reason for breaking through this plateau. But I still believe that when my mind and body are ready, I will start maintaining at the “right” weight for me.
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    After losing steadily (about 47 lbs) for almost a year, I have been stuck for the last 7 months at 11 pounds over goal weight. In spite of being pretty darn good about my eating. Frustrating.
    While my original goal was to get back into my size 8 clothes, I did surpass that and can fit some size 6 clothes now. However, this is still not a healthy weight for me and I know I need to drop that last 11 pounds. I will still be a little overweight even then, but us older gals can carry a bit more so as not to look gaunt.
    I have come to the depressing realization that I need to get more exercise. I need to move more. And then keep moving more. I don't particularly like going to a gym so I have been bike riding and walking with DH, roller skating with the grandkids, and swimming once a week at the local community center. I've been trying to step it up with limited success so far.
    But I know that is the secret for me.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Less than 50 gross or net carbs?

    It's amazing isn't it? It's like we all develop insulin resistance at this age.
  • Cherp18
    Cherp18 Posts: 224 Member
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    Hi,

    I've been at a plateau for 6 months also but i only blame myself! There's not that commitment to attend the gym, walk or push that little extra bit. Also, been having a few cheat meals on the weekends (instead of the usual "one"). So I only blame myself.

    I know what I have to do!

    Good luck all :sad:
  • nemrut
    nemrut Posts: 398 Member
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    I was stuck for many months also, but I felt good having lost 20 pounds and a size or two, so I wasn't too concerned about it...figured I'd get motivated to lose more at some point, but no rush.

    I'm currently not quite halfway through the Whole 30 program which I began, not really to lose weight but to try to reduce inflammation from arthritis and pseudo gout and to try to get my A1C lower. The great thing is that I'm once again beginning to see the scale moving down which is an added bonus. I think cutting out my nightly glass of wine and square of dark chocolate is making a difference, and also the fact that I am eating more at each meal and don't feel any cravings or need to snack. That's a big thing for me as crackers are my downfall and trigger more cravings for similar foods.

    It's not for everyone, but you might check it out and consider giving it a try. I was really hesitant to try it at first because I thought it was kind of the latest fad thing and I wasn't sure I could do it without giving in to a temptation or craving, but now I do know I can do it and I don't want to ruin it halfway through. I am feeling fine, sleep well, and I'm not hungry all the time. And...my blood sugar levels have never been better.

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