The best way to shock my body past the plateau?

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I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
Any suggestions?
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Replies

  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
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    In my experience it's more about what you eat than what exercise you do. Look to see if you are sticking to your calorie goals and the quality of the food you eat too.
  • twinmoon
    twinmoon Posts: 108 Member
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    Measurements are much better than the scale - 13.5" total loss is amazing. For a plateau, I increase the lean protein, decrease the carbs, and log really carefully. Keep up the exercise. I saw a photo in the Paleo Coach book that really struck me. Here's the link: http://everydaypaleo.com/attention-scale-addicts-part-2/. She looks so different, but her weight is the same. Good luck - you're doing great.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    Eating more can help, too. I've tried it myself and seen others suggest it here. Either increase your daily calories if you're close to your goal, or eat maintenance for a day or two.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
    Any suggestions?

    First, is it really a plateau? How long have you been "stuck"?

    Second, after switching up your exercise routine, how long did you stick with it before changing it up again?
  • L_Stradford
    L_Stradford Posts: 156 Member
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    When I've hit a plateau, I have actually increased my calories by 150 and started dropping weight again the next day. Don't ask me about science because I know nothing about it. All I know is that is what worked for me.
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
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    Hard to tell what's going on without seeing your diary, but in my experience a plateau usually means that you are eating at a deficit that is too high and need to up your calories. I started eating at 1200 calories and plateaued quickly. I upped to 1600 calories and lost a bunch of weight :) then plateaued again. I just upped even more to 1900 calories and started losing right away.

    Calculate your TDEE and subtract 20%. Any more than that is too big a deficit and although you may lose initially... you will eventually plateau again. Would love to help you as I have been here many times and know the frustration!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
    Any suggestions?
    If your measurements keep going down, what's the problem?
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
    Any suggestions?
    If your measurements keep going down, what's the problem?

    ^ This. Honestly, I'm wondering how a loss of only 1 pound but an amazing 13.5 inches is even possible given the amount of muscle mass increase vs. fat loss that must take. I'd be beyond excited.

    That said, if you want help please answer these questions. How much do you weight? How many calories are you consuming? What is your exercise program look like? How consistent with it all are you?
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
    Any suggestions?
    If your measurements keep going down, what's the problem?

    ^ This. Honestly, I'm wondering how a loss of only 1 pound but an amazing 13.5 inches is even possible given the amount of muscle mass increase vs. fat loss that must take. I'd be beyond excited.

    That said, if you want help please answer these questions. How much do you weight? How many calories are you consuming? What is your exercise program look like? How consistent with it all are you?
    ^answering this would be helpful. Also, I think she means she's only losing a lb a week, not 13.5 inches per pound.
  • cameronwheeler
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    Try to find a SAUNA.... i heard that a sauna can help jump start the plateau process. i'm starting to hit a plateau right now and i'm going to hit the SAUNA today.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I feel like I have been stuck at this point for ever. From your past experience what is the best way to get through/past the plateau? I have increased my weights, increased my days, changed exercises and machines. And the best I have seen is a 1 pound loss. My measurements have gone down, 13.5" total loss in 5 months.
    Any suggestions?
    If your measurements keep going down, what's the problem?

    ^ This. Honestly, I'm wondering how a loss of only 1 pound but an amazing 13.5 inches is even possible given the amount of muscle mass increase vs. fat loss that must take. I'd be beyond excited.

    That said, if you want help please answer these questions. How much do you weight? How many calories are you consuming? What is your exercise program look like? How consistent with it all are you?
    ^answering this would be helpful. Also, I think she means she's only losing a lb a week, not 13.5 inches per pound.

    I see your point.

    In that case, OP, you are doing everything right except that you need to adjust your mindset to accepting a wonderfully steady and slow loss rate. Carry on!
  • Corystormy
    Corystormy Posts: 13 Member
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    Ok weight is currently 197#. 37 y old female. My loss is since February with the weight and the inches. Exercise program consists of 5-6x per week. Cardio every day about 30 min ( any combo of the elliptical, bike, treadmill). Weights M-legs, T- arms, W- just cardio, Th- Legs, F-arms., and every day abs, If I do a 6th day it is just cardio like zumba or yoga. This week I alternated the days with 2 heavy lifting days and 2 heavy rep days. I am a student and have increased my exercise days from 3-4 days a week to 5-6 since June, now that school is out for the summer.
    TDEE is 2772, after -20% is 2217. My MFP calories are set at 1200, and I try to eat back my calories. Although I do find it hard a lot of time to reach the min. My diary is open I think. I try to eat a lot of protein (every meal) and not so much carbs, and lots of fruits and vegetables. I am still a bit confused with the TDEE numbers. I feel like that is way too many calories.
    Hope this gives a bit more insight.
    And I have been stuck at this weight for a few weeks now.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    Ok weight is currently 197#. 37 y old female. My loss is since February with the weight and the inches. Exercise program consists of 5-6x per week. Cardio every day about 30 min ( any combo of the elliptical, bike, treadmill). Weights M-legs, T- arms, W- just cardio, Th- Legs, F-arms., and every day abs, If I do a 6th day it is just cardio like zumba or yoga. This week I alternated the days with 2 heavy lifting days and 2 heavy rep days. I am a student and have increased my exercise days from 3-4 days a week to 5-6 since June, now that school is out for the summer.
    TDEE is 2772, after -20% is 2217. My MFP calories are set at 1200, and I try to eat back my calories. Although I do find it hard a lot of time to reach the min. My diary is open I think. I try to eat a lot of protein (every meal) and not so much carbs, and lots of fruits and vegetables. I am still a bit confused with the TDEE numbers. I feel like that is way too many calories.
    Hope this gives a bit more insight.
    And I have been stuck at this weight for a few weeks now.

    If you have been stuck for a few weeks, it is not a plateau.

    ETA: If you have increased the days of working out, you might not see any change on the scale.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Ok weight is currently 197#. 37 y old female. My loss is since February with the weight and the inches. Exercise program consists of 5-6x per week. Cardio every day about 30 min ( any combo of the elliptical, bike, treadmill). Weights M-legs, T- arms, W- just cardio, Th- Legs, F-arms., and every day abs, If I do a 6th day it is just cardio like zumba or yoga. This week I alternated the days with 2 heavy lifting days and 2 heavy rep days. I am a student and have increased my exercise days from 3-4 days a week to 5-6 since June, now that school is out for the summer.
    TDEE is 2772, after -20% is 2217. My MFP calories are set at 1200, and I try to eat back my calories. Although I do find it hard a lot of time to reach the min. My diary is open I think. I try to eat a lot of protein (every meal) and not so much carbs, and lots of fruits and vegetables. I am still a bit confused with the TDEE numbers. I feel like that is way too many calories.
    Hope this gives a bit more insight.
    And I have been stuck at this weight for a few weeks now.

    If you have been stuck for a few weeks, it is not a plateau.

    ETA: If you have increased the days of working out, you might not see any change on the scale.

    Agreed. Diet is much more important than increasing your workouts and too much working out can be counterproductive to long term success.

    You have lost 1 pound since February or 1 pound in a "few weeks"? I'm inclined to say that you are not on a plateau as you've lost a considerable number of inches and you will have short periods of a few weeks with minimal weight loss. That said, are you weighing and measuring your food? Your diary is not open, by the way.
  • Corystormy
    Corystormy Posts: 13 Member
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    1# is since May. And yes I am weighing and measuring. Also, I only measured the other day and those inches lost are since I measured in February. I will see about the food diary again.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I'm even more confused now. You say your TDEE-20% is around 2200 calories, then why is your goal set to 1200? And you're not even eating that much? And if you've lost 13.5" (from where?) then there's no plateau. That's a lot of size (I assume from your waist?).
  • nicolaturner1986
    nicolaturner1986 Posts: 45 Member
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    for me, when I hit a plateau I take a couple of days 'off' and eat and drink what I want, I may have a small gain that week but it seems to kick start my loss for the next few weeks.

    When I hit a plateau and i try to be extra good my weight loss seems to stop completely for some reason and recently when I was at slimming world, I ate only salads and fruit which were 'free' and didnt eat any 'syns' for 10 days and put on 3lb! I lost my motivation after that.

    Some people may not like to take days off, but it works for me.

    x
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    I'm even more confused now. You say your TDEE-20% is around 2200 calories, then why is your goal set to 1200? And you're not even eating that much? And if you've lost 13.5" (from where?) then there's no plateau. That's a lot of size (I assume from your waist?).
    Also confused.
  • Corystormy
    Corystormy Posts: 13 Member
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    inches lost is total body. arms, chest, waist, hips, thighs.
    And I don't understand the TDEE. I just go with what MFP gave me and try to eat back my exercise calories, but with all the water I drink it gets hard and Im just not that hungry. I just read about the nut and coconut butter combo for adding calories at the end of the day. I may have to add more nuts to bring up my calories.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
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    A refeed or simply eat at maintenance for a couple of days