Wait out plateau???

ysaidpie
ysaidpie Posts: 83
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
About a month ago I increased my exercise habits. My weight loss had been slow & I was feeling good after walking- so I turned my walks into jogs. I also started being more mindful of my carbs (which I was always over, even though they are "good" carbs). Well, the first week of doing this, I lost a pound- huge loss for me!! I got down to 116, but I didn't record this because I know my history an weight loss trend- I go down and up. So I wait for the loss to stay for a week or so before I record it. Well, the next week I gained 2 pounds overnight! Figured it was hormonal- worked out even harder. Drank more water. Lost the 2 lbs within a few days. Then my weight creeps back up to 117.3! Very frustrating. I have been following my 1200 calories a day. I have been increasing my exercise as it gets easier (from running 2-3 miles on pavement, to running 2-3 miles on hilly trails, to where I am at now- pushing my daughter in the jogging stroller while running 2-3 miles on hilly trails). My weight bounced up and down a few times, up to 119, back down to 117.6 where I am at today :( but never back down to 116. I am not sure what to do. I haven't seen a loss in about 3 wks now. I started measuring my waist, hips, & thighs today... So that if this continues atleast I can see if I am losing inches- but overall my goal is to lose fat too and decrease my weight... Everynight I log in my food & MFP says "if u keep this up, you will weigh 114 in 5 weeks!!" but at this rate I feel I will be the same that I am today. Should I just wait out this plateau or is there something I can do to spark the loss again? At 1200 calories a day, I feel like there isn't much I can cut out. Thanks for any tips

Replies

  • ladybug220
    ladybug220 Posts: 14
    When I hit a wall like this, I give myself a break. Take a day or weekend off. Don't weigh yourself, eat what you want (don't go crazy, but enjoy something you wouldn't normally let yourself have), and then get back to work on Monday.

    Remind yourself that in the long run, if you stick to it, you'll be a different person a year from now, and you already are a different person than your were a year ago.

    It helps me to look at the big picture, and just be persistent (with a few breaks, and a treat here and there).

    Don't stress too much.

    Good luck, and keep up the good work! :)
  • Dammitviv
    Dammitviv Posts: 117
    Try adding some light weight strength training to your routine. The number on the scale won't move quickly at first, but you will notice your clothes fitting looser, and as you build lean muscle, it will help you burn more calories. It might be good to help you across the plateau and get you moving towards your goals again. If nothing else, it will make you feel better in your jeans. =)

    Also, stop weighing yourself daily, your weight fluctuates constantly, and it can be very discouraging if you step on the scale at the wrong time of day. Try weighing in weekly, and take waist and hip measurements, that way when the scale doesn't go as well as you hoped, you can still see your progress.
  • suziblues2000
    suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
    I have the exact same problem.
    After loosing 1 1/2 lbs per week totaling 25 lbs, I have been the same weight for 2 months. TWO MONTHS!

    About 2 weeks ago I changed my goal to only 1200 calories a day, instead of 1450 where it used to be (i think, I know it was 14 something). Plus, I changed my exercise on the treadmill by making it more strenuous. Plus, I added bike riding. PLUS I've added working out with a Resistance Band for strength training.

    So I will see what happens now. So far: nothing. Maybe I need to not eat so much sugar. My sugar is always over.

    I sure hope I figure this out pretty soon though. I'm getting tired of not loosing anything, not even inches. I'm sick of reading that little thing that always says: 'if you eat like this you will weigh 190 in 5 weeks' blah blah blah.

    Good luck to you......and me!
    At least I haven't smoked a cigarette in over 5 months!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    You didn't mention strength training. You should definitely start. When you build muscle it burns fat for you. You're doing great with cardio but lifting weights will definitely help. Are you getting 25-30% protein? 25-30g of fiber will help as well. Have you been monitoring your sodium levels? Recommended is really 2300-2400mg. When you said you went up 2 lbs overnight, my first thought was sodium. High levels if sodium make you retain water. That's why when you drank more, you went back down.
  • ysaidpie
    ysaidpie Posts: 83
    I didn't think I needed strength training because I have been running inclines and my legs are a little sore, so I figured I was working my leg muscles; and pushing rmthe jogging stroller I figured counted as weight lifting for my arms... ;) I will start REAL weight lifting tonight. I have 5 lb dumbbells and ankle weights that I have avoided because 6 months ago i used them without doing cardio & gained 5 pounds. I did go over on sodium the day before I had gained 2 lbs overnight. I was cutting back on carbs & bought those purdue chicken shortcuts & a light balsamic vinaigrette which were both loaded in sodium!! (realized the day after). I do eat a lot of protein & fiber, usually over in those categories. I looked thru my food diary & I range from 10-20 over daily limits for fiber & protein everyday. I hope the weight training helps.
  • starstealing
    starstealing Posts: 104
    on this same note - when at a plateau, how long do you guys typically wait before trying something different? i haven't lost anything for about a week...
  • Dammitviv
    Dammitviv Posts: 117
    Be careful with the ankle weights, don't use them while running. It puts you at a greater risk of hyperextending your knees, which will bench all of your exercise while you heal. But strength training can reall help reshape your body, it works really well along with cardio, and you really only need to do it 3-4 times a week to get results.

    Another sneaky diet downside I have learned over the years, if you increase your exercise, you have to increase your calorie intake also. If you work out like crazy and only eat 1200 calories, you pack on fat like mad because your body thinks you're starving. Try to stay close to the calorie amount your meter gives you after adjusting to add the extra calories you earn from exercise.
  • ysaidpie
    ysaidpie Posts: 83
    Congrats suzyblue on not smoking :)

    I always eat back the calories I burned thru cardio, but I wonder if the calories I get here on MFP are correct. They seem accurate, nothing absurd. About 150-200 calories for 35 mins of jogging a 12 min mile. Some days I am faster than others. I have moved to trails which have inclines and now I push my daughter in the jogging stroller (about 40 pounds- toddler/Stroller combo). The calorie counters I found here & online don't factor in those things- inclines, stroller... So I wonder if I have not been eating back enough. I don't feel hungry after eating my calories (1200 net), but I wonder if that's because I have gotten used to the small, frequent meals. Scared to bump up my intake when I am on a plateau... But it doesn't seem to make any sense. How do you calculate calories burned thru lifting weight? Oh, and thanks for the tip of not to run with the ankle weights! I have done that in the past. I definatly can't afford to be out of commission with a toddler :)
  • Dammitviv
    Dammitviv Posts: 117
    I'm not sure how to calculate the calories from weight lifting, maybe post it as a topic and some members may have a method, or site suggestion? I do know that it is best to eat a balance of carbs and protien shortly after a strength training exercise session to help your body recover.
  • omidgett
    omidgett Posts: 11
    I was on a plateau for about three weeks and I got so frustrated I went ahead and took a few days off and ate whatever my heart desired. But once I started tracking my food again I got off my plateau within a few days! Maybe you need to just shake things up a bit.
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
    Zig Zag your calories...don't just eat 1200 calories day after day. As odd as it sounds, when I hit a hard plateau late last spring, I upped my calories to 1490 and zig zagged around that for a few weeks and I started losing on a regular basis again. It goes against what you feel like you should be doing, but I had read about other's success doing this and it worked for me too! Up your calories from 1200 and alternate having higher and lower calorie day (never going below 1200).
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