weight loss success until....

jedgarner11
jedgarner11 Posts: 74 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
the dreaded plateau...

I started here about four days ago and have been really successful so far. Yeah, I know its all water weight and all that but my question is this. For those that have lost weight, at when did you hit your first plateau? How long did it last?

For those that haven't been successful, I wish you the best. Feel free to offer up your opinions as well. And no cat pics, I know how fast they can derail any thread...

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    There's no real reason why anyone ever hits a plateau. It's all about adjusting your calories and exercise to optimize results all the way along.
  • CARBLEGEND
    CARBLEGEND Posts: 47 Member
    hey man..what exactly are u eating...then I will help
  • Jordanad79
    Jordanad79 Posts: 11
    Just so I understand this properly, you're saying you've plateaued after FOUR DAYS?? Or are you simply worried about reaching a plateau? Give it time. Sometimes I don't lose for a couple of weeks and then I'll drop 2 or 3 pounds. When that happens though, I'll usually mix up my workout a bit - add in a different cardio exercise, do more weights, etc. There was a good post on here recently about plateaus, wish I could find it now...
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    I haven't hit a real plateau yet. When I seem stuck for a week or two (this is NOT a plateau), I change something up a little and a little more weight starts coming off.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    There's no such thing as a plateau after only 4 days. Get real.

    1. Lower your expectations for weight loss.
    2. Weight loss is not linear. Some days there will be losses, others there won't.
    3. Water weight/retention.
  • alyngard
    alyngard Posts: 103
    I've been on MFP for about 4 1/2 months, so far no plateau. I agree with previous posters, it's all about making adjustments as you go. If what you are doing stops working, change things up! That would include what you are eating, exercise etc.
  • alyngard
    alyngard Posts: 103
    There's no such thing as a plateau after only 4 days. Get real.

    1. Lower your expectations for weight loss.
    2. Weight loss is not linear. Some days there will be losses, others there won't.
    3. Water weight/retention.

    I don't think he was saying he hit a plateau, I think he was just asking people that have been doing this for a bit, when and if it happened to them.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Plateaus are when you go ~6 weeks or more without a loss. There's no way you've hit one after 4 days.

    IMO the best way to avoid plateaus or break them is by taking appropriately timed 10-14day complete diet breaks where you eat at maintenance. They're both physically and mentally very beneficial.
  • lsmsrbls
    lsmsrbls Posts: 232 Member
    I've been losing weight for about 16 months months and haven't had that problem yet.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I've been here over 900 days. No plateau. Just periods of maintenance for various reasons like sickness and brain surgery.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    A plateau is 1 month or more without losing weight. After 2-3 months I started having 2-3 week stalls though, and I get them all the time now.
  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    There's no such thing as a plateau after only 4 days. Get real.

    1. Lower your expectations for weight loss.
    2. Weight loss is not linear. Some days there will be losses, others there won't.
    3. Water weight/retention.

    I don't think he was saying he hit a plateau, I think he was just asking people that have been doing this for a bit, when and if it happened to them.
    Yes, that's how I read it too!

    I just recently his a "plateau" after losing almost 70 lbs but I think it's because I need to change up my activity and just don't have the time to do it. My body is used to what I've been doing so it needs something new to get things moving in the right directly.
  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
    I had a plateau after the first 10-12 lbs I lost. I was only trying to lose about 15 lbs but I couldn't seem to get the other ones off. I tried lowering calories, up-ing calories, taking a few days off to just whatever, changing my exercise. They ultimately came off after calorie cycling for a week or two.
  • Vicks1978
    Vicks1978 Posts: 81 Member
    I haven't lost in over 2 and half months now. I go up say a pound then back down to maintain.
    It is so frustrating.

    I just read the following article from jillian michaels and it all makes sense now!!


    http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fit/lose-weight/weight-loss-plateau?xid=nl_LosingItWithJillianMichaels_20130811

    This past week I've upped my cals, drink 2 litres of water a day...I just need to change my exercise routine this coming week, and also have some variety in food. I had gotten in a routine and completely eradicated some foods from my diet. I am going to reintroduce things to have some variety and see if this helps too.

    Also I work with a lady who did WW for years, she didnt lose for a while and turns out she had an intolerance to lettuce of all things !! she advised me to cut back on sugar and if it still wasnt that, it might be the banana I am eating every single day....so she said stop eating a banana everyday and switch it up, change your food routine.

    Today as it has been a bit cooler in the UK I tried on some old autumn/winter clothes and my old coat to see what I will be needing to buy, well was gobsmacked, my old coat I couldn't fasten over my boobs, now fastens over them with ease. So I might not be losing on the scales but something is definately changing. It is really frustrating when the scales don't budge and I have had my little moments with some tears,but dont give up....I just keep thinking that if i keep doing all the right things eventually it will move, it has to right?

    Well good luck, and I will keep an eye on this post, so please do come back and let us all know how youre doing with your plateaus and when you get outta them as it is good to hear that they will hopefully go away?!!
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I wouldn't stress about the "dreaded plateau" just yet. I've been losing weight steadily since early February, so that's six months and 63+ pounds with no plateau.
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    There's no such thing as a plateau after only 4 days. Get real.

    1. Lower your expectations for weight loss.
    2. Weight loss is not linear. Some days there will be losses, others there won't.
    3. Water weight/retention.

    There is no reason for OP to get real. He didn't say he had plateaued after 4 days. He's asking about plateaus people may or may not have experienced while losing weight. Your comment just seems rude.
  • jedgarner11
    jedgarner11 Posts: 74 Member
    Thanks to those that have offered their thoughts and experiences on this.

    For those that suggest that I think I have plateaued at four days, I would suggest that you not be so quick to tell everyone what YOU think and actually read the question.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    Thanks to those that have offered their thoughts and experiences on this.

    For those that suggest that I think I have plateaued at four days, I would suggest that you not be so quick to tell everyone what YOU think and actually read the question.

    Actually, if some people misread it (yet still offered good, solid advice) then you should probably double check what you wrote for clarity. MFP often gets people posting about plateaus when in fact they just stalled out for a few days and your post was a bit ambiguous (and definitely a cart before the horse type of question), it was an honest mistake. I would also suggest that you not hassle people for trying to help you, even if they did not completely understand your post.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I apologize. I did not mean for my comment to sound rude. I've just seen alot of people come on here after a few days and complaining that the scales aren't moving. And yes, I did read the question. I was trying to offer reasons why weight might not be moving/perception. I know it's hard for people when they don't see the scale moving quickly. I'm the same way. Everytime I step on the scale and it's either the same, or up because of, say water retention, I feel a little deflated. But then I think about how far I have already come and try to think positively. I continue watching what I eat, perhaps a little closer, and keep working hard. Sometimes switching up your routine helps out as well.

    Again, I apologize if my comment seemed rude, I didn't mean to.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    For those that have lost weight, at when did you hit your first plateau? How long did it last?

    Several weeks. Maybe months. Can't remember now. Kind of irrelevant. I knew I was doing things right, so I kept doing what I was doing.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    But, to answer your question, about 6 months in. I take a diet break (eating at maintenance) every few months and that helps. I also have a lot of fitness goals, so generally, if the scale isn't moving then my lifts or improving or I'm making some other kind of progress. It's important to keep focus on the big picture, not just the scale.

    Also, sometimes plateaus are caused because we get a little slack in our logging (over time it's easy for that to happen). A lot of times tightening that up by making sure our burns aren't overly optimistic and that we are logging our food as accurately as possible (using a food scale, etc.) then the scale starts moving again.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Thanks to those that have offered their thoughts and experiences on this.

    For those that suggest that I think I have plateaued at four days, I would suggest that you not be so quick to tell everyone what YOU think and actually read the question.
    I read it, and understood that you believed you hit a plateau as well. Seems several of us did.

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