Plateau help!!!

I try to exercise 30-60 minutes most days and have just started a very small weight training regimen with free weights at home. I know I will lose weight slower this way, but I know I will keep it off and that is my main goal.

Where did you get this from? I'm just wondering, because whoever told you that is wrong.

Do you weigh and measure foods?

Also, what are your stats and workout routine.

And I ask -- AGAIN -- how are you defining a plateau? How long has it been since you saw a loss?

I am 5'1, 33 years old, CW 225, GW 170, and also have hypothyroidism. I eat below 1600 cals a day and sometimes eat back my exercise cals. I do free weights (10lb) at home, stationary bike, swimming, walking ( have done several 5k's this year) sit ups, planks, push ups, etc. I do the 30 day challenges. I also do Zumba a few times a week I guess I spend about an hour a day doing some sort of intentional exercise. I am a social worker so I could be at my desk sitting all day or I could be trekking through woods chasing down a kid who has went on run. I know that I will lose weight slower since my calories are higher and I am not eating totally clean. I know this because I know my own personal body and how I lose weight. I dont know if its my body makeup or if its the thyroid disorder, thats just how I personally lose the weight. I do measure my portions as well.

How long have you plateaued. Unfortunately, this may be difficult since you have hypothyroidism as you will not follow any other the normal formulas.

Also, do you weigh or measure your foods?

A pause in weight loss is pretty normal so if it's just been two or 3 weeks then don't worry too much. Keep doing what you are doing and it will come off.

If it really persists then try taking a break, go up to maintenance calories (but not over) for a couple of weeks and then cut back again. I can't tell you the science behind this ( not sure there is much) but it pretty much always works for me.

At the end of the day as long as you keep to a reasonable deficit and are completely honest with yourself, you WILL lose the weight.

I'm nearing the end of my journey and have just had about a month with the scales being stuck. This week, for no special reason it seems, I lost nearly 2lb! go figure!!

Maybe bump up the weight training a bit? Muscle burns fat, you may lose more inches and soon will start shedding the pounds once your metabolism is boosted. Also, try to start replacing "non clean foods" with "clean ones" a little bit at a time. Also, ar eyou drinking enough water?

Adding weight training will not add any more muscle. The only way to add muscle is a surplus of calories and heavy weight training (this means weight gains). Adding strength training will help preserve lean body mass and maintain your metabolism. Additionally, replacing non clean foods with clean foods will do nothing for fat loss, especially with calories being equal. Many of us eat dirty and continue to lose weight.

Maybe bump up the weight training a bit? Muscle burns fat, you may lose more inches and soon will start shedding the pounds once your metabolism is boosted. Also, try to start replacing "non clean foods" with "clean ones" a little bit at a time. Also, ar eyou drinking enough water?

Adding weight training will not add any more muscle. The only way to add muscle is a surplus of calories and heavy weight training (this means weight gains). Adding strength training will help preserve lean body mass and maintain your metabolism. Additionally, replacing non clean foods with clean foods will do nothing for fat loss, especially with calories being equal. Many of us eat dirty and continue to lose weight.

All I was doing was sharing what helped me. No offense intended.

Sorry, I hope you didn't take the wrong. I wasn't trying to be rude, just trying to correct semantics. I agree that weight training is extremely important, especially for woman.

With your hypothyroidism, I would cut your calories 100 a day to 1500. Try that for 3-4 weeks. Thyroid issues tend to result in lower calorie requirements.

And any new activity will cause a temporary water retention

I recently took a maintenance break and did some soul searching about why my weight loss slowed. Here is what I figured out:

My daily deficit is supposed to be around 750 calories a day.

I had my goal set at 1450, when it really should be closer to 1350 = 100 calorie difference
I was overestimating my burns, my running speed is very slow and I wasn't accounting for the drastic difference that makes = 300 calories a day difference
I was nibbling here and there and not recording it. A bit of cheese while cooking, a couple of crackers, etc. = at least 100 calories a day
I was eating out pretty often during the week and in all likelihood underestimating calories in it = probably around 200 calories a day average

Add all of that up and it equals 700 calories a day. Yep, there's most of my deficit. While any one of those things wouldn't have made a huge difference on its own, add them all together and it stalled me out. It's amazing how easy it is to nickle and dime your deficit away and not even realize you've done it.

I'd recommend first tightening up your tracking, switch to weighing most of your food instead of measuring (if you don't already), and try to hunt out any small ways in which you could be whittling away your deficit.

I am hypothyroid if you keep your calories in check and your workouts in check..if your med levels are correct you should lose weight just fine..but you cant be willy nilly with it so to speak ..you have to be diligent...with everything. Ive yet to plateau...but Im really strict with measuring and my workouts and calories.