Hitting that dreaded Plateau

How many calories are you eating? What are your stats (height, weight, and age) and workout routine? Also, do you weigh and measure your foods; do you have a food scale? And can you open your diary?

Most "plateaus" don't really exist. If you don't lose weight over an extended period, then it is likely your calorie intake - calorie burn calculation needs looking at again.

Remember that we need fewer calories as we lose weight as well. So if you start on your plan with, say 1500 calories, then you will need to drop that as you lose weight.

Make sure you don't get complacent with your portion sizes because little bits here and there soon add up. A few calories here and there, forgetting to drop your daily target and you can quickly see how you might be eating at a maintenance level.

Keep everything under review and you may well not hit a plateau at all.

While I would agree that a person would burn less calories at rest, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to drop calories; especially for those who exercise. I know many people who not only have maintain but in fact, increase calories due to being able to push harder during workouts and the body requiring more fuel to sustain lean body mass. As you lose weight, your body will require more calories from food as there arent' as many fat reserve to get energy. If you continue to drop calories, it can lead to increase amounts of muscle loss. So if maintaining your muscle is important, getting enough calories (especially protein) and weight training is important.

Remember that we need fewer calories as we lose weight as well. So if you start on your plan with, say 1500 calories, then you will need to drop that as you lose weight.

I don't think that's a good blanket statement. Many people, as they get lighter, increase their activity level, so they may well end up eating *more* than they did before.

It's really going to depend on the individual's circumstances....

With 40 lbs to lose, your goal should be 1 lb per week and eating at least 50% of your exercise calories.

Sounds like I should increase my calories some while on my workout days. I should try this out, I just have a fear of gaining weight if I do. I am probably my worst enemy when it comes to this part.

You actually might gain a little bit if you up them all at once because your body has gotten used to under eating. You can try adding 100 a week if you don't want to see a blip in your loss or you can bite the bullet and do it all at once and just write it off as a learning experience.

I seem to have hit one too. I am super short too ( 5'0 ) so the pounds come on quickly if I mess up my calorie count. Its been a month for me. No weght loss or inch loss... it sucks lol.

I recently hit what looks like a plateau, but it isn't one. I started eating some of the junk food at work. I'm a sugar addict and can't stop once I start. My calories went up. Since it's fall, I've also gone back to college as well as my job, so I'm not exercising as much.

However, my weight has started going down again. What I changed: I went back to the beginning of my weight loss efforts and used a few chocolate shakes to give myself some sweets, since I seemed to be craving them. I try to log honestly, including the 5 pieces of cake I had one day at work (okay, they were small pieces, but I still had 5). I realized I was getting bored with the food I eat all the time, so I'm trying to expand it a little, add some new vegetables and spices. I try to fill up with low calorie vegetables and water, eat regular meals to keep from grabbing junk, and be honest about my food logging. And finally, I lose weight when I eat less food.

you know I have looked back at my weight loss in the beginning too (even tho its only been two months total, not much) and wonder if its something I was doing better then. I know I was eating a lot cleaner then than now. I still keep under my calorie goal but am eating a lot more processed food now. What really sucks about that is I was eating about 70% clean then. If this is going to be a lifestyle change I know I won't stick to it if I have to eat cauliflower and broccoli 70% of the time lol.... I am not sure if that's even the problem but it sucks if it is.

I recently hit what looks like a plateau, but it isn't one. I started eating some of the junk food at work. I'm a sugar addict and can't stop once I start. My calories went up. Since it's fall, I've also gone back to college as well as my job, so I'm not exercising as much.

However, my weight has started going down again. What I changed: I went back to the beginning of my weight loss efforts and used a few chocolate shakes to give myself some sweets, since I seemed to be craving them. I try to log honestly, including the 5 pieces of cake I had one day at work (okay, they were small pieces, but I still had 5). I realized I was getting bored with the food I eat all the time, so I'm trying to expand it a little, add some new vegetables and spices. I try to fill up with low calorie vegetables and water, eat regular meals to keep from grabbing junk, and be honest about my food logging. And finally, I lose weight when I eat less food.

you know I have looked back at my weight loss in the beginning too (even tho its only been two months total, not much) and wonder if its something I was doing better then. I know I was eating a lot cleaner then than now. I still keep under my calorie goal but am eating a lot more processed food now. What really sucks about that is I was eating about 70% clean then. If this is going to be a lifestyle change I know I won't stick to it if I have to eat cauliflower and broccoli 70% of the time lol.... I am not sure if that's even the problem but it sucks if it is.

Also remember that in the beginning everybody loses 10-15 pounds from water weight. Then the weight comes off more slowly.

The sodium in processed foods will make you retain water weight.

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_salt.php

I hear you, though, about the broccoli and cauliflower-type foods. I eat a lot of steamed leafy greens like kale and collards because they are low calorie, high in nutrition, and the fiber kills my hunger. Vegetables are key for weight loss for me. I'm telling myself to try a new healthy recipe every week, or a new no-salt spice, or a different vegetable. There are loads of low cal sauces and salt free spices you can add to make food taste better. McCormick Perfect Pinch is a spice line with some that are salt free. I also try to watch out for anything with added sugar, which makes me crave more sugar. They say aspartame tricks your body and makes you hungry.

My other thought is that my fat is melting away and my muscles are growing and that is why my weight on the scale is not moving this past week in a half.

You aren't building muscle eating at a deficit and muscle is really hard to build in any measurable amount even if you're trying. I wish it were that easy!

Over 10 years ago when I was working hard to lose weight just so I could join the Marine Corps I hit a plateau that lasted a few months. I did not have anyone working with me to teach me about calorie intake and to help push me through that plateau so I gave up. My thought back then was "why should I quit eating foods I like when the scale isn't budging?" Ten, almost eleven years later, I am striving and working towards dropping weight and being healthier. I know that I will hit a plateau along the way and this time I vowed to myself not to give up. I regret giving up when I was 20 years old. I have more information and a support group now to help me through. My weight stopped going down, my hips won't drop any more inches, but my waist is still shrinking. I stay on my diet plan and continue to work out. I know that soon I will start seeing progress once again on that scale. Anyone else going through the same thing? have any tips/hints/tricks? any success stories to share?

The BEST thing that I can say is, "DON'T GIVE UP!!" I also hit a plateau, and instead of counting the pounds lost each month, I was counting 10ths of pounds. My weight loss slowed up dramatically, and then the brakes were on! A nurse told me that your body DOES go through an adjustment period. Just don't give up. You can try adding exercise, which, if you gain muscle, you might not see a weight loss, but that muscle will start to burn more, and eventually, you'll start losing again. I have already been at the lowest amount of calorie intake, 1200, for a long long time, so I did NOT (could not) lower my calories, but as I am increasing my fitness, I think that is what helped to get the scale moving again, but BE PATIENT!! My weight loss started slowing down in February, then more and more, so that I was losing 4 or less pounds a month!!! June and July it was even slower!! But, recently, it has started to pick up more again.. not that I'm losing like I did in the beginning, but enough to be satisfied that I am losing. Hope that makes sense, hope it helps. DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!