Plateaus. :/ What's your experience with them?

MickeyBoo
MickeyBoo Posts: 196 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Might be a bit of a simple question, but I am new to the Plateau effect, the last time I was serious about my weight and lost 50kg (110pd) I never once hit a plateau, every week there was a loss of 0.5kg-1kg (1-2pds) and I just kept powering through. At the moment though I am heading into Week 6 of a brand new routine, logging my diaries religiously, going to the gym 3-4 times a week and doing the right things. I have lost about 8kg (17.5pds) so far. I had a break from exercise for the last 2 weeks due to illness but still logged well and actually dropped a decent weight in that time. I have started back in slower this week exercising for 3 1 hr+ sessions and my loss has suddenly stalled.

Not to say that what is happening is necessarily a plateau seeing as it's only been one week, but I'm wondering if it's something to expect this time and wanted to know a bit about it, get an idea from other people who had gone through a plateau, how long did it last, what did you find helped to break it?

Replies

  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
    When I started mfp, I lost weight at 1450cals. Then mfp changed my cals to 1340 to reflect my weight loss. Weight loss slowed down. At 117kg, and exercising, it shouldnt have. After 3 weeks, I broke through and lost more weight. At 111kg, mfp changed my cals to 1220. I havent lost any weight in over a month, so I have been eating at 1880, my bmr, and still havent lost weight. Maybe I'll try lowering my cals next month to see if that jump starts it.
  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
    I have been at this since January and I never think I really hit a plateau. Did I gain some weeks yes but it's the overall picture in my mind. I just think of a plateaus more of a month of seriously working at it and not losing anything. Because really it all works out in the end in my mind. Sometimes I workout hard eat great then have no change or a little up on the scale but I don't let it worry me well maybe if I gained 5 pounds I would. Don't sweet it you will be fine one week is nothing at least to me.
  • Crweb29
    Crweb29 Posts: 18 Member
    A month ago I was stuck at 285lbs for 17 days. During this period is when I started using free weights in addition to my cardio. Even though I was fustrated that the scale wasn't moving, my clothes were getting looser which helped me get through my first plateau.
  • annekka
    annekka Posts: 517 Member
    I was stuck for about 3 weeks. I just kept going. I ate over calories a few days, too, which seemed to help get things moving for some reason. I also juiced for one day, which my body really seemed to like and it helped get things going again. Please note that I would not recommend juicing to get out of a plateau unless you have juiced before and/or have been using it to get nutrition and vital nutrients. My body likes it and responds to it well, but many will say it's a fad/crash diet.

    Just keep going, try to mix things up a little both in terms of food/exercise etc. to see if anything helps your body "wake up" a bit and jump off of that plateau.
  • FredSetToGetFit
    FredSetToGetFit Posts: 286 Member
    I have had plenty of plateau's if you just consider the scale, but it is a liar. Keep measuring yourself every two weeks as this will show fat loss, and not weight loss. I went for two weeks at the same weight, but lost 3 cm along my waist. Also when I don't drink enough water or have a high sodium day, it will also stand still a bit as I retain more water then. Power on, you're doing great.
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I think a plateau is when you've not had any loss for a couple of months, as opposed to weeks. Hitting the 2 month mark on no loss here but the poster above me has it right - look at your body comp, take pictures - bet you're changing in other ways. Just because you're not losing weight doesn't mean you're not changing! Keep on with it - just got to keep going, best of luck!
  • StheK
    StheK Posts: 443 Member
    Every once in a while I hit a 2-3 week period where the scale seems frozen. If I just keep doing what I know works, it seems to take care of itself. I have not changed my calorie goal (1460 plus at least half of my exercise calories) since I first started losing weight, on the premise that if it is working, I'm not going to mess with it. If I ever hit a plateau that lasts a month or more, I will probably think about changing my exercise routine up and see if that helps- but even in that case, I've noticed that when I change my exercise routine there is a week or so when nothing changes. So it might take 6 weeks to kick a plateau with that approach- not fun, but not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I think the secret is to not be in a rush and to keep on keeping on.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    No plateau here. Just normal stalls, every month, for 2-3 weeks. You sorta get used to it...
  • MonaRaeHill
    MonaRaeHill Posts: 145 Member
    Hello.

    In my life of yo-yo dieting, I've noticed a plateau every single month (every 5-6 pounds). My body fights me like crazy, when I am trying to lose weight. It tries to stay at the 'new' five pounds lighter and convince me that it's happy there. I've gone as long as 2-3 months, without it shifting. If I stay the course, it usually shifts, but only if I constantly stay vigilant and keep an eagle eye on in-out. When I get down to about 172, it just stays there, unless I starve (literally).

    I fasted last year (for 8 weeks) to get it to go down 8 pounds from there, and ended up at 165, but it was impossible to maintain. I am hoping that I can stay focused this time, and keep it off, but no guarantee of that! (I'd have to eat a piece of lettuce only on every third day, with my cro-magnum metabolism). I'm not really willing to do that, so I've told myself that the next time I get down to 170, I will just appreciate it, more. I didn't think I'd ever get to 200 pounds, again, but here I am. Sigh.

    So yea, for some of us, plateau's are dreadful and frustrating. Which is just another reason to get discouraged, on top of the age thing, the drug thing, and the general lack-of-support-in-real-life, thing. Grrr.

    Sorry, I'm better now. Just wanted to say it's not your imagination. Plateaus DO exist, for some of us. Lucky those who don't get them. I'm wickedly jealous!
  • MickeyBoo
    MickeyBoo Posts: 196 Member
    Hello.

    In my life of yo-yo dieting, I've noticed a plateau every single month (every 5-6 pounds). My body fights me like crazy, when I am trying to lose weight. It tries to stay at the 'new' five pounds lighter and convince me that it's happy there. I've gone as long as 2-3 months, without it shifting. If I stay the course, it usually shifts, but only if I constantly stay vigilant and keep an eagle eye on in-out. When I get down to about 172, it just stays there, unless I starve (literally).

    I fasted last year (for 8 weeks) to get it to go down 8 pounds from there, and ended up at 165, but it was impossible to maintain. I am hoping that I can stay focused this time, and keep it off, but no guarantee of that! (I'd have to eat a piece of lettuce only on every third day, with my cro-magnum metabolism). I'm not really willing to do that, so I've told myself that the next time I get down to 170, I will just appreciate it, more. I didn't think I'd ever get to 200 pounds, again, but here I am. Sigh.

    So yea, for some of us, plateau's are dreadful and frustrating. Which is just another reason to get discouraged, on top of the age thing, the drug thing, and the general lack-of-support-in-real-life, thing. Grrr.

    Sorry, I'm better now. Just wanted to say it's not your imagination. Plateaus DO exist, for some of us. Lucky those who don't get them. I'm wickedly jealous!

    That makes a lot of sense! I've often thought that my system has been so used to sitting at my heaviest weight for years that maybe it is fighting it this time which is why the weight is coming off in dribs and drabs. I have yo-yo'ed over the past 18months within the same 5kg, so maybe this is my system adjusting to this being my new 'normal' weight. Not that I want this to be my normal weight LOL

    I managed to get to 71kg (156pd) the last time and was able to maintain until injury struck. I'm hoping to get down around that again, but I am certainly appreciating any little bit of weight I can manage to lose at the moment. I don't think my head has caught up to the fact that I am losing, and I keep expecting to fail, especially with the lack of faith almost everyone seems to have in me seeing as I 'failed' last time to maintain a healthy weight.

    Gotta keep positive and keep powering through :smile:
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
    I have only had two major plateaus in my almost 2 years of weightloss. One went for a month, the other went for 2 months. It really is disheartening... but you need to move past it and keep going as hard as it is.

    As I am past my goal, I took a month break as I had a clinical (nursing student here). I didn't care what I ate but tried to make the best choices I could. Even then, I gained 3kg and a month later am still trying to get it off! I have noticed the less I weigh the more and more stalls I get... :grumble:

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