Is it possible to plateau for 3 years?

itsjuh
itsjuh Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
My fitness history:
- 195 lbs, 5'2 at 16 (2011)
- Got my life together and lost around 50 over the summer (the weight came off pretty easily)
- Graduation, first year of college, second year of college. No actual workout for 3 years.
- Present time, 143 lbs, give or take, 5'3 at 19.
My weight has been the same for 3 years now.

I've been going to the gym since February 1st.
My first weigh in was 138,8. By my last weigh in (February 28th) I was at 143,7.
I also lost almost no inches (2 on my waist, 1 on my hips and 1,4 on my back).

My routine has been roughly the same for this past month: 20 minutes workout in treadmill and elliptical, 40 minutes weights (leg day, arm day, glutes day), 20 minutes core training and 15 minutes cool off on the elliptical.

Although I now that a month is a very short period of time to notice any changes, what if my body is so adapted to the weight that it won't just come off?

I also know that we cannot compare bodies, but my gym buddy has the exactly same routine and, even though she is tiny and with almost no fat mass, she already lost 7lbs (she's now 105 at 5') and yes, Im jealous and yes, I want to know how that's possible!

I decided to shock my body and get a week of only cardio.
Today I pushed my limits, got on the treadmill, elliptical, bike and stairmaster. A total of 50 minutes of cardio, that actually made me sweat like I had never sweat before. It was nice.

Am I on the right path? Should I try this cardio routine for a week? Maybe more?
Why is my body holding on to this weight? What am I doing wrong?

Other info: i'm eating healthy, around 1600+ a day, lean protein, 70 oz of water a day.

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Locked dairy and almost no info on your food intake. You left out the most important info. Do you weigh/measure all your food? Log everything you put in your mouth?
  • itsjuh
    itsjuh Posts: 3
    I keep a written journal. I find it makes me more conscious about my eating.
    But yes, i am sure i'm eating right. My protein is mostly lean, I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, sugar only two tablespoons on my afternoon coffee.
  • ComradeTovarich
    ComradeTovarich Posts: 495 Member
    what if my body is so adapted to the weight that it won't just come off?

    I've been fat since I was a wee lad and started counting calories and exercising three months ago and have lost 25 pounds already, so I don't think your body would act much differently. As long as you are weighing your food and logging everything correctly, you should see weight loss. It could be that your body is retaining water for muscle repair, due to your recent come back into strength training.
  • giggalz
    giggalz Posts: 54 Member
    I'll say its possible..I've really buckled down in the last year to continue losing weight and havent lost ...I didnt even workout or ate as well as I do now then the 2.5 years I was on ww's and lost 55lbs..

    I've spent the last year asking, researching, doing different things..so far I'm eating at maintenance and hope it'll help..
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    You can be eating right but still eating too much. Weight loss happens in the kitchen,
  • oceanbreeze27
    oceanbreeze27 Posts: 66 Member
    I tend to hit long-term plateaus as well. It's incredibly frustrating! My body doesn't respond well to dietary changes (very sensitive stomach) so I usually take some time to investigate a new workout. Once I change up my exercise routine, I start seeing results again. I would suggest you find a new type of exercise that'll help confuse your body and get it moving again in the direction you want to go. Also, intensity counts! So if aren't ready to try a new workout, go hard with what you're doing now. Make it count and good luck! :o)
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
    It's probably just your metabolism. My aunt claims that she's not a "big eater," and that she could eat just once a day and be happy but counting calories has never helped her. But she didn't know what her BMR and her TDEE were and probably never exercised.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    When I was younger, my appetite responded quickly to increased activity. 20 mins of cardio is probably only burning about 150 calories. That's pretty easy to eat back. I definitely recommend carefully tracking your calories for a few weeks. Also, you could probably increase both your cardio and strength (assuming its not all high intensity), but on different days.
  • LindseyAlyssa
    LindseyAlyssa Posts: 156
    No actual workout for 3 years.

    A plateau is when you're working out and seeing no results, not doing nothing and expecting results. You haven't been at a plateau, you just haven't been burning more calories than you're consuming. Your body will catch up to your effort with time, so long as you are accurate in your logging both calories consumed AND burned (MFP is usually higher than what you would burn). Variety is the spice of life; switch up the workouts you do so you're always challenging different parts of your body.
  • LindseyAlyssa
    LindseyAlyssa Posts: 156
    .
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    2 inches off your waist in a month is fantastic progress.

    I'd guess that you're retaining water from the new exercise program? I always gained (scale) weight right after I started exercising.
  • asciident
    asciident Posts: 166 Member
    Your title is sort of confusing. You've haven't plateaued for 3 years; you've lost 52 lb in 3 years. It sounds like you're just not satisfied with your progress in the last month or so. But you are making progress.

    I suggest adding strength/resistance training and looking more at losing body fat percentage than focusing on the number on the scale.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    You are losing enough inches to not worry about anything. Great progress! The scale will show it at some point. It sounds like a great first month to me :)
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    I decided to shock my body and get a week of only cardio.

    You can't "shock" your body ..... unless you stick your finger in an electric outlet.

    Just be consistent. Lower your calories by 150-200/day if you aren't losing at least 1/3-1/2 lb week. Repeat after a couple months if no progress is seen.
  • tgsoe
    tgsoe Posts: 17 Member
    A plateau is when you're working out and seeing no results, not doing nothing and expecting results. You haven't been at a plateau, you just haven't been burning more calories than you're consuming. Your body will catch up to your effort with time, so long as you are accurate in your logging both calories consumed AND burned (MFP is usually higher than what you would burn). Variety is the spice of life; switch up the workouts you do so you're always challenging different parts of your body.
    [/quote]


    FULLY agree with this. The first couple of weeks in my Quest for Greatness, I only lost 0.4kg and then 0.8kg. I was really disheartened even though I knew I was doing my best. My partner David said the same thing to me about my body catching up. And it did; I've been dropping between 1 - 2kg per week since. Loving it.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i would suggest the following..

    weigh/measure all your food.
    enter it into MFP so you can see how many calorie per day you are consuming.
    continue with the workout program…however 20 minutes of abs every day is overkill…I would take that twenty minutes and do more weight training and maybe do one to two ab sessions per week. Once you get your body fat/weight down you can start to concentrate more on abs….

    new rules of lifting for woman and starting strength are great resources...
  • itsjuh
    itsjuh Posts: 3
    Thank you all..
    I decided to try new workouts with higher intensity and start weighing my food carefully (maybe the calories i'm counting are a bit off). I'm considering getting a nutritionist apointment, just to get a more specific food plan.

    I know a month is not much time and that gym results dont appear overnight, so I'll give it another couple of months before actually freaking out
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    With your height, weight and age, freaking out is ridiculous, now, in 3 months or 3 years. You are normal. Could perhaps lose a few kilos safely, but your target weight is set even below ideal for your height. You do NOT need to be 50 kilos, especially if you are exercising, and assuming you will have some muscles, and not just bones and fat :) Depending on how fit you are, and how much is fat, perhaps you should not loose at all, but if you feel you have more fat than you want, set a slow weight loss goal to yourself, of losing like 5-7 kilos in the next year and stop there. You are not at a weight where anything dramatic is needed, or will help you.

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