Weight Loss Plateau

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Pathend2
Pathend2 Posts: 142
in Motivation and Support
So, I've heard of this before but had been blissfully unaware of its effects while I was losing the 65 pounds I dropped since January. I figured I'd lose weight until I hit my goal. Alas and alack, such is not the case and in the past month I haven't dropped a pound. It's frustrating as I've been pushing myself to exercise even more than I had in the past, and yet this morning I found I actually gained 2 pounds. It might be muscle as I'm starting to notice a little more definition in my arms, but it's still disheartening to think that all my effort is going nowhere.

Has anyone else hit this wall before during their weight loss? What exactly am I in for?

Replies

  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
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    Have you adjusted your calorie intake since you lost all the weight? Maybe your body needs a change to kick start again?
    How much are you trying to lose in total? How much per week?

    Try http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html work out your maintance then minus 250 calories for every 1/2 pound a week you want to lose.

    My weight loss slowed down so I upped my calories and now I am losing again.
  • jenschroll
    jenschroll Posts: 162 Member
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    Have you adjusted your calorie intake since you lost all the weight? Maybe your body needs a change to kick start again?
    How much are you trying to lose in total? How much per week?

    Try http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators.html work out your maintance then minus 250 calories for every 1/2 pound a week you want to lose.

    My weight loss slowed down so I upped my calories and now I am losing again.

    Yes to this ^^^
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
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    Measure yourself. Measuring shows weight loss if you have water retention or replace fat with muscle, muscle weighs more.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    Measure yourself. Measuring shows weight loss if you have water retention or replace fat with muscle, muscle weighs more.

    No, a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, it just takes up less space.

    Otherwise, good advice. Taking measurements and progress pictures should be part of how you're tracking your weight loss. Scales are notorious liars! :)
  • nancytyc
    nancytyc Posts: 119 Member
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    CONGRATUALTIONS!! YOU HIT A PLATEAU. wow, you should be so happy. A plateau, in someone who is being very careful to calculate their exercise, weigh their food, and log ALL their food, just means that your body has hit a time that it is about to "reset" to a higher metabolic rate. This can take as few as a few weeks and as long as 6 weeks. Just make sure that you keep doing EXACTLY what you are doing. Log your food truthfully, avoid creep on calories, give it a little extra exercise (weight training is the best here), and wait out the plateau. When you get through it and your metabolism resets, then the weight will come off again. In 65 pounds, your body has gone through a dramatic change, and in a very short time. Great Job!! Hang in there and have a few extra scales on hand. In my house, several usually go out the window when I hit long plateaus. (previously lost 101 pounds in 7 months before finding this site)

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