Is this a plateau or me not having patience?

nespinosa3
nespinosa3 Posts: 116
in Health and Weight Loss
For about 8 months into this, I used to see a very clear pattern: same weight for 2 weeks, then it went up for 2-3 pounds the next 2 weeks, and after this it did a drop of about 4-5 pounds. So I was clearly losing 2 pounds every month.
In May, I reached my milestone and only had 5 more pounds to go; this was also the time when I stopped using birth control pill (shouldn't have anything to do with it but I'm not sure). Right there, this pattern stopped. For these last 4 months, as soon as I get a low weight one week, this is followed by a month ( or more) of higher weights, and theeen it does a drop hopefully. It's getting really messy because overall, the weight is falling off, but it is so slow and irregular that I don't know if I'm plateauing or if I should keep going. Overall, in 4 months I have lost around 4 pounds :( it was looking like I was still losing 2/month but today I weigh the same as I did 4 weeks ago! I am so frustrated :'( I don't know what to do...I changed my workouts to running, I'm not even taking cheat meals anymore; if one day I go over the calories I try to make up for it as much as I can. Has this happened to any of you?

Replies

  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 850 Member
    Anyone's weight varies a few pounds from day to day, depending on how much you ate, drank, and are retaining before eliminating. IMO, you may be putting on muscle mass from all your workouts and muscle is more dense than fat. If you track your measurements, you may discover you are becoming toned up.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    It is normal for weight to change from week to week due to normal body fluctuations. However, considering yours seem to change month to month, I think you should review your calories consumption and exercise a bit closer. How are you tracking your calories? Are you using a food scale? Are you eating any of your exercise calories back? Are you getting adequate rest/sleep and water/fluid? How have you sodium levels been over the last few months?
  • ssun387
    ssun387 Posts: 7 Member
    Even this happens with me, i go to a weight and sit there for 3 to 4 mnths and one fine evening i drop 2 lbs for 4 months
    cnt understnad what this is all abt!!

    am new too!! waiting for an answer
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower it comes off. Even if you're eating perfectly, exercising, watching your sodium levels etc, you're likely only to be getting 1/4 to 1/2 pound of weight loss per week (aka 1-2lbs a month, tops).

    Maybe it's time to stop looking at the scale and look at your body. What is your body fat percentage like? If it's within healthy ranges, than maybe it's time to add muscle so that you're getting the shape that you're aiming for and likely thinking that 5lbs is going to help you with. Also, remember that since you're working out multiple days a week, your muscles are retaining water to help repair them (I notice a few lbs of water weight after a good run), so when you weigh yourself might be really important to seeing the progress you're making; try to do it AFTER at least one rest day, ideally two so that you won't be retaining that water. And as someone else has mentioned, take measurements and take note of how your clothes fit, these are great indicators in changes of body composition and through that fat loss.

    Weight loss is by no means linear, as you've seen with your journey, but if you're doing everything right, you should be losing. But at where you are now, to know you're doing everything right and work within your deficit (which should be minimal 250 cals), you likely need to be measuring your food with a scale, using a heart rate monitor to track your activity so you've got a better (though not perfect) idea of how many calories you're actually burning in your workout and what portion of that you need to eat back to keep your NET calories above your BMR.
  • LydiaShackelford
    LydiaShackelford Posts: 93 Member
    The closer you get, the harder it is. It's why I update my ticker to be 10-15 pounds at a time. And now it's the final 10-15 vanity pounds. So it's coming off like molasses! But, half a pound every now and then will eventually add up to the loss I'm looking for, so I just try to keep reminding myself of that! Hang in there!
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I don't specifically know what you are doing in terms of workouts, other than running. I will tell you that I could only get so far with running/cardio only workouts. I plateaued and basically was just doing cardio in order to maintain my weight.

    I started lifting weights and have lost additional weight that I didn't intend to lose. I was at my goal weight and size when I started lifting just over a year ago. In that time, I have lost 10lbs and dropped from a size 8 to a 4 (and have been fitting into some 2s). I've stopped weighing myself and micromanaging every pound. I have found a freedom in lifting weights.

    If you haven't looked into a weight lifting program, check out New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
    Pretty sure you were on here a while ago asking the same exact thing. The answer does not change.
  • nespinosa3
    nespinosa3 Posts: 116
    The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower it comes off. Even if you're eating perfectly, exercising, watching your sodium levels etc, you're likely only to be getting 1/4 to 1/2 pound of weight loss per week (aka 1-2lbs a month, tops).

    Maybe it's time to stop looking at the scale and look at your body. What is your body fat percentage like? If it's within healthy ranges, than maybe it's time to add muscle so that you're getting the shape that you're aiming for and likely thinking that 5lbs is going to help you with. Also, remember that since you're working out multiple days a week, your muscles are retaining water to help repair them (I notice a few lbs of water weight after a good run), so when you weigh yourself might be really important to seeing the progress you're making; try to do it AFTER at least one rest day, ideally two so that you won't be retaining that water. And as someone else has mentioned, take measurements and take note of how your clothes fit, these are great indicators in changes of body composition and through that fat loss.

    Weight loss is by no means linear, as you've seen with your journey, but if you're doing everything right, you should be losing. But at where you are now, to know you're doing everything right and work within your deficit (which should be minimal 250 cals), you likely need to be measuring your food with a scale, using a heart rate monitor to track your activity so you've got a better (though not perfect) idea of how many calories you're actually burning in your workout and what portion of that you need to eat back to keep your NET calories above your BMR.

    I know for a fact my body has changed a lot, none of my old clothes fit anymore, I've had to replace all jeans and there are some shirts that don't look right anymore...so that's a good sign. I am super close to my goal, but I've been fighting this current weight for more than a month now...I just don't know how much more I can keep going, it stresses me out so much.
    As far as eating back, I actually just eat 1500 calories daily (which is about 100 below my BMR), and make sure that at least 5 times a week I work out. Usually I do 2x-3x/week strength training, and try to get some cardio every day; it's usually HIIT twice a week and then some jogging/walking the other days (except rest day).
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Are you using a food scale to track your food?
  • nespinosa3
    nespinosa3 Posts: 116
    Are you using a food scale to track your food?

    Yes, I weigh everything in either ounces (for meats) or grams (for the carbs).

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