Hi....lost a lot of weight now hit a plateau.

mcraza
mcraza Posts: 7
edited November 8 in Introduce Yourself
Hi Everyone,
I'm from Texas. I'm a female, 34 years old and 5'3". I used to weigh 215 lbs. I started walking and cut out sugars/starch from my life because I found out I had diabetes. I am down to about 140 lbs, but for the last year I haven't lost any weight, despite continuing the healthy eating and doing even more exercise than before. I lost all that weight on just power walking. Now I run an hour daily at least 5 times a week, I do kickboxing and zumba for an hour 5 times a week...but I'm stuck no more weight is coming off. The bad thing is most the fat left is all concentrated on my belly :( I don't know what else to do. I know some of it is loose skin, but I know there must be fat there too, its so jiggly and soft. I'd want to lose 20 lbs more, but honestly I'd be happy if I just lost 10 lbs more. Any advice?
Thanks.

Replies

  • PurpleGoddess92
    PurpleGoddess92 Posts: 15
    Hey,

    i recently hit a plateau myself although i thought it was to do with the fact that i only exercise twice a week (really hard to fit in to weekdays as i travel far for work)

    Anyway - i stalled for about 2 weeks even though i was within my calorie range and always drank heaps of water and couldn't figure out why calories in/calories out equation wasn't working anymore.

    i came across what's called a Dieter's edema which is basically the body holding onto water. I can't remember the scientific words but basically - you lose fat and then the water in your body fills up the fat cells thus masking your actual fat loss. You can feel pudgy and bloated during this time.

    so i was feeling really upset that nothing was happening and then i magically lost a whole kilo overnight so i knew it had to be something weird going on.

    maybe this could be what's happening? And also with all of that exercise, your body is probably holding onto the water to rehydrate itself so you could try cutting down on the exercise and that might help with water weight.

    I'm no expert at all but i have read quite a bit about this and seems a logical answer (well it did for me)

    good luck! :) x
  • PurpleGoddess92
    PurpleGoddess92 Posts: 15
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/

    this was the site
  • KLangleydoula
    KLangleydoula Posts: 1,494 Member
    Hi! I have been on my journey for about 2 years. I would be happy to be friends. Feel free to add me!
  • RickDube64
    RickDube64 Posts: 12 Member
    From your post, it appears that you do a lot of cardio, but you didn't mention weight training. Your body will adjust to the cardio you do, so you have to mix it up. You may actually have to increase your calories, decrease cardio, and add strength training to lose weight. I got this link from another post. http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    Try to reduce the amount of time on cardio but rev up the intensity.

    Then add in some weight-resistance (baring) exercises.

    Whether that is straight out lifting weights or simpler things like pull ups & push ups to build muscle.

    Good luck!
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
    You are probably going to have to eat less. Might i suggest you will find this all a bit easier if you do a bit less exercise as well.

    An hour a day is plenty for fitness. If you want to lose weight, you must eat less. Don't rush it but eat a little less and watch the scales.

    Congratulations on all you've lost so far.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Hi all,

    There is no such thing as a plateau. It is make-believe phenomenon. It is used by people that are actually eating at a maintenance level, contrary to what they are making themselves believe....
  • JagerLewis
    JagerLewis Posts: 427 Member
    Have you played around with your calories? There have been a few times on my weight loss journey that I just was stuck for at least a month, despite exercising and eating at a deficit. What worked for me, I ate about 300 calories over my maintenance for 3-4 days. Believe me, I know it sounds super scary, but it works. Every time I got stuck, this is what I did and the weightloss continued. Have you gotten a little lax on your serving sizes? Are you measuring? That could be the culprit too. Good luck to you!!
  • JagerLewis
    JagerLewis Posts: 427 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Hi all,

    There is no such thing as a plateau. It is make-believe phenomenon. It is used by people that are actually eating at a maintenance level, contrary to what they are making themselves believe....
    False, there is such thing as a plateau.

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    try to change up your routine

    29509743.png
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member

    False, there is such thing as a plateau.

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them[/quote]

    That article didn't say anything other than you are still eating more calories than you need.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    JagerLewis wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Hi all,

    There is no such thing as a plateau. It is make-believe phenomenon. It is used by people that are actually eating at a maintenance level, contrary to what they are making themselves believe....
    False, there is such thing as a plateau.

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them

    False. It is common sense. Calories deficit = weight loss, not calorie deficit + 3 months for the plateau when he decides to turn up = weight loss.

    Dont make yourself believe you are being held up by some kind of magic wall. If you arent losing weight, you are eating too much.
  • venkatrmand
    venkatrmand Posts: 2
    Hi, I have been doing a lot of cardio and some weight training and my diet is about 1300-1500 cal / day. I was able to loose about 25 LBS quickly over 3 months and now seem to stuck to a pleatau @ 210 LBS. I'm 5' 7" . Can you please share your experiences as to how to over come this phenomenon? Thanks in advance....
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    JagerLewis wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Hi all,

    There is no such thing as a plateau. It is make-believe phenomenon. It is used by people that are actually eating at a maintenance level, contrary to what they are making themselves believe....
    False, there is such thing as a plateau.

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them

    That article says the same thing as the person you quoted. "Plateaus" happen because you are eating at maintenance. It may be that the level you were eating at to previously lose is your maintenance where you get stuck at a weight, but that doesn't change the fact that you're just eating too much to continue to lose at that calorie level. The solution is to focus in on calories and making sure your goal is still appropriate for your current weight and that you are accurately hitting that goal.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    nosajjao wrote: »
    You should probably focus more on strength and muscle training at the gym, maybe shift some of the calories you intake to boost the protein 15 calories a day, cut sugar intake to under 40 grams a day if you can.
    You don't need to cut carbs to lose weight, you just need to do what works. As she is diabetic, I'm assuming she should listed to her doctor and her dietitian for carb intake.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    Going to second the "add weight training" advice
    Good Luck!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    False, there is such thing as a plateau.

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them

    That article didn't say anything other than you are still eating more calories than you need. [/quote]

    Quite ironic that on a website called psychologytoday they have managed to convince you into this...
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I wasn't convinced at all, I thought it was funny that above poster used this as her claim to plateaus. I thought that maybe she didn't read the article other then only the title
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I wasn't convinced at all, I thought it was funny that above poster used this as her claim to plateaus. I thought that maybe she didn't read the article other then only the title

    Oh yes. Apologies. I didnt read the whole of your post correctly.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I wasn't convinced at all, I thought it was funny that above poster used this as her claim to plateaus. I thought that maybe she didn't read the article other then only the title

    Oh yes. Apologies. I didnt read the whole of your post correctly.

    :)
  • andreavan28
    andreavan28 Posts: 90 Member
    I am in a similar boat, I lost my first 40lbs super quick, was like it was just falling off and since then it seems like the scale is broken, well that's what I tell myself anyway.... I get the same advice, which is to strength train, but my deep down fear (yes I know it's not really like this) Is that adding that muscle will actually make me gain weight (and I also know this would be a good gain lol) But lets face it the scale seems to hold the power. Stick with it, just took me like 4 months to lose the last pound I just lost, I always wonder why it can't come off they way it went on :)
  • mcraza
    mcraza Posts: 7
    Wow thank you all for your replies! I think I'm gonna have to start hitting the gym for strength training...as soon as I figure out all those machines lol I'll keep everyone updated if the inches start coming off again.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    You're eating too much, revisit your calories and recommit to weighing and logging everything

    Add heavy weights to your workouts
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