Weight loss and plateau?

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afrodizzyak
afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay I started 3 weeks ago lost 2lbs in 3 weeks. Which is good a pound a week. It's stalled on the 4th week which is because I tend to put on due to menstrual cycle.
I'm on 1200 calories a day I'm 11st 6 and only 5ft and been battling to get under 11 st for god knows how long. My goal weight is 9st.
My body tends to retain a lot of water at times and I don't know if it's because of the weight or what? My feet and and ankles used to swell because of the amount of water I was retaining. But since using fitness pal it's gone. I am also watching my sodium intake. It is frustrating for scales wise as it's constantly fluctuating up and down. I'm finding it quite hard to stay motivated at times. I feel like not looking at scales and just looking at my body as I can see I am losing inches.

But I do wonder whether I have a thyroid problem, I say this because my hair is thinning, my skin is awful,I get terrible headaches, around the time of month. Weight loss is slow or plateaus. Or maybe I'm deficient in a vitamin? I was deficient in Vitamin D and got that sorted. Iron is ok. Maybe to get a thyroid test to see if it's that? Or is it maybe hormonal? I am now in my 40s so perhaps my body isn't reacting the same way it did when I was younger.

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
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    My first thought is that you are not getting the nutrition your body needs.

    at 3 weeks in , you're not in a plateau. And... weight loss is not linear. Some weeks i lose 2 pounds, some weeks .5, sometimes i go for 2 or 3 weeks with no loss. measure your food with a food scale (not cups) and don't forget the oil and butter and such you use to cook with.

    as far as progress goes, i suggest measuring yourself every couple of weeks, and weighing only once a week (esp if you have a tendency to stress over normal fluctuations) weight naturally fluctuates during the day
  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    My first thought is that you are not getting the nutrition your body needs.

    at 3 weeks in , you're not in a plateau. And... weight loss is not linear. Some weeks i lose 2 pounds, some weeks .5, sometimes i go for 2 or 3 weeks with no loss. measure your food with a food scale (not cups) and don't forget the oil and butter and such you use to cook with.

    as far as progress goes, i suggest measuring yourself every couple of weeks, and weighing only once a week (esp if you have a tendency to stress over normal fluctuations) weight naturally fluctuates during the day

    Yes I only weigh once a week.
    I don't measure I just tend to fill 1/2 my plate with vegetables and small amount of carbs, I've lowered my carb intake and increased protein. I still have carbs, no bread, just rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes but in smaller amounts. I don't feel hungry I feel satisfied. So I know I'm eating enough.
  • geotrice
    geotrice Posts: 274 Member
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    6 or more weeks at the same weight is a plateau.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    3 weeks isnt a plateau and weight loss takes time and patience. Also, you could be eating more calories than you think, are you weighing your portions? What has helped me a lot on this journey is this thread:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    Really the first post has helped me tremendously. Instead of jumping in, assuming I already know it all when it comes to losing weight, that thread I posted opened my eyes! Trust me, start there.
  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    Thanks guys, now understand what a plateau is! Most interesting read above ^^ that's helped a lot.
    I've realised what's happened. Natural nut butter and having it everyday this week. A tablespoon and some! Just looked at my diary for the week and that maybe why, Not drinking enough water too. My favourite desert at the moment is natural greek yoghurt with nut butter and a couple teaspoons of cocoa powder (unsweetened) I am due on my period so I'm craving sweet things this week. Plus the pre bloat might have something to do with it. Not going to stress too much as I have lost inches. As long as I've not put on weight so that's a positive.
  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    Oh and I've had juices which really have helped with premenstual stress. Get terrible headaches but the juices really helped with that and water retention.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    afrodizzyak wrote: »

    But I do wonder whether I have a thyroid problem, I say this because my hair is thinning, my skin is awful,I get terrible headaches, around the time of month. Weight loss is slow or plateaus. Or maybe I'm deficient in a vitamin? I was deficient in Vitamin D and got that sorted. Iron is ok. Maybe to get a thyroid test to see if it's that? Or is it maybe hormonal? I am now in my 40s so perhaps my body isn't reacting the same way it did when I was younger.

    Don't ask for medical advice on the internets. Seriously. Go see a doctor.

    Why do you think you are at a plateau?
  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    lstrat115 wrote: »
    I have thyroid issues and I suffer from some of the same stuff you mentioned. It is worth talking to your doctor about. It could be something else too and you want to make sure if there is a medical condition there that you get it resolved. Good luck! Feel free to add me if you want!

    Yes I think there may be something else underlining but I've had blood test and they've all come back normal except for Vitamin D.
    They gave me a dose to take for a month. Only thing I haven't had checked is my thyroid.

  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    ncboiler89 wrote: »
    afrodizzyak wrote: »

    But I do wonder whether I have a thyroid problem, I say this because my hair is thinning, my skin is awful,I get terrible headaches, around the time of month. Weight loss is slow or plateaus. Or maybe I'm deficient in a vitamin? I was deficient in Vitamin D and got that sorted. Iron is ok. Maybe to get a thyroid test to see if it's that? Or is it maybe hormonal? I am now in my 40s so perhaps my body isn't reacting the same way it did when I was younger.

    Don't ask for medical advice on the internets. Seriously. Go see a doctor.

    Why do you think you are at a plateau?

    Weight loss seems slow. But then I have been heavy for a while and it's been a few years since I was under 11 stone I've lost 10 lbs though previously I was 12 stone something before. But I'm just finding it hard to get under 11 stone.
    I tried SW and I lost 7lbs on that but I noticed I only lost a 1 pound a week and it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, ( don't know if that's normal?) but then i just didn't seem to get on with SW so left left, I put back in the 7lbs which leads me to here....the only time I've ever lost weight is by MFP. I think I do have to watch what I'm eating and this helps a lot. But I really think it's about food education I've read a lot on here and now I'm understanding a bit better about food. I'm following a more clean balanced approach . Clean eating and I think that suits me far better. I think natural good fats should be incorporated and a lot of organic and fresh food.
    I seem to he getting on with that a lot better.
    As for the slow weight loss I think that just maybe the way my body is now I'm older as I'm thinking about when I was much younger and I used to lose weight a lot faster but probably a lot less healthier!

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