Did I hit a plateau ?

Hello all,

It's been 3 weeks and I dropped a negligible 0.3 lbs - I've been losing consistently since Jan 9 -1.5lbs a week and I have had been adjust calories accordingly as well but last 3 weeks nada, zilch , nothing at all. Measurements have been same as well.

Didn't change anything -all food related factors are exactly the same. Now I'm at 2000 calories a day and workout and everything else exactly the same other than the intensity which goes up slightly every week.

How do I get out of it?

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    it's not a plateau unless you have neither gained nor lost in at least 4-6 weeks.

    As for how to get out of it...eat less food as plateau=eating at maintenance.

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  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    edited May 2016
    Ok just read the chart. I am doing all the right steps that's why I've dropped consistently 1.5 lbs per week since Jan 9, 2016 and now third week nada.

    I get your point though. I'll give it another week. Let's see what happens.

    I think the chart applies to new users

    Thanks again.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Ok just read the chart. I am doing all the right steps that's why I've dropped consistently 1.5 lbs per week since Jan 9, 2016 and now third week nada.

    I get your point though. I'll give it another week. Let's see what happens.

    I think the chart applies to new users

    Thanks again.

    Weight loss is not always linear.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    You don't. If you have established healthy habits as part of a healthy lifestyle you just keep livin' the dream. Enjoy your new-found relationship with your body that includes patience as it adjusts.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2016
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Ok just read the chart. I am doing all the right steps that's why I've dropped consistently 1.5 lbs per week since Jan 9, 2016 and now third week nada.

    I get your point though. I'll give it another week. Let's see what happens.

    I think the chart applies to new users

    Thanks again.

    No the chart applies to everyone. And if you follow it to a tee it really is fool proof ruling out any medical or health condition.

    There will be weeks when you loose nothing.... but you DID LOSE .3 pounds so yo are not in a plateau.

    So, this is why says after three weeks NO loss, make sure you are on track with logging and not over estimating calorie burns for exercise if you eat those back..so on and so on.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    edited May 2016
    The lower your body fat, the slower you will lose. Your body really wants fat as a reserve. If you've been losing 1.5 lbs a week and you have lost consistently since January, you are probably close to your goal, right? It comes off slowly at this point.

    In addition, you have to eat less as you weigh less. Have you recalculated your goals to "Lose 1/2 pound" and recalculated (by hitting "Save Changes") in your Goals section? I mean, at this point -.3 lbs sounds like a win to me.

    It is likely to be slow from this point on.

    I've been trying to lose my last five pounds for a month, lol. I've been here before, I know it will be S-L-O-W. I'm not willing to cut calories any more, so I'm okay with that.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    The lower your body fat, the slower you will lose. Your body really wants fat as a reserve. If you've been losing 1.5 lbs a week and you have lost consistently since January, you are probably close to your goal, right? It comes off slowly at this point.

    In addition, you have to eat less as you weigh less. Have you recalculated your goals to "Lose 1/2 pound" and recalculated (by hitting "Save Changes") in your Goals section? I mean, at this point -.3 lbs sounds like a win to me.

    It is likely to be slow from this point on.

    I've been trying to lose my last five pounds for a month, lol. I've been here before, I know it will be S-L-O-W. I'm not willing to cut calories any more, so I'm okay with that.

    My original goal was 200 lbs and I'm at 203 but muscle definition isn't where I wan't so I've decided to drop down to 190lbs and I adjusted my calories to 2000 a day (it comes out based on my TDEE)

    I'm eating according to my TDEE and so far it hasn't budged.

    I mean 0.3 lb isn't even supposed to be considered a loss because well it could be just water weight nonsense right?
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    viren19890 wrote: »
    Ok just read the chart. I am doing all the right steps that's why I've dropped consistently 1.5 lbs per week since Jan 9, 2016 and now third week nada.

    I get your point though. I'll give it another week. Let's see what happens.

    I think the chart applies to new users

    Thanks again.

    No the chart applies to everyone. And if you follow it to a tee it really is fool proof ruling out any medical or health condition.

    There will be weeks when you loose nothing.... but you DID LOSE .3 pounds so yo are not in a plateau.

    So, this is why says after three weeks NO loss, make sure you are on track with logging and not over estimating calorie burns for exercise if you eat those back..so on and so on.

    I don't add exercises on MFP since I go by TDEE. I even keep a margin of 150 cals that I burn by walking and not eat them back so as if I ever over -estimate I have that margin lol
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    Hmmm, well i looked at your log and its seems like you are weighing properly. I did see a quick add and the Dole medium banana are the same size and calories for two different days. Did the banana weigh the same both different days? Regardless, they are probably small amounts that shouldnt make that big of a difference. Are you nibbling on things you dont account for? Otherwise i would say drop your calories a little and see what happens. How much do you weight now?
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    It sounds like you might be getting down close to the end of your fat reserves. I suggest changing your goal to .5-1 lb a week versus 1.5 which will drop your daily calories by a little. Give that a week and see how it goes. It could be that your deficit is super tiny now between your body having less to lose, you becoming adapted to your exercises and thus burning slightly less, and perhaps a couple calories of inaccuracies here and there. Added together it could be wiping out your deficit. Don't go crazy cutting 500 calories, I'm sure even 100-150 is enough to see if you just aren't in a deficit.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    betuel75 wrote: »
    Hmmm, well i looked at your log and its seems like you are weighing properly. I did see a quick add and the Dole medium banana are the same size and calories for two different days. Did the banana weigh the same both different days? Regardless, they are probably small amounts that shouldnt make that big of a difference. Are you nibbling on things you dont account for? Otherwise i would say drop your calories a little and see what happens. How much do you weight now?

    Bro, yesterday there was single banana and today I used two of them to meet daily calorie levels.
    Other than what's in there -I don't even touch anything else. That's my strict rule. Sometimes I have snacks at home which have a missing label I don't eat them lol -might seem anal but that's how I've been able to stay strong.
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    brb_2013 wrote: »
    It sounds like you might be getting down close to the end of your fat reserves. I suggest changing your goal to .5-1 lb a week versus 1.5 which will drop your daily calories by a little. Give that a week and see how it goes. It could be that your deficit is super tiny now between your body having less to lose, you becoming adapted to your exercises and thus burning slightly less, and perhaps a couple calories of inaccuracies here and there. Added together it could be wiping out your deficit. Don't go crazy cutting 500 calories, I'm sure even 100-150 is enough to see if you just aren't in a deficit.

    Body heaving less to lose? I think I can drop another 23lbs and world wouldn't even notice - I would become tiny in my own eyes that's why my goal is set to 190 lol

    What I'm saying is that based on online calculators - at around 190 lbs is when I should see abs in any lighting and around 180 lbs I would be able to see every muscle in my body without any sort of pump or any lighting.
    So I still have a lot to lose.

    I use Scooby's online tdee calculator
  • NikkiMichelleS
    NikkiMichelleS Posts: 897 Member
    viren19890 wrote: »
    brb_2013 wrote: »
    It sounds like you might be getting down close to the end of your fat reserves. I suggest changing your goal to .5-1 lb a week versus 1.5 which will drop your daily calories by a little. Give that a week and see how it goes. It could be that your deficit is super tiny now between your body having less to lose, you becoming adapted to your exercises and thus burning slightly less, and perhaps a couple calories of inaccuracies here and there. Added together it could be wiping out your deficit. Don't go crazy cutting 500 calories, I'm sure even 100-150 is enough to see if you just aren't in a deficit.

    Body heaving less to lose? I think I can drop another 23lbs and world wouldn't even notice - I would become tiny in my own eyes that's why my goal is set to 190.

    So I still have a lot to lose.

    You are with 10-13lbs of your target goal weight? ....yes, that is comparably "less to lose." You are pretty close to your goal, 10 pounds is very close. And the last bit is difficult to lose.
    I agree with switching to only .5/week; with only 10-13 to lose, that would be ideal. Too much more or quicker & you'll lose muscle. Losing 2lbs/month at this point is a win.
    Congrats on the weight loss so far. Keep at it, you'll get there.
  • liams987
    liams987 Posts: 23 Member
    Drop you cals another 200 by lowering your carbs. Keep eating a high content of protein to preserve muscle gain and hopefully the cuts come soon!
  • viren19890
    viren19890 Posts: 778 Member
    liams987 wrote: »
    Drop you cals another 200 by lowering your carbs. Keep eating a high content of protein to preserve muscle gain and hopefully the cuts come soon!

    I'm a vegetarian- no meat/eggs/seafood so lowering carbs is very hard but I can try. More cottage cheese and tofu. I can try.
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    edited May 2016
    For the last 3 months, I have started "whooshing." I was a consistent loser before that. I go 2-3 weeks with maintains/fractional losses (like 0.2)/small gains and then lose 7 pounds at my next weekly weigh-in. I'm still 40ish pounds from normal BMI.

    I haven't looked through your diary, but maybe you're experiencing the same. If another week or 2 goes by with absolutely nothing, then you're eating at maintenance.