I *always* plateau around the same number.
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Verity1111 wrote: »You've mentioned a lot of other reasons why people tend to stall on the scale: being sick, being constipated, feeling bloated and taking painkillers (which can cause water retention). With all that going on, I wouldn't personally be surprised to see a stall or even a small gain.
Solid points. Maybe it's a coincidence that it's been near this weight each time I diet. And for all I know (I wouldn't remember) I happen to get sick when I hit 175 each time or hold some water.. It's totally possible. Life is odd so I wouldn't count it out that it's just a big coincidence.
If I were in your shoes, looking back on what looks like a pattern, I might be freaking out too. It just seems like you have a lot of other things going on that could also be causing the stall this time, so try not to stress out just yet. Concentrate on feeling better, and see where you are in a week or two
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Verity1111 wrote: »You've mentioned a lot of other reasons why people tend to stall on the scale: being sick, being constipated, feeling bloated and taking painkillers (which can cause water retention). With all that going on, I wouldn't personally be surprised to see a stall or even a small gain.
Solid points. Maybe it's a coincidence that it's been near this weight each time I diet. And for all I know (I wouldn't remember) I happen to get sick when I hit 175 each time or hold some water.. It's totally possible. Life is odd so I wouldn't count it out that it's just a big coincidence.
If I were in your shoes, looking back on what looks like a pattern, I might be freaking out too. It just seems like you have a lot of other things going on that could also be causing the stall this time, so try not to stress out just yet. Concentrate on feeling better, and see where you are in a week or two
That's very sweet. Thank you! I'm not freaking out so much as drained. I miss pigging out and of course it's frustrating to not see the number move when you're moving more working hard to avoid junk food. God I miss chips. lol. (I know I can eat whatever I want, but I am addicted to chips and I'd eat the whole bag.). The point is I know I'll get there but I'm so impatient. Also bad timing as I'm at the last week of a weight loss contest. Thank you for the kindness! Have a lovely week.
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To answer your question, OP.. yes, I stall out at the same number each time I try to lose weight. That number is 170. I've tried numerous times to get below that and so far, the only way I managed was when I was severely depressed, walked three hours or more each evening and subsisted off of cans of Mt. Dew and White Castle (the little frozen ones you buy at the grocer's). It wasn't healthy, but I wasn't paying attention to anything I was doing and was walking to stave off the severe depression I had going on. I dropped down to 160, but as soon as I regained a more normal diet, I gained the weight (back to 173 or so). When I had my son, I shot up to almost 225 and lost all the way back down to 170 with relative ease.. and there my body weight stayed no matter what I tried. I wasn't willing to drop calories drastically low or exercise 2+ hours each day, so I stalled again.
Why my body did that? Who knows. I logged with a food scale down to tiny detail back then, too and nope.. body just wasn't having it. Unfortunately, I gave up after about 3 months' of a stall and gained the weight all back over the course of three years. So here I am.. again.1 -
CanesGalactica wrote: »To answer your question, OP.. yes, I stall out at the same number each time I try to lose weight. That number is 170. I've tried numerous times to get below that and so far, the only way I managed was when I was severely depressed, walked three hours or more each evening and subsisted off of cans of Mt. Dew and White Castle (the little frozen ones you buy at the grocer's). It wasn't healthy, but I wasn't paying attention to anything I was doing and was walking to stave off the severe depression I had going on. I dropped down to 160, but as soon as I regained a more normal diet, I gained the weight (back to 173 or so). When I had my son, I shot up to almost 225 and lost all the way back down to 170 with relative ease.. and there my body weight stayed no matter what I tried. I wasn't willing to drop calories drastically low or exercise 2+ hours each day, so I stalled again.
Why my body did that? Who knows. I logged with a food scale down to tiny detail back then, too and nope.. body just wasn't having it. Unfortunately, I gave up after about 3 months' of a stall and gained the weight all back over the course of three years. So here I am.. again.
Well, I'm glad it isn't just me! It is nice that at least one person doesn't think I'm crazy
I'm sorry to hear it's been so rough, but I get it and I hope it goes better this time around! I usually get past my plateau, but it takes time and I hate waiting. I'm already on your friends list so if you deal with this at all feel free to write me and whine about it because I won't call you crazy. Good luck! & thank you for sharing. 1 -
I'm reluctant to call it a "set point", but 3 times in the last 5 years I've lost down to around 200.
Try #1 June 2012: Started at ~240, got down to 220 in 3 months, and down to 193 within a year. Went on a Disney World trip and pretty much stopped paying attention after we got back. I told myself that I was "focusing on health, rather than weight!" Very slowly gained weight over the next 3 years.
Try #2 April 2016: Started at 222. At least I didn't gain it all back, right? Down to 205 in 4 months. Went on a road trip vacation, and stopped paying attention after we got back. (Starting to see a pattern?
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Try #3 Jan 2017 (Current): Started at 221. This time, I did gain it all back from last year. Bummer. But this time, my lowest was 197. I got back from a vacation last month, and this time I'm determined not to "stop paying attention" but i haven't lost any weight this month (mostly by choice) and am hovering just under 200 now that it's my TOM.
I don't know if it's a mental thing about being under 200, or if it's coming back from vacation and losing my motivation/focus. Or if it's a time thing...maybe after a few months I feel satisfied with what I've accomplished so far that I stop working at it? This time, I feel that I can break through that barrier if I want. I'm taking a little break now that I'm focusing more on running for a couple races this summer. But I'm still logging and I still have my MFP streak going from last April, so I'm pretty proud of at least logging in each day!
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I'm reluctant to call it a "set point", but 3 times in the last 5 years I've lost down to around 200.
Try #1 June 2012: Started at ~240, got down to 220 in 3 months, and down to 193 within a year. Went on a Disney World trip and pretty much stopped paying attention after we got back. I told myself that I was "focusing on health, rather than weight!" Very slowly gained weight over the next 3 years.
Try #2 April 2016: Started at 222. At least I didn't gain it all back, right? Down to 205 in 4 months. Went on a road trip vacation, and stopped paying attention after we got back. (Starting to see a pattern? )
Try #3 Jan 2017 (Current): Started at 221. This time, I did gain it all back from last year. Bummer. But this time, my lowest was 197. I got back from a vacation last month, and this time I'm determined not to "stop paying attention" but i haven't lost any weight this month (mostly by choice) and am hovering just under 200 now that it's my TOM.
I don't know if it's a mental thing about being under 200, or if it's coming back from vacation and losing my motivation/focus. Or if it's a time thing...maybe after a few months I feel satisfied with what I've accomplished so far that I stop working at it? This time, I feel that I can break through that barrier if I want. I'm taking a little break now that I'm focusing more on running for a couple races this summer. But I'm still logging and I still have my MFP streak going from last April, so I'm pretty proud of at least logging in each day!
Well good work logging!!! I can see how vacation could throw someone off. Personally, I remember only specifically what I did during on plateau and I know I wasn't on a break or anything. I was exercising 2 hrs daily and nothing was happening lol. Then there was one time I don't remember exactly but I know I kind of gave up waiting got lazy then got pregnant. Lol. So that killed it! Although I kept working out while pregnant so I ended up fitter than I started.0 -
Yep, I have a spot where my weight loss just stops for a few weeks. It's odd. I mean, I'm sure I just get sloppy with my logging or relax my workout habits or something, but it's always at the exact same number, right down to the point 6. I tend to cut loose a bit at holidays and I always have to remind myself not to go above that number or I'll be stuck there for a while! Once I get below it I'm fine and I lose as expected, but I always take a little rest right there.2
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I am your height and also stall about the same weight, its on the cusp of obese and overweight. For me its about the weight I start to feel a lot more confident, my belly roll is almost gone etc. I am not sure why I keep getting to that point and cant move below it. There's been a mixture of stuff that has happened at that point. A lot of the time I think its diet fatigue at that point, I cant break the stall cause I am not as strict and then I just let go because "nothing works". I dont have any advice because I've never been able to crack that weight for more than a few days.1
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Mouse_Potato wrote: »Yep, I have a spot where my weight loss just stops for a few weeks. It's odd. I mean, I'm sure I just get sloppy with my logging or relax my workout habits or something, but it's always at the exact same number, right down to the point 6. I tend to cut loose a bit at holidays and I always have to remind myself not to go above that number or I'll be stuck there for a while! Once I get below it I'm fine and I lose as expected, but I always take a little rest right there.
I really am inclined to believe the whole set weight thing that our bodies might have.... I mean, I ate two burger king fries today and I logged them. lol. (over estimated) Plus I weigh everything... and all I drink is water and diet soda (rarely the soda)0 -
30kgin2017 wrote: »I am your height and also stall about the same weight, its on the cusp of obese and overweight. For me its about the weight I start to feel a lot more confident, my belly roll is almost gone etc. I am not sure why I keep getting to that point and cant move below it. There's been a mixture of stuff that has happened at that point. A lot of the time I think its diet fatigue at that point, I cant break the stall cause I am not as strict and then I just let go because "nothing works". I dont have any advice because I've never been able to crack that weight for more than a few days.
I get past it. The lowest I've gotten since I was very young though was about 140ish I think (then I got pregnant). I'm positive and confident I can get there and hopefully be more fit this time around. I know you can to if you want to ! Just keep trying and don't believe nothing works - it just takes patience and trying new approaches to get new results. I mix it up for a while then I stick to one thing for a week at a time at least and one way or the other I eventually have broken each plateau. One I know I broke by calorie cycling, the other I just stuck to my calories and it eventually worked. 0 -
I used to think my set point was 224. It seemed like nothing I could do would take me below that.
Currently on 199.8 (am counting that 0.2) and am feeling stalled again now.
I keep telling myself to stick with it, I broke the 224 plateau, I can break this one.
So can you.
And glad you are feeling a bit better - that did not sound like fun illness!
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I'm actually at my stuck point.
Last time I reached this low a weight and couldn't get lower, I just gave up and regained the weight plus 10kg more.
I also didn't quite know what I was doing and thought I needed to do insane amounts of exercise to lose weight. I know better now.
I am slowly increasing my exercising but I'm very careful about it to prevent the post-exercise munchies. Give my body time to adapt so to speak.
Good luck!1 -
I used to think my set point was 224. It seemed like nothing I could do would take me below that.
Currently on 199.8 (am counting that 0.2) and am feeling stalled again now.
I keep telling myself to stick with it, I broke the 224 plateau, I can break this one.
So can you.
And glad you are feeling a bit better - that did not sound like fun illness!
Not totally better but enough that I can walk more and clean more etc! I'm considering the gym today if I can breathe enough without coughing lol. Along with hand sanitizer to make sure I don't spread germs if I do go.1 -
ladyreva78 wrote: »I'm actually at my stuck point.
Last time I reached this low a weight and couldn't get lower, I just gave up and regained the weight plus 10kg more.
I also didn't quite know what I was doing and thought I needed to do insane amounts of exercise to lose weight. I know better now.
I am slowly increasing my exercising but I'm very careful about it to prevent the post-exercise munchies. Give my body time to adapt so to speak.
Good luck!
Thanks! Lately, I end up with tons of extra calories at the end of the night and need to eat them... so I'm sure I'm not going over my calories, for example, and have no idea what's going on. Last night I had to do the same. If I didn't I'd have been under 1,000 and it wouldn't be a one time thing. Plus my steps counted were over 10,000 yesterday so I was fairly active again and if it stays that way and I still don't lose I'll be fairly annoyed. Good luck to you too!0 -
It's not set point. It's you being a normal female and retaining water for a few weeks then dropping all the water weight at once. I ONLY lost weight the week after my period. Then I would just maintain/gain for 3-4 weeks. That's how I ended up losing 70 lbs or so. If I didn't weigh myself the week when I actually lose, I would probably think I'm not actually losing... except that those 2-3 lbs of difference were fat on week 2, but water on week 4.. weight I just regained when I started ovulating (I do retain water like crazy). To be fair, that only started happening when I was no longer in the obese category so it got me puzzled for a while too.. just have to stick with it.
My guess is that you weigh yourself and see the same number for a while, but you don't weigh yourself enough to see the variations from one week to another. So you'll have to give it time before the scale shows the change.
I mean, if you were consistently losing 2 lbs a week then it stopped, and you didn't change your diet/activity level, it's water retention, that's the only scientific explanation.8 -
There is no set point, there is probably a settling point like a thermostat or cruise control . Google images of anorexics or concentration camp survivors.4
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It's not set point. It's you being a normal female and retaining water for a few weeks then dropping all the water weight at once. I ONLY lost weight the week after my period. Then I would just maintain/gain for 3-4 weeks. That's how I ended up losing 70 lbs or so. If I didn't weigh myself the week when I actually lose, I would probably think I'm not actually losing... except that those 2-3 lbs of difference were fat on week 2, but water on week 4.. weight I just regained when I started ovulating (I do retain water like crazy). To be fair, that only started happening when I was no longer in the obese category so it got me puzzled for a while too.. just have to stick with it.
My guess is that you weigh yourself and see the same number for a while, but you don't weigh yourself enough to see the variations from one week to another. So you'll have to give it time before the scale shows the change.
I mean, if you were consistently losing 2 lbs a week then it stopped, and you didn't change your diet/activity level, it's water retention, that's the only scientific explanation.
I don't get my period... I'm on depo. It could be water for sure, but it still is odd that it happens at almost the same weight every time. Thank you for the input I'm sure it will fall off. 0 -
There is no set point, there is probably a settling point like a thermostat or cruise control . Google images of anorexics or concentration camp survivors.
I'm not sure how those images matter? I didn't say I can't lose weight after this point - I said I plateau. There is a huge difference. And some studies show the body is more inclined to not want to lose after a certain weight, different for each individual. Not a fact of course because it's a theory still but I could see it being true. Humans like to believe everything is simple and we know it all. The truth is, there are plenty of things we don't know yet.2 -
I'm reluctant to call it a "set point", but 3 times in the last 5 years I've lost down to around 200.
Try #1 June 2012: Started at ~240, got down to 220 in 3 months, and down to 193 within a year. Went on a Disney World trip and pretty much stopped paying attention after we got back. I told myself that I was "focusing on health, rather than weight!" Very slowly gained weight over the next 3 years.
Try #2 April 2016: Started at 222. At least I didn't gain it all back, right? Down to 205 in 4 months. Went on a road trip vacation, and stopped paying attention after we got back. (Starting to see a pattern? )
Try #3 Jan 2017 (Current): Started at 221. This time, I did gain it all back from last year. Bummer. But this time, my lowest was 197. I got back from a vacation last month, and this time I'm determined not to "stop paying attention" but i haven't lost any weight this month (mostly by choice) and am hovering just under 200 now that it's my TOM.
I don't know if it's a mental thing about being under 200, or if it's coming back from vacation and losing my motivation/focus. Or if it's a time thing...maybe after a few months I feel satisfied with what I've accomplished so far that I stop working at it? This time, I feel that I can break through that barrier if I want. I'm taking a little break now that I'm focusing more on running for a couple races this summer. But I'm still logging and I still have my MFP streak going from last April, so I'm pretty proud of at least logging in each day!
This has happened to me....similar timelines and similar reasons. I'm trying to break through this time. Not feeling super confident it will happen, though.1 -
Hi Verity, I have been through what you are going through. I was stuck for 3.5 months! I knew I was not overeating despite what everyone thought. I finally calculated my maintenance calories for the weight I was at and ate at that level for a week. Honestly I was white knuckling it because I was terrified of gaining. I probably should have stayed with that for two weeks but I was scared to. Anyway it accomplished two things, I wasn't as hungry anymore and when I cut my calories again to lose (I actually went to .5 pound a week) I started dropping again. I am down 10+ pounds now from that stall and losing at about a half a pound a week as expected. The other thing I have noticed that seems to get your loss going again is to change what you are eating. I don't know if you do what I do but we tend to eat the same things over and over. I understand CICO but my only thought is that maybe when eating the same things we assume we know how much is 2 ounces etc. I don't know but every time I seem to eat something out of the ordinary it seems to help. Good luck and don't give up.1
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Yes. I do that too. When I get to 160-165lbs my body seems happy and no matter what I can't seem to get below. Everyone's advice is to tighten up your logging but I was weighing everything I ate and would eat 500 calories below maintenance.1
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Funny thing is... my set point is about the exact same place - 175.
I never had issues with weight until my first pregnancy. After my oldest was born in 1998, I weighed in at 210. Over 5 months lost about 35lbs pretty easily, but then stalled out for about 3 months at 175 until I discovered I was pregnant again.
After my second child was born, I weighed in at 220lbs. This time, took about 6 months to drop 45lbs and got stuck again at 175. Actually maintained it for about 10 years, but never managed to drop under it. Admittedly though, I gave up trying to lose it after no movement for another 6 months and just focused on my football training instead.
I'll be curious to see if it happens again.
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jessannweaver wrote: »I'm reluctant to call it a "set point", but 3 times in the last 5 years I've lost down to around 200.
Try #1 June 2012: Started at ~240, got down to 220 in 3 months, and down to 193 within a year. Went on a Disney World trip and pretty much stopped paying attention after we got back. I told myself that I was "focusing on health, rather than weight!" Very slowly gained weight over the next 3 years.
Try #2 April 2016: Started at 222. At least I didn't gain it all back, right? Down to 205 in 4 months. Went on a road trip vacation, and stopped paying attention after we got back. (Starting to see a pattern? )
Try #3 Jan 2017 (Current): Started at 221. This time, I did gain it all back from last year. Bummer. But this time, my lowest was 197. I got back from a vacation last month, and this time I'm determined not to "stop paying attention" but i haven't lost any weight this month (mostly by choice) and am hovering just under 200 now that it's my TOM.
I don't know if it's a mental thing about being under 200, or if it's coming back from vacation and losing my motivation/focus. Or if it's a time thing...maybe after a few months I feel satisfied with what I've accomplished so far that I stop working at it? This time, I feel that I can break through that barrier if I want. I'm taking a little break now that I'm focusing more on running for a couple races this summer. But I'm still logging and I still have my MFP streak going from last April, so I'm pretty proud of at least logging in each day!
This has happened to me....similar timelines and similar reasons. I'm trying to break through this time. Not feeling super confident it will happen, though.
You can do it! Be confident or try to be and I promise if you work hard it will be a temporary set back.0 -
Funny thing is... my set point is about the exact same place - 175.
I never had issues with weight until my first pregnancy. After my oldest was born in 1998, I weighed in at 210. Over 5 months lost about 35lbs pretty easily, but then stalled out for about 3 months at 175 until I discovered I was pregnant again.
After my second child was born, I weighed in at 220lbs. This time, took about 6 months to drop 45lbs and got stuck again at 175. Actually maintained it for about 10 years, but never managed to drop under it. Admittedly though, I gave up trying to lose it after no movement for another 6 months and just focused on my football training instead.
I'll be curious to see if it happens again.
Good luck. It's definitely possible to get past it but it takes a lot of effort and trying new things. 0 -
cheryldumais wrote: »Hi Verity, I have been through what you are going through. I was stuck for 3.5 months! I knew I was not overeating despite what everyone thought. I finally calculated my maintenance calories for the weight I was at and ate at that level for a week. Honestly I was white knuckling it because I was terrified of gaining. I probably should have stayed with that for two weeks but I was scared to. Anyway it accomplished two things, I wasn't as hungry anymore and when I cut my calories again to lose (I actually went to .5 pound a week) I started dropping again. I am down 10+ pounds now from that stall and losing at about a half a pound a week as expected. The other thing I have noticed that seems to get your loss going again is to change what you are eating. I don't know if you do what I do but we tend to eat the same things over and over. I understand CICO but my only thought is that maybe when eating the same things we assume we know how much is 2 ounces etc. I don't know but every time I seem to eat something out of the ordinary it seems to help. Good luck and don't give up.
I won't! Thank you. Also eating maintenance then lowering again is a great idea. I've done that before just because and usually after I lose easier than prior.0 -
christopherwelch95 wrote: »Yes. I do that too. When I get to 160-165lbs my body seems happy and no matter what I can't seem to get below. Everyone's advice is to tighten up your logging but I was weighing everything I ate and would eat 500 calories below maintenance.
I think to assume you logged wrong with a scale is weird for your case because 500 is a lot of error in logging. There would also need to be error in calculating maintenance and even then that's a pretty large gap in my opinion. I do get below my trouble weight range, but it definitely takes more effort than any other time that I am dieting.0 -
Mine must be 240. Been there for almost a month now. Like you, I know what I'm doing and I do know it will fall off (soon hopefully), but man is it frustrating. And, as I'm a guy, I can't blame TOM or anything.3
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I count my weight loss journey as having begun on January 1, 2000. At that point I made several changes to my way of eating and rapidly dropped several stone. (I'm not British, but the idea using a big fat rock to describe how much lighter I became is amusing). Yet, that stopped and I remained at or near 270 for over a decade. I was ignorant of the concepts within mfp of CICO and plateaus until I found mfp in January of 2016. I made more adjustments to my way of eating and lost more weight until I got to about 190. Wait! Did I just complain about a 10 year + plateau? Indeed I did. It was a self-inflicted consistency of living and eating as I needed to live and eat to weigh 270. When I made the changes necessary to live and eat as a person who weighed 190, I became such a person. That condition stabilized for a few weeks and I made more changes to become a person who weighs 170. This doesn't seem to be stable and perhaps I'm doing the things necessary to weigh 160. I'll find out with the passage of time.
The point is, if you detect stability at a weight, do make some changes. Eat less (if your goal is to lose weight), exercise cardio more, or grow more muscle.4 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »I count my weight loss journey as having begun on January 1, 2000. At that point I made several changes to my way of eating and rapidly dropped several stone. (I'm not British, but the idea using a big fat rock to describe how much lighter I became is amusing). Yet, that stopped and I remained at or near 270 for over a decade. I was ignorant of the concepts within mfp of CICO and plateaus until I found mfp in January of 2016. I made more adjustments to my way of eating and lost more weight until I got to about 190. Wait! Did I just complain about a 10 year + plateau? Indeed I did. It was a self-inflicted consistency of living and eating as I needed to live and eat to weigh 270. When I made the changes necessary to live and eat as a person who weighed 190, I became such a person. That condition stabilized for a few weeks and I made more changes to become a person who weighs 170. This doesn't seem to be stable and perhaps I'm doing the things necessary to weigh 160. I'll find out with the passage of time.
The point is, if you detect stability at a weight, do make some changes. Eat less (if your goal is to lose weight), exercise cardio more, or grow more muscle.
It was nice of you to share your story, but eat less would be a bad idea as I said one week I even ate under 1000 calories when ill and even when not ill I usually net 1200 and the max is 1500. None of what you said applies. I'm already doing all the right things. Eventually, it will work out and I will start losing again, but there is a certain point at which you should not lower your calories anymore or exercise more without eating more. I'm already there.2 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Mine must be 240. Been there for almost a month now. Like you, I know what I'm doing and I do know it will fall off (soon hopefully), but man is it frustrating. And, as I'm a guy, I can't blame TOM or anything.
I can't blame anything either. IDK why. I think nature. I'll be fine. Headed to the gym in a few (charging my phone a bit). 0
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