3 Weeks in, already hit a plateau?

Behxo
Behxo Posts: 1,190 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I started working out on June 6th, using only the elliptical for 40 mins from Tuesday to Friday, but the following Monday I started adding circuit training to the mix. Within the first week of just using the elliptical I dropped 4lbs, but for the last two weeks I've hit a plateau. I've been working out Mon-Fri, elliptical for 40 mins in the afternoon and then about 25-30 mins of circuit training at 5pm doing the 30 Day Shred. My rest days are Saturday & Sunday. I've been eating about 1,300 calories a day with plenty of protein, and weekends I don't blow out of the water but I do allow a bit more calorie wiggle room.

Some days I don't log because I just end up eating the same exact thing as the day before, weekends I am a bit lazy so I should probably start doing so but I know I don't eat enough to destroy the big deficit I've made for myself throughout the week. I haven't dropped a pound yet (haven't gained either) and with being 40-50lbs+ overweight, I feel like it should be coming off so easily right at the beginning.

Just confused, I don't know if it's because I just started circuit training 2 weeks ago, maybe it's water retention or something. I've also been noticing that I might be lactose intolerant, for the past week I've been eating yogurt at night before bed to get extra protein but almost immediately after, I get nauseous and bloated/gassy. I had shredded cheese and provolone on top of a turkey burger last night and had the same reaction... so maybe dairy is causing my weight to plateau from bloating? Sorry about the rant, just annoyed from working so hard to go nowhere right from the get go. Thanks for any help provided!

Replies

  • Behxo
    Behxo Posts: 1,190 Member
    suzannesimmons3 wrote: »
    A plateau is weeks of not losing not one week after 3 weeks. You're a woman and therefore are subjected to the *kitten* storm of hormones we all are.

    Oh okay, I didn't know a plateau meant 3 weeks! Lol and very true, I did just get done with my t.o.m. a few days ago so maybe that has something to do with it too
  • Behxo
    Behxo Posts: 1,190 Member
    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    You're working hard but if you don't log on some days "because you just eat the same things" (I've heard this SO MANY times before) then why not just log those same things? You can "copy from date" it takes 30 seconds. You are in denial about eating more than you think because you didn't write it down, but guess what? your body did! Don't destroy your hard work by being lazy and inconsistent with your logging, data is your friend.

    The thing is, is that I do eat the exact same thing some days. I shop purposefully to buy nothing extra and only what I will be eating during that day and make the same dinner in bulk, if I eat a different dinner then of course I log it. But again, I haven't logged weekends which I stated that I will probably change that, I understand what you are saying though... I will start to do better with logging.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Behxo wrote: »
    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    You're working hard but if you don't log on some days "because you just eat the same things" (I've heard this SO MANY times before) then why not just log those same things? You can "copy from date" it takes 30 seconds. You are in denial about eating more than you think because you didn't write it down, but guess what? your body did! Don't destroy your hard work by being lazy and inconsistent with your logging, data is your friend.

    The thing is, is that I do eat the exact same thing some days. I shop purposefully to buy nothing extra and only what I will be eating during that day and make the same dinner in bulk, if I eat a different dinner then of course I log it. But again, I haven't logged weekends which I stated that I will probably change that, I understand what you are saying though... I will start to do better with logging.

    You may eat the exact same things, but do you eat them in the exact same quantity down to the gram?

    3 weeks is not a stall. Hormones are a *kitten*. ;)
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Start by getting a food scale, and weighing and logging everything. See what that tells you about your calorie intake. Adjust from there.

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  • cardiacmommy
    cardiacmommy Posts: 52 Member
    Try lactaid pills with your dairy and see if that helps. My daughter kept having stomach discomfort and she narrowed it down to dairy. Since she's been taking lactaid she's felt a lot better. Costco has a great price on their brand but you might start with a small pack to make sure it's gonna help.
  • Behxo
    Behxo Posts: 1,190 Member
    cerise_noir I'll have to buy a scale, and you aren't kidding! Hormones are all over the place too often lol

    quicksylver296, thank you for the useful chart!

    Cardiacmommy, I think I will try that but not sure if I should just cut dairy out all together. I suffer from multiple autoimmune diseases such as asthma, eczema, and alopecia universalis (loss of all hair) so I'm thinking for now I should just stop eating it, although I personally love greek yogurt... so I might cave someday and just try it with lactaid lol
  • kfizza1
    kfizza1 Posts: 48 Member
    I had the EXACT same problem in my second and third week! First week I lost 3 lbs with diet and exercise and didn't lose anything again until the 4th week. Now i'm 6 weeks in, extremely consistent with 1200 calories, stepped up my cardio game, and I've lost almost 10 lbs. I think the weight we lose in the first few days is just water weight, and the fat loss comes after. Fat loss is the healthiest when slow and steady, so just stay patient, keep going and keep in mind that you're in this for the long run. There's absolutely no short-term and quick solution to it.

    Also, I agree with some comments above that you must get into a habit of logging your food, even if repetitive. I eat almost the same food everyday and yet my calories are different each day. I even log on cheat days to know what's going inside my body. Hang in there! Your hard work WILL pay off! Good luck! :)
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Behxo wrote: »
    cerise_noir I'll have to buy a scale, and you aren't kidding! Hormones are all over the place too often lol

    quicksylver296, thank you for the useful chart!

    Cardiacmommy, I think I will try that but not sure if I should just cut dairy out all together. I suffer from multiple autoimmune diseases such as asthma, eczema, and alopecia universalis (loss of all hair) so I'm thinking for now I should just stop eating it, although I personally love greek yogurt... so I might cave someday and just try it with lactaid lol

    so sounds like you aren't weighing your food the first time you log it, let alone what you eat the days you don't log. that is the problem - start there.
  • Behxo
    Behxo Posts: 1,190 Member
    kfizza1 and earlnabby, thank you so much for the reassuring responses! I feel better now than what I did earlier this morning, I will try my best with logging and stick with my current workouts
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    -My weight almost always stalls after my TOM. Every month, usually for about two weeks. Then I have a larger scale loss the next two ish weeks.
    -An untracked weekend for me can be enough to wipe out the defecit I've created during the week. If I want to be successful I have to log to make sure I'm in check. (You could even bump up to maintenance if you want to have some higher cal days, just be sure to keep logging.)
    -Food scale. You say you're eating the exact same things, but if you aren't weighing you don't know that it actually is the *exact* same. I prep food and eat the same meals very frequently, but I still take the time to weigh out each food.
    -Patience
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    TresaAswegan wrote: »
    -My weight almost always stalls after my TOM. Every month, usually for about two weeks. Then I have a larger scale loss the next two ish weeks.
    -An untracked weekend for me can be enough to wipe out the defecit I've created during the week. If I want to be successful I have to log to make sure I'm in check. (You could even bump up to maintenance if you want to have some higher cal days, just be sure to keep logging.)
    -Food scale. You say you're eating the exact same things, but if you aren't weighing you don't know that it actually is the *exact* same. I prep food and eat the same meals very frequently, but I still take the time to weigh out each food.
    -Patience

    In addition to the great advice here, if you just started circuit training, you may be retaining water from the new exercise routine.
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