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you have hit a plateau

mrsyac2
mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Almost everyone reaches a weight loss plateau at some point. As your body adapts to your workouts, it becomes more efficient at it and, therefore, doesn't expend as many calories doing it. You may find that after your initial weight loss, your progress will slow down and eventually stop.
Some common reasons for plateaus include:

Doing the same workouts over and over. Your body needs to be challenged to progress, so make sure you're changing some part of your program every 4-6 weeks.

Not eating enough calories. If your body doesn't have enough fuel to sustain your level of activity, you can actually stop losing weight.

Overtraining. If you exercise too much, the body sometimes responds by decreasing the amount of calories you burn during the rest of your day.

Learn more about whether you've hit a plateau by keeping an exercise calendar and tracking your workouts, how often you change them and whether you're working too hard or need to boost your intensity.

Replies

  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    Almost everyone reaches a weight loss plateau at some point. As your body adapts to your workouts, it becomes more efficient at it and, therefore, doesn't expend as many calories doing it. You may find that after your initial weight loss, your progress will slow down and eventually stop.
    Some common reasons for plateaus include:

    Doing the same workouts over and over. Your body needs to be challenged to progress, so make sure you're changing some part of your program every 4-6 weeks.

    Not eating enough calories. If your body doesn't have enough fuel to sustain your level of activity, you can actually stop losing weight.

    Overtraining. If you exercise too much, the body sometimes responds by decreasing the amount of calories you burn during the rest of your day.

    Learn more about whether you've hit a plateau by keeping an exercise calendar and tracking your workouts, how often you change them and whether you're working too hard or need to boost your intensity.
  • gilly88
    gilly88 Posts: 114
    hi, you seem to know what you're talking about! I posted a few days ago about what actually defines a plateau? maybe you could help. i've been yo-yoing up and down in the same two/three pounds for about six weeks - is this a plateau and do i need to change things up to see a change?
    thanks!
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    how much weight are you trying to lose? Are you working out? Do you challenge yourself with your workouts? Are you strength training?
  • gilly88
    gilly88 Posts: 114
    how much weight are you trying to lose? Are you working out? Do you challenge yourself with your workouts? Are you strength training?

    only maximum ten pounds. i read somewhere that it's better to pick a range of goal weight rather than one number, so anywhere between losing seven and ten pounds is good. i work out three times/week with circuit training/weights and spin. on the other two days i do pilates and go for walks. my strength training is pretty full-body but perhaps you are right, perhaps i am not challenging myself enough? MFP put me at 1200 cals/day but on the advice of people here i upped to 1300/day + exercise cals but i am still on this plateau - if that's what you think it is!
    thanks!
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    I think you actually have little to lose I don't want to call it a plateau-- It will just take longer for it to come off just keep up with it.
  • plussizemommy
    plussizemommy Posts: 185
    I weigh 316, have a new routine every week, count calories, lost 4 pounds last week and this week i've lost nothing!! what gives?
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    I weigh 316, have a new routine every week, count calories, lost 4 pounds last week and this week i've lost nothing!! what gives?

    It takes time you just have to be patient- I know easier said than done trust me I know I have been trying to lose the same lbs for a year-
  • nportillo
    nportillo Posts: 5
    Hi maybe you can help me too :)

    I'm doing elliptical (ski) for 30 min 5 times per week and every time I change the program in the machine to do not do exactly the same all the time. My polar is telling me that i use to burn aroun 440 cals then after finish the elliptical I inmediately move into a weight lifting routine for another 30 min just 3 times a week (1 day I use all types of weight lifting machines and the other 2 days just regular dumb bells routines, etc). The other 2 days I do strenght training like squads, crunches, etc for 30 min.

    I noticed that I'm bouncing between 227 lbs and 232 lbs every week since 2 months ago, what do you think I'm doing wrong because this is descouraging me a lot? I started to exercise on a regular basis 11 months ago and I came from 248lbs to 232 lbs right now, I changed my intake and I'm getting around 1,800 cals per day in 3 meals and 1 snack.

    What do you suggest?
  • running4myhealth
    running4myhealth Posts: 96
    Hi maybe you can help me too :)

    I'm doing elliptical (ski) for 30 min 5 times per week and every time I change the program in the machine to do not do exactly the same all the time. My polar is telling me that i use to burn aroun 440 cals then after finish the elliptical I inmediately move into a weight lifting routine for another 30 min just 3 times a week (1 day I use all types of weight lifting machines and the other 2 days just regular dumb bells routines, etc). The other 2 days I do strenght training like squads, crunches, etc for 30 min.

    I noticed that I'm bouncing between 227 lbs and 232 lbs every week since 2 months ago, what do you think I'm doing wrong because this is descouraging me a lot? I started to exercise on a regular basis 11 months ago and I came from 248lbs to 232 lbs right now, I changed my intake and I'm getting around 1,800 cals per day in 3 meals and 1 snack.

    What do you suggest?

    I would try a new machine, something besides the elliptical. Try walking on the treadmill at an incline of 10% - 15%. When I started my weight loss journey at 225lbs that is what I did. Slowly I started running once I became comfortable walking at that high incline. Your body may be used to the elliptical and not giving you the results you want.

    Also, HIIT is a great alternative (High Intensity Interval Training). Try upping the intensity of the elliptical or whatever cardio machine you use for a minute and speeding it up (sprinting), then slowing down for recovery 2-3 min, and repeat. You will burn more calories that way.
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    If your only doing cardio for 30 min 3 times a week try doing cardio for longer exapmple 45 minutes- Change the setting dont do the same routine everyday/week your body gets used to it. Kick up the resistance, kick up the speed, Challenge yourself.
    Your body can become bored with the same routine which means no weight loss. Lift heavier weights when strength training your last set should be difficult , When doing abs/crunches try using a vertical bench and use a weighted ball.

    Also try measuring yourself maybe the scale isn't budging but your losing inches
  • nportillo
    nportillo Posts: 5
    Thanks for the tips
  • nportillo
    nportillo Posts: 5
    Hi maybe you can help me too :)

    I'm doing elliptical (ski) for 30 min 5 times per week and every time I change the program in the machine to do not do exactly the same all the time. My polar is telling me that i use to burn aroun 440 cals then after finish the elliptical I inmediately move into a weight lifting routine for another 30 min just 3 times a week (1 day I use all types of weight lifting machines and the other 2 days just regular dumb bells routines, etc). The other 2 days I do strenght training like squads, crunches, etc for 30 min.

    I noticed that I'm bouncing between 227 lbs and 232 lbs every week since 2 months ago, what do you think I'm doing wrong because this is descouraging me a lot? I started to exercise on a regular basis 11 months ago and I came from 248lbs to 232 lbs right now, I changed my intake and I'm getting around 1,800 cals per day in 3 meals and 1 snack.

    What do you suggest?

    I would try a new machine, something besides the elliptical. Try walking on the treadmill at an incline of 10% - 15%. When I started my weight loss journey at 225lbs that is what I did. Slowly I started running once I became comfortable walking at that high incline. Your body may be used to the elliptical and not giving you the results you want.

    Also, HIIT is a great alternative (High Intensity Interval Training). Try upping the intensity of the elliptical or whatever cardio machine you use for a minute and speeding it up (sprinting), then slowing down for recovery 2-3 min, and repeat. You will burn more calories that way.

    I'm doing HIIT in the elliptical, I do 5 min @ 130-135 bpm and then the next 5 min @ 155-160 bpm and repeat it for 30 min. My Polar indicates that I'm burning aprox 440 cal and every session (day) I change the routine and the intensity. what else is wrong in your opinion besides the fact that I'm always using the elliptical? After the cardio, I do the weights or the strenght fitness...
  • nportillo
    nportillo Posts: 5
    If your only doing cardio for 30 min 3 times a week try doing cardio for longer exapmple 45 minutes- Change the setting dont do the same routine everyday/week your body gets used to it. Kick up the resistance, kick up the speed, Challenge yourself.
    Your body can become bored with the same routine which means no weight loss. Lift heavier weights when strength training your last set should be difficult , When doing abs/crunches try using a vertical bench and use a weighted ball.

    Also try measuring yourself maybe the scale isn't budging but your losing inches

    Thanks for the tips, what do you suggest cardio first and then the weights/strength or cardio at the end?
This discussion has been closed.

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