The Dreaded Plateau! Help!

Options
2»

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Options
    Every plateau I have been through, the longest of which was 2 months, I broke through it by upping my calories. Last time I had to drop it down to a 0.5 lb/week loss to get the scale moving again. Almost every plateau thread on MFP has the same advice:

    Eat more
    Zig zag calories
    Change up your workout routine

    Every time you change something, say upping your calories, give it a full 2 weeks try before you give up and move on.
  • joesan563
    joesan563 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    I have not lost or gained any weight in the last 6 weeks. I have done what everyone has said uped my calories lowered my calories. ate all my exercise calories ate only half my exercise calories and still nothing. Can some one tell me what else I could do to change this?
  • AwesomelyAmber
    AwesomelyAmber Posts: 1,617 Member
    Options
    :smile: I found this on another site and really liked it.. the words are not my own, but they are helpful in times like this! :smile:

    "When you get to a plateau, think of it as a landing on the stairway to your goal. And maintenance is a lifelong plateau, so a bit of "rehearsal" for maintenance isn't the worst thing in the world."

    And as long as you keep doing what you are doing... you WILL break it and continue dropping the pounds! Don't dispair! :bigsmile:
  • carey1932
    carey1932 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    I just broke through a plateau by just keep doing what I am supposed to be doing. I am eating sensibly & healthly and for the first time ever I finally get it that my eating habits are just as important as the weight loss. Shockingly, the plateau didn't bother me at all when in previous times it would have caused me to get frustrated and give up, because I know I am "doing the right thing" regardless of the scale. In a calorie deficit, the weight loss HAS to follow.

    I won't "eat more calories" as seems to be the first response here, but I do find that an occassional shake up day, like a dinner out, is beneficial. The zig zag works too.

    People flipping at you that "2 weeks is not a plateau" may not "technical" length of time, but not losing when you know you are doing everything right is the main reason people give up, so it's STILL a plateau for the individual.

    I would suggest to just keep doing what you know is right. Our bodies adjust then break through.

    Congrats on your weight loss!!
  • k8bugz
    k8bugz Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    I needed this this morning! I'm also on a plateau - been gaining/losing 3lbs for nearly 2 months. I was just about to get really down about it, and this thread helped me maintain my spirits. I especially liked the post about this being practice for maintaining!

    But I also realized, in that same time, I have: moved, herniated a disc in my neck which limited my cardio for a little while, and means I can't do any upper body strength training for a long time, resumed training for a half marathon next weekend (I can't wait!), been completely stressed (i'm in the final months of finishing a phd), and am surviving football season (weekends of tailgating). So yeah, I'm okay with where I am.

    I think since I am running a half marathon next weekend, I might play around with upping my calories a bit. I had been eating above my goal the day before my long runs, and I might do something like that next weekend. But I'm not going to change my exercise much beyond my plan to taper off a little bit.

    The most important thing is to hang in there, and focus on how you are feeling, and not those silly little numbers on a box.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Options
    I have hit a couple and I lowered my calories by 300 and then had a weekend pizza and beer binge and it started dropping again.
  • Molly_Pitcher
    Molly_Pitcher Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    I have hit a couple and I lowered my calories by 300 and then had a weekend pizza and beer binge and it started dropping again.

    I don't know if that will work but it sure sounds fun!!!
    Thanks for all the advice and support, I'll keep trying things until something works. Today I upped my calories by eating chinese...
    Everyone like that justification for eating some chinese food? Ha... Back to it tomorrow :tongue:

Categories