hit a plateau

ellisalockwood
ellisalockwood Posts: 31
in Motivation and Support
So I've lost a total of 17lbs, 15 lbs since I started tracking here, and I have plateaued. I haven't lost any weight in 11 days, I haven't changed anything, still eating only 1200 calories, still doing light workouts (I had surgery about 3 weeks ago, so I'm still on light duty) and nothing. Did any of you do this? Should I attempt to step up my work outs? Eat even less? Does my body still healing have anything to do with it? My husband said that my body may be retaining more because I'm still healing. What do you guys think? Am I expecting too much from 11 days?
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Replies

  • Alison__
    Alison__ Posts: 107
    If you had surgery, then that could be the reason why you haven't lost anything. I don't think you should stress your body, especially not if it needs to put weight-loss on hold in order to heal instead. But I'm no expert at this and that's just what I would've done. Hope it works out! :smile:
  • Soccer_Chick
    Soccer_Chick Posts: 204 Member
    You should consider bumping up your calories to about 1600-1800. Try it for a week or two and see how you feel. Keep hitting your work-outs really hard and eat back the calories you burn in addition to your new upped level of 1600-1800. If you burn 500 in a work-out then you may be eating 2000+ calories that day. Just give it a try. I bet you will be very surprised with how quickly you start dropping weight again. Been there, done it! :)
  • MunchkinHawk12
    MunchkinHawk12 Posts: 434 Member
    Eating less than 1200 calories is detrimental to your weight loss. Your body will start burning muscle and not fat so don't cut the fat out. It might just be that you had surgery and you aren't allowed to workout as hard as you could. I wouldn't be too concerned being that is has only been 11 days since you lost either. Maybe if you were on a plateau for a few months, it would be more concerning. Keep doing what you are doing and wait until you are able to workout again. Keep up the great work!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Yes, you probably are retaining water from healing. You should eat more. More fuel means your body can heal faster. You will be back to norm in no time.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
    Don't eat less, 1200 cals is the minimum a person should ever eat. Its only been 11 days, I've plateaued for One month or so before. When your completely healed then step the work outs up and maybe try eating more.

    Good luck.
  • knapowell
    knapowell Posts: 230 Member
    Switching things up seems to pretty quickly get me going again when I hit a plateau (but 11 days is not really a plateau, especially after surgery). I know it seems counterproductive, but up your calories for at least few days. I also usually add an extra rest day. Sometimes your body just gets in a rut, and needs a change.
  • ImKindOfABigDeal40
    ImKindOfABigDeal40 Posts: 807 Member
    I've been going through the same thing. I stick to my calorie goals religiously and I usually burn about 500-1000 calories at the gym 5 to 6 days a week. Been stuck at the same weight for 3 weeks. Just recently broke through. Instead of jogging like I normally do, I have switch to interval sprints.
  • kjbristol
    kjbristol Posts: 22 Member
    Definitely don't eat less! I used to do that, and not only did it not work, but it wasn't healthy! You will get so annoyed with it! Surgery messed with my weight loss for a while, but once you heal, you will get back on track. Don't push your body before it is ready!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,908 Member
    So I've lost a total of 17lbs, 15 lbs since I started tracking here, and I have plateaued. I haven't lost any weight in 11 days, I haven't changed anything, still eating only 1200 calories, still doing light workouts (I had surgery about 3 weeks ago, so I'm still on light duty) and nothing. Did any of you do this? Should I attempt to step up my work outs? Eat even less? Does my body still healing have anything to do with it? My husband said that my body may be retaining more because I'm still healing. What do you guys think? Am I expecting too much from 11 days?
    You haven't hit a plateau. A plateau is 6 or more weeks of no weightloss after being consistent in calorie deficit. Actually you're not even in a stall. It's only been 11 days. You are expecting too much.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • skatw
    skatw Posts: 28
    I have no idea how your body is reacting to your surgery. I can tell you that I hit a plateau for a couple of weeks myself. So, for a week, I ate what I wanted (not in excess), then went back to my lower calorie plan and started losing again. I think my body had just gotten use to the same routine and intake everday. With the change up, I think it tricked my body into losing weight again.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Let me start off by saying that 11 days without a loss isn't a plateau. It is normal. Not everyone loses a set amount each week. Some people lose a bunch, take a few weeks off, lose a bunch, etc. So, 11 days surely isn't a plateau - 11 weeks, on the other hand, would be.

    Second, you are healing from surgery. No matter how minor or major it was - your body is in healing mode. Give it the proper time to heal correctly. Don't expect miracles out of it right now. Its focus is on making you better from the surgery. Continue eating well, do what little bit of exercise you can do, drink a lot of water (this will help flush meds or whatever out of your system) and give your body a chance to heal. Do NOT rush back into things.
  • ellisalockwood
    ellisalockwood Posts: 31
    I always love the answers to eat more, but I'm such a chicken. I'll give it a try though, maybe I can pack extra veggies or something in my lunch, that way I don't feel guilty about it.

    And it is really difficult to push my workouts, I start to swell up when my body has had enough. So, I will eat more. Thanks for all the advice, and telling me that it's normal, before when I was working out I'd platuea for days, but never weeks, but then I wasn't watching my calories then either, or post op. So thanks, I feel much better about it now.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    So I've lost a total of 17lbs, 15 lbs since I started tracking here, and I have plateaued. I haven't lost any weight in 11 days, I haven't changed anything, still eating only 1200 calories, still doing light workouts (I had surgery about 3 weeks ago, so I'm still on light duty) and nothing. Did any of you do this? Should I attempt to step up my work outs? Eat even less? Does my body still healing have anything to do with it? My husband said that my body may be retaining more because I'm still healing. What do you guys think? Am I expecting too much from 11 days?

    ppls bodies get adjusted to things. eating the exact same 1200 cals and only lite workouts can cause you to adjust and plateau. when your able to i'd try mixing up the workouts more. little higher burns, more muscle some days, etc. eating you might want to occasionaly eat a little more and different stuff to trick your body, wake it up.
  • gcineas
    gcineas Posts: 121
    Let me start off by saying that 11 days without a loss isn't a plateau. It is normal. Not everyone loses a set amount each week. Some people lose a bunch, take a few weeks off, lose a bunch, etc. So, 11 days surely isn't a plateau - 11 weeks, on the other hand, would be.

    Second, you are healing from surgery. No matter how minor or major it was - your body is in healing mode. Give it the proper time to heal correctly. Don't expect miracles out of it right now. Its focus is on making you better from the surgery. Continue eating well, do what little bit of exercise you can do, drink a lot of water (this will help flush meds or whatever out of your system) and give your body a chance to heal. Do NOT rush back into things.


    This... are you kidding me...11 days no weight loss is not plateau.
  • floweringcurrant
    floweringcurrant Posts: 112 Member
    I would definitely try eating more. I noticed that when I ate 1200 calories my weight loss was slower. Now, even if I am not feeling that hungry, I will eat a spoonful of almond butter or a banana in the evening to bump my calorie intake up to 1300 or 1400 (on days when I work out, I eat about 1300 calories plus the calories I burned working out). Since I've been doing this, my weight loss has actually been more dramatic and noticeable. It took overcoming that fear of calories I had in the back of my head to actually lose weight, surprisingly, and now I have to make sure I'm getting enough instead of eating less. Plus, your body is healing and you probably really need that extra food for you body to have the energy to take care of itself. Good luck!
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    Let me start off by saying that 11 days without a loss isn't a plateau. It is normal. Not everyone loses a set amount each week. Some people lose a bunch, take a few weeks off, lose a bunch, etc. So, 11 days surely isn't a plateau - 11 weeks, on the other hand, would be.

    Second, you are healing from surgery. No matter how minor or major it was - your body is in healing mode. Give it the proper time to heal correctly. Don't expect miracles out of it right now. Its focus is on making you better from the surgery. Continue eating well, do what little bit of exercise you can do, drink a lot of water (this will help flush meds or whatever out of your system) and give your body a chance to heal. Do NOT rush back into things.


    This... are you kidding me...11 days no weight loss is not plateau.

    i thought i read three weeks, i misread. no 11 days is not a plateau. that said, mixing routine up still a good idea.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member

    This... are you kidding me...11 days no weight loss is not plateau.

    ^^^This. Not even close
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    It's only been 11 days, I think you should focus and just...be.

    And definitely don't eat less than 1200 cals...you don't want to slow your metabolism down any further.
  • ellisalockwood
    ellisalockwood Posts: 31
    Lol, thanks again, 11 days seemed like a lot compared to what I've been seeing, I've lost 17 lbs in about a month, little more. I'm new to this, I was always pretty tiny, and fit looking without having to work on it, but the past couple of years I've just been packing it on, 135 to 227 in about 4 years.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Just remember that healing is adding another metabolic process. You have to give your body enough fuel or your metabolism will stall out.

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