How did you overcome your plateau? Did you just wait it out?

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  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
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    Ebwash...I only went back a week into your diary, but did notice for the last 7 days you are over sometimes very over your sodium goal. You may want to cut back in that.

    I've been trying to eat my exercise cals. Should I leave them alone?
  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
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    ENDURE! This isn't backed by any science or anything other than my personal experience, but I overcame mine (after 70lbs lost) by taking it easy for a while. I managed my diet so that I wasn't taking in positive calories every day, but there were definitely days where that's what I did. I moderated my exercise as well and focused on maintenance. Eventually I started to notice the numbers falling again, and at that point I picked up the intensity and lbs started falling off again.

    So you ate at maintenance for a while and non-healthy food, still exercised and it came off?
  • JustMichelleB
    JustMichelleB Posts: 290
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    YOu are eating a very high sodium diet, not good for health or weight loss. I'd try to avoid the processed stuff (lean cuisines, canned soups) in favor of fresher foods. The sodium limit is one I really respect on MFP, more than any other, really! There are a lot of potential health consequences of a high sodium diet, and sodium holds onto water (which will increase your # on the scale).
  • KimAggie04
    KimAggie04 Posts: 165 Member
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    Do not get discouraged and stick with it. I have been tracking my weight loss for 20 months. I always hit plateaus for 2-3 months, and then I jump down a few pounds to a new plateau. My weight loss chart zigs & zags a lot, but still consistantly goes down. Overall, I have lost 14 lbs and have firmed up a lot.

    I am currently lifting weights, and I gained a couple pounds during the first 2 months, and now on the 3rd month I am losing weight again. The best part is that after the 2nd month I realized that I lost 3 inches of my thighs! I lost a few inches in other places, but as a pear shaped woman, this was very exciting. Also, the jeans I bought in the fall are getting too loose. I strongly suggest lifting weights. It's amazing what it does to your body (even if the scale doesn't reflect it).
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    I've been trying to eat my exercise cals. Should I leave them alone?

    Use your best judgement. Eating them back work for some people but not for others. I'm one of those people who gain weight if I eat exercise calories back. JeSuisPrest has a point though... try controlling your macros. Too much sodium will make your body retain water. You may just need to get rid of the bloat. A good exercise would be to look at your food choices carefully, critique what kinds of food you are eating and try to perfect them one item at a time. Good luck!
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    A good place to start on cleaning up your food choices is to replace the white Wonder bread with a whole grain option. I can't even have white enriched bread anymore because it hurts my stomach.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Ebwash...I only went back a week into your diary, but did notice for the last 7 days you are over sometimes very over your sodium goal. You may want to cut back in that.

    I've been trying to eat my exercise cals. Should I leave them alone?

    Not sure that will help your Sodium count. I personally eat back only some of my exercise calories. Early on I ate back most. Now I have my calorie goal set up according to "Olivia's method" ( you can search the groups and read her rules for more info), seeing my daily calorie deficit has been more helpful to me, it also allows me to eat more without gaining on days that I am hungrier. Certainly follow Bjohs advice!
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    The more cooking you can do yourself the better of you will be. Took another quick look at your diary, Eb. Guess where most of that Sodium is coming from? The pre-packaged and restaurant foods!
  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
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    The more cooking you can do yourself the better of you will be. Took another quick look at your diary, Eb. Guess where most of that Sodium is coming from? The pre-packaged and restaurant foods!

    With my lifestyle its hard to cook my lunches or dinners. I work 50 hours a week and go to school at night. By the time I get home on school night its 11:00 which is too late to cook or eat something so I try and grab something on the way to school or bring snacks and lunches already made for me.
  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
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    The more cooking you can do yourself the better of you will be. Took another quick look at your diary, Eb. Guess where most of that Sodium is coming from? The pre-packaged and restaurant foods!

    Also what do you do on weekends when you want to go out with friends and family?
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
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    I was stuck at 220-223 for two months.

    I started a new program last week and lost 6 lbs (mostly water). The causes:

    1) too much sodium from eating out and pre-packaged food

    2) I moved my protein intake to match my carbs

    3) I drank 64 oz of water per day

    4) I began doing more strength training instead of just cardio

    I'm 217 as of yesterday. Last sunday I was 223.
  • victoria233
    victoria233 Posts: 80
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    Wondering the same here...I am 5'9" and have been stuck at 144 for months now. I would like to lose another 4 lbs but it doesn't seem to be happening. Maybe I am where I should be for my height? I also have increased my calories but no difference.

    Sounds about right for your height. Sadly I'm only 5'2 :frown: so I need to lose a good 20 more pounds to be in a healthy range

    I wish i were stuck @ 144! lol :P
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    With my lifestyle its hard to cook my lunches or dinners. I work 50 hours a week and go to school at night. By the time I get home on school night its 11:00 which is too late to cook or eat something so I try and grab something on the way to school or bring snacks and lunches already made for me.

    Prepare meals ahead of time, freeze them and then take them out to defrost while you're working. Also, take a snack pack to work or school and includes things like hard boiled eggs, fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc. Without changing the quality of the food we eat, exercising is futile. The American Heart Association recommends 1500 mg of sodium per day for a healthy heart and there are days where you are having over 6000 mg. If you can cut that back to staying under 2500, I can almost guarantee you will start feeling better as well as start moving on the scale again. You can do it!
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    The more cooking you can do yourself the better of you will be. Took another quick look at your diary, Eb. Guess where most of that Sodium is coming from? The pre-packaged and restaurant foods!

    Also what do you do on weekends when you want to go out with friends and family?

    Look for healthier choices on the menu, or maybe just eat half the portions. As far as cooking, maybe you can plan ahead a little? Many of the recipes on Skinnytaste are very easy to make. I divide up the leftover portions and freeze them in single serve containers for lunch. There is a microwave at work, so I can do this. Maybe over the weekends or at a time when you are home for a bit you can do some cooking ahead of time? It's all in the planning.
  • sjostrich
    sjostrich Posts: 117 Member
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    Calculate your BMR (the cals you'd burn just lying in bed all day) and make sure you eat at least that many calories a day and then some. Your body's probably kicked into the dreaded "starvation mode". And don't be afraid to eat back exercise calories - you'll still be in an acceptable calorie deficit and it won't be such a shock to the system.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    With my lifestyle its hard to cook my lunches or dinners. I work 50 hours a week and go to school at night. By the time I get home on school night its 11:00 which is too late to cook or eat something so I try and grab something on the way to school or bring snacks and lunches already made for me.

    Prepare meals ahead of time, freeze them and then take them out to defrost while you're working. Also, take a snack pack to work or school and includes things like hard boiled eggs, fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc. Without changing the quality of the food we eat, exercising is futile. The American Heart Association recommends 1500 mg of sodium per day for a healthy heart and there are days where you are having over 6000 mg. If you can cut that back to staying under 2500, I can almost guarantee you will start feeling better as well as start moving on the scale again. You can do it!

    I :heart: this lady!!! She has been my inspiration for awhile now. Listen to her advice, she knows of what she speaks! :wink:
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Also what do you do on weekends when you want to go out with friends and family?

    Plan ahead. What restaurant will you be going to? Do they have a website? Do they list their nutritional information on their website? If so, stay away from anything under their Light or Under 500 menu... they are the worst offenders of sodium overload. Instead, look for lean meats or seafood and have a steamed or grilled veggie with it (ask for no seasoning or butter). A side salad will also help but ask for the dressing on the side.

    On special occasions when you are out with friends, don't worry about your meal so much. Just balance it out by adjusting the rest of your day, or refocus the next day. No reason you can't enjoy some indulgent foods once in a while... just not every day. :)
  • AmyO78
    AmyO78 Posts: 2
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    Congrats on your weight loss! I'm jealous!!!!!!

    I had the same problem for about a month. I upped my protein (especially at breakfast time-I was eating yogurt but cut that and switched to turkey bacon or boiled egg whites, heck even had egg mcmuffins from Mcdonald's at time!) and WOW did it ever do the trick! Three and half weeks later I'm still losing consistently!

    Good luck and don't give up!!!!!
  • Ebwash89
    Ebwash89 Posts: 180 Member
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    With my lifestyle its hard to cook my lunches or dinners. I work 50 hours a week and go to school at night. By the time I get home on school night its 11:00 which is too late to cook or eat something so I try and grab something on the way to school or bring snacks and lunches already made for me.

    Prepare meals ahead of time, freeze them and then take them out to defrost while you're working. Also, take a snack pack to work or school and includes things like hard boiled eggs, fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc. Without changing the quality of the food we eat, exercising is futile. The American Heart Association recommends 1500 mg of sodium per day for a healthy heart and there are days where you are having over 6000 mg. If you can cut that back to staying under 2500, I can almost guarantee you will start feeling better as well as start moving on the scale again. You can do it!

    I :heart: this lady!!! She has been my inspiration for awhile now. Listen to her advice, she knows of what she speaks! :wink:


    Watching that sodium from now on and cooking more :glasses:
  • SaSSyhasCurls
    SaSSyhasCurls Posts: 93
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    I was at a plateau for almost 6 mos. So I just started to reevaluate my diet. I notice I was eating too much starch (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) during that time I notice I was eating some form of potatoes whether fried, basked, or boiled everyday. Once I started replacing the potatoes with more vegetables, and started walking up the stairs at work more I finally broke my plateau. I also started drinking more water, and stop drinking sodas.

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