Can a Plateau literally last forever?

the answer is no. but it sure can seem like it is lasting forever when you hit a plateau. if you are actually overweight and your plateau is 8 weeks running, then it is time for changing something. assuming no thyroid or other medical issue, the real key is to be as accurate as possible on the calories in and calories out.

1. research plateau busting from multiple sources (avoid any adice that is trying to sell you something)

2. get your body fat tested by a professional. actual weight is not as important as your true body fat %.

3. try a different approach like eat stop eat or leangains to see if that will help. it surely will not hurt you. it will always be about calories in and calories out but intermittent fasting seemed to help me bust a plateau.

^^^^^^
THIS - And wow Dave, great post.

I really get offended when people say my plateau of almost a year is because I'm not working hard enough or am eating at "maintenance'. That's bull. And they have no clue how intense my effort is.

I work out 6 days a week, 2x zumba, 1x kickboxing, 2x SL 5x5, 1x isolation lifts, 1 rest day. I work two jobs and wear a Fitbit, so I know how frigging active I am. I weigh, measure everything, obsessively. Last year I ran 3x a week and lifted 2x a week. Changing programs did not break the plateau. I did lose some inches when I started SL zumba/kickboxing this year, but nothing in 3 months now. And the scale is unchanged.

I've eaten at 1200 + exercise calories, I've eaten at 1500 no exercise calories, 1700 no exercise calories, 1400 + exercise calories, low carb/high protein, low sugar. I've eaten at maintenance for 3 months (maintenance is 1950 calories + exercise). I try everything for at least 2 months before changing again. I've tried not eating breakfast, I've tried snacking, and not snacking. I don't eat fast food or sodas or processed white stuff, ever. I eat mostly organic and tons of veggies and fruit. RIght now, I'm trying 1000 calories plus exercise calories which is why my @$#(& diary is locked, so I don't get yelled at by the higher calorie people. I've been eating that for a month and still, nothing.

Oh and I've already had my metabolism tested. Last year. RMR was 1800...:noway:

Next step, the doctor.

My best guess after looking at your diary is that you are just plain eating too much. Even on days when you eat relatively fewer calories (1200-1400), it looks like you might be underestimating, perhaps by a large margin, the amounts you're eating of the high calorie foods (salad dressings, dips, butter, coleslaw, pasta/couscous/rice, potato chips, etc).

On the flip side of that coin, you may be overestimating your exercise calories.

Not to mention the vast majority of your intake is junk (Slim Fast and Silk drinks included), but my first point would have a much greater effect on your weight. The junk part is more about long lasting health.

Do you own a kitchen scale?

OK I plateaued since APRIL 14, losing/gaining same 1 lb with travel, TOM, water gain whatever. This is ridiculous. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1500, I took 2 weeks "off" at the beginning of this month from logging and zumba/kickboxing classes, I've "zig zagged" my calories, and still here it is now going on 3 months and nothing. I'm 14 lbs away from my "first goal" and after that I was going to set a second goal of 15-20 more lbs. as my first goal would have put me at 150 lbs and I'm 5'2 and right now weigh 164 which is still overweight. I've not lost any inches in 6 weeks either. I work out 5-6 days a week.

This is always what has happened to me in the past, I'd lose 20-25 lbs and then stall FOREVER, and usually give up and gain it all back and then another 5 lbs. Years ago I did WW and it took me 8 months to lose 17 lbs and I followed the plan, watching people around me lose that amount in a month or two. Is is possible for the body to plateau or adjust to a weight that is still overweight and you can NEVER lose it all except for starvation/being anorexic or having surgery?

Rather than the confusion and overestimates of eating back exercise calories, have you tried just working out your TDEE and taking a defict from there?

Work out your TDEE here - http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ - this calculator cgives you the TDEE at your goal weight, but if you put in your current weight it will give you your estimated current maintenance.

Eat at estimated maintenance for a week, and then start again by deducting a 500 defict.

Also, if you use the seach button and type in plateau, you'll find many threads full of advice,

Good Luck.

Bob Harper has a workout dvd called Total Body Transformation that Is supposed to be specifically for breaking plateaus. It is pretty intense so I would think it would certainly help.

I would echo what a previous poster said: figure your TDEE and don't worry about eating back your exercise cals. Eat at TDEE for at least 2 weeks, and adjust from there. Good luck!

looking quickly at your diary, I'd say you make a lot of decent choices for a maintenance lifestyle, but you may be a bit low on FIBER. i would up the whole foods in your diet for a little while, remembering that it's not forever.

if you have something like snap peas & hummus instead of chips with a salad instead of a sandwich, even just a couple times a week, it should make small differences (that add up to big differences). if you can do it all week, go for it! even if you go one week on / one week off.

just play with it a bit, and keep your body guessing!

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Try tracking tracking sodium, sugar, and fiber on your diary then increase your fiber intake and cut back on sodium and refined sugars. Cut back (or eliminate) potatoes/potato products for a few weeks to see if that gets your weight moving again. I have endocrine issues and have found that a baked potato stalls my loss and swells me up. Switch out the Slimfast shakes for a high quality protein shake and/or smoothies made with greek yogurt (you can't taste it, honest!!). Good luck, you can do this!!

bump

I just have to say after she opened her diary up it was clear I was right. Most if the time we get "stuck" is because we are in denial about our eating and/or workout habits. Hate on me if you want, but it's truth. Medical *kitten* can happen, but for the majority of us it's just not the case.

And plz remember I am speaking from experience, from a place of understanding, I'm not just talking out my *kitten*. I've been there. Until you get real with yourself change won't happen, period.

Whenever I feel I've hit a plateau, it always leads back to diet. Always, always, always.

There have been many times when I thought I was eating pretty good but upon reexamination of my food diary proved me wrong.

Unless diet is mostly on-point, progress will stall. At least that's what I've learned.

Here's what I did to break my plateau. I hope it works for you:

You could try seriously increasing your fruit and veggie intake, replacing all processed foods with plant-based foods. Shoot for one pound a day of raw veggies and one pound of cooked veggies, and three servings of fresh fruit. Eat beans and nuts for protein. In the same week, don't work out vigorously, just walk a lot (like a few miles a day) or go for an easy run every day.

I just have to say after she opened her diary up it was clear I was right. Most if the time we get "stuck" is because we are in denial about our eating and/or workout habits. Hate on me if you want, but it's truth. Medical *kitten* can happen, but for the majority of us it's just not the case.

And plz remember I am speaking from experience, from a place of understanding, I'm not just talking out my *kitten*. I've been there. Until you get real with yourself change won't happen, period.

Will you marry me?