PLATEAU!!!!!!!!

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brendaschmitt1
brendaschmitt1 Posts: 218
in Motivation and Support
Hello Myfitness pals.

Just wondering how everyone breaking their plateaus:

1.How long was your longest plateau and what did you change to break it? Also:


2.How many plateaus have you had on you weight loss journey?
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Replies

  • stephenwebbe
    stephenwebbe Posts: 31 Member
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    Hey;

    I just went through two plateaus. The first one was difficult, the second was less difficult.

    The one thing that I tried to keep in mind is that no matter what, whether I lost weight or not, what I was doing for my body was beneficial and increasing my health. So my advice is not to lost hope or motivation, keep on dieting.

    Second thing I did for myself is I really examined what I was eating, and tried to figure out not how I could further reduce what I was eating, but how I could substitute something better for something worse. For example, I tried to cut down the amount of sodium in my diet.

    Finally, to break my plateau, I engaged in a hard physical activity. So on the day I decided to break my plateau, I kept my regular calories, and then went for a 32 km bike ride towing my 1.5 year old in a bike trailer behind me. This intense exercise broke my plateau twice, and I felt encouraged.

    For me, the most important thing is focusing on my overall health, and trying not to get obsessive about my weight.

    Steve

    21687937.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • MommyRobin
    MommyRobin Posts: 584 Member
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    I have only had one real plateau in the last year. It lasted 5 weeks. I believe it happened because I am only a couple lbs. away from my final goal. I added 100 calories to my intake. I started running on my toes instead of heel first. My elliptical machine broke. So it's just running and some DVD workouts, ab routines, and arm weights. My plateau ended yesterday when I finally hit 137!!! Just 2 more lbs.!
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
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    I believe I have been through one plateau since starting back in April.. It was horrible. I drank about 4L of water everyday and calorie cycled for two weeks. Usually not exercising (believe it or not) helped me too.
  • erikatoth
    erikatoth Posts: 26 Member
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    I had a 5 week plateau which i actually didnt realise for weeks! I decided to go back in my MFP records, and record for each days if i had bread, meat, refined sugar or alcohol that day (or all!). what i found is that bread and meat was almost a daily thingm with increased refined sugar (ie choc bar) in the last 3 weeks on the plateau. So made a decision that out of bread, meat, alcohol and chocolate i will only ever have two a day - so either bread and choc, but no alcohol or meat, or any other combination of two). This broke the plateau for me.
  • kmshred
    kmshred Posts: 393 Member
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    to avoid plateauing, i "spike" one day a week. doubling my maintenance calories and i eat whatever i want.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    Started on 1/1/11. at 303.4 lbs. I am 5'6''.

    I've plateaued several times over the past year and a half. The most recent plateau. Since April I had only lost .2lbs, Until this week. I've lost 1.4lbs. And I had to do exactly what I've done before to break plateaus. UP MY CALORIES!! I had been at 1800 for several months when I plateaued. SOOO. I upped to 2000 calories. And look at that. I've lost almost a pound and a half this week! Score!

    also, I keep a close eye on my sodium, and try to go over only one day a week (when I go out to lunch or dinner)

    Currently at 190.6lbs. Looking to lose another 20-30lbs.

    I do strength training and cardio. Strength training 3-4 days a week, cardio 6-7days a week. I even started running about 6 months ago!! I realized I'm not working out any longer, but I'm working out HARDER in the time I work out -- lifting A LOT heavier, and doing more intense cardio, therefore, I had to UP my calories. I'm living proof (as are a lot of people on this site) that starving yourself is pointless when you can eat a lose weight the healthy way!! :)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    to avoid plateauing, i "spike" one day a week. doubling my maintenance calories and i eat whatever i want.

    this is good. also, changing up your exercise is a great way to avoid or break up a plateau. if you run, go swimming; if you do strength training, try some kettle bells.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I call them "walls", and I hit them on my way down 3 times.
    From 272 down to 230 - easy weight loss, then suddenly NOTHING!
    I was stuck. I punched through, then hit another "wall" at 210 lbs - terrible!
    My final wall was 200 - my goal weight. It took me 3 months!
    Here is a great article on breaking through.
    http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html
    Good Luck!
  • jlong7774
    jlong7774 Posts: 64 Member
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    It has happened to me a couple times but usually for about three weeks. I am not sure what to say to help besides hang in there and stay the course with MFP. All I did was keep working hard, watching your calories and trying to increase your exercise.
  • prismpence
    prismpence Posts: 1
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    I have only been on my journey for a few months, but I have plateaued several times. I tried more excersize, but it didn't seem to help. I think you just have to wait out the plateaus. I keep walking and eating right and then eventually I get beyond it.

    God Bless!
  • elmichles
    elmichles Posts: 1 Member
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    Thanks for the encouragement that a plateau is possible to break.
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    I Plateaued once when I hit about 185lbs (I started at 220). I was netting around 1200 cals a day up to that point, then I just stopped losing weight. I lowered my goal from 2 lbs a week loss to 1lb, giving me extra calories, and i started losing again. Since then my loss has been fairly steady.

    ETA: My plateau lasted about 3 weeks before it finally broke
  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
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    REALITY CHECK
    I looked at your diary and you can't eat fast food! McDonald's and Dairy Queen are junk food. Switch to clean eating and you'll be able to eat more. It's 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. Good luck to you!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Thanks for the encouragement that a plateau is possible to break.

    a plateau is possible to break, but people must be clear on what a plateau really is. if you just haven't lost weight in a week or two, that is not a plateau, especially in the beginning.

    in the beginning your body is getting a huge shock to the system, so you'll lose weight really quickly. as the body gets used to the new calorie intake, the healthier food, and exercise routine, it will become more efficient. thats ok. you job is to learn how to make the most of your body.

    a good mix of cardio, strength training, rest, and good food will usually provide a very steady, if not outstanding, weight loss.
  • twinmama1987
    twinmama1987 Posts: 566 Member
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    Hello Myfitness pals.

    Just wondering how everyone breaking their plateaus:

    1.How long was your longest plateau and what did you change to break it? Also:


    2.How many plateaus have you had on you weight loss journey?


    My longest one was .. 5.5 mos. :( took FOREVER... I tried everything, i changed my workouts, my diet.. & it wouldnt budge! i was stuck!! I ended up ordering some body by vi adding a shake in the morning, and i lost 5 lbs that month! .. i guess all i had to do was something drastically different..
    I had done 3 rounds of p90x, i did turbofire for 4 mos (& lost nothing .. inches or lbs) now I am on my 3rd round of insanity, w. 14 lbs to go, i thought maybe i was plateauing again, but i actually think its just slowed down to a crawl for that last little bit!
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
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    I just looked at your diary and from first glance its really good! My first thought "Wow, she is super consistent at eating a low cal diet." "Good for her". I see your exercising a lot too. So yeah, t seems like you should lose weight...my thoughts are you have "stalled out".

    These things helped me:

    Change up your exercise-do more of a different type. If you walk, use the elliptical. If you bike, use the treadmill...etc etc. Strength train! The after-burn is awesome!

    Get an HRM to get an accurate reading and do not rely on MFP or machine estimates. They often overestimate and it really screws up your calories in/out readings.

    Raise your calories, especially if you exercise more. Eat back your calories! I know the normal thought process is "If I eat more, I will gain". It is sooo not true. I am an exercise addict and I was on a 1600 cal diet. I hit the gym 6 days a week (2-3 hours a day) burning like 1000+ HRM calories each time. I hit a 6 month plateau. After reading article on the whole "eat to lose" theory of losing weight. I thought "why not, I have tried everything else". I upped then to 2100 calories and guess what? I lost 8 lbs in a month! Try it, why continue to do the same thing over and over if it doesn't work?


    "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". -Albert Einstein
  • subcult
    subcult Posts: 262 Member
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    This is only the 2nd time ive tried to lose weight first time was ages 17 to 21 I hit several then. That was before the Internet was much use . I hit my goal weight of 180 doing mostly the wrong thing and gained most but not all of it back over ten + years. This time I'm either lucky or just doing enought variety. Since ive had a much faster and very steady weight loss. I expect to hit one in the next 20 pounds. Though thanks to these forums I have a few tricks to counter it.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
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    Plateaus don't exist. It's in your head. Eat better food, eat less, exercise more, or just stay off the scale if you're sure you're doing everything right. Focus on other NSV's for a bit to keep your confidence.

    It's probably a combination of factors. Bodies are complex, and you have multiple variables in play.

    Just like 2000 years ago people thought dancing a certain way would bring rain, or sacrificing a virgin to the volcano gods would prevent destruction. They sacrificed the virgin, no destruction, and the local religious leaders were hailed as saviors of the community, with further tips to the gullible masses on how to live their lives.

    Good luck.

    --P
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
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    Just broke through one this morning after six weeks of sitting at or slightly above my lowest point. I knew that what had started it was going on vacation with family, but was totally fine with that (as it was expected) but got really frustrated when it just kept going. I was eating the same foods and the same calorie levels as I had been the whole time I'd been losing weight but no change.

    Finally, I realized that my last drop in weight coincided exactly with when I'd last worked out (this is why it's a good idea to log everything with the date). I didn't think the workouts were making any difference because I was so inconsistent/sporadic with the timing; I'd do three days in a week then nothing for two weeks then one workout, plus it was virtually all weightlifting so it's not a huge calorie burner. So I stopped doing it and thought nothing of it. Well, when I realized that a few days ago, I did one again, and suddenly dropped a pound and a half today, effectively breaking that damn plateau.

    I have no idea why it has that effect, but I guess it works. *shrug*
  • ccmandel
    ccmandel Posts: 143 Member
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    What everyone else said...

    I've had two plateaus of over a month each...frustrating but look for other successes besides that blasted scale number...are you clothes fitting better? If you are working out, do you feel trimmer?

    I you follow the plan, it will come off...

    Increase strength training
    Change up your exercise routine
    Up your calories or eat some of your exercise calories, especially with with a vigorous workout

    If yu are at the end of what you need to lose, it WILL come off slowly. Be patient ...I lost nothing for a month and then was rewarded with a loss of 2.2

    Good luck!

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