Ugh...a plateau!

lisanorman6
lisanorman6 Posts: 47 Member
in Motivation and Support
I need some ideas for how to break through the weight plateau I've hit. I started my weight loss journey in mid-May and have lost 22lbs since then. But I've been stuck at the same weight for almost three weeks now!

Here's the "skinny" on my routine:
-I consume 1400 calories a day.
-I workout 5 days a week. 60 min of cardio (usually swimming laps, elliptical, or go to an aerobics class). I also do strength training for 30 minutes on the days I work out.
-Typically, according to MFP, I burn almost 800-1000 calories per workout. Holy buckets.
-I vary my workouts. It's all about muscle confusion!
-I consume 6-8 glasses of water each day.
-I have 100lbs to lose (well, 78 now...)


I have actually been struggling to eat enough during the day. I take a medication that increases appetite but I can only take it at night. It's not uncommon for me to snack in the late evening. Even then though, I always track my calorie intake and rarely do I go over my 1400 calories. I'll admit, I don't always snack on the best stuff. Think more along the lines of low cal fudgesicles, fruit, cheese (if I'm really hungry), or 100 calorie snack cookies.

So, where should I tweek? A friend of mine said that hitting these plateau's is not normal. If you're not losing, you're not working hard enough she says. Whatever! I am exhausted when I finish working out!

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

Replies

  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    Just know that everyone has them, and while they suck, the only thing you can do is just wait them out. It's not a race, remember. Stay focused, stay positive, and the scale will move again. Your weight is only part of the equation, you may be losing fat and gaining muscle while you exercise--which burns more calories.
    Hang in there, look ahead months instead of days. You can do it!
  • MCproptart
    MCproptart Posts: 92 Member
    Plateaus (Plateaux?) happen. A shift in salt intake/water intake/(BP meds w/diuretic) can make the scale wobble for a few days. :huh: On a semi-related topic, did you know that Sumo wrestlers pack on their weight by working out all day, then packing in the food at night. My tweak for you would be to redistribute your calories--lots in the morning, and dwindling amounts as the day progresses. Maybe even going so far as making sure that eating is not the last thing you do before bed. For me, it's as much "when" as "what" I eat. Also, I feel less hungry and seem to lose better when I drink lots of water in a day--like a gallon. Granted, I live in Arizona, but the extra H2O makes me feel better.

    Hope this helps, and keep up the good work!:bigsmile:
  • lisanorman6
    lisanorman6 Posts: 47 Member
    I have lost inches through all of this. Always a bonus!

    I think that the "when" of eating is as important as the "what.". Not eating late in the evening is going to so difficult for me to do. It has been a habit for a very long time. There is a part of me that doesn't want to change that habit. Hmmmmm. The reluctance to change tells me there is a heart issue involved. Maybe what I really need to ask myself is why....

    Too bad self reflection doesn't automatically warrant skinnier pants. Bummer.
  • ashesfromfire
    ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
    plateaus suck. Plain and simple. Don't listen to your friend, they happen nonetheless. There's so things you could change potentially. snacking late at night, even if you're not going over your daily calories can be stunting your progress. The closer to bed time you eat, the fewer calories from that food you are burning. If you drink coffee in the morning, (or any other caffeine) try limiting that to only one cup a day. Diet soda is bad for you, even if it's zero calories really stunts your progress. try eating a heavier calorie meal in the morning, and eat multiple times during the day, tapering your calories down as the day dwindles. Hope that helps.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
    Hard to give good advice without being able to see your diary, but some general thoughts...
    -first the obvious.....if you are not already make sure you are measuring every single thing that you eat/drink to get an accurate. Also 800-1000 calories sounds like a lot burned in 60-90 minutes. Not saying that you aren't, but be very cautious if you are using the MFP numbers and maybe consider a heartrate monitor.
    -if you are actually eating 1400 and buring 800 in exercise, you are probably not eating enough. That would give you a net of 600 for the day. You need to eat more to fuel those workouts and keep your body running properly. Try to get your net closer to the 1400.
    -Try to spread your calories throughout the day; 5-6 small meals, or 3 meals and 2-3 snacks.
    -As much as possible, get your calories from lean protein, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, and whole grains. Try to eliminate as much of the white stuff (white sugar, white flour) as possible.
    -If you are going with the MFP macros, then you most likely need to get more protein.

    Plateau's are totally normal. It just means you need to change up something that you are doing. Though three weeks isn't a terribly long plateau, so I wouldn't get too worried just yet. Not sure how your monthly cycle effects you, but that is something to keep in mind. For a period of time I used to plateau in the two weeks before my period, gain the week of, then have a big drop the week after. Once I figured out that was my pattern, it became slightly less frustrating.
  • lisanorman6
    lisanorman6 Posts: 47 Member
    That begs another question.....

    Is MFP accurate in caloric burn during a workout? I thought burning 800 and up seemed astronomical, but it sure helped my ego. Given my workouts, I burn 2/3 of what I eat.

    I will give higher protein intake a shot as well as not eating after 8 pm.

    My monthly cycle is a non-issue since I've had a hysterectomy. Perhaps because I am in menopause, weight loss takes longer.
  • MCproptart
    MCproptart Posts: 92 Member
    My monthly cycle is a non-issue since I've had a hysterectomy. Perhaps because I am in menopause, weight loss takes longer.

    I have heard that it is much harder to lose during menopause. Great job with your lost pounds and inches so far... some of the plateau could be fat lost and muscle built.

    Keep at it!
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
    Many here have commented that the MFP estimates are high. I don't yet have a HRM, and to be honest it's not high on my list of things to purchase at the moment. I've used the MFP numbers, but tried to underestimate or take a little (15%ish) off just to be safe. I lost the weight I was looking to lose, so it seemed to work for me, but if your weight loss is stalling that could be partially the cause. How much you burn is a function of your height, weight, age, fitness level, and intensity of exercise, so without knowing all that info it's hard to say if that is reasonable for you or not.

    One other thing....start taking your measurements and try to get your body fat percentage, if you are not already doing so. Sometimes the numbers on the scale don't show all the progress - especially if you are doing strength training.
  • thriftycupl
    thriftycupl Posts: 310 Member
    Search Plateas in the message boards. There is great information out there. One thought that you might stumble on is increasing your calories by 100 or so a day and see what happens. It seems you are working it really hard and potentially not feeding it enough.
  • aguayon
    aguayon Posts: 2 Member
    I've run into the same situation. Have you measured yourself? Although the scale can be discouraging, I measured myself a couple of weeks ago and noticed I'd lost 2-3 inches. I'm assuming that I'm gaining muscle and losing fat. I still roll my eyes at the scale, when I step on it, but our goal is to get healthy and we are moving in the right direction. Keep up the great work! :-)
  • Tony_Brewski
    Tony_Brewski Posts: 1,376 Member
    I've run into the same situation. Have you measured yourself? Although the scale can be discouraging, I measured myself a couple of weeks ago and noticed I'd lost 2-3 inches. I'm assuming that I'm gaining muscle and losing fat. I still roll my eyes at the scale, when I step on it, but our goal is to get healthy and we are moving in the right direction. Keep up the great work! :-)

    This is true! The scale lies and its an evil evil evil thing! I haven't stepped on one in over a month. Go by body fat percentage.
    http://www.calculator.net/army-body-fat-calculator.html

    You'll be far happier with using a body fat than the scale. Weekly is all you need to do. Pick one day one time and stick to it. And as always...
    Baby step goals! Small realistic weekly goals! This will prevent motivation loss and keep you deteremined as you reach and reach and reach!

    YOU OWN THIS!

    Dedicated, motivated, highspeed, hardcore!
  • Martikag2010
    Martikag2010 Posts: 1
    A plateau is when you actually lose inches instead of pounds your body is trying to catch up with all the changes yourmaling could last 2-3 weeks but weight will drop even though it's discouraging. Don't give up that should motiveate u

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