My plateau is finally over. For the last two weeks I have lost weight (1# per week).
I tried lowering my calories but that just made me crazy. It was like... now I was provoked to overeat. So...I worked at just maintaining until I could figure out what would work. I started to panic and then reminded myself that I would not give up. If I never lost another pound, I was in a far better place than I'd been in years. I would continue to do what had been working just to maintain the current weight loss. That took off the pressure. Week by week I would try something different to tweak my plan.
What ended up working? Adding variety to my current workout. Every now and then If I miss a water aerobics class I work out with weights, find a workout show on tv or use the stability ball. When time allows I also add in an additional day of working out. I also increased the amount of fruits and veggies I had been eating. This gives me the volume I like and when I eat fruit it helps with the sweet cravings I often have. I love my sweets and these days I'm just as happy to have a big bowl of berries and a little greek yogurt as I once was having a cupcake!.
I see this as getting over a major hurdle that at one time would have derailed me. I remember thinking over and over, if only I hadn't given up....I would give anything to be down that amount of weight again...etc etc. I see myself having to tweak my plan over and over again. I'm guessing that's probably normal for success? But, now, I know I can do it
I can tell that I was changing my body even if the scale didn't show it. During my plateau I lost over an inch off my waist. I am now pretty much a size 16 in just about anything I try on. Before, I was bouncing back and forth between a 16 and 18. It's so nice to not be in between sizes (at least for a little while )
Congrats on learning a new pattern and not giving in and returning to old habits. I find this journey is more about patience and the willingness to change and adapt as much as anything else. Good job on waiting it out and being willing to tweak and watch and watch and tweak.
Way to go!!!!!!!!!!! You should feel very proud that you stuck with it even through your plateau!! That's awesome because a lot of people just toss their hands up and give up at that point. Congrats!!!!!
I think it's over.....
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