[Pacifica Bee]

I've been losing really consistently for the last year, but this past month or 2 have been terribly slow (pretty much stopped) and I don't know what to do to kick start my weight loss again.

I have not lost any weight for 3 weeks. I think the loss I recorded 3 weeks ago was a false weigh in (despite doing it THREE times over the course of an hour) as my weight popped back up to exactly the same spot and has remained there as it has been since mid-December.

I am a strict calorie counter and get about 1300 a day (I shoot for 1200-1400). My exercise is 3 15-minute walks every day, plus an additional 40 minute walk/jog cycle every other day.

Anyone have any ideas that have worked for them? Or see that I am doing something that is working against me?

le sigh

[seagirl]

Start mixing it up! Add some weight training, head to a yoga class, try zumba go dancing.

[jmko]

I was having the same problem. Try increasing you workout intensity. If you've been doing the same workout everyday your body could be used to it by now. The trick is muscle confusion. Try doing a different exercise, like swimming. Drink more water, and vary your daily calorie intake but keep your weekly calorie intake the same (9100).

I started doing all these things and the weight is starting to come off again )

[Nola Celeste]

I was in a three-week slump (I wouldn't call it a plateau, as it wasn't long enough to be one) and couldn't figure out why. My husband suggested that I change up my exercise routine. I flew off the handle a little: "Great, so you don't think I'm pushing myself sufficiently? Hmmph!" But I thought about it a little more and realized that I wasn't really giving my all to physical activity.

It's been a week and I've had to tell him that he was completely right (I'm actually glad to tell him that in this case, though). Instead of five days a week of walking a set 1-mile route or half an hour of stationary biking if the weather was nasty plus lifting a couple of times a week, I increased my walk distance and speed. I added cycling to walk days and lifting to non-walk days. I went to heavier weights. I added intervals of rapid cycling to my sustainable pace and upped my efforts there.

I'm not actually spending more minutes per day exercising, I'm just intensifying what's already there. You may already be giving it your all, but I admit I was half-***ing it sometimes, so just going at stuff full-force was enough to start me out of my slump.

You've lost such an incredible amount already that your body might just be pausing for a little bit, kind of like a mountain climber might rest on a ledge and gather her strength for the next push. Maybe you just need a little change-up with your workouts to prod yourself up the mountain--especially since you're already so very close to the summit.

[Vladadog]

I'm pretty much right there with you! I spent all of last month bouncing around the lower half of the 190's despite being on plan (1300-1600 calories cycled during the week).

After losing 90 pounds in the last year I just figure my body is taking a breather and adjusting. This is just more practice time for making healthy choices and eating good food in reasonable portions. I've been doing some extra weight lifting (carrying wood to heat the house and shoveling boodles of snow) but pretty much I'm just going to keep on keeping on. I'm not gaining and I know I will start losing again. I just think there are set points that your body tries to stay at. (I bet when we were gaining weight there were times we ate outrageous amounts and *didn't* gain weight - this is just sort of the reverse of that...)

[goal4agirl]

Originally Posted by Vladadog

I'm pretty much right there with you! I spent all of last month bouncing around the lower half of the 190's despite being on plan (1300-1600 calories cycled during the week).

After losing 90 pounds in the last year I just figure my body is taking a breather and adjusting. This is just more practice time for making healthy choices and eating good food in reasonable portions. I've been doing some extra weight lifting (carrying wood to heat the house and shoveling boodles of snow) but pretty much I'm just going to keep on keeping on. I'm not gaining and I know I will start losing again. I just think there are set points that your body tries to stay at. (I bet when we were gaining weight there were times we ate outrageous amounts and *didn't* gain weight - this is just sort of the reverse of that...)

Totally agree!

[LitChick]

You're not alone!

I have been cycling up and down the same few pounds since late November!

I'm a Weight Watcher but I've decided to start tracking my calories on Sparkpeople, too, and see if that gives me any further insight into how I could tweak my eating habits. I've also booked an appointment with my wellness coach at my gym to modify my exercise plan a little bit, incorporating more and regular strength training. I'm really hoping that does the trick!

It is incredibly frustrating though. We've both started out and are at about the same weights, so I feel your pain. Just remember, we have gotten this far and we will get there!

[Lori Bell]

Pacifica, you are truly one of my weight loss heroes, and I'm just in awe every time I see your ticker.

I never really had a plateau, I was never stuck for more than a 2 week period, so I don't have any real advice on what to do, but I CAN say, just keep going. At your calorie level, the weight has no choice but to come off. Considering you are in this for the long haul, this is a good time to think of this stall as how maintaince will be. Months and months of "sticking to it" and never seeing the scale move. Practice makes perfect!

Just keep going, you'll get there. Hang tough!

[Pacifica Bee]

Originally Posted by Lori Bell

Pacifica, you are truly one of my weight loss heroes, and I'm just in awe every time I see your ticker.

Right back at ya, toots I have read your goal story like 20+ times and it got me through some rough patches

Originally Posted by Nola Celeste

You've lost such an incredible amount already that your body might just be pausing for a little bit, kind of like a mountain climber might rest on a ledge and gather her strength for the next push. Maybe you just need a little change-up with your workouts to prod yourself up the mountain--especially since you're already so very close to the summit.

This totally put it in perspective for me. I love the analogy. Thank you


Thanks everyone for the ideas and pushes and the warm fuzzies (I need them!) It looks like more intense exercise *grumble grumble* is the consensus - that and calming down LOL.

Your posts made me push myself yesterday on my walk/jog cycles and I was actually able to finally move up to the next phase in my cC25K program after being stuck for 2 weeks. I also realized that if I had only pushed myself sooner, I probably could have moved up last week. I have been going too easy on myself and it turns out I am more capable than I thought.

Now I just need to go looking for a strength training DVD (using free weights since I already have them) to do on my non jogging nights.

[Eliana]

I think you're at the slow down sweet spot. Not so sweet, is it?

I love the intensity suggestions for your workouts. Probably your workouts have just become too routine. You're too good at it and it isn't stressing your body enough.

Have you considered calorie cycling or adding 1-2 higher calorie days per week? This is what has broken me out of my last 2.5 month plateau.

[Pacifica Bee]

Eliana - did you compensate a higher day with a lower one, or just add a couple hundred calories to one day?

[Eliana]

Originally Posted by Pacifica Bee

Eliana - did you compensate a higher day with a lower one, or just add a couple hundred calories to one day?

I pretty much double up on everything I eat two days out of every week, on normal days. This weeks "high calorie" day will be the Superbowl, meaning I just won't watch myself as closely at the game and will indulge in snacks. But on a typical day I eat two servings of steel cut oats, or an apple AND and orange and I do that at every meal. At least one item is a double portion.

I'm not a good counter. So this works for me.

[Riesz]

I feel you, although my "plateau" has only lasted for a few days. Since I started losing weight my numbers on the scale have steadily gone down everyday, even if only just a tiny bit. Today is the first day my weight has actually gone up.

Yesterday I wasn't feeling well and didn't eat much so I'm confused about why my weight went up! I'm nauseated again today but still trying to eat properly.

Hopefully this is just temporary but it is somewhat discouraging.

We can get past this!!

[Arctic Mama]

Eliana, I am so glad that refeed did it for you!

Pacifica, I agree with the ladies, try playing with your calories (up, if I were you) and do a completely differen exercise set for two weeks, see if that doesn't do it?

[LeslieWendy]

Drink lots of water, this has really helped me. I was stuck at at the same weight for 2 weeks and upped my water intake and lost about 3lbs.