Dealing with a Permanent Plateau - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

wundawoman · 02-12-2006, 08:14 PM

How does anyone deal with "doing all the right things" and not experiencing any progress? I haven't lost anything in two months. I've upped my exercise, and am still denying myself all the things I'd really like to eat. (Salad has lost all its charm). And if I slip a little, even a planned "slip" for something special at a party," I spend the rest of the day (or week) hating myself for it.

Over the past seven years or so, I've lost about 60 lbs. and only got back on the horse when I found things getting a little snug. Although I should lose another 25-30 lbs., nothing seems to budge. All I've lost so far is probably the bit of weight I gained back. Am I doomed to be overweight my whole life?
Some days its so bad I want to kill myself -- and that's with anti-depressants and therapy! I'm not as "crazy" as I sound. I have a wonderful job, a daughter who turned out fine, and an all right marriage (my husband is dull but reliable). But there is such an empty feeling. I am so invisible that I think the only way anyone would notice me is if I actually disappeared. (Nice irony.)

readyfreddy · 02-12-2006, 08:40 PM

first of all (((hugs)))! that has got to be frusterating for you! without knowing a little bit more, i can't really say whats going on. if you are counting calories- are you limiting too much?? i was on ww and actually lost more quickly at 21 pts per day than 20. i think sometimes by over limiting you can send the message that food is in short supply so your body should hold on to all its got. maybe try increasing by a bit everyother day if this seems like it might be the prob.

if you would like to see some immediate results on the scale, try reformulating your eating plan to be lower carb. think veggies, lean meats, low fat dairy etc. i lose water wieght with this and the first week starts off with about a 3-4 lb lost followed by more sustainable loss after that.

also- ifyou are doing the same meals ever day (i think you mentioned salads?) try going for variation! maybe your body just needs a change of pace.

good luck!! don't lose hope! if you are doing all the right things, the scale is bound to catch up!

maegdaeien · 02-12-2006, 08:42 PM

The plateau is definitely a force to be reckoned with. It's amazing how we can be so proud of all of our hard work, but if we don't get obvious results we feel we've wasted our time and been cheated. I think it's important to keep in mind that the time was NOT wasted! You may not have lost weight or maybe your pant size is the same, but a woman who works out and eats properly is in much better shape than a woman of the same size who doesn't take care of herself. It may not seem worth it right now, but when you're older and not having heart attacks, you'll be glad!

It's really awful that you're feeling so down on yourself... is it just because of your weight, or is there an other issue keeping you depressed?

readyfreddy · 02-12-2006, 08:55 PM

just reread your message. i think i skipped the whole last paragraph accidentally the first time.

please talk to someone in real life if you are thinking you might want to kill yourself on bad days. someone you can trust can really help and it feels good to get things off your chest. your value and worth does not depend on your size, smaller or larger. you are important because of who you are, not what you look like! in such a busy world its sometimes easy to feel like with all the hustle and bustle people are so busy with themselves that they dont even notice you. i bet you though that your daughter and your husband both notice and appreciate you tons- whether or not they express it well enough to you. ask your daughter to draw you a picture of the reasons why she loves mommy and post it on the fridge to remind you!

the thing that helps me when i am feeling down is a little change in routine! i find if i am doing things that (pleasantly) surprise other people - i pleastly surprise myself! i like to go to the local animal shelter and be a cat petter. it sounds wierd but they really need people to socialize the kittens so they can have a better chance at adoption! i meet new and interesting people, get some cuddle time with little furry animals, and have something interesting to tell people when they ask me how my day was. just some ideas.

i hope tomorrow is a better day!!

take care and please talk to your doctor prescribing the antidepressents. some people have better luck with different brands...

best wishes!

GreatBigMonsterMomma · 02-12-2006, 08:59 PM

Not to be dumb here, but are you really overweight? A lot of women are told they should be shooting for a weight that isn't really realistic with their frame size/body composition. (For instance, since I'm 5'5", I'm often told I should weigh 125, which would have me skin & bones.)

It's probably worth it to get your body composition tested, so you know what your body fat percentage is. Keep in mind, though, that for women a BF percentage of roughly between 20% & 30% is healthy (it varies a bit by age). So if your body fat percentage is, say, 25% or 28%, you are at a healthy weight, in spite of what the scale & society might insinuate.

Gia · 02-12-2006, 09:01 PM

Plateaus are crappy, but you are very much needed on this planet, and being overweight says absolutely nothing about who you are as a person. You lost 60 pounds!!! That is amazing! You need to give yourself permission to be happy about that outstanding achievement. I don't know how you get past the plateau, but it doesn't define you. You are much more than your weight.

LLV · 02-13-2006, 06:49 AM

Try this thread.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75339

It's about zig-zagging your calories to break through plateaus. And plateaus happen, don't let them discourage you. They happen for a reason. Your body stops or slows down weight loss to adjust to new levels of food, exercise, etc, and yes, sometimes it takes some time. Your body will also 'settle' into a position if it receives the same old calorie intake day in and day out, which is why some of us believe in the zig-zag method. I was stuck for nearly 2 months myself until I started 'tweaking' my calories. I dropped down two pounds after being stuck at the same exact weight for so long.

Whatever the case, as I said, your body stops the weight loss process - TEMPORARILY - for a reason. Sometimes it's only a few weeks, sometimes it's a couple of months or more. But if you continue doing all the right things, making sure you're not taking in too many calories, especially, then it will start moving again. I call myself the Plateau Queen. I've hit so many plateaus I should be bald by now from yanking my hair out. But I didn't give up because I knew, in time, it would eventually come off. And it did

jillybean720 · 02-13-2006, 07:07 AM

oi vei--been there, done that! I had lost about 30 pounds and then came to a screeching halt from about August to October

It's annoying, frustrating, confusing, and downright torturous! All I can suggest is change. You mention salads--perhaps you've been eating too many, and your calories are actually too low? Try slowly increasing your calories, or, as LLV mentioned, spiking your calories for a day or 2 at a time and then bringing them back down just to sort of wake your body up (calorie cycling).

Same with exercise--doing the same routines over and over? Doing more weight lifting than cardio, or vice versa? Shake it up! To bust through a plateau and see the scale move, I would suggest either increasing ro changing your cardio. Using the treadmill every day? Try a bike or elliptical. Take an aerobics class. Doing the 30-minute Tae Bo tape? Add the (killer!) 5-minute tape afterwards. Anything to remind your body that you're still working and not just settling into the same patterns day after day. Good luck!

2frustrated · 02-13-2006, 09:09 AM

I feel your pain too!

I lost 60lbs then stopped for about 3 months. Calorie cycling got me started again. There is a zig-zag calculator link that you can PM me for if you need it. Just figure out how many calories you need per day to lose, then add some and reduce some from that number every day. Works well

healthy2b · 02-13-2006, 10:16 AM

I understand your frustation

I have been working out and watching calories for six months and have not moved the scale but back and forth the same four pounds

But....with that said I have seen a big difference in size (from a tight 16 to a comfortable 12

), have you seen any changes in size or loss of inches? Maybe you are just replacing fat with muscle right now. Don't give up....I have to remind myself everyday not to give up because I really need to loose 40 pounds so I keep on exercising because eventually I will see the scales move and so will you. There are a lot of us right there with you.

srmb60 · 02-13-2006, 12:25 PM

A true plateau is a vastly misunderstood happenstance.
I wish I had time today to go hunting for links to good threads about this ... unfortunately ......
Please try putting the word 'plateau' in the search thing in the purple title bar. Read lots.