Plateauing
 

It appears that over the past week, my weight loss has plateaued. I weighed 186.4 lb last Sunday, and it's gone up and down to hit 186.4 lb yesterday. And now today I'm at 185.8. I find this very upsetting, like all the work I've been putting in has been for nought. And I feel like I have failed myself and I don't like that feeling at all.

I also don't know what to do now. Is this plateau due to random things that will eventually work themselves out, or is it time to start changing things, and if so, what and how? I did start lifting weights this week, so that might have something to do with it, but I'm starting out slowly, and I haven't actually lifted all that much. So, I'm confused too.

Just be patient... one week is hardly a plateau. If you find yourself unable to lose for multiple weeks then I would say re-evaluate your workout program and how many calories you are taking in each day, etc.

You've lost 6/10th of a pound in one week. That's not a plateau, that is awesome healthy weight loss!!!

(Your muscles will retain water when you first start lifting weights. Water, not fat.)

Keep on trucking.

You are not at a plateau, you have lost more than half a pound in a week, that is a very good loss. If you were at plateau you would not be losing and this could go on for weeks.

Oops. When I say 186.4, I mean 184.6, in both cases. So, what happened is that I stayed the same for a week and then gained a 1.2 lb yesterday. Somehow.

Is this true? Even though I didn't really do that much this week? If so, that's a huge relief.

That is still not plateau but a normal fluctuation, your weight will vary from day to day, mine will vary as much as 2 pounds for no apparent reason.

Absolutely. Your muscles retain water while they are recovering from the exercise--even if it wasn't the most vigorous of all possible workouts.

Read the sticky at the top of the page about Water Weight. It will save you many months of suffering while you go about losing your weight. :)

I had alot of stalling since july but over the month and a bit all in all I've lost a very decent amount of weight, I almost got demotivated by fluctuations but thats silly.

I find maintaining for a few days or a week or two with healthy food just upping your calories can boost your ability to lose a lot of weight, my cycle is start, lose a lot in the first week or two.. stall.. eat more.. maintain (or slight gain of pound or two) then lose 10 when I start again

So I am always losing, stalling, gaining a bit but then losing way more than the gain. No ones weight loss is a smooth downward graph its always up and down in the short term but in the long term as long as you keep up the work regardless of what the scales say on a daily or weekly basis just keep chipping away and on a monthly basis it should always be going down.

but for the love of god make sure you are EATING ENOUGH nutritious CALORIES and switching up the exercise:)

Also other than normal slight gains and stalls I have gained like 5 lbs from falling off the wagon but when I get back to it a week or two later my body sheds fast and 10-15 lbs in a month, I also gained 10 lbs over my birthday week but lost 15 in the month after which isn't good but I have found that you will be fighting the regains and falls but I ate healthy that whole month got fitter and those 5lbs here and 10 lbs there all added up over the YEAR regardless of the day to day fluctuations or gains.

Throughout your weight loss, you're going to hit times like this where you can get so frustrated... I can totally commisserate from the last time I lost weight. As long as you keep doing what you should be doing, the weight will come off. Having said that, I am not a complacent person and these things drive me nuts! So I would calorie cycle (not sure if you're a calorie counter) for a couple of days. It changed things up just enough for me to feel better about my continued progress. Stick with it, the scale will catch up with your efforts. ;)

I just wanted to say thanks for everyone's support and helpful education. I was definitely freaking out, but that's definitely calmed down. I have to admit that part of that is that my measurements declined even though my weight was staying the same, but I also had to look good and hard at what the weight-loss mechanism is, and that I hope will help me in the future.

If not, then I'll come right back here. :)