I don't get it. My eating has been less than perfect lately, but I drink lots of water, I don't eat after dinner unless it's just a low cal yogurt or something along those lines. I've been exercising like mad, hit an exercise goal. WHAT IS GOING ON! I mean really, I feel like I'm doing all this for nothing. Of course I can improve on things, like my eating and getting to the gym seven days a week instead of the 5 or 6 i'm going now, but come on! I have a life and sometimes my time schedule just doesn't allow me to get there every day. I'm super frustrated. Any help would be so greatly appreciated
I had a 9 month plateau. I feel your pain Here's what I did to fix it up:
-changed to eating whole foods
-varied how much I ate and increased my aveage cal intake from 1200 to 1350
-increased the intensity of my workouts
-increased water intake
Are you counting calories? How much are you eating now? If your eating has been less than perfect and you havent been tracking it well, it could be a lot less than perfect than you imagine
I had a 14 month plateau, it was horrible, so I feel your pain as well.
I would change up my calories daily, maybe have 1800 one day and 1500 the next, have a really low day of like 1200 and then go back up to 1800 the next...then your body is always guessing! Try it out! good luck.
How many calories are you taking in and how intense are your workouts? Your body is a lean, mean machine and adapts really well so you do have to change workout habits. I would do interval training (I can't stress this enough) and work at high intensity (so you feel like you're going to collapse) for 2 minutes, then recovery for 1 to 2 (intensity of 4 or 5, warm up speed) and continue through for at least 20 to 40 minutes.
Also, your muscles are probably getting more developed and even though your poundage might not change, your body fat percentage could be changing. Keep that in mind AND, stick with it. Hard work pays off.
Don't get too discouraged!! How long has this plateau been??
I second the advice the others have given you. Also, I would strongly recommend taking your measurements if you haven't already. I was stuck at 159lbs for over a month. I finally broke it a few weeks ago and I've only lost about 4-5lbs since then. But in that month that I was stuck at 159lbs, I lost a lot of inches--about an inch from each thigh, 3 inches from my waist, and 2 inches from my hips. The same week I hit 159lbs I bought 2 pairs of size 8 jeans that fit, but were a teeny bit snug--now they are almost too big. That darn scale can be evil sometimes!!!
Whenever I went to weight loss camp, after 4 weeks I would hit a plateau. I noticed that my exercise routine was the same...running and weights. I was told to switch to the elliptical or something instead, and I started losing weight again. Your body just needs a change, don't get discouraged!!
I don't know what to change My intensity is increasing. From walking on the treadmill to a full mile run then fast walk then 30 minutes on the elliptical. I'm comfortable with those two machines, and when I'm done I feel it! Sweat is pouring out of me. I just don't know!
About measurements, I don't know mine. I just take into account how well my clothes are fitting. What's big and what not. My work uniform is the most consistent because well. I wear it a lot!
Try doing interval training on the elliptical then. 2 minutes really hard, 2 minutes recovery. You'll get your heart rate and metabolism up. If you're NOT doing weight training, then I HIGHLY recommend it. If you are, then try super setting (it's a combo back to back of 2 exercises, usually big muscle group combined with small muscle group). Muscle burns calories so much longer and better than cardio, so try that.
All the exercise in the world won't make that much of a difference if you're taking in more calories than you require. And you are looking to take in LESS than you require in order to get that calorie DEFICIT that is needed for weight LOSS. You take in less calories then you need, so that your body has to turn to its STORED FAT for energy - thus creating a calorie deficit - and weight lost.
I would highly suggest you journal your foods, keeping to a calorie budget, 7 days a week. You bite it, you write it - it's very telling and eye opening. All you need is one *off* day to wipe out whatever calorie deficit was created the other 6 and than all of your hard work will be out the window.
We all have the ability to lose weight. Each and every one of us, yourself included. But it will take a continual effort. A very worthwhile effort though, that's for sure.
How high is your heart rate when you exercise? for me, "intense" means around 170. Jess is right with the weight training, that also helped me heaps. Try doing some different exercises than running and the eliptical- cycling, row machine, running up and down stairs. I strongly STRONGLY STRONGLY suggest calorie counting if you arent at the moment. If you are, start measuring things if you tend to eye ball or estimate, really crack down on it.
I totally got inspired by this to write my first two tips on my blog haha.
By intense, I mean you're huffing and puffing and you can't really breathe right and you feel like your legs will turn to jello if you go longer. So maybe a HR of 180 some. But it's not for extended amount of time so not exactly anaerobic yet.
hit a plateau and i'm stuck! :(
Here's what I did to fix it up:
AND, stick with it. Hard work pays off.
