[missingmyerica]

Okay so here's the thing....I've been eating about 1400 calories for the past 3 months and losing about a pound or so a week. I was down to 202 about 2 weeks ago and then my weight loss completely stopped. I am up to 204.4 this morning. I haven't changed anything. I eat totally clean, no packaged foods...mostly veggies, whole grains, fruits and lean meat and yogurt. I was just cleared to start excercising in the pool last week and I went swimming 3 times last week and did a water aerobics class. My ankle is healing very slowly, so up until last week I wasn't doing ANY exercise and still losing a pound or two a week. Do you think my body has just reached the point where I won't be able to lose any more weight until I am exercising regularly? I don't really want to cut any more calories, because I feel like I am eating very healthy and I don't feel hungry. I want this long term and I know if I cut more calories I will feel like I'm dieting and I'll be hungry. I am on plan ALL the time. I never cheat, so to speak, and I feel satisfied. Do you think I just need to incorporate the exercise and the weight will start coming off again? I think it's weird to hit a plateau after only 3 months and at this high a weight don't you?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I will never go back to my old eating habits, but I can't lie....this set back is really scaring me and I am starting to feel defeated.

[NightengaleShane]

Yeah, you may just need to exercise more...

The other option would be to cycle your calories. An example of this would be eating 1,400 calories one day, 1,600 the next, back to 1,400, then 1,200, then 1,400, 1,600, maybe 1,800 one day - you get the idea. Perhaps you need to metaphorically shake up your metabolism.

[Meg]

One other thought ... when you say you eat "about 1400 calories" ... are you weighing and measuring everything? Or is it more like eyeballing and estimating and adding it up in your head? Sometimes we eat more than we realize unless we buckle down and track everything that goes in our mouths. I certainly do!!

It also could just be your body reacting to adding exercise back into your program. Sore muscles retain water, and your scale can't differentiate between water and fat. Give it a little time, and I'm sure your weight loss will start up again.

Do you track your measurements? Sometimes when weight loss stalls, we still lose fat and inches.

[fabat45]

hi missingmyerica, i was sooooo upset this morning, as i weighed the same again!!!! the last two weeks, i have lost nothing. and just like you, i have stayed on plan, counted out my calories, and still........nada! i kicked the scale clear across the bathroom floor, (i never saw the dog move so fast, poor thing), i even thought of binging for the day! at least i would see a change in the scale(not for the better) but then when my brain returned to my head, i realized that that would just be setting me up for all the bad things and feelings that come from a cheat day, and i swear i never want to go there again. I am thinking after doing this for 18 months, it was bound to slow down at some point. its just really frustrating, and disappointing. i actually broke down this morning(ridiculous, i know). i think i am going to try to switch up my exercize routine and mabey do a little calorie cycling, like someone previously posted, and see it that doesnt kick me into gear. I will say that at ww meetings, they dont consider 2 weeks with no loss a plateau, some peolple go months without a loss, please keep doing what you are doing, it will eventually work itself out and the loses will continue. take care.

[Heather]

Well, or it could all just be normal fluctuations. You say it's only been stalled a couple of weeks, so that isn't really a plateau. Sometimes our weight does that! Remember the scale measures ALL of you. It's not just reporting the fat you want to lose. So, if you retain water for any reason that can affect it. And sometimes our bodies just don't react as quickly as others. If you really are tracking your eating and eating only 1400 calories you will probably notice the scale move down soon!

I second what Meg said about finding other ways to measure your progress!

[emberley]

Another thing to consider is that you may need to eat more calories. If you were losing weight eating 1200 calories with no exercise, and now you're eating 1200 calories WITH exercise, your metabolism could be slowing down in order to hoard energy. Maybe you could try upping your calories to maybe 1300 or 1400 and see if that helps too...just a thought :O)

[Glory87]

Be sure to whip out the tape measure too, a few times, I could see a positive change in body composition on the tape measurement before I could see it on the scale.

Missingmyerica, it looks like your weight loss stall coincides with your addition of exercise. Are you sure you're eating enough to support your additional exercise? You might have slightly freaked out your body (oh no, small amount of food + I'm being chased by a lion every day - I better hold on to fat reserves!).

I don't think 2 weeks is really a plateau, I had several weeks where I didn't lose any weight. If it were me, I would calorie cycle (1400, 1600, 1400, 1600) and increase the intensity of my workout. You're doing great with the clean food eating!

Weight loss isn't linear and the body doesn't have a timetable. You just have to stick with it. It might be a good idea to tie some of your success to factors you can control so the scale isn't the ultimate judge of how you're progressing. Measurements, pair of big pants, workng out a particular number of times per week, trying a new recipe, trying a new exotic fruit, going to bed on time a particular number of times per week - all those things are GREAT for your body and your health and YOU are in control.

[mandalinn82]

Also, be patient! Two weeks isn't very long, really...The week before and week after TOM, every month, my scale went up or stalled out. Then the other 2-3 weeks a month, I'd lose or maintain. Don't panic and give it more time!

Exercise would help too, and if you don't lose anything for another 2 weeks, maybe you can consider mixing up your calorie intake or upping the exercise, but for now, just take a step back and remember that it isn't all about the scale!

[cbmare]

I know how you feel. I haven't lost for a month! By the same token, I haven't gained either. I AM NOT going to let this get the best of me. I'm worth the wait and so are you. I have just started mixing up the calories so hopefully I'll be able to change my ticker soon.

You can do this. You've started and you can finish. You are so worth it.

Oh, and what the others said.

[missingmyerica]

Thank you all so much for your responses! I went to my deep water aerobics class and had so much fun this morning. I'm always too embarrassed to swim in the lanes, but today after class I just went for it. Between the class and the laps I got in about an hour of exercise. I came home and read all of the responses and I felt so much better. It does seem like the weight loss stopped exactly the same time I started exercising. Before that I wasn't doing ANY form of exercise because everything put a strain on my ankle. I guess this is just a normal body response and it'll work itself out in time. I may need to cycle my calories as some of you suggested. Right now I eat 1400 calories, some days a little less. Now that I'm exercising I think I'm going to alternate between 1400 and 1600 calories. It's amazing how full you feel when you eat whole foods instead of processed.

Again, thanks for the support and advice.