[Gwen]

I've been stuck at the same weight for 3 weeks now, and I've been trying different ways to move that scale! Please add your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences on how to break through a plateau to this thread. I know many of us need advice on this.

1/4/11 210
1/11/11 208
1/18/11 205
1/25/11 204
2/1/11 205 (muscles retaining water from weight training?)
2/8/11 203
2/11/11 201 Onderland here I come!
2/15/11 205
2/22/11 203
3/1/11 199
3/8/11 198 YAY! (196 yesterday)
3/15/11 196 (194 yesterday)
3/29/11 195 (194 on 4/1)
4/5/11 195 (increased calories to confuse body)
4/12/11 195 (switched up exercise routine to confuse body)

So far the only one confused is ME. I've been 195 every day this week… no more bouncing scale. Just stuck. I WILL break through this plateau!!! Any day now the scale will just drop 5 lbs. (ha)

I’ve been reading a book that suggests our minds control our bodies, even so far as to either lose or retain weight depending upon how our thoughts are bending. I’ve been trying to think positively (which can’t hurt anyway) and putting hypnotic suggestions out to my body… “the fat is melting off my body” “all this exercise is really working” etc… but, maybe all the subconscious thoughts like “yeah right… you’ll be stuck at this weight forever” have more control then the conscious thoughts do?

Maybe I need to reduce calories some more, or watch what is going in closer and adjust that. I HAVE been eating more carbs then I should - I’ve been snacking on corn chips or toast with hummus (yup that will do it) Gosh, I can’t think of what else I’ve been eating… I HAVE cut out sugar and excess snacking. This is very good, and may account for the lack of fluctuations on the scale. But I want the weight to LEAVE THE BUILDING!! Here’s the plan:

• More protein, less carbs.
  
• Instead of chips/toast I’ll use raw veggies, and instead of hummus I’ll create a lowfat/lowcal dip. Keep cut up veggies on hand for quick snacks.
  
• Go back to an apple and 1/2 a grapefruit everyday (don’t know when that stopped.)
  
• Keep grilled chicken on hand for salads at lunch. Stop at the store on the way to work if there’s no salad at home to bring in.
  
• Log in every bite again for at least 2 weeks (added to list 3 days ago.)
  
• Cardio for at least 45 minutes consecutively and at least every other day.(added to list 2 days ago.)

OK… That’s my strategy. Today is a new day - the weight is comming OFF!!

[lukesmom]

Gwen, just curious...did your strategy work? Any break throughs?

[Gwen]

3/29/11 195 (194 on 4/1)
4/5/11 195
4/12/11 195
4/19/11 193 (doing a happy dance!)

It broke! Tracking every bite, limited carbs, upped protein and upped cardio to over 45 minutes. I've skipped on the weights because the cardio took up all my allotted time. Joyful (see the tread for Joyfuls journey) suggested that it takes over 30 minutes of cardio to START burning fat. I took her advice seriously and YAY! I will keep this up.

Lukes Mom- the scale went back to 196 yesterday - hoping that was a salt thing.

Are you stuck on a plateau?

[Gwen]

Below is portion of an article by a Weight Watchers leader. The entire article is posted on my blog under "Articles Found".

NOT ENOUGH FAT? — Okay, this sounds counterintuitive, but according to the Eating by the Numbers chart and for good nutrition you should be actively adding in about 2-3 points of fat per day. This is stuff like vegetable oils, margarine, butter, regular or reduced fat (not fat free) salad dressing, avocados, regular or reduced fat (not fat free) mayonnaise, olives, and peanut or soy butter. I have personally met a number of people now who weren’t losing and when I suggested they start actively adding in 2-3 points of fat per day they started losing again. Our bodies need enough fat in order to properly function. You think there’s enough fat in my food already, right? Not when you’re limiting your number of points in order to lose weight. We are often making much lower fat choices than we normally would have, and as a consequence our consumption of fat falls far below the recommended guidelines according to lots of nutrition experts of 30% of your total calories in fat per day. If you are limiting your fat intake to only the fat that’s naturally in food and even then you’re probably taking the skin off the chicken and drinking skim or 1% milk, then you might only be getting around 10% of your calories in fat per day, not enough for your body. So, the reason our bodies need enough fat in our diets each day as opposed to just feeding off of our body’s fat stores is because fat contains an essential fatty acid: linoleic acid, that our body can’t produce on its own. That fat is needed for proper metabolic and digestive function. Fat provides essential nutrients our bodies need, it transports fat soluble vitamins that our bodies need, it is needed for proper digestion and metabolic function, it helps us keep fuller longer, keeps our hair and skin nice, and is crucial for proper gallbladder function. If you’re on a super low fat diet you can develop gallstones that are no fun and super painful.

[Resolute]

Thanks for taking the time to document your plateau struggle, i've been fairly lucky so far and have been able to brute force myself to continued losses but lately no matter the effort i put in i'm not seeing much if any results, getting frustrated just makes it worse.

Interesting about the fat, i do try to limit it's intake, maybe i should relax that somewhat and see if it helps.

Personally i think i have been stressing my body to much and will be doing what i can to relax more, less exercise more rest/sleep, keeping to the clean meals, just being much more delicate about it for a time, rather than the usual hit it with everything i've got approach, time will tell i guess.

Good luck to you Gwen.

[Gwen]

I never really believed that the protein shakes my husband and son consumed daily would help with weight loss. But, after researching it I've decided it very well may be true! So, this weekend I purchased some vanilla whey protein powder, a blender, greek yogurt and blueberries (to start).

Below is a portion of an article I found. Entire article and recipes are on my blog.

Not much is known about Little Miss Muffet, the young lady who, according to the nursery rhyme, “sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey.” But we can be reasonably sure that Miss Muffet wasn’t overweight. That’s because whey—especially when consumed daily in a high-quality whey protein shake—is one of the most effective weight-control nutrients known to science.

What makes whey more filling? Certain forms of whey protein contain high levels of a peptide called glycomacropeptide (GMP), which is known to be a powerful satiety (or hunger-quenching) nutrient. It works by stimulating the release of cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that’s responsible for controlling hunger. In one study, GMP from whey increased CCK release by 415 percent. In another study, a supplement containing GMP reduced the number of calories consumed in a meal by 20 percent compared to a placebo when consumed before the meal.

In addition to stimulating CCK, whey protein reduces hunger by lowering circulating levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. A recent Australian study found that a whey protein drink produced a prolonged suppression of ghrelin compared to glucose and fructose beverages. Whey also causes fullness by activating opioid receptors in the gut. Specific peptides contained in whey bind to these opioid receptors, which then communicate with the brain to produce that pleasant feeling of fullness that makes you put down the fork.

The entire article is under "Articles found" and recipes for shakes are under "Recipies"

[suenos096]

I love love love love chocolate protein shakes. I drink at least 1 every day. After strength training I always have it as my first meal. Then again at 3:00 for that meal. It's quick. I've just finished teaching and I can get it in before our afternoon activities. Congrats on sticking with it and following through! I'm also stuck in a weird place that I am uber ready to get out of!!

[joyfulloser]

GREAT THREAD Gwen! I really found the article about fats to be quite interesting. When I think about it...that may be why I can eat so many calories and still lose...PIZZA night!...who knew? Or better yet...Jamaican curry foods..loaded with fat!

[freethetoys]

i have found the mental attitude very interesting to read, may try that next week for a loss also one thing i find is cutting a food u rely on for a while eg for me it was bread, i relied on it as a sarny or meal carb but cutting it completely for a few weeks replacing it helped a plateau go.
im amidst a 2 year plateau i think the positive thinking really can and will help thanks x