[Rechyl]

Ive been the same weight for 3 weeks now so a bit bummed. Im doing everything right for my plan but nothings happening. Should i stick with it or change it up?

No change on measuring tape either. Im getting disheartened. My holiday is in 6 and a half weeks and im already giving up on wearing my bikini.

[MauiKai]

You've been measuring your food and making sure you're not just going through the motions when you exercise?

[Rechyl]

ive been doing everything right. been counting every calorie, even in my sugar free diluting juice (4 cals /250ml made up) and busting my *** in the gym.

[Streudel]

If you're sure that you're at a calorie deficit ( you're weighing and measuring your portions, you're not overestimating the calories burned exercising, and you've accounted for having a lower BMR at your new lower weight ) then I would stay the course. A plateau is not necessarily an indication that you're doing something wrong. They're just part of weight loss. Yes, as you achieve lower weights, you usually do have to reevaluate your intake and adjust it down, but I think for long term success, it's best not to cut your calories every time your weight plateaus, IMO.

I see by your ticker that you've already lost nearly 40 lbs. That's a substantial amount of weight (congratulations!) so it's not surprising that your weight loss would slow a bit at this point. At my point in this journey, I live on the plateau and if I'm lucky, the scale inches down once or twice a month. I average 3 lbs per month now.

Let me ask you this: is 6 days of wearing a bikini on holiday worth 6 week's of stress and feeling down on yourself? ( There's no right answer here, btw. Just wondering if you've asked yourself the question. ) The worst case scenario is you wear a one piece instead or you say eff it and rock that bikini in your less than perfect body.

Either way, your body is going to do what it's going to do to a certain degree. You could drop your calories and up your exercise and that might get things moving, but then whether it does what you want in the time frame you've set is anyone's guess. Its also possible that you'll step on your scale tomorrow having changed nothing and a few pounds will whoosh off overnight.

Whatever you decide, I hope you try not to let your diet suck the fun out of getting ready for your fabulous trip.

[Koshka]

People usually get on a plateau because they either are (1) unconsciously slacking off a bit on the eating or the activity or (2) they have lost some weight and are burning fewer calories so the calorie deficit has become lower or non-existent.

Since you have lost 36 pounds a prime factor is probably (2) and that the eating/activity that would create a calorie deficit at 200 pounds is less effective at 164 pounds. I was in a plateau the end of 2014 and I found the only way I really got off it was increasing activity (I was already averaging 1200 calories a day so couldn't really reduce my calories happily).

[SenseAndSensibility]

Lots of people are going to argue about this suggestion and I am no scientist/nutritionist or whatever so I can't promise you its true or will work, but it would only take you a day, maybe two to try and won't hurt you in the long run. Its up to you though! Its something I find works doesn't hurt me personally.

Since you're counting calories, try taking two days to eat a bit more. You can still eat in a deficit, or just below maintenance, but I do this from time to time (say 1-3 times a month) and I always see a drop in my weight the next day. I think it sort of jump starts your metabolism, not that your metabolism has stopped working or you aren't loosing weight... More like your body has adjusted to the set calorie intake you're doing and is more efficient. But now it has to work a little bit harder and ends up burning more calories. There must be something semi true to it, because my mom had an eating disorder and went to a clinic, and she told me how many of her friends there ended up in the hospital because of it. They were anorexic and dangerously thin, but when they started eating properly, rather than gaining the weight they desperatly needed their body was actually loosing weight trying to digest all that food and some were hospitalized for their weight drop! Not really a great example or a perfect parallel, but it could get things moving s little bit without under eating or over working yourself.

Otherwise, I agree with what many others are saying. If you're working hard, everything I've read up on and been told says that you'll break through it eventually. It must be frustrating, but you stent failing or powerless!

[circa83]

I've been there for 3 months and it's incredibly frustrating. In March I started keeping a food journal to make sure I was doing things right, but the scale still did not change and neither did my waistline. Then my sister treated me to Cold Stone Creamery and I the next morning I'd lost my first lb in months and a few since then. I've heard and read that if you're in a plateau to shake up your diet and/or exercise. For me I had to eat something drastically different to get going again.

[Poppadum]

I know how you feel! I lost 18lbs in first two months and now been stuck for 2 months! Started gym 8 weeks ago and c25k, but still nothing!!

Added 30day shred now to my daily routine 2 days ago and also will drop my calories from 1500 to 1200, will see if that moves something!

Definitely need changing things.
I heard that is what you need to do.

Good luck!!

[Chubabub]

Ugh. I am right there with you. I can't cut calories any more because I'm already averaging 1000-1200 so I tried eating a little more for two days. I gained weight. Ack! So then I increased exercise. The weight I gained came off but I'm still stuck at the same spot. For 5 weeks now! I did drop one size in pants so I'm just going to stick with it. We'll get through this!

[ayrenay]

Originally Posted by SenseAndSensibility

Since you're counting calories, try taking two days to eat a bit more. You can still eat in a deficit, or just below maintenance, but I do this from time to time (say 1-3 times a month) and I always see a drop in my weight the next day.

I would definitely echo this sentiment! Your body just might be looking for a bit more.

[Rechyl]

thanks for all the advice guys. I followed advice given by a well known biggest loser coach and im so so so pleased to say that im now down 2.6lbs since Monday.

[Chubabub]

Hooray!!!! Good for you! I finally broke my plateau this week as well. What specifically did you do?

[Rechyl]

basically i took it easy in the gym on Tuesday, didnt go on Thursday and ate 1800ish calories tues, wed and thurs instead of my usual about 1400, drank less water than normal. Basically all the "wrong" things.

What did you do?

[Chubabub]

That's funny! Too bad it probably wouldn't work if you kept doing all of those wrong things... There's a diet we could make a fortune on!

A little over a week ago I was ready to throw in the towel. I stayed completely on plan but wasn't losing weight. I went to a family event and people commented on how much weight I've *gained* and it must be because of my surgery last year and not to worry because it would come back off. Um no - I spent the last 4 months taking that weight off plus another 15. It's just been a long time since these people have seen me. So when someone put a plate of cake and ice cream in front of me, well, I ate it. Between that and the salty fajita meat I had eaten for lunch I watched my weight climb 3 pounds over the next couple of days, even though I went right back to plan. So now I'm getting really down and thinking this is just the weight I'm going to have to live at. I walk every evening and I told my husband I didn't even want to go because it wasn't helping. He made my 15 yo son go with me to try to get me to stay with it. Well my son brought a putter and a driver from his frisbee golf set and off we went. My handicap with him is ridiculous so instead of playing straight frisbee golf we started seeing who could hit various targets first. He could only use the putter and I got to use the driver. We'd both end up fairly close that way at about the same time so the only way to win was to race up and grab your frisbee and get your next shot off first. It turned out to be the perfect combination of high and low intensity exercise that the weight just started coming off again!

[IanG]

I plateaued for about a year. So I took a deep breath.

And am now busting it up.

Exercise more. Cut the portions, a lot.

On the final approach.

Nursing this baby home.