I just started calorie counting last Monday, but I am planning ahead. Guess that's the go-getter in me.

How many weeks will go by with you not losing weight for you to know that you've hit a plateau and to start lowering calories or mixing it up? It seems like a week or two wouldn't be enough time, but I could be totally wrong.

Sometimes increasing calories also can help with plateau's. Specially if you are working out a lot.

I'd say if at least 2 weeks pass and you are working hard and have 0 change then you might want to shake things up.

Track your weight loss patterns for awhile and go from there. I regularly lose in a whoosh one week out of the month and stall for the other three. It's not a plateau, it's just how my body loses the weight.

I find that calorie cycling helps curb that. And also, I have a cheat day once a week so that helps my body not get stuck in a rut.

Plateaus have no time limit and sometimes your body will just decide it's time for a break. You can do any number of things but the scale still won't budge. Mine lasted for months but I didn't gain. That's the key, not gaining. Don't plan for a plateau, just keep working and if it happens, roll with it.