I have a question... How many of you have hit a plateau? I have been on my diet since Mid May and I do not think I have hit one yet. I have only gained weight about three times since May. Otherwise I lose at least a pound a week. I am down to my last 24 pounds to lose, is it going to happen now?!? I do change my eating habits and exercise routines every few weeks. I am not sure if that is causing me to not hit a plateau. I just don't want to spend the next 6 months, or whatever, trying to lose 24 pounds!

Could you let me know what your thoughts and personal experiences are with this.

Thank you,
Wendy

I don't think I ever hit a plateau...but it sure was hard getting away from 170. I am worried about hitting one. Ugh.
The main thing I do is vary my workout to ensure I don't hit one. Somedays it's the elliptical others the treadmill, etc. Sometimes I just increase my intensity. Recently I added weight training to my workouts.
But I'm probably not the best person to answer your question...I'd also be interested to hear from those who really have gone through or are in a plateau stage.

Hi Wendy,

I suppose I'm in a plateau now . And if this IS a plateau, it's actually my first one EVER. I've been 141 lbs for about 3 weeks after losing 1/2 - 1 lb a week steadily since February. I'm assuming it's because I have less to lose now -- or maybe my body just needs a break from losing. I'm using the time as "maintenance practice."

I have been in a plateau for a couple of months now. I have modified excersize and still I keep bumping up to 155. As soon as I get to 152 within a week I will be at 155. I don't know why I am in a plateau but I just can't break it. I have no advise for you because this is my first real plateau and I have not gotten through it yet. So I am hoping to increase my exercise and lower calorie intake for a couple of weeks and see what happens. If I bump into the 140's it will be the first time in 3 years! So I really can't wait! I am so darn close, yet so far away.

I think to break through plateaus, a lot of it is determination and preseverence. If someone knows they are in a plateau then the body needs change to change itself. What I mean is this, I need to really change what I am doing so my body isn't expecting it. Something new and different. I am thinking of some yoga or pilates classes. Not sure yet. But that is my best answer to breaking through plateaus.

YEPPER, I hit one, currently the same weight for 2 weeks, no matter what. I have increased my protein intake and also my water (I drink about 90oz/day now) I hope that will help me get away from this. Good luck when/if you hit one....

Since the end of September, I have been losing weight more slowly. But there have been fast and slow weight loss months before, the major point is just to stick with it. The way to get through a plateau (other then increasing exercise and decreasing calories), is to keep positive and keep trying, because eventually you will succeed.

Thank you for all of the responses. I guess I will know if I have hit one or not. And if I do, I will have to bump it a a bit. I guess I will have to work out 2-3 hours a day! HA/HA I cannot cut any more calories, so it will have to come from exercice. Well good luck to all of you. And keeping going for those of you that have hit this nasty bump!

Remember you don't have to exercise MORE to get through a plateau...just DIFFERENT to shake up your routine. Add more interval training during some workouts, hills during another, strength train more etc. Same for calories...try adding more protein, or cycling calories. I have gone through plateaus before and the only advice is to change things up because it's easy to get stuck in a routine where everything is the same same same. And you can't expect to get results with that.

It's more difficult to lose weight towards the end, because now that your body is smaller, it needs less food. If you do hit a plateau, don't be discouraged and give up! Remember all the hard work that it took for you to lose 45 lbs., and those pounds are worth keeping off!

I've had a couple plateaus, one big one (back around 165 or so). What turned out to be my problem was that I wasn't eating enough! I also wasn't drinking enough water. Adding more food (upping from 1200 cals/day to 1400/day), drinking 8 cups of water each day, and adding more healthy fats to my diet got me out of that one.

I have been around this weight for the past 2 months, but strangely have gone down a pants size while going thru it. Would like to go lower, but am not going to kill myself trying to get to a lower number. Just trying to continue with the good eating and adding more exercise to my day (didn't do much before, except running kids around to sports....) Just taking it one day at a time, like we all should!!

I've been at a plateau, been at 170 for several months.

My workouts have increased I work out at least 4-5 times a week for at least 45 minutes , and I also added weight lifting three times a week.

I have lost a lot of inches...so I am sure I have gained muscle mass. Iit's hard to say what I might be doing wrong, but I'm doing something right, if I'm still losing inches...so sometimes I think the scale is over rated.

I've hit a plateau and am still on it for years

Ok, so it's really me and not my body's fault. I've been at 200 or so for over 1 year now.

I started WW over 3 weeks ago. I didn't weigh in Sat (TOM) but I think I've been losing .2-1 pound a week now after that first 5 in the first week.

I hate plateaus and haven't found a way, aside from giving up, to get over them! Thanks for the help all.

Jill and paperclippy, when you inceasded calories do you stick with the same exercise routines? And did you gain weight the first few weeks you were eating more? I am scared to increase calories, because I feel like I would gain tons of weight.