So I started 4 weeks ago with 5 times a week 1 hr workouts (with the correct heart rate!!! and apprx cal burn of 350 per session) and a 1400 to 1500 calorie a day diet aside from the weekend when I allow myself 1800 calories 2 days to enjoy my weekends and "confuse" my body a bit. But even with 2 days 1800 I should get some slow results I would think.

I lost 4 lbs the first 2 weeks and then.......nothing anymore.....what can I do? Or is this just the dredded plateau? I can't imagine that I'm building muscle after only 4 weeks...

Hi Dutch! Some bodies just lose slower than others. Have you dieted in the past? Regular dieters (aka yo-yo dieters) tend to lose more slowly. But really, 4 pounds a month is not an unreasonable amount to lose, especially once you're over 50....

I'm a bit heavier than you and a few inches shorter but our calories and age are about the same. I don't specifically work out but I have an active job so we may be about the same there. I'm down about 6 pounds this month but January was only about 4 pounds. December and November were a bit better but not much. It goes in fits and starts - one week i seem to do everything right no matter what i actually do and another the scale doesn't cooperate no matter how hard i try. I try to take the long view since I'm making changes for the rest of my life and losing weight is only part of the whole new healthier me.

Keep at it and you'll see results - the scale may not budge for a while but you'll notice jeans that were tight suddenly needing a belt and things like that. I always keep the next size jeans handy to inspire me!

So it's been 2 weeks with no loss? That's not a plateau. Are you taking measurements?

You don't have a lot to lose, and you are older. It's going to be slow going, but keep at it anyway. It's making you healthy!

Hi:
After more than 30 years I finally know something about this. Pretty much all of the pieces came together for me last year!
When you are cycling those calories it's preferable that you don't have a pattern. If you are eating the same amount of calories on Saturday and Sunday, from what I understand, your body figures this out. It's the same as some one who does the same cardio work out every other day and lifts weights every other day. We should be doing cardio and at least handweights for strength and mixing it up, the days AND the programs. Weekends try eating say, 1700 cals one day and 2000 on another, change the amounts each week and mix up all of the patterns every week; I think it's ok to repeat the same cycle for a month, meaning 4 different weekly patterns repeated monthly. Check out Freedieting.com. And yes, your body can build muscle quickly! Three years ago I started hand weights every other day (3 LBS later moved up to 8LB wts), just 10 miutes and 11 reps for 5 exercises: I had already lost about 30 pounds but wasn't getting the results I wanted. The first week I lost a total of 4 inches from my hips, waist and breasts and over the next two months I lost tremendous amounts some weeks, like 2 inches off my waist, etc-adding up to 10 inches a week! There were some weeks when I only lost a few inches total, and finally I got to the point where I sometimes lost just and inch or a little more and 3 weeks later I'd suddenly drop 3-4 inches.
I dropped rapidly from a 2X top to a well-fitting XL and sometimes a large medium Plus my pants went down 2 sizes! I learned to trust the tape measure and NOT the scale. At the point where I was losing the most inches the scale sometimes registered no weight loss or just a pound a week, etc. And this is because muscle truly weighs more than fat! There are size 4 and 6 lady bodybuilders out there who are under 5'5" and weigh in the 150s!
Don't get discouraged. I would probably be at my goal if I wouldn't haven't gotten a case of the "not fast enoughs" and had a lot of outside stress. When those inches were dropping off, even though my weight loss "slowed" (due to the muscle weighing more) my doctor kept asking me what I was doing; my BP was at 121/70 when I been having trouble staying below 135/80 on my medication; my cholesteral was normal, my blood sugar was better than usual. Oh and I try to stay away from too many processed carbs; I don't know what your plan is...Best wishes

Oh-BTW-for every five pounds lost I adjust my calorie intake at least 50 calories lower...and per an expert body builder...as we get closer to goal we gals need to add more exercise.

I agree! Having been thru - many, many diets with success at various points, I always notice weight loss - first in my hands - as my rings and watchband are suddenly loose, next the feet - my shoes are loose, then the rest of the body. for me, upper body first.. Measure!

I found the suggestions in this thread to be extremely informative. I'll keep these in mind since I have sort of stalled out in the loss category.

Hi Duch
Are you drinking 10 glasses of water daily?Drink lime water. I drink green tea after every meal. Try that.

Great tip!Thanks Tamsin78.

Lisarose - I too recognize my loss in my hands, wrists, feet and upper body first. Now instead of filled out bossom, i've got much smaller and saggier boobs. But alas, its coming off. Now I'm waiting for my loss to start attacking "my junk in my trunk"!! Good reminder all that as we lose, we have to lower our calorie intake and up our actvitity.

Dutch - I will go weeks without a lb loss -- but then my body will adjust and results will show on the scale. I agree - measure. This change is happening as long as we are consistent. It will show up eventually. Stick with it!!!!

It's not uncommon to have a the scale stall or even go up for a few weeks. There are a lot of reasons the scale might not be cooperating, including salt intake, weather, hormones, exercise, food bulk, etc. Your program sounds good (as long as you are really getting your counts right). I'd say stick with it and see how you do for another couple weeks. It's likely you will see a loss by then.

Dutch, have you tried to make sure you get enough protein at each meal? I am 59 5'7" and weight 150lb. Protein is my main source with lots of low carb veggies and lettuce salad. I agree with the others on taking your measurements. You could be loosing fat but with your workouts gaining muscle. When you workout, make sure you have some protein to help your muscles and your body with its recovery.

Dutch,
I am starting..again....to get rid of this mess. But I learned something new this time, that I never knew before. It is about sodium. Are you eating any processed foods? There is so much hidden sodium in them. It will cause you to retain a lot of water. Just a thought!!

One thing I was told by a trainer/dietician is that after aerobic exercise you must ensure you eat something within an hour, comprising protein and fat at least but a helping of carbohydrates too. He explained that especially when you start exercising in earnest, your body goes into siege mode and your metabolism drops so you are not burning fat .. the body thinks it needs to conserve your energy supply. If, however, you fuel it after exercise (and I dont mean binge!) it adjusts and the more you do aerobic exercise the less you need to resupply the fuel as you train your body to accept the rationing.

I tend to exercise before meals and eat more protein. My weight loss is slow but thus far, steady. I find if I exercise after a meal (after an hour or so) I just tend to get hungry afterwards, though a small amount of nuts (almonds usually) seems to take care of it.