Hey all...I think I mentioned in my introduction, that I have plateaued on my weight loss. My largest was 265. I have lost a bunch of weight, down to 190 and now I'm up to 215.
I'm sick of being big. I want to be slim and move easily and have more energy. There are soooo many reasons.
So...I need some advice on how to get motivated again...how to push through that plateau....help!!
I wish I had some wonderful words of wisdom for you. All I can say is WOW - Look at you, you have kept 50lbs off. That is amazing.
My best advice would be to set a small goal and give yourself a nice reward. You have done a wonderful job! Keep it up.
I suppose it depends on how one defines words but to me it doesn't sounds like you're at a plateau it sounds like you're lacking motivation.
I'd suggest you examine what your motivation for losing weight is. No doubt your desire to lose weight is still very high. Assuming it is, just get back on the plan but this time instead of planning on dieting until you meet your goal plan on dieting for a short period. Lets say four weeks. You can do four weeks right? Stick to your plan relgiously and at the end of four weeks you can decide wether you want to take a break from dieting for a little while or if you want to continue. You're in control. You can do it.
Taking breaks from dieting has been key to my success. What is a diet break? Read this.
WOW! You've kept 50-lbs. off - that's an admirable and monumental accomplishment. Congratulations!
Plateaus are frustrating - I know exactly what you mean. I have read extensively about nutrition, so I'd like to think I know a thing or two, but I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist - everything I'm about to say is supported only by my own observations, so please take it with a grain of salt.
My diet is designed to even out blood sugar levels during the day. The idea behind my nutrition plan is to keep blood sugar in the 90-110 range, more preferably between 95 and 105. This evens out hormone levels and energy during the day and the night, and also prevents the body from doing massive insulin releases after meals and then subsequently crashing.
There is a problem with this dietary plan, just like basically every other nutritional plan. The problem is that, without stimulating the bodies insulin response, by only consuming 'slow carbs' (i.e. foods that contain few calories and absorb in the body slowly), the body's metabolic rate will begin to slow. The effect has been shown to be rather dramatic, even in relatively short time frames (2-4 weeks). Here's how I combat this...
For 6 days a week, each of my meals consists of at least 1 veggie, 1 legume (beans), and 1 protein. For example: Refried beans (made myself from goya canned pinto beans, NOT premade refriend beans), mixed steamed veggies, and eggs scrambled (2 real eggs and 1-2 eggs worth of Egg-beaters). I eat 4 times per day, and I eat massive quantities of these foods to make up for the fact that most of them have low caloric content.
One day per week, however, I ignore my rules. I take Saturday off from my nutrition plan and I go nuts. I eat whatever I feel like eating, whenever I feel like eating it. Generally my caloric intake is 1.4-2.0x normal, and those calories are concentrated into 3 meals plus snacks. This serves to stimulate the bodies insulin mechanism, and prevents 'metabolic downregulation'. On Sunday morning, I've generally put on a pound or two, but by Monday or Tuesday at the latest, that gain is gone and I'm back to losing fat.
Adding something to your nutrition plan to prevent metabolic down-regulation may help to overcome your plateau. Its something to think about and research, anyway.
All I can add is (in harmony with the poster above), I have always had a CHEAT MEAL once every week/bi-weekly since day 1 of my weight loss journey and have not yet EVER stalled/plateau'd. I'd say that's pretty convincing evidence that cheat meals work! It's also good for your mind/motivation. Self deprivation gets OLD fast! This is a lifelong journey right...so the way you eat NOW should be way you plan to eat FOREVER!
That said...I wouldn't recommend an entire DAY of cheating...seems men can somehow pull that off without of cinch (hmmm...testosterone maybe?)...but in any event, an entire day could potentially sabotage your your fat loss for the entire week.
Another idea is to switch up your workout regimen or increase your intensity. I opt with the INCREASE of intensity...since all I do is run and use my pull up bar a couple of days a week. I don't like change...so I stick with what I enjoy doing and find little ways to challenge myself such as holding in my stomach while making little twisting motions as I run for 5 min intervals or increasing my speed in intervals, etc., etc. Eventually I'll had hills...but I HATE HILLS with a passion...so that's LAST on my list.
Plateaus happen all the time. Even some of the fittest people you see today have more than likely hit a plateau or two somewhere along the way. The first thing you should do is acknowledge that plateauing is common, and not let it get you down or beat yourself up. Instead take it as a challenge, and get educated on why people plateau.
There is a great article on examiner.com that gives advice on why people plateau and how to overcome them. The article is:
365 tips to the fit body you've always wanted - Tip #38 Avoiding plateaus. I believe you can type it in the search field and it will come up. Sorry I'm still a junior member I can't provide links yet haha.
Usually people plateau because they do the same workouts over and over again, and our bodies adapt to it. You have to change up your exercises by adding weight, changing the intensity, doing different variations of the exercise, picking up your pace or speed, etc.
In addition, you mentioned that you feel less motivated than before. The same author of the article I provided a link to before, also has another article about getting motivated and staying motivated. Good stuff. Here's the link in case you need a little bump to get you motivated and back on track:
365 tips to the fit body you've always wanted - Tip #67 Motivation 101
I sincerely hope that this helps. You've already come along way, the key is persistence! Keep up the good work!
Hey, I just popped over and read your intro and am having a little difficulty understanding why you feel as though you are having a plateau. A plateau is when your weight loss stops...stands still, for a long period of time. According to your posts, your weight is not standing still, it is increasing. From what I understand you are gaining weight. THat is not a plateau, it is weight gain, and it's caused from over eating. There is a huge difference in the two.
What you need to do is recommit to losing. Go back to the basics and do whatever it was you did to lose it, (as long as it was healthy and sustainable). You have come a long way, but please don't confuse weight gain with a stall. Gaining is usually self inflected, a true plateau is not.
If you have been the same weight for 6 weeks, you are considered to be on a plateau. You don't gain weight. Your problems seem to be motivation and portions.
There is a great article on examiner.com that gives advice on why people plateau and how to overcome them. The article is:
365 tips to the fit body you've always wanted - Tip #38 Avoiding plateaus.
365 tips to the fit body you've always wanted - Tip #67 Motivation 101
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Thanks for these suggestions. I read every tip today and signed up for the rest. I was happy that only a couple of them added things I am now... all the help I can get, you know!
Plateau...what to do?
It's also good for your mind/motivation. Self deprivation gets OLD fast! This is a lifelong journey right...so the way you eat NOW should be way you plan to eat FOREVER! 
