I think plateaus are something that you have to accept may happen, but that depends on what you define as plateaus.
Staying the same for a few days or a week isn't really a plateau in my opinion, it's just your body adjusting, or maybe the original weight loss was more water, and now you've also lost real weight but on the scale you stay the same.
If you have a long period of time that you haven't lost weight, say a month, that seems more like a plateau. At that point you need to up your exercise, change around what you're eating, perhaps try a different plan.
Generally I don't plateau unless I am eating more than I should or not getting any exercise, so if I keep on plan and move my body I am lucky enough to keep losing pretty regularly.
I know I didn't really answer the question, but maybe someone else will!
I've been stuck at the exact same weight for well over a month. Maybe two months. I can't seem to break it. And I still have 40+ pounds to go This is my first plateau I've ever had on any of my weight loss attempts, but it happened only a month after I was done making many positive life style changes. It's hard to keep going, when there's so much delicious and unhealthy food and when I'm not losing anything ANYWAY I catch myself wanting to binge. Well, I have, a couple times already. I'm trying not to let it get to me.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Mine slowed way down, starting in summer, and it took about six months to lose the next 10 lbs. I'd lose one week, and bounce back up the next. Finally, after Xmas, I was done with that!
I kept my cals the same, but cut out breads/pastas/grains (even whole grains), though this was more because I figured out they were giving me headaches and because I realized I didn't need them (just personally, because I eat a lot of high fiber veggies), plus I wasn't that fond of them in the first place.
I upped my exercise, too, going from so-so 3 days a week cardio to 6-7 days a week, and lifting 4 days instead of 3 each week. Basically, it boils down to being perfectly on plan, and daily workouts (though if I feel like I'm overdoing it, I'll take a rest day from the exercise), for me right now. Since I've been eating perfectly clean and working out more, I'm losing again, finally. Still having trouble busting out of the 180s, but I know it's coming, and weight loss since the first of january has been about a pound a week average. So, I don't know for sure that I've busted this plateau, but this is the most movement I've seen in a long, long time, so it feels like it's working.
I did change my exercise up, too. New exercises in the weight room, new sets/reps, new cardio. I've heard that changing it up helps, plus it's fun to do something different and not the same-old stuff I was doing for a whole year!
I think all you can do is keep active stay on course and wait it out. Look at it this way...If you lost 40lbs....it is like you where working out..or whatever you do for exercise with 40lb weights that you have now put down...it takes the body a while to adjust but if you keep eating healthy and staying active the fat burning engine should ..eventually kick back on...the trick is not to get discouraged because the scale isn't moving and go off on a binge of bad diet behaviors.
for some cutting back on carbs a tiny bit and picking up some protein helps kick start things..but mostly I think its keep up the good fight and wait it out.
Damn I was hoping for a magic bullet. I've been pretty stuck here at about 55 pounds down.
The good thing is I am not tempted to go back to my old ways. I am staying the course. Just don't know if I could correct the course.
I am trying to rededicate to my exercise plan. I was probably going twice a week when I am supposed to go three times a week. So off to the gym for my 3rd workout of the week.
Thanks for the encouragement in the thread. I needed it too.
Please share your experiences in the order below :
1) How many times did you see plateaus during your weight loss journey ?
2) How long did they lasted ?
3) How did you break them ?
I guess this thread would be helpful for lot of newbies and lost souls like me
I was doing atkins and hit a plateau at 22 lbs lost for 1.5 months. in that time I switched to south beach, still, no loss. then, I went back to my old trusty calorie counting and lost 3 lbs in a week.
Sometimes yer body just needs to try something new I guess. but I stayed on plan the entire time, that is the important part.
I seem to hit a plateau every 30 pounds or so. The last one lasted nearly six months It's frustrating, and usually at some point I just throw in the towel and maintain for awhile, which makes it last longer. The good news is that I haven't gained anything back during those maintenance periods.
I broke my last one by cutting carbs back even more and really upping my protein intake. It's a hard diet for me to stick to, though, so I've done a little backsliding already. I'm trying to find a balance right now that will let me move forward without feeling like I'm starving all the time.
When I started eating healthier I lost a few pounds right away but then just stopped. I was losing inches but not weight. I started running recently after never having done it in my life and it is dropping off more and my clothes are getting too big. I also bumped up my calories a little at the same time. I think I was a little too low at 1200 and shoot for 1400-1600 now.
How many of you've seen plateaus and how did you break them ?
This is my first plateau I've ever had on any of my weight loss attempts, but it happened only a month after I was done making many positive life style changes. It's hard to keep going, when there's so much delicious and unhealthy food and when I'm not losing anything ANYWAY I catch myself wanting to binge. Well, I have, a couple times already. I'm trying not to let it get to me.
