I agree about the calorie cycling. I was losing just .5lb per week and I knew that I could lose more. So I tried it..
Mon 1200
Tu 1500
We 1800
Th 1500
F 1200
Sa 1500
Sun 1800
It worked for me, then the mext week I go back to an average of 1500, then repeat the cycle. So it is off one week on the next. Sometimes a little bit of cycling in normal for all of us.
I also changed my workout every 2 weeks or so. This way your body always has something new to learn, either a new dvd or something.
My daughter is going through this right now, she has lost over 20 lbs in the past 12 weeks. She still has 30lbs left to get to her goal and for the past 12 wks she has done the same thing. Workout is supose to be fun and not boring, change things up and have fun. We will see if she listens.
My gosh! You have lost 64 pounds , that is great. You are not on a plateau, a plateau is when you do not lose when you are doing everything right. 3 pounds a month is a safe, steady loss. Also remember our rate of loss will vary as we continue the losing game. We all want to go to bed fat and wake up thin, it just doesn't work that way. Keep at it and you will see success. Every body is different and the body decides how we will lose. You can do it, do not get discouraged, know that it will happen.
It seems, from my perspective, that lately you've tried a bunch of different things all at once, without giving one method a fair period of time.
Hi Kelly, I'd have to say that I agree with FB 100%. I was also losing 10lbs a month since september and then hit a plateau at the end of Dec start of Jan. I was freaking out and wasn't sure what to do either but I decided to make a couple of changes and I've stuck with them for a month and I'm losing again.
Not sure if this will work for you but this is what I did.
#1 - I eat MORE (not crap still clean whole foods). 2000 cals on days I workout and 1800 on days I don't.
#2 - I changed my macronutrient ratio. I was eating 40/30/30 (carb, pro, fat) and now it's 30/40/30
#3 - I started taking Whey Protein, once in the morning and once post workout
#4 - I started weight training, free weights, I follow the book "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" ( I still do cardio: run & spin mostly)
Kelly trust me I feel your frustration I've read some of your other posts and I'm surprised and bummed out that you are still going through this. I know exactly where your coming from when you say "I still weigh over 200 lbs, I have plenty more to lose". I felt like that too.
I would suggest trying out one thing for a couple of weeks, give it a chance, and see what happens. Look I know it sucks but you have done a fantastic job so don't get discouraged! I think switching the macronutrient ratio was the biggest help for me. I ate way too many carbs before and after a couple of days of eating more protein and less carbs the scale started moving down again.
I don't have anything better to add to the already excellent advice you have already recieved except to say stressing over this will not help you at all either.
Stress runs down your immune system and you definitely don't need that!
I don't have anything better to add to the already excellent advice you have already recieved except to say stressing over this will not help you at all either.
Stress runs down your immune system and you definitely don't need that!
good luck in figuring it all out!
Yes! Excellent point flatiron. That's something I forgot to mention. I was freaking out about not losing anymore and I think that contributed to the problem. Once I chilled out and stuck to my new plan the weight loss started to work again.
I, too, don't think this is a plateau. The pounds may not be coming off as quickly as you think they should, but remember that weight loss is seldom linear. Losses are usually inconsistent... this is normal. My own weight loss has looked something like this:
All of 2007: 0-6 pounds per month
January - August 2008: 7-8 pounds per month
September - November 2008: 2 pounds per month
December 2008: 12 pounds!!!
January - February 2009: 4 pounds per month
Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I managed to get an appointment with my doctor today, and she agrees with me, there is no reason why a 22 year old weighing what I weigh shouldn’t be losing 2 pounds a week. We both suspect thyroid problems or some other hormonal problem. I had a blood test and should be getting the results back soon, I’ll keep you posted.
mariamherrera- I’ve tried that, pretty much (around 1800-2,000 cals) and it didn’t work for me. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
sm177- I’m not sure if I’m comfortable running in public yet, or really even running. All of my workouts consist of my heart rate going from 160ish for a while, then 170s for a while. If I push myself any harder, my heart rate will be at a dangerous level.
joyra- I measure regularly, and I haven’t had a single millimeter of loss since December.
Thighs Be Gone-yes, I always calorie cycle.
FB- I’ve been giving just about everything that I try at least a week to see if it works out. I stopped taking alli, because I saw no results and didn’t think it was worth it to take the health risks/side effects with it for a long time without results.
daniela- thanks for the advice. I have tried most of what you suggested, except the whey protein, but I usually eat soy nuts around the time of my workouts so I think they do about the same job.
Oh, and to everyone who agrees that this isn’t a real plateau: maybe you’re right. I have lost three pounds in a month- however, I haven’t lost a millimeter on any part of my body, suggesting that I’m not actually losing any real amount of fat. My doctor agrees with me that this should not be happening. I just worry that you might discourage people in the future from seeking help if they’re having a hard time losing weight. If someone in their early twenties is having this kind of an issue, perhaps it’s better to tell them to talk to a doctor rather than wait it out. There are a lot of people out there with undiagnosed hormonal problems from their obesity who may need to be on medication, and I think it’s vital that we encourage them to listen to symptoms.
Its a good idea for everyone to get a yearly checkup that includes blood tests for thyroid, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, vitamin levels, etc. There are many plateaus that are self induced and people have experienced them.
A couple years ago, I had slacked off for a bit but then I decided to be stringent with my exercise and food. For 3 months, I didn't lose a single pound. The inches weren't falling off either. Then all of a sudden one day, I lost 5 lbs and ended up losing 30 lbs in the next 2 months. Yes my body was holding onto the weight for some reason, who knows? It happens especially with women and our various hormones that can affect us. It is possible that your hormones are out of whack, it could be that your thyroid is acting up or who knows?
It seems, from my perspective, that lately you've tried a bunch of different things all at once, without giving one method a fair period of time. I understand the frustrations of a plateau and the temptation to try everything to get out of it. I'm going through my first real one, and unfortunately it's 2 stinking pounds from goal. Cripes!
For instance on the periods of time, you just added in exercise in the beginning of the month, so about two weeks. And Alli was recent too? Are you still doing that? How many calories are you currently eating?
I think you really have to give each method a fair shot and record the results, if any. For me, in the past, the way to get the loss back on track was to really clean up my diet and watch it with a very careful eye. No fast foods, limited sugar and starches, continue onwards with exercise while trying new methods of exercise. It would typically take 3-4 weeks to get results again.
So, my advice is exactly what you didn't want - which is saying to stick with one method for a bit longer before dismissing it. You've done great so far and will see this through to your goal.
PS: I'll be sure to let you know first about what gets me out of my stinky plateau! Thyroid tests are a good idea too, mine gets checked regularly.
Kelly - perhaps it's that people are just really sensitive to the word "plateau" and how it is used. You are losing weight slower than you'd like, and maybe slower than your doctor thinks you should be. That's frustrating, and warrants further exploration with your doctor. But there is a big difference between "losing 3 lbs a month", which is slower than you'd want, and being "plateaued".
We're particularly sensitive to it here, because part of what the people at 3FC do is try to encourage healthy rates of loss, and you're within the healthy range of .5-2 lbs a week, even though it is slower than you'd like.
I'm sorry if you were offended and really hope you get to the bottom of the issue so you can lose weight at a faster pace, if that is what you and your doctor decide is best.
I just worry that you might discourage people in the future from seeking help if they’re having a hard time losing weight. If someone in their early twenties is having this kind of an issue, perhaps it’s better to tell them to talk to a doctor rather than wait it out. There are a lot of people out there with undiagnosed hormonal problems from their obesity who may need to be on medication, and I think it’s vital that we encourage them to listen to symptoms
Kelly, we're not professionals here of any kind. When we ask for advice, people give it freely and willingly. But you've got to realize that most folks just give advice on what they know, based on THEIR OWN experiences, since that's all we know. Because we are not doctors.
It's also hard to get across your EXACT situation over the internet. Lots can get lost.
I can see what you would be frustrated. I'm glad you were able to get to the doctor and get those tests. Hopefully she will have some answers for you.
And you're right. Seeking a doctors opinion is often the best advice anyone can give.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 02-12-2009 at 05:45 PM.
That's true, nelie, that many plateaus are self induced. I guess we just have to trust that people that are slacking off will say so.
Sometimes people don't realize that they let a little few nibbles here and there add up. Sometimes its even the fact that people reach a maintenance level and need to drop calories before they lose weight again. As mandalinn said there are others who think not losing any weight within a week or 2 is a plateau. I really think that not losing weight for a month could be a plateau but I'd also say give your body a chance. Like I said in my experience, it took my body 3 months at one point before it decided to let go of some more weight.
And as robin said, the best advice to seek is those of doctors which is what you are doing.
I'm very sensitive to the word plateau, because my weight loss is a lot slower than I would like it to be and even at over 300 lbs, I'm losing only an average of about 3 lbs a month (I lost about 40 lbs last year). It's frustrating the heck out of me, and I of course want to lose more, but I've got to deal with the constraints I have. I have a lot of health issues though that complicate things, so for now 3 lbs a month is actually quite good for me. As I'm losing, I feel better, can do more and I think that I will be able to consistently maintain my slow rate of loss if not actually speed things up abit it. When dealing with weight loss, it's common, but not inevitable that your earliest rate of loss be faster than later on.
Regardless of whether your doctor finds a reason for your slower weight loss, you may still have to struggle with it. If you've got low thryoid, it may not be low enough for them to medicate, or the medications may not help you lose faster. If you're insulin resistant, medication may help, or it might not. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, in fact I'm trying to do the opposite. Even if you are forced (or voluntarily decide) to take the slow road on this journey, it doesn't mean you won't get to your destination.
Your point is well taken in some respects, Kelly. Folks here wouldn't want to discourage anyone from seeing their physician, and I think the website has lots of disclaimers about none of this being medical advice.
However, often people really do get impatient. I know you've been struggling, but sometimes it does take more than a week to see a difference based on a plan. If you switch what you are doing every week, well, it could be rather confusing to the body, I think. Of course I'm not a doctor, so I don't know.
I hope you get some answers from the doctor and blood tests. Let us know!
I've read some of your other posts and I'm surprised and bummed out that you are still going through this. I know exactly where your coming from when you say "I still weigh over 200 lbs, I have plenty more to lose". I felt like that too. 
