My first plateau...
 

I started my program on doctors orders on August 18. I have followed it perfectly with the exception of one refuel and a couple of "cheats" at Christmas. It is pretty much 1200 calories although I go up to 1500 calories 1-2 times a week. I exercise 6 days a week usually 1 and half hour. I don't think I could exercise anymore.

After 63 pounds lost I think I have gotten to the infamous "plateau". But I have carved myself into a corner. I can't exercise more and I really can't eat less. I am feeling a little trapped and not sure what to do. Do I wait it out? My doctor had mentioned putting me back on levothyroxin that perhaps my metabolism was slowing (I previously had hypothyroid) but part of this weight loss was to STAY OFF drugs.

Any suggestions for making it through my first plateau?

I don't know if there is any scientific reason for this, but if I ease up on the exercising...while still keeping my eating the same, I seem to drop a couple of pounds. Two or three weeks of relaxing a little. I know the feeling of being unable to up the exercise....you know, "I'm dancing as fast as I can!"..Then, back on the original exercise regime. Don't give up no matter what!

You could try a week of more extreme calorie cycling and see if that does anything for your metabolism. You could try sticking with your 1200 most of the week, but throw a couple 1700 days in there.

How long has it been without any loss? You haven't said. If it's less than a month, I'd wait longer before making any changes to your plan.

How much water are you drinking? Sometimes when I hit a stall, upping the water for a couple days can do the trick.
Also, have you been taking your measurements along the way? If you haven't been, start now! You may not be losing weight, but you could still be losing inches. My senior year of college I stayed at 142/143 for 3 months while working my butt off. I finally took my measurements and realized I'd lost 6 inches from all over my body with out ever losing a pound. If that's the case, your body will eventually catch up.

I'm always on a plateau!

Well, it seems like it, because my body will drop a few pounds and then it needs a little time to "adjust" to the new weight.

What could be happening is that your body just needs some time to adjust to this new weight. You've done a great job of losing 63 pounds, maybe your body just needs to adjust to this radical change.

I would sit it out for a while. Maintain. Work on that (since it is as hard as losing) and then start adjusting exercise/food to continue to losing.

Originally Posted by carter:
How long has it been without any loss? You haven't said. If it's less than a month, I'd wait longer before making any changes to your plan.

It's been about 3 weeks.

Originally Posted by JadeBlue14:
How much water are you drinking? Sometimes when I hit a stall, upping the water for a couple days can do the trick.
Also, have you been taking your measurements along the way? If you haven't been, start now! You may not be losing weight, but you could still be losing inches. My senior year of college I stayed at 142/143 for 3 months while working my butt off. I finally took my measurements and realized I'd lost 6 inches from all over my body with out ever losing a pound. If that's the case, your body will eventually catch up.

I drink 4 16 ounce thermoses a day...plus whatever I drink during workout. I could definately up that.

we are taking measurements...I just still want to see movement on the scale. I've lost about an inch on each measurement we take since November.

hey!
 

Originally Posted by stacygee:
I drink 4 16 ounce thermoses a day...plus whatever I drink during workout. I could definately up that.

That is the exact same way I measure my water intake! :D

I would up the calories on a day or two by 200 or 300. Sometimes your body needs to know it does not have to converse your energy stores.