How Have you broken a plateau?

What did you do with your calories?

I wasn't counting calories at the time, so I did PT twice a day for a couple weeks until the scale started moving again.

I ate a lot of fried food and drank margaritas every day. You can read about it in my journal!

But seriously, sometimes it helps to take a week or two off. Eat maintenance (or even a bit more!) for a week or two. Give your body some time to get accustomed to its new lower weight and rev up your metabolism by eating at your maintenance level.

I have done it using a technique called "zig-zagging" and it definitely worked for me...zig-zagging is alternating your calorie intake over a 3 day span then start the process over heres an example...if your daily calorie intake should be 2000 (to loose 1 lb a week) then do this

day 1, 1900 calories

day 2, 2000 calories

day 3, 2100 calories

the overall 2000 calories is still maintained yet your body believes hey I am ok...do this over and over till you break the cycle.... here is a link that discusses the process...I personally have tried it when I wanted to cut the plateau...it does work.

http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/ zig-zag-calories-for-weight-loss-74803.html

I took a week off of high cal deficits and eat b/w 1800 - 2300, but still workout 5 days a week. I find the extra cals great fuel for my workout and I work harder w/o feeling dragged down. Also, I've increased cardio after concentrating on running for a 5k.

Today I weighed myself and I'm either maintaining or lost 3lbs (it's been a rollercoaster), but I feel fine. I'm continueing this until mid-june and then I'll up the deficitis again or not depending if I lose this way.

Good luck, I know it sucks, but give yourself a break! It's okay.

I eat less.

Thanks guys! I've been eating 1500-1700 cals a day for the past few months (after upping them from 1000-1200...lost weight from the upping) and now the scale wont budge! I'm aiming to lose about 4 lbs by August...hoping to lose 2 of them by June 20. :)

CC says I burn 2000-2100 a day as well. Still haven't lost! :(

Thanks for the tips...maybe I will eat maintenance for a bit...and then zig-zag. It stinks though that I don't have much time to experiment. If there's anything more anyone would want to add - please do!!!  :)

To beat a plateau in my personal experience you have to change your pattern of exercice/eating (I've lost 97 lbs in last 2 years and had to go through muscle building program (because muscle uses up so much energy, cardio (because a 45 mins of cardio boosts your metabolism by about 30% over 2-3 days (depends on genetics) and went also with cycles of low intensity, super long exercice. High proteins diets worked good for me, but once a week I cheat on my diet (to prevent insanity).

Drinking lots of cold water also works because your body has to heat it to excrete it. 1 glass of ice cold water is supposed to be around 50 calories burnt. 8 glasses a day will push up your metabolism by 400 or so.

I did the combo. (exercise and calories)

I upped my calorie intake from 1200 to 1500 and upped my cardio. ^^

I just answered a similar question. I was at a plateau and wanted another 5lbs off. I studied my analysis over time and noticed my saturated fat intake was in the 25-30g/day range. Most recommendations say 15g/day. I adjusted and over time I lost a few more pounds.

I'm not sure about the cold water thing because I have heard people say that before, but on the Doctors TV show they said it made no real impact. 

If it makes no real impact I now wonder about the wisdom behind the law of thermodynamics (goes wonder how transfering energy from one's body to water doesn't require energy spent).

Well if heating something doesn't require energy then please someone call NASA for me will you?

quit the cardio

started jillian michaels 30 day shred. weight training woo!

Ok well I just got a new personal trainer who will help me accomplish whatever my goals are - I kept a food/exercise diary for a little less than a week, and she told me to stop eating after 6 or 7 pm. I'll let you know when and how the changes happen. :)

I ate more.  I went from eating 1500 to 1800 and lost a pound after 2 days!

I upped my calories. I went from 1300 to 1800cals and I've lost 5lbs already.