I think I'm hitting a plateau...need some ideas.

Hi,

I'm a busy college student, trying to lose a bit of weight. I was shocked into it after visiting my doctor and the scale read 213. I'm 5'10" and large frame so I hide it pretty well, but...

It's been a little over a month and I think I'm plateauing, or at least the rate I'm losing at is slowing down. Edit: Actually, looking at the first three outlier posts, it doesn't look like I've lost weight at all. Even though the weekly average decreases a bit. =/

date    weight    trend        
1-9     213    213        (Doctor's scale)
1-22     215    214        (Doctor's scale)
1-24     205.2    211.07  (Evening, my new scale)     
1-25     201.8    208.75   (The rest are taken in the morning)
1-26     201.6    207.32        
1-27     202    206.43        
1-28     202    205.8        
1-29     201    205.2        
1-30    199.8    204.6        
1-31     199.8    204.12
2-1     200.8    202.9        
2-2     200.8    201.48        
2-3     201.6    201.12        
2-4     199.8    200.92        
2-5     199.8    200.74        
2-6     199    200.44        
2-7     199.2    200.16           
2-9     200.2    200.08        
2-10    199.4    200.04        
2-11     199.2    199.98        
2-12      199.8    199.88        
2-13    201.4    199.94        
2-14    200.6    199.84
2-15    198.8    199.74        
2-16    201    199.86        

Since I'm so busy, I logged all my foods religiously for the first 2-3 weeks, then stopped. I tend to eat the same foods, because the cafeteria is on rotation. I've gotten really good at estimating calories and watching it, only eating when I'm hungry, etc. I'm not going over, I still tally up in my head, I just don't have time to post it all here.

I did have to stop the Couch to 5k program I was doing because it's too much stress on my knee. I tried pain pills, taking a rest, wearing a brace, higher slope, lower slope, faster, slower, new shoes, stretching. Nothing. My knee can't take it. Stationary bike is better, but still too much stress to be comfortable. I have pretty bad chrondromalacia, where my cartiladge is wearing down, and my physical therapist said exercising can only make it worse - the best I can do is build up the muscle there, which I have quite a bit. I just don't know what sort of exercise I can do that will be comfortable, so I've been taking the roundabout way to everything and taking walks to try to do something.

I want to start lifting weights or something but I have no idea what to do. I read a bit and someone said that lifting free weights is better than machines, but all my gym has is machines. Weird, I know. I'm still not sure how to make a good program out of it. But I still need some sort of cardio that doesn't hurt my knee, which might be tough. =/

Do you think I'm plateauing, first of all? Second, any recommendations for exercises? I know I'm eating right, no worries there. =D

Thanks in advance.

Well...it looks like you lost 13 pounds in one month which is not a sustainable amount of weight loss. Are you eating enough? your body could be trying to protect itself if you've restricted too severely and by the drastic weight loss in one month you may need to up you caloric increase and give it a few weeks. some people calorie cycle and find it effective--by constantly changing the number of calories you get your body does not slow your metabolism because it is confused essentially. i hope this helps at least a little. =)

The thing is, I don't think I lost that much weight...if you look at my weight on Jan 22, it was 215 at the doctor's in the morning after breakfast, and two days later in the afternoon it was only 205.2. I think the doctor's scale is way off from mine.

The next morning, which is how I consistently weighed myself afterwards, started my 198-202 almost-month. I really think I've been stuck for a while but was tricked by seeing the numbers being about a pound down for more than one day, and then shooting back up...

I'm so confused.

hi heather!

first of all, don't panic plateaus do happen. One of mine lasted almost two months! What worked for me was zig zagging my calories, this is that one day  for me is a high calorie day, the next is a low one (above the 1200 mark, of course). Some people decrease their carb intake and eat more proteins. Have you started any new meds? especially birth control? Are you drinking enough water? Have the cafeteria changed staff recently (some chefs use more oil than others!)are you stressed?

I would suggest to take measurements of your body, because they show the real progress versus weight. In my last plateau (3 weeks long) my weight was the same but I noticed that my clothes fitted better.

take care and good luck

First, you don't have to check your weight everyday. It is depressing and it reflects all the small variations due to water retention, sodium intake, or just a bigger quantity of food. Choose one day a week and weight yourself in the morning, without clothes. I do it on Saturday morning and I resist the need of doing it more often.

Second, I still think walking is the best thing to do. You don't hurt yourself,  you don't force your body, and you can even find something beautiful to see. It is relaxing and you can variate the place you go to talk a walk. I really love it and I don't feel it is an exercise.

For REAL plateaux:). I increase my calories for two days. I eat 1800 instead of 1300 and I afford to eat even not the best food (like a piece of chocolate cake, or a pizza). It always works! I don't know if it is some logic in this, but it is efficient.

Just take your time and it will be ok:)