Mother of all Plateaus!

Started exercising steadily in July.  Swimming mostly ramping up to where I swim for an hour each day monitoring my pulse for aerobic workout.  I cover 2000-2400 yards depending on whether I stop for pullups/different strokes, etc.

Lost 25# pretty quickly but despite working out longer and in different ways, I've been at the same weight for almost 3 months now.  I know I'm building muscle but my clothes don't feel any more loose.

What's up?

Ok, same weight for almost three months....what is your calorie intake?  Do you journal all your foods?  Have you taken your measurements each month and recorded the data?  Hard to tell if you are plateau-ing or if you are overcompensating in the food area....The exercise is wonderful for your body and for building muscle, strength and a stronger heart.  But what is the food portion of your regime?

i read somewhere that %70 of weight loss is based on food intake and lowering calories..... so i would suggest you start with adjusting your diet, then maybe switch up the workout!

Sounds like your body is in a state of maintenance.  Swimming is your workout of choice so it sounds like you do it a lot.  If you do the same exercise and eat the same amount of food, eventually your body adjusts itself to that.  You need to throw it a curve ball.  Do some different workouts.  Not just swimming.  Lift some weights, run a few miles etc...  You may want to look into zig zagging your calories as well.

You know, switching stuff up has occurred to me which is why I don't swim everyday.  On the days I don't, I walk/run about 3 miles.  Even when I swim, I pause to do some pullups, other strokes to try to throw a curve.

Most importantly, whatever exercise I do, I have a heart monitor to ensure that I'm getting a workout regardless of how well my body is adapting to it.  I keep my heart between 120-150 for the whole hour in the pool.  As you would expect, the rest time between 200yd legs has grown shorter and shorter but I'm still able to keep the pace up.

I'll have another look at food intake but I don't believe it's much different than at first.  Still gaining muscle because I can feel them hurt a little.

We'll see.

Tks,

Bob