Weight loss plateau - help!

38 years old, female, 133 pounds, target 126 pounds, small frame, doing cardio 4 times a week - exercise bike and DVD. Started at 137 pounds, got down to 130 3 weeks ago but have now starting gaining it all back. 3 weeks to go until a holiday - the reason for the diet. Any ideas to help kickstart the loss again - having around 1200-1500 calories with more at weekends I think. Managed to get to 126 last summer.

I find that when I hit a plateau, I need to increase the water intake.  I drink and drink and pee and pee (very annoying!) but I've heard from others, too, that it does help.  Also, could you add some weight lifting to your workout?  Muscle burns more calories - it also weighs more, so if you're really affected by the number on the scale then it may not be for you.  You didn't say how tall you were, but I'm assuming 126 is a reasonable goal for you.  If that's the case, hang in there and it WILL come off.   I hope this helps and good luck!!

Hi bjben, thanks I know I don't drink enough water - I forget or get too busy at work. I'm 5'9" if that helps. I don't go to a gym so any ideas how to lift weights at home ?

I have a lot of plateaus and zigzagging calories helps me.  Eating less (1,200) for about 4 days, then eating 1,800 for a few days, then back to 1,400.  And some extra exercise along with this.  I hate plateaus.

I think I'm on one now and going up and down 2#, for way too long.

Don't keep ingesting the same amount of calories every day like ohio45 said.  It's like shampoo, if you keep using the same kind, your hair eventually sucks.  Messing with metabolism accelerating is good too.  I find cayenne pepper and green tea works good.  Not together though, that's disgusting.... Try it if you don't believe me.... It's really, really bad...  I can't even think of an adjective to describe its horror.  Ok I'm done.

 

I workout at home some too. The best thing ever (in my opinion) is The Firm DVDs and some hand weights that range in weight. 2 to 3 lbs up to 8 or 10 depending on your strenght. You may want to get a step too. These DVDs are unreal- says you will notice a difference after 10 workouts but I swear it is closer to 5 or 7. Most combine some cardio w/ light weight lifting. I know target has the whole Firm setup w/ DVDs and the step all in one. Walmart may have it cheaper? Good luck! Reply w/ any questions.

Welcome to the club - I have also hit two plateaus since starting in early December.

I am 5'4", SW 146, CW 136, GW 125.  1st plateau - about 1.5 months in at 140lbs, 2nd plateau at 2 months at 138lbs.

What I was doing was sticking too close to 1200 calories, so like a lot of advice given here on CC, I upped my intake to 1300-1500 - still doing the same cardio routine (approx. 20-30 min 3-4x a week on a treadmill). That made a slight difference. I did feel a lot better and more energized!

Another thing that helped, and is similar to the comment about shampoo - take a break. I took about a 1 week break from exercising, watched what I ate, and then hoped back on the exercising bandwagon and voila - my body began to respond again to exercise.

Hope this helps! And good lucki! Don't worry about the #s on the scale - what matters the most is how you feel in your own skin! Numbers are numbers. 

 

cayenne pepper and green tea, what's that all about?

Original Post by funkymunky0016:

Welcome to the club - I have also hit two plateaus since starting in early December.

I am 5'4", SW 146, CW 136, GW 125.  1st plateau - about 1.5 months in at 140lbs, 2nd plateau at 2 months at 138lbs.

Hi Funkymunky, I have exactly the same stats as you. I am 5'4", SW 147 ( In early Jan), CW 136, GW 125. I am currently facing a plateau with my weight yo-yoing between 135 and 137 for the last 3 weeks. This is really frustrating me. I eat arnd 1400-1600 cals a day and exercise 3-4x a week. Taking a break for a week sounds like a good idea. Let me try it.

good luck sugandhi24 - let me know how you are doing! I hope a break works for you!

Also, how frequently are you weighing yourself? I noticed that the more often I weighed myself and obsessed over the ups-and-downs of the scale within a one week span the more discouraged I got. Take a look at your weight log .... is there a downward trend? If so - you are on the right track! When I look back at my plateaus and then take a look at how much I have lost in 2.5 weeks.... 10 lbs.... I am "right on track" as another fellow CC-er said. 

Give yourself some time, I have been working towards my goal 1 month longer than you, so you may night see results this month, but into mid/late March you should!

Just stay focused!