Has anyone else found their weight stuck at a specific point, rising or falling around a certain weight and frustratingly hovering there for weeks?
Having lost 1.5 stone, where the weight dropped steadily each week, I have now been hovering around the 12 stone mark for a few weeks. On a weekly basis, the weight just seems to rise a pound or so above 12 stone or falls a pound or two under 12 stone, although my dieting regime remains the same.
Does there come a point when the diet has to become stricter in terms of calories, since I now weigh less than when I started? There just doesn't seem to be any obvious reason for this small seesaw up and down each week at the 12 stone mark. It's as though the needle on the scales is stuck 😁
It is quite maddening to reach this plateau, especially as I feel sure that if I can get beyond that, the weight will then continue to drop. My target is 11 stone or a little less, so as it is right now, that goal seems so close yet so far.
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Chuckyegg
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17 Replies
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Have you recently revisited the BMI calculator? as you lose weight the calorie range will change as well
Yes I have plateaued and it was / is a struggle to get past this, so I revisited the BMI calculator and have actually been eating mainly in the range and the results will be shown at weigh in tomorrow (but I am hopeful )
You've lost 1.5 stone well done on that - I am struggling getting to the 1 stone mark
Thanks Cracker. I never thought of that, duh! 🙂 Having just checked, at least I'm no longer obese, just overweight, which is gratifying in its way. Good luck on reaching your 1 stone mark,, you'll do it.
It's a very common occurrence, Chuckyegg and happened to me, a few months ago. I decided to opt for a period of maintenance, in the hope of resetting my body's set weight, but there are a number of ways to deal with it, all of them requiring patience
Thanks for the info moreless. I had no idea it was a common occurrence! At least I now know it's not faulty scales or just me being weird. The links were really helpful in explaining this, thanks for that. I hope you're able to tumble off this plateau at some point too. It is like a maintenance diet, but what's the betting that when we reach that stage, unlike now, it will be really difficult to stick there lol.
Metabolic adaptation is the technical term, try to relax and focus on enjoying the lifestyle, carefully watch the calories and the weight should shift. 😊
Another tip is to 'mix it up' food wise, change what you are eating, especially reducing carbs 😕
It's frustrating I know, good luck whatever you decide
It's not so much that you need to be stricter with intake, it's more a case of being a little more generous, increasing intake closer to maximum allowance (or TDEE), while still maintaining a small deficit.
Since the body no longer possesses the level of excess fat it once did, the vast majority of energy needs to come from food, encouraging it to expend what you still have to lose, albeit at a slightly slower rate, purely since the daily calorie deficit won't be as great.
Again, if you've not calculated minimum/maximum recommendation at current weight, I'd recommend that you do, since fewer calories will now be required to satisfy both (upon the assumption that activity level has remained the same).
Having re-calculated, by maintaining a daily deficit of up to 200Kcal from maximum allowance, you'll be providing the body with sufficient energy, while still encouraging it to expend calories from the fat that you'd still like to lose.
Thanks MrNiceGuy. It's really quite interesting once you get into the metabolism/calorie structure. I've worked out that I now need to be at the lower end of my calorie allowance, even though I have increased my keep-fit exercise over the last couple of weeks and have been more active in my normal routine lately because of gardening. Over the next two weeks I'll drop the calories towards the lower limit. It's a good job I chose to diet at the top end of the calorie range, so I have room to manoeuvre without being too drastic 😀
If you've continued to eat towards the higher end of your maximum allowance, based on initial calculations, that will go someway towards explaining why you've hit a plateau, Chuckyegg.
However, by re-calculating your figures on current weight, you could probably get away with still consuming towards the higher end of the new recommendation, since the values will be less than starting amounts.
The less weight you have to lose, the fewer calories you have stored in excess fat, meaning that the body isn't as willing to give it up. As such, you need to get your energy balance correct, allowing evolution to be cheated, albeit at a slightly slower rate.
By all means, try eating towards the lower end of your recommendation and see how you get on, but if you begin to feel hungry, then intake will need to increase.
Given level of activity, although the margin between the two figures may be smaller than at the outset, I'd suggest going for somewhere between the two amounts, as you aim to lose the final stone.
Upon reaching goal weight, re-assess your figures once again, so that you know how many calories your body requires to maintain goal weight in the longer term.
Thanks for this advice MrNiceGuy. Yes, I will initially keep towards the top end of my newly revised calorie count and adjust accordingly. As my weigh-in day is Sunday, I'm keen to start from Monday and hope that this slight adjustment downwards might be the push it needs. I enjoy my diet and don't find it difficult as it's quite energising and I seldom feel hungry on it so far. Hopefully, next Sunday will see a breakthrough 🙂
Hi, yes! I have the same problem at the moment! - I have no advice to add but like the thought of a spreadsheet to monitor my calorie output - I can probably go through my fitbit and get the data for that.
I know for me, my exercise level has dropped due to work commitments so I need to build more back in - If I can't do it first thing then I don't do it - I need to 're train my brain to doing it after work even if I am tired!
Thanks Clavic. Yes, I agree with you that being physically active is important for all kinds of reasons. It's a great mood improver as well, giving a feeling of well being. I hope you're able to build it into your day and make it a habit. Great idea to create a spreadsheet of calories in and expended.
I have the same problem, but know deep down that I tend to relax when I am around my sticking point. So, this week I have decided to ban alcohol from my evenings (and days, of course!), so seeing how that works. I am also exercising a little more. Part of me feels if I build muscle through exercising, and muscles increase your metabolism, then the weight loss meaning fewer calories are needed should be counteracted by the increase in metabolism. But no easy way to measure metabolic rate. Let's compare nores on how we get on.
Thanks DRS54. Yes, that is my fear that I might relax the diet because it's static. I haven't done so yet, but did find myself eying up the ice cream yesterday 😀
I rarely drink anyway, maybe a glass of wine at a bbq, but biscuits and ice cream easily turn my head. Having said that, I really enjoy my diet and having lost 1.5 stone I don't want to mess that up. I've bought a dress that is too small for me and this is my target, to get into it comfortably 😀
I read that gaining muscle can also increase weight, so there must be a balance somehow of exercising, increasing muscle and losing fat. I don't think I have to worry too much there though as my exercise doesn't involve weights and is mostly walking or cycling and going manic with home DVD get fit/dance/Zumba programs 😁
Yes, we can compare notes. It might encourage us to get over this sticking problem.
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