Breaking Weightloss Plateaus

Thanks for sharing. Up until recently, I believed that the closer I got to my goal weight, the less I had to eat and the harder I had to work out, only to be frustrated because the scale wasn't budging. Once I figured out that you have to eat more to lose and bust through the plateau, you could have knocked me over with a feather! :)
It was awesome adding more healthy snacks to my eating plan.
 
I have lost 5.5 lbs in three weeks,

mostly abdominal fat (I am 45 and my waist has been expanding) by following Michael Moseley's 5:2 diet. I started out in the normal weight range and lost weight anyway, without dieting.

The Fast Diet » the secret of 5:2 intermittent fasting: lose weight, stay healthy, live longer

The "How to Start" tab has a short video on how to do the lifestyle, but his book is much more informative.

This lifestyle is a plateau buster and his science makes sense.
 
I began using the 5/2 plan (I found it in the UK press after doing research for diet and its impact on breast cancer). Since July 3 I've lost 10 lbs and I am really happy about the whole plan. It takes a bit to get used to but I'm totally committed.


Katerchen said:
mostly abdominal fat (I am 45 and my waist has been expanding) by following Michael Moseley's 5:2 diet. I started out in the normal weight range and lost weight anyway, without dieting.

The Fast Diet » the secret of 5:2 intermittent fasting: lose weight, stay healthy, live longer

The "How to Start" tab has a short video on how to do the lifestyle, but his book is much more informative.

This lifestyle is a plateau buster and his science makes sense.
Click to expand...
 
maggiesedai said:
I began using the 5/2 plan (I found it in the UK press after doing research for diet and its impact on breast cancer). Since July 3 I've lost 10 lbs and I am really happy about the whole plan. It takes a bit to get used to but I'm totally committed.
Click to expand...

Additionally, I like the impact on Alzheimers and overall health. I admit, I usually eat 800 kcal on the fast day in one meal instead of 500 or 6oo kcal. I eat supper the night before around 6:30 pm, get up at 4 am and workout for about an hour. Then I do not eat anything until 6 pm at night. I probably could skip all of eating on the fast day if I would not have to cook for the family.

I feel good and sleep like a rock. My mood is stable. For me, it is easier not to eat anything than just constantly a little.
 
Plateau breakthrough

Hi Everyone,

I am back on this thread to share more information and interact on the topic.

One question: Has anyone been on a long journey and reached a point of struggling to loose those last 5-15 pounds? What did you do to break through.
Well some have already posted about Intermittent fast diet.

Has anyone gone through a process of tweaking/ adjusting calories consumed (with record of food consumed in a journal or tracking apps) according to a high exercise activity level and seen results!! Please share with us.

Has anyone used information such as this one below:

Break Through Your Plateau | FitnessRX for Women

Hope to hear from you ladies ;-)
 
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The calorie needs based on activity level is a tool a lot of personal trainers use (I am certified through ncsf). In my case, in order to lose weight, I would have to eat around 2350 kcal, I usually eat between 2800 and 3200 kcal on a daily basis to maintain the weight I am at. I tried sticking to 2350 kcal a day but being so exact about food intake does not fit into my lifestyle.

Tweaking calories probably would work if one would stick by it and counts calories carefully daily. However, I do not like to do that. I do not like to think about food that way all the time. I use food mainly to nourish my body with the best tasting foods available.

I just completed my 10th fast day. During the last six weeks, I had two weeks where I only fasted one day and four weeks where I fasted two days. The other days I ate like I normally would, which is healthy but without any calorie restriction ( however, I do not overeat or eat until I am fully stuffed). So far, I have lost seven pounds without the "being on a diet feeling."
 
Hi Nathalie! First of all - very well done for getting this far.
I hear you on how difficult it is to lose when you're pretty close to your goal weight. Firstly, check your goal is still the same. How much of that 5 - 15 lbs do you NEED to lose? Is it just that you set your goal a while ago, with no real knowledge of what you'd look and feel like when you got near? Perhaps with all that muscle you can be a little more lenient on your target?
In my experience, it's really difficult losing whilst lifting heavy if you're close to the right weight. STS has caused me to gain 6lb - and I'm having a really difficult time dropping those pounds. When I do MWT-type excercises I lose very easily - in fact struggle to keep my weight up. Perhaps give heavy lifting a break for a few weeks, just to see if you can get the scale to shift?
HTH and very, very good luck,
Justine x
 
I'm in the same boat. While I'm not at a plateau yet, my weight loss has slowed to1 lb per week (on Nutrisystem currently), and I've lost over 110 lbs (most of it via Weight Watchers). I have about 15 lbs left to lose. I also gained weight on STS (gained twice doing STS so quit each time halfway through) but I lose when I lift weights and do cardio in the same workout (4 Day Split and Xtrain 30 day cardio/strength rotation).

What I've done in the past is vary the calorie amounts each day, sometimes having a weekly cheat meal to keep my body guessing, so that helps.

I often wonder if I'm eating enough on Nutrisystem; I eat around 1300-1400 calories on days I work out but I keep the workouts to under an hour. I do a weekly cheat meal. I can't imagine eating 2300 calories!!
 
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nckfitheart2009 said:
Hi Everyone,

I am back on this thread to share more information and interact on the topic.

One question: Has anyone been on a long journey and reached a point of struggling to loose those last 5-15 pounds? What did you do to break through.
Well some have already posted about Intermittent fast diet.

Has anyone gone through a process of tweaking/ adjusting calories consumed (with record of food consumed in a journal or tracking apps) according to a high exercise activity level and seen results!! Please share with us.

Has anyone used information such as this one below:

Break Through Your Plateau | FitnessRX for Women

Hope to hear from you ladies ;-)
Click to expand...

I have been trying to shift that last ten to fifteen for some time now and it has proved to be an exercise in complete frustration for me. I have been exercising hard faithfully, doing STS double time plus at least 3 good cardio per week, plus restricting my calories...being so careful! And no progress....no lost inches or weight! Well I just calculated my calories and according to it, I should be consuming like 1000 more per day than I have been...can that possibly be right?...

I am afraid that if I do this I will swell up like a balloon! For my age, weight, height and activity level, it says I should consume 2800 per day! That sounds almost insane to me!:eek: ????
 
Plateau

UNLVCrjChick said:
I'm in the same boat. While I'm not at a plateau yet, my weight loss has slowed to1 lb per week (on Nutrisystem currently), and I've lost over 110 lbs (most of it via Weight Watchers). I have about 15 lbs left to lose. I also gained weight on STS (gained twice doing STS so quit each time halfway through) but I lose when I lift weights and do cardio in the same workout (4 Day Split and Xtrain 30 day cardio/strength rotation).

What I've done in the past is vary the calorie amounts each day, sometimes having a weekly cheat meal to keep my body guessing, so that helps.

I often wonder if I'm eating enough on Nutrisystem; I eat around 1300-1400 calories on days I work out but I keep the workouts to under an hour. I do a weekly cheat meal. I can't imagine eating 2300 calories!!
Click to expand...

Hi Sherry,

Congratulation sherry on such big achievement! My journey is similar to yours having lost few pound less! I have managed to keep it off for years working out consistently. In the this process I have managed to steadily for years to still decrease it up to a peak! Same here 14-15 stubborn one. It was actually 25 few months before November 2012 before I started STS.

Contrary to most ladies who reported having gained weight while being on STS. I, in all honesty, lost while I was on meso 1 mainly and meso 2. My weight remained constant/steady on meso 3. I did give it my all though. I doubled up my rotation because I just wanted extra push! I did prepare everything in advance including nutrition. I did track my meals. This is a practice I want to get back into. Funnily enough I actually realised I was eating less than I thought!!!:mad: I had , un-intentionally, shut/messed up my metabolism :mad: Tracking my daily calories had made me realise what was going on!

I would not promote *strict*long term calorie counting though!

IMO,For us who have been in such long journey we reach a point when we have to re-consider and tweak workout frequency, speed and intensity and adjust calories allowance accordingly. Shopping basket should contain healthy fat, wholegrain carbs, veg and fruits of course. No sugar!!!:mad::mad::mad:

I believe for me personally, I need more action in the kitchen cooking more nutritious meal and snack.:D:D.
we need 5 to 6 meal per day! Frequent meal do rev metabolism:cool::cool:

I *prefer* not to plan cheat meal in advance.

Thanks for chiming :):)

Tracy,

Try the process as, one way or another, you will learn something from it.
You could me consuming less than your body need!

All the best everyone,

Have a good week end;);)

All the very best sherry, let's keep informed ,even through Pm should you need to;)

To Justine,

I will at some point do a MWT rotation. As to your thoughts on Heavy lifting, my views are above. I have done undulating rotation and will in future. No issue mixing heavy and light. I can even do two light split high reps and a total heavy within a week or the other way around:):):). I would not mind coming off for three weeks for example. We all need to keep the body guessing:D:D:D
 
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To Justine,

I will at some point do a MWT rotation. As to your thoughts on Heavy lifting, my views are above. I have done undulating rotation and will in future. No issue mixing heavy and light. I can even do two light split high reps and a total heavy within a week or the other way around:):):). I would not mind coming off for three weeks for example. We all need to keep the body guessing:D:D:D[/QUOTE]


Nathalie - I think you have hit the nail on the head - keep the body guessing!
I also think where you have previously been in terms of weight makes a difference. For me
2300-2500 cals + Xtrain = 0.25 lb loss per week
2300-2500 cals + MWT = 0.5lb loss per week
2300-2500 cals + STS = 0.5lb gain per week
So I'll finish STS, then do a few weeks cardio then maybe 4DS or another cardio+strength. I'll keep the 'confusion' going!
Jx
 
Nathalie, thank you so much for posting that article! It does truly reinforce what I've learned in the last few months in my own journey (and my reasons for sharing my OP).

Tracy, I can only speak to my own experience that once I started upping my kcal intake per day (specifically, through more proteins, veggies, and yes - more carbs!) to over 2,000 that I started budging those last 5-7 pounds that I have been cursing @ for almost 2 years. :p. It truly is all about feeding your body what it needs to sustain your workout habits, as opposed to shutting it down by unconsciously starving it metabolically.

Justine, it sounds like you and I have almost identical experiences! :D

I have most recently been working the 10-week T25 program, incorporating isolated weight work 3-4x per week. The sheer volume of cardio in that rotation automatically requires me to increase my carb intake to support that much exerted energy. And 4 pounds down in seven weeks is my reward for changing my perspective. :D

Best of luck to all three of you powerful women! I am proud to *know* you!
 
Carol - thank you! I sometimes think I'm going mad :p Sounds as though I should give T25 a go.
Well done on the 4lb in 7 weeks.
Justine
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
Hi Sherry,

Congratulation sherry on such big achievement! My journey is similar to yours having lost few pound less! I have managed to keep it off for years working out consistently. In the this process I have managed to steadily for years to still decrease it up to a peak! Same here 14-15 stubborn one. It was actually 25 few months before November 2012 before I started STS.

Contrary to most ladies who reported having gained weight while being on STS. I, in all honesty, lost while I was on meso 1 mainly and meso 2. My weight remained constant/steady on meso 3. I did give it my all though. I doubled up my rotation because I just wanted extra push! I did prepare everything in advance including nutrition. I did track my meals. This is a practice I want to get back into. Funnily enough I actually realised I was eating less than I thought!!!:mad: I had , un-intentionally, shut/messed up my metabolism :mad: Tracking my daily calories had made me realise what was going on!

I would not promote *strict*long term calorie counting though!

IMO,For us who have been in such long journey we reach a point when we have to re-consider and tweak workout frequency, speed and intensity and adjust calories allowance accordingly. Shopping basket should contain healthy fat, wholegrain carbs, veg and fruits of course. No sugar!!!:mad::mad::mad:

I believe for me personally, I need more action in the kitchen cooking more nutritious meal and snack.:D:D.
we need 5 to 6 meal per day! Frequent meal do rev metabolism:cool::cool:

I *prefer* not to plan cheat meal in advance.

Thanks for chiming :):)

Tracy,

Try the process as, one way or another, you will learn something from it.
You could me consuming less than your body need!

All the best everyone,

Have a good week end;);)

All the very best sherry, let's keep informed ,even through Pm should you need to;)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words, Nathalie! Congrats to you, too! This journey is so hard but so worth it. I'm happy I lost more weight this week than last and I upped my calories to 1400 from 1300 and under. Maybe I'll add a bit more later but right now I'm staying where I'm at.
 
Hey Katerchen...
You have a great plan to loss weight without any dieting.. I love to read this all..
Here I have some helping exercise to lose weight without dieting..
Like running and cycling is also very beneficial..


Explore about us
 
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Blog shout-out: Eat More 2 Weigh Less

I came across this website not long ago (eat more 2 weigh less):
Who is Kiki? | Eat More 2 Weigh LessEat More 2 Weigh Less

I believe one of the women who started this blog (Kiki) is a forum member here. She has not posted in a very long time, but I remember enjoying her posts. I'm pretty sure she was the same woman who started the whole reverse rotation of STS (M3,2,1) : http://cathe.com/forum/f104/sts-reverse-283031/#post2090671

It seems as though her blog is very successful, informative, and helping a lot of people reach their goals. On the side, you will see a Blogroll and Sites We love links. I frequent many of those blogs, and IMO they have been extremely helpful.

Enjoy :)
 
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Cardio workout while fasting

Hi Everyone,

I am back on this thread to share an information, IMO, is important to know.

We have discussed weight loss and some of us have pointed out own difficult the end of the journey can get. Fasting was also mentioned as a strategy. I think it's not a phase I would recommend to turn into a habit!

Also as it is mentioned in the article, fasting is not for everyone. There is a way of making it effective. Watch out the cortisol!

Cathe Friedrich - Does Fasted Cardio Burn More Fat?

Hope you enjoy the reading:)
 
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