The Dreaded Plateau
05-11-2005, 08:08 PM
#1
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The Dreaded Plateau
So after loosing 50 pounds I have hit a plateau. I have been hovering around 200 lbs for about 2-3 weeks ater consistantly loosing 1-2 lbs a week prior. Others are telling me one of 3 things and I am not sure which is the best advice.
They are saying either 1) change your eating habits 2) change your exercise routine or 3) continue what I am doing.
As far as changing my eating habits, I am not sure how to take it. I have been dieting so does that mean eat more? less?
Any advice?
They are saying either 1) change your eating habits 2) change your exercise routine or 3) continue what I am doing.
As far as changing my eating habits, I am not sure how to take it. I have been dieting so does that mean eat more? less?
Any advice?
05-11-2005, 09:58 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by wsklar
So after loosing 50 pounds I have hit a plateau. I have been hovering around 200 lbs for about 2-3 weeks ater consistantly loosing 1-2 lbs a week prior. Others are telling me one of 3 things and I am not sure which is the best advice.
They are saying either 1) change your eating habits 2) change your exercise routine or 3) continue what I am doing.
As far as changing my eating habits, I am not sure how to take it. I have been dieting so does that mean eat more? less?
Any advice?
They are saying either 1) change your eating habits 2) change your exercise routine or 3) continue what I am doing.
As far as changing my eating habits, I am not sure how to take it. I have been dieting so does that mean eat more? less?
Any advice?
05-12-2005, 09:00 AM
#4
Stay or leave
ah wait it out, everyone who diets seriously or works out serious has hit a plateau. Honestly the best advice is to probably just wait it out. I can't tell you how many time that has happened to me. Normally I'll just alter my workout routine a little and just keep going cause it will pass.
05-12-2005, 09:00 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by ric
my wife's dietician notes that plateaus can run for three to six weeks, and recommends "staying the course" in terms of diet. Our trainer suggests fussing around with any exercise program on a two to four month schedule, as the body does get acclimated. Don't know whether that does anything for ya....
05-12-2005, 10:12 AM
#6
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The more "efficient" your workout gets, the more you need to change it up.
I agree that you generally don't need to change your diet too much. It's good to mix that up when you're getting bored with the foods, and are in danger of falling off the wagon.
Do change your exercise though. If you were doing long steady cardio sessions, change to interval training and up the intensity. If you were lifting heavy weight/low reps, change to lighter weight/high reps. Or just change the exercises you're doing altogether. Lift the same way, just do different moves for each of your muscles.
I agree that you generally don't need to change your diet too much. It's good to mix that up when you're getting bored with the foods, and are in danger of falling off the wagon.
Do change your exercise though. If you were doing long steady cardio sessions, change to interval training and up the intensity. If you were lifting heavy weight/low reps, change to lighter weight/high reps. Or just change the exercises you're doing altogether. Lift the same way, just do different moves for each of your muscles.
05-12-2005, 10:38 AM
#7
Banned
You might actually take a 7-10 day break of no exercise at all. Perhaps your body is telling you that it needs a break. It is highly recommended to take breaks every 10-12 weeks if you exercise consistently. Unless you're eating 11-12 cal/lb/day, I would not lower your calorie intake very much. Instead, I'd increase the cardio in terms of intensity, type, duration and frequency. Reducing calories too much might promote muscle loss, which is not a good idea.
Also, you might change the types of foods you eat. Your body can and will adapt to certain foods, so if you have been eating lots of brown rice, then mix in some beans or sweet potatoes, for instance.
Also, you might change the types of foods you eat. Your body can and will adapt to certain foods, so if you have been eating lots of brown rice, then mix in some beans or sweet potatoes, for instance.
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05-12-2005, 10:40 AM
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#1 - how many meals do you eat per day? 3,4,6?
#2 - how much and what type of cardio do you do?
#3 - like everyone else has said, change is good especially if the routine is a couple/few months old.
#2 - how much and what type of cardio do you do?
#3 - like everyone else has said, change is good especially if the routine is a couple/few months old.
05-12-2005, 10:43 AM
#9
Banned
Good call Rutl - on my fat loss program I went from 6 meals/day to 7 and it really made a difference. Little things like that can go a long way. Change need not be drastic.
05-12-2005, 10:53 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by T_Rutl
#1 - how many meals do you eat per day? 3,4,6?
#2 - how much and what type of cardio do you do?
#3 - like everyone else has said, change is good especially if the routine is a couple/few months old.
#2 - how much and what type of cardio do you do?
#3 - like everyone else has said, change is good especially if the routine is a couple/few months old.
I run / fast walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill at night, but I have just started a gym during lunch, which I do either cardio or strength.
I am worried about loosing fat, so I am curious about what foods I should incorporate which would not let me gain weight (nuts, chicken?)
Thanks for the great advice.
05-12-2005, 11:32 AM
#12
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Originally Posted by wsklar
I eat 3 meals a day and 2-3 snacks. My breakfast is SlimFast, Lunch is a sandwich or salad and dinner is a bowl of a good cereal with fat free milk. About once a week I have a better dinner and sure I do cheat ever so often (like in Vegas) but nothing fried, no fast food and no sweets. Snacks are fruit, crackers or a slimfast bar.
ok, i'd gradually start to up my meals to 6 or 7 a day. make them small and spread them 2 hours or so apart. this will keep you metabolism active throughout the day. make breakfast bigger than just a slimfast (do that for lunch in a pinch). that will start your metabolism off right. breakfast should be you biggest meal even though its not much bigger than some oatmeal, eggs, and fresh fruit. then do a mid morning meal/snack (like some fruit & nuts or your slimfast bar), what you do for lunch is good but watch the bread you use. eat two more times before dinner, small stuff like small salad/tuna on some wheat crackers, fruit & nuts, ect. do something better for dinner than cereal like chicken, lean beef and some veggies (limit the carbs you eat on this meal). and yeah, cheat. it's good to spluge on yourself. the lifestlyle of it is whats dangerous.
I run / fast walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill at night, but I have just started a gym during lunch, which I do either cardio or strength.
if you can, do your cardio in the morn before breakfast and do MORE! and up the intensity. keep your heart rate up for atleast 30min but 45min would be best. and do your strength at lunch.
I am worried about loosing fat, so I am curious about what foods I should incorporate which would not let me gain weight (nuts, chicken?)
fat = stored energy. what you don't burn you store soooo....you gotta burn more than you're consuming. you will more easily convert carbs to fat than fats or protien but DON"T go on an extremely low carb diet, IMO thats not the best way to go but that fact you don't eat sweets is good. just keep the food wholesome and low in sugar. lots of fresh fruit and veggies and whole grains.
Thanks for the great advice.
this is just my opion & advice. feel free to take what you like and dump the rest (chew up the meat and spit out the bones so to speak). i've worked with a few guys in my gym who've worked something similar and went from a "bloated" 230lbs to 180 and shredded. then began to up their diets and lifting and began to build off of a good, lean base.
ok, i'd gradually start to up my meals to 6 or 7 a day. make them small and spread them 2 hours or so apart. this will keep you metabolism active throughout the day. make breakfast bigger than just a slimfast (do that for lunch in a pinch). that will start your metabolism off right. breakfast should be you biggest meal even though its not much bigger than some oatmeal, eggs, and fresh fruit. then do a mid morning meal/snack (like some fruit & nuts or your slimfast bar), what you do for lunch is good but watch the bread you use. eat two more times before dinner, small stuff like small salad/tuna on some wheat crackers, fruit & nuts, ect. do something better for dinner than cereal like chicken, lean beef and some veggies (limit the carbs you eat on this meal). and yeah, cheat. it's good to spluge on yourself. the lifestlyle of it is whats dangerous.
I run / fast walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill at night, but I have just started a gym during lunch, which I do either cardio or strength.
if you can, do your cardio in the morn before breakfast and do MORE! and up the intensity. keep your heart rate up for atleast 30min but 45min would be best. and do your strength at lunch.
I am worried about loosing fat, so I am curious about what foods I should incorporate which would not let me gain weight (nuts, chicken?)
fat = stored energy. what you don't burn you store soooo....you gotta burn more than you're consuming. you will more easily convert carbs to fat than fats or protien but DON"T go on an extremely low carb diet, IMO thats not the best way to go but that fact you don't eat sweets is good. just keep the food wholesome and low in sugar. lots of fresh fruit and veggies and whole grains.
Thanks for the great advice.
this is just my opion & advice. feel free to take what you like and dump the rest (chew up the meat and spit out the bones so to speak). i've worked with a few guys in my gym who've worked something similar and went from a "bloated" 230lbs to 180 and shredded. then began to up their diets and lifting and began to build off of a good, lean base.
05-12-2005, 11:40 AM
#13
Banned
Originally Posted by wsklar
I eat 3 meals a day and 2-3 snacks. My breakfast is SlimFast, Lunch is a sandwich or salad and dinner is a bowl of a good cereal with fat free milk. About once a week I have a better dinner and sure I do cheat ever so often (like in Vegas) but nothing fried, no fast food and no sweets. Snacks are fruit, crackers or a slimfast bar.
I run / fast walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill at night, but I have just started a gym during lunch, which I do either cardio or strength.
I am worried about loosing fat, so I am curious about what foods I should incorporate which would not let me gain weight (nuts, chicken?)
Thanks for the great advice.
I run / fast walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill at night, but I have just started a gym during lunch, which I do either cardio or strength.
I am worried about loosing fat, so I am curious about what foods I should incorporate which would not let me gain weight (nuts, chicken?)
Thanks for the great advice.
Cardio - you have to up the intensity and duration. Cardio sucks, but that is a major key to fat loss. Go for at least 30 min, 4-5 times a week at a pretty high intensity. You will see results, I just about guarantee it. Also, I suggest doing cardio in the morning when your gut is empty. You will dip into body fat faster for energy. Might want to take some l-glutamine before you begin your cardio to combat possible muscle loss.
I was sort of in the same boat as you, I ate well and lifted, but had room to improve my diet and was able to add cardio. After that I began to lose fat.
05-12-2005, 01:21 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by BEETROOT
Up your intensity. Go like hell.
So I joined a gym and when you sign up, you get an hour with a personal trainer. So I met my trainer yesterday, Tiffany, who said to do the spinner class, which was today. She will be in the class and can help out. Spinner is another word for a stationary bike. She is pretty hot so yada, yada, yada, today I feel like Im going to die and my legs feel like jelly.
05-12-2005, 01:24 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by T_Rutl
what you've been doing is great the fact that you have cut down 50lbs is AWESOME! how tall are you and whats your target weight?
Im about 5'8 and I would like to be around 180.
05-12-2005, 01:26 PM
#16
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Adam_Schwartz
You need to eat as complex of foods as possible. Oats, brown rice, sweet/red potatoes and lentils are all good starts. And eat 6-7 true meals a day, not 3 meals plus 2-3 snacks. I am talking each meal needs to have carbs and protein. The more complex of food you eat, the more calories you will burn. Take 1-2 tbsp of falx seed oil or a similar supplement each day. Try to eliminate fruit for now, as fruit has sugar in it. Sugar is sugar to the body. Dairy also has lots of sugar, so try to reduce or even eliminate it for now.
Cardio - you have to up the intensity and duration. Cardio sucks, but that is a major key to fat loss. Go for at least 30 min, 4-5 times a week at a pretty high intensity. You will see results, I just about guarantee it. Also, I suggest doing cardio in the morning when your gut is empty. You will dip into body fat faster for energy. Might want to take some l-glutamine before you begin your cardio to combat possible muscle loss.
I was sort of in the same boat as you, I ate well and lifted, but had room to improve my diet and was able to add cardio. After that I began to lose fat.
Cardio - you have to up the intensity and duration. Cardio sucks, but that is a major key to fat loss. Go for at least 30 min, 4-5 times a week at a pretty high intensity. You will see results, I just about guarantee it. Also, I suggest doing cardio in the morning when your gut is empty. You will dip into body fat faster for energy. Might want to take some l-glutamine before you begin your cardio to combat possible muscle loss.
I was sort of in the same boat as you, I ate well and lifted, but had room to improve my diet and was able to add cardio. After that I began to lose fat.
05-12-2005, 01:28 PM
#17
Yeehaw
Originally Posted by wsklar
Great intro to what happened to me.
So I joined a gym and when you sign up, you get an hour with a personal trainer. So I met my trainer yesterday, Tiffany, who said to do the spinner class, which was today. She will be in the class and can help out. Spinner is another word for a stationary bike. She is pretty hot so yada, yada, yada, today I feel like Im going to die and my legs feel like jelly.
So I joined a gym and when you sign up, you get an hour with a personal trainer. So I met my trainer yesterday, Tiffany, who said to do the spinner class, which was today. She will be in the class and can help out. Spinner is another word for a stationary bike. She is pretty hot so yada, yada, yada, today I feel like Im going to die and my legs feel like jelly.
05-12-2005, 01:36 PM
#18
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by BEETROOT
oh man you did spinning. good for you. if you want to lose weight, thats the best way to do it. I have never done it, but I love watching the people walk out at the end of the class. they are covered in sweat from head to toe and most look like they are about to collapse from exhaustion.
05-12-2005, 01:39 PM
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i don;t know if anyone mentioned this but...... if you are doing any form of wieght training you will start andding wieght in terms of losing fat and just adding wieght from building up. never worry aout your exact wieght from day to day week to week. focus on keeping up cardio, streching and your look from your over all body. and don't focus on to much wieght training, I have the body of a fromer football player and now have to reshape my body so that it can be easier to keep up as I get older.
05-12-2005, 01:52 PM
#21
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Originally Posted by T_Rutl
very attainable goal....you'll get there w/o a prob!
05-12-2005, 01:56 PM
#22
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Originally Posted by wsklar
Unfortunately I cannot do cardio in the morning due to my schedule, but I will up my intensity.
05-12-2005, 02:01 PM
#23
Banned
Originally Posted by theroadrunner
i don;t know if anyone mentioned this but...... if you are doing any form of wieght training you will start andding wieght in terms of losing fat and just adding wieght from building up. never worry aout your exact wieght from day to day week to week. focus on keeping up cardio, streching and your look from your over all body. and don't focus on to much wieght training, I have the body of a fromer football player and now have to reshape my body so that it can be easier to keep up as I get older.
05-19-2005, 08:27 AM
#24
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plateau is over....Decided to get some pants yesterday and went from a 44 waste to a 36. Just a little more to go.
05-19-2005, 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by wsklar
plateau is over....Decided to get some pants yesterday and went from a 44 waste to a 36. Just a little more to go.
that is awesome man! keep on goin, you'll be right where you wanna be in NO time!
05-19-2005, 10:13 AM
#26
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Originally Posted by T_Rutl
that is awesome man! keep on goin, you'll be right where you wanna be in NO time!
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