frustrating plateau

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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babyprrr
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:53 pm

frustrating plateau

Post by babyprrr » Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:34 am

Hi I've been doing No-S for about 8 months now and I think I'm quite comfortable with the rules and everything now. It took me some time to have non-crazy S weekends, but I think I've also managed to sort that out.

Like most people I gained some weight over the Christmas period due to too many S days but as soon as I got back onto No-S in january, the weight dropped off quite fast (lost about 3-4 pounds). But although I'm still sticking to these habits now, I haven't lost any weight for about 5-6 weeks which is really frustrating cuz I'm having non-crazy S weekends, eating quite healthily on S days, cutting down on alcohol ( not more than once a week, and not too much), and also exercising about three times a week. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but the weight just isn't going off.

I don't know if this is because my metabolism has slowed down since reaching the ripe age of 20 because as a teenager I used to be able to lose any weight I gained very quickly just by skipping dinner for a few days or so.

I only weigh myself once a week so it's not like Im going crazy with fluctuations on the scale either. It's just very frustrating to not see any change for weeks on end. I seem to gain a bit on weeks where I eat a bit excessively on the weekends, but when I'm really good with my habits, I just stay the same and don't lose anything!

Help!

Mary
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:21 pm
Location: Brooklyn

Post by Mary » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:40 pm

Hey, there,

I have a couple of ideas... first, have you lost all your Christmas weight? And is your current weight healthy, BMI-wise? If so, maybe your current weight is simply the weight you're supposed to be, and the plateau is telling you that. And then maintaining and keeping up the good habits are just exactly what you should be doing. Trying to go lower could just set you up for food neuroses.

But if you really do need to lose more, I'd try these (probably not all at once): Try working out 4 days a week (that's what I like to do--but not more than that). Try to increase the intensity of your workout--maybe adding weights, or trying sprint intervals, or doing something really sweaty. Try eating more vegetables at meals (same size plate). I know you're a student, but, if you have access to a kitchen, try cooking more.

Sounds like you're doing great, really!!

good luck,
M

franxious
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:00 pm
Location: New Jersey

Post by franxious » Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:53 pm

Babyprr,

IMO plateaus aren't really so bad. They are frustrating, but emotional issues aside, I think they mean that your body is adjusting to the new weight, adjusting to a new setpoint, and really "owning" the new weight. If you can just ride it out, it will eventually end when your body is ready. Think of it as practice maintenance...at some point, presumably, you will reach your goal weight and continue to do NoS with no weight loss.

On another website, someone said something like: "Plateaus are not a saboteur of weight loss, but rather a feature of it." I thought this was a brilliant observation. Hope this is helpful to you.

Lisa

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gratefuldeb67
Posts: 6256
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Post by gratefuldeb67 » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:49 pm

Add exercise and also stop thinking that you will lose weight quickly with NoS...
Sorry for your frustration!!!! A normal and healthy diet which isn't a "Diet" will usually lose a person between 20 and 30 lbs in one year.
Slow, but slow is preferable to quick loss only to be followed by quick gain, and then you have to keep trying to lose the same 10 or 15 lbs over and over.

Sorry if I am assuming you don't exercise.
You didn't mention it.
That may turn things around??

Oh and one trick which always works for me and then conversely totally screws up my weight loss when I don't do it, is not eating in the late evening.
Try to stop eating after dinner.
See what happens.

Good luck!
ps.. Yes the metabolism changes, so get yer habits down now!! :)
(Yikes mine is nowhere what it was when I was your age! hahah)

Peace and Love
8) Debs
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

kccc
Posts: 3957
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:12 am

Post by kccc » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:11 pm

Weight loss is not linear. Repeat, over and over.

When I lost weight with WW, plateaus were common. The body needs time to adjust. I would lose nothing for weeks, then have a sudden "bump" down (assuming I stuck out those frustrating weeks, of course!).

If you need other metrics, you might measure yourself - sometimes while I wasn't losing weight, I'd actually lose inches. It really was like my body was deciding to live with the new weight.

But the very best thing you can do is just focus on the habits and stick with it. I honestly wouldn't even tweak unless you've been honest-but-stuck for more than a month.

Good luck! I know it's HARD emotionally! Stay with it, and post for encouragement.

babyprrr
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:53 pm

Post by babyprrr » Sat Mar 08, 2008 9:41 am

Thanks for all the replies! In response to some of the questions above, I cook most of my own meals although I'm a student as I have my own kitchen. And I DO exercise at the gym about three times a week and try to do some form of weights at home when I can't make it to the gym.

I'll try my best to stick with it and see if I can get over this plateau phase.

On a side note, does anyone else have trouble saying 'no' to food other people had made for u? My housemate made us this chocolate dessert last night and I had to feign a stomachache to avoid eating it, and even then she wasn't very happy about it! Oh, and my other housemate bought mini-oreos and she couldn't see why I couldnt have 'just one' despite my so-called stomachache...

Mary
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:21 pm
Location: Brooklyn

Post by Mary » Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:07 pm

Hey, babyprr,
About treats people make and want you to have--I feel bad saying no, and don't want to feign a stomach ache! It's a tricky thing, but I like my solution pretty well: I have ONE bite ("no seconds"), if there's a GOOD reason. And I loudly appreciate that bite! For me, two bites is failure, but one bite is an absolute clean-conscience success. Whether I have the one bite depends on the situation--if a dear friend made macaroons from scratch for me, you bet I'll have one! If someone picked up some Milanos, I'll pass.
Maybe experiment with that?
Sounds like you're doing so well--I'm impressed about your cooking! (I didn't learn until a couple years after graduation...)
Cheers,
M

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bonnieUK
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Location: Near London, UK

Post by bonnieUK » Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:01 pm

ps.. Yes the metabolism changes, so get yer habits down now!!
(Yikes mine is nowhere what it was when I was your age! hahah)
It's sad but true! throughout my teens and early twenties I could eat virtually unlimited quantities and not go over a certain weight (I was even underweight at one point!). Then I turned 28 and woke up one morning wondering why all my clothes had shrunk LOL

If only I'd started doing No S when I was younger, would have been more prepared :D

maslowjenkins
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:33 pm
Location: Tulsa, Ok

Post by maslowjenkins » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:59 pm

congrats on sticking to it for so long!

I've just returned to no s (two weeks!!!) and I am anticipating the plateau. when that time comes, I will concentrate on portion size, switching to a smaller plate. It will be a subtle change but I know it will work.

On the occasional treat I don't want to refuse, I will take it and save it for the weekend. cake or pie should hold up well in the fridge until the weekend and cookies will keep for a very long time in a ziploc bag.

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