I’m going to break through this weight loss plateau and come out more dedicated and determined than I was before.
What’s a weight loss plateau?
Originally, I thought that the plateau derived from a shrinking calorie deficit. As you weigh less, you burn less calories in day, therefore you have to keep increasing intensity and lowering your calorie-intake to lose weight — some people don’t. While this is certainly one reason people stop losing weight, it’s not what people refer to as a “weight loss plateau.”
The actual meaning of a weight loss plateau, according to most “experts,” is summed up in one word: homeostasis. Simply put, that’s the term to describe our body’s desire to “stay the same.” While my body has allowed me to burn fat for several weeks, it’s now in “starvation” mode and has slowed the rate at which I burn energy (fat). Our body’s most important priority is self-preservation. My body believes that if I continue losing this much weight I’ll eventually starve myself to death, so it’s now trying to hold onto whatever it can.
Those are the cliff notes. Study them, we might have a pop quiz.
So, how do you beat a weight loss plateau?
Now things start getting fuzzy. There is no single, solitary way to get out of a plateau. Some people swear by “shocking” your system and using diets and programs like the eat stop eat diet work temporarily to help you restart your engines so to speak. Those theories aside, there are a variety of things you can do which revolve around changing your diet, physical activity, and just “mixing things up.”
Here’s how I plan on doing that.
Physical Activity
- More intensity: level 18 on the elliptical, speed 3.6 on the treadmill
- Elliptical for 20 minutes a day, treadmill for 10 minutes
- Serious, consistent weight training program starts today
- Buying a jump rope and doing at least 50 100 reps a day
Diet
- Need to find a substitute for ranch salad dressing
- Eat less chips with sandwiches, more fruits (apple sauce!)
- Eat less sugar-laden cereal, more high-fiber oatmeal
Lifestyle Choices
- Start eating 5 small meals a day, around 6 and 9 AM and 12, 3, and 6 PM
- Keep a food log (on this blog) and count calories for the time being
- Stop going to sleep early — wait at least 4 hours to go to sleep after I eat
- Quit being so lazy at night and play more with my dogs
I feel really good about these changes. Did I miss anything?
Related posts:
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I hit a weight loss plateau at 190lbs (from starting at 205lbs). Stayed the same for almost 3 weeks. Suddenly within the last week, I noticed I’m coming out of it. I’m now at a stready 188lbs. I didn’t really change much — kept excersizing and kept at my small meals 5x a day.
Tyler,
You are such an inspiration. I know you will get through this. I think that adding resistance training is a great idea. I have a few more things for you to consider:
- tabata/high intensity interval training for a few weeks in the place of your regular cardio – less time, more results.
- get some whey protein isolate and make a shake to drink during/after your workouts
- you say stop going to bed so early. How about stop eating so late instead? if you are adding resistance/weight training, it’s really important
that you get your zzzz!!!
-add some “good” fats to your diet. cold water fish (wild salmon is best IMO), virgin olive oil, 2-6 fish oil capsules a day
good luck buddy! I’m rooting for you!
I can’t stop eating so late — work ends at 4 or 5, depending on my workload, and I go to the gym after that. I’m not home until 6, so it’s really hard not to eat past 6.
Like Mike said, I think if you keep all things the same, time will eventually wear the plateau down, but here’s some things you might want to consider:
1) HIIT (High intensity interval training) You can do this before your normal cardio for 8-12 minutes. Basically, you do small intervals of full out cardio followed by rest intervals. Usually, you’ll see sprint intervals of 20-30 seconds followed by rest intervals of 40-90 seconds (not completely stopped just walking or jogging, or light cardio on whatever equipment you’re on). HIIT training will release fat burning hormones, so that you burn more fat for the same caloric expenditure. Of course, it’s real hard, and will make you hurt. http://www.exrx.net/ExInfo/HIIT.html
2) Everyone preaches more meals a day, but I see this as a huge pitfall. At 5 meals a day, trying to hit a 2000 calorie diet, that’s 400 calories a meal. I’ve accidentally sneezed and consumed more calories than that, plus that’s 5 times you’re going to be tempted to splurge. Instead, if you eat 2 meals a day at a 2000 calories diet, that’s 1000 calories a meal, probably more than you’re going to be able to eat in one sitting. Sure, I understand that eating more will speed up your metabolism, but so will plenty of exercise … and with the exercise you don’t risk GAINING weight.
3) Controlling snack urges: here’s some things I will do if I don’t want to go into an uncontrollable snack cycle:
- brush my teeth. Seriously, who wanted those cheeses doritos after a mouthful of minty toothpaste.
- do something time consuming (throw exercise in here for a double wammy.) It’s hard to snack when you’re outside running/playing/in the garage cleaning, so forth.
- Finally, drink a glass of milk (granted this has its own caloric expenditure, it’s often better than the alternative.) I find, if I wait 10 minutes after a glass of milk, I feel incredibly full.
- Go to sleep. This works great for late night snacks.
Yep, same here. I hit one at about 185 (started at 201) and stayed within a couple of pounds of there for three weeks. I just kept with the program, though, and eventually broke through and now have close to the same momentum I had in the beginning. Just grind it out.
Hi Tyler,
First – I’ve been reading your blog ever since the Consumerist featured it – it’s very inspiring, and it’s similar to a process I’m going through.
As for your plateau – I’m not sure I would call this a plateau just yet. Half a pound is still half a pound – you didn’t go up. If this continues after a week or two I’d consider it a plateau.
Have you considered measuring your body composition at all and using that as a measure and motivation to push through these perceived plateaus? It may be that your body isn’t losing weight, but it may be trading fat for muscle which isn’t a bad thing.
Keep up the good work – I’ll be reading and there right along with you!
You could eat MORE. Not a lot more, but if your body is worried that you’re facing starvation then isn’t that your main concern?
I seem to recall some studies on cycling calories. Something like two lean weeks followed by one with significantly more (but still healthy!) calories.
BTW ‘Mike’ on this season’s of “The Biggest Loser” had a similar problem. He was working out extremely hard but making slow progress. His trainer finally convinced him to eat more, then *poof* his weight loss rate doubled. Another contestant, Tara, has also started to spin her wheels where the harder she tries, the less weight she loses.
I read the same thing, Chris…. cycling calories every day to keep your body guessing. One day 1,800, the next 2,200, etc. I’ll definitely have to look into it.
I have a ranch dressing substitute for you.Try mixing ranch dressing mix(the powder packets) with 16 oz Creek yogurt, or no fat sour cream. I would go with the yogurt personally as it has a great bite and flavor.
I was going to suggest HIIT as well but Nick beat me to the punch.
The other suggestion is to look for foods that fill you up but don’t require as much calories meaning that you can eat more but still take in the same caloric intake.
I have found a good ranch substitute is the dressing sprays as they give your salad or vegetables added flavor without adding many calories. 10 sprays = 10 calories
Take small steps in your diet. The minute you start switching over to the all tasteless but healthy diet the more you crave the forbidden foods and the more likely to binge later on. Find small changes you can make. This will make the transition much easier and maintainable.
Do not reduce your sleep. Studies have shown that people who get less sleep tend to weigh more and find it harder to loss weight.
Kick in your weight training NOW. While it will take months to build up muscle, all-in-all, muscle at rest uses more calories than fat at rest, so if you gain five pounds of muscle over the next six months, you will burn more calories 24/7 than if you did not gain those five pounds of muscle – so the sooner you start…
Don’t starve yourself. If you eat five meals a day, you are more likely to keep your body thinking that all is okay, and it will allow you to lose the fat weight. On the other hand, starving yourself will only mess things up. For example, when you have reached your goal weight, as it will be very hard to maintain that weight if your body has drastically lowered its metabolism as it thinks you are starving.
Finally, patience – keep on doing what you are doing and you will bust through, or more appropriately, drop through, this plateau!
You are an inspiration. Keep it up.
Yup, you should definitely try to do the interval training. It is much better for your heart and is supposed to be more effective for weight loss. Plus, part of the issue is that your body is getting used to the type of exercise that you are doing.
Since you are starting to do weight training…Think about doing cardio and weight training. For example, if you do step ups and bicep curls at once, you hit your heart and muscles. Therefore, you burn more fat.
Also, as many people have said, you may want to up your calories a tiny bit and eat more fiber. Also, don’t eat apple sauce, just eat an apple. It will fill you up more (since the fiber is not broken up) and you will get less sugar. Think more whole foods and less processed ones.
I think starting resistance training is THE answer. Your body adapts very quickly to cardio. As someone else suggested, do HIIT instead.
Best of luck. Whatever you do, don’t give up.
Awesome inspiration…
I’ve been inspired by your quest. I started my own 10 weeks ago along with a friend. Since I am sports editor, I have documented our quest in the weekly newspaper I work at in Indiana.
We call our quest “Two Fat Guys with Something to Prove.” If you wish you can read about it on the website.
My buddy started out at 359. He’s 6′2″. I was 279 and I am barely 5′7″. Currently he’s around 330 and I have dropped to 260. So I am around the 2 lbs. per week rate.
As far as controlling calories and snacking through the day, I have one answer: Cheerios.
They are just 80 calories per serving — a good size. I keep a small container on my desk. Plus they are the good kind of carbs and provide fiber.
Hang in there. I check your site on a regular basis. You are inspiring many people.
Above all, don’t get discouraged! You have been doing such a great job. Don’t let one or more slow weeks get you down. Always remember that you are doing the right thing and if you keep it up, you will meet your goals.
Don’t start denying yourself too much in your quest to break out of your plateau. Denial leads to binging, which leads to guilt and serious beating yourself up mentally. Sadly, I know that from personal experience.
My four year old daughter loves Hidden Valley Fat Free Ranch. I don’t know the calorie content off the top of my head but it tastes good to me (although I’m not much of a ranch eater myself.)
Keep up the good work! You are doing great and continue to be an inspiration to me personally during my own weight loss battles.
Try oil & vinnegar with salt and pepper! It’s really yummy if you do it right. Also, try sesame ginger dressing from Newman’s Own -it is low fat but you would never know it! It’s very strongly flavored so you don’t have to use very much either.
p.s. way to go!
Silken tofu makes an awesome “creamy” dressing like ranch, but it’s way healthier.
After seeing you on the Consumerist, I started my own regimen. I’m on day six and anytime I feel like maybe I can’t do this, I come here and reread some of your earlier (highly inspirational) entries. Keep it up!
Since I’m so new to this I don’t have any actual advice for you regarding your plateau. I do know that the trainer at my gym suggested HIIT on the elliptical for me (I’m 5′4 and 236 pounds) as well as changing up my caloric intake daily.
“Keep it around where you want your lean muscle mass to be,” he said. “And make sure to drink a protein shake with dinner.”
(Of course, for me that’s because I eat dinner at 9pm. My husband’s doing this with me and we get off work at 6:30. The gym closes at 9:30, so we work out daily from 7pm to 9pm and then go home and eat. There’s no time to do otherwise.)
Also, have you heard anything about the “Bar Method”? I’m hearing good things about it building long, lean muscle pretty easily.
Resistance training, i.e. weight training is really vital to a weight loss program. It makes a tremendous difference!
I like the interval training idea as well, but not in place of weight training.
Hang in there Tyler! Everyone hits these plateaus, and everyone busts through them eventually. You’re not quite at a plateau yet–your weight loss has just slowed–but keep in mind that you are reaping other benefits even at a plateau:
-Your heart is getting healthier
-Your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides are likely improving
-You are sleeping better, which benefits your overall health and resilience (physically and mentally)
-You are proud of the hard work you’ve put in
-You are making your lifestyle much better as an example to your baby girl as she grows up
-You are probably doing a huge amount to lower your risk of knee, ankle and back problems. Young people who are overweight tend to get around fairly well, but 20 or 30 years of carrying an extra hundred pounds around eventually cripples you.You’re stopping that eventual outcome in its tracks!
I’m sure you can think of other benefits you’ve reaped, but that should get you started! ;)
Tyler keep up the good work. I am down (51#) to 289 in 11 weeks too. I started at 340 myself but I am 53 years old. Be good to yourself. This isn’t a race but a healthy lifestyle change. You dont want to end up with high blood pressure like I did. My BP has dropped 50 points since I started without any meds and by the time I hit my goal it should be back to 120/80.
Ranch dressing is my weakness too! It’s my ketchup – I put it on everything. I got the fat free kind but it tastes kind of like plastic. A friend recommended ranch yogurt dressing that I’m planning on buying once I choke down the fat free stuff. It has about half the fat as regular ranch. Otherwise, I’m switching to Italian!