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Switch things up. Change your form of exercise, change some of your foods. Most of all, be patient because plateaus are normal.
I've lost about 35 pounds. For the month of May, I only lost one pound. ONE POUND. But guess what - I lost 12 inches that month. It was like my body had to catch up after I lost 30 pounds. Then I started losing again and lost three pounds this week alone.
I did change up some of my foods and added some new ones. But most of all, I just had to be patient. I knew I wasn't eating too much. I am glad I was measuring each week though because losing those inches was actually more important to me than the actual weight loss.
Thanks and congratulations to you as well! I haven't hit a plateau until now which I think is surprising. I've done a few big pushes throughout that time to pick up the pace a bit when the weight loss slowed down. But now that isn't really working. Mostly, I think I'm kind of burnt out after doing it for 13 months. Which I why I think the advice to lose weight slowly is not always right. I might have been done with my weight loss if I had done it a little faster but I am happy with the results I've gotten so far.
I will take that into consideration. As I said in a previous comment, I have decided to try to do a second cardio session in the morning trying to do HIIT. Most of my weight loss, I have not done much cardio. I really hate doing it and maybe get on the treadmill for 10-15 minutes while I'm at the gym lifting weights. But sometimes I don't even do it then. So I definitely think breaking up and doing one in the morning would help. I just hate doing cardio so much!!! Haha.
You're not in a race to get the weight off. It comes off when it comes off. even though it seems like the weight came on in a nanosecond, it really didn't. and once you get it off, then what? the key thing is picking up good habits along the way that will prevent you from having a weight problem again. I mean technically, drinking three shakes a day and water will achieve weight loss. but the weight will come right back on unless you address the underlying issues and learn how and what to eat and how much. Also I'm glad that you realize that exercise is the way to go. I lift weights myself, it's excellent, but you definitely could stand to use some cardio. That helps rev up the engine and in conjunction with strength training, you're giving it a one two punch. I don't care for cardio, but it definitely did help in the calorie burning department. lifting weights (unless you are doing a circuit) isn't for weight loss, I'd think. Try and find a cardio exercise that is tolerable and easy on your body. Start with lower intensity and then increase. You will probably have to do thirty minutes, but 15-20 is good to start until you gather more stamina. I believe I only hit one major plateau, and that was at the 40-45lb mark. Until then, I had been losing steadily. I was lucky in that forty pounds was gone before it occurred. My body was telling me that as I got thinner, I needed to do a bit more.
I think that people who are active probably have less plateaus, IMHO. Just my thoughts, based on your observation and my experience. That's why I strongly believe exercise is more than just a "feel good" thing.
Switch things up. Change your form of exercise, change some of your foods. Most of all, be patient because plateaus are normal.
I've lost about 35 pounds. For the month of May, I only lost one pound. ONE POUND. But guess what - I lost 12 inches that month. It was like my body had to catch up after I lost 30 pounds. Then I started losing again and lost three pounds this week alone.
I did change up some of my foods and added some new ones. But most of all, I just had to be patient. I knew I wasn't eating too much. I am glad I was measuring each week though because losing those inches was actually more important to me than the actual weight loss.
That definitely sounds encouraging. I wish I had been measuring from the beginning but for some reason, I get a little too paranoid about measuring. I think I'm measuring the wrong way or measuring again in a different place. It's all part of my personality which is part of the reason I got so fat in the first place. Obsessing over things and just not doing something if it doesn't make perfect sense to me. (I.E. I used to delay dieting until I had all the fact and did too much research. After doing too much research, I would give up because the answers were too complicated. I've learned that you just have to do something.)
Anyway, congrats on your weight loss and more importantly... the loss of inches!
You're not in a race to get the weight off. It comes off when it comes off. even though it seems like the weight came on in a nanosecond, it really didn't. and once you get it off, then what? the key thing is picking up good habits along the way that will prevent you from having a weight problem again. I mean technically, drinking three shakes a day and water will achieve weight loss. but the weight will come right back on unless you address the underlying issues and learn how and what to eat and how much. Also I'm glad that you realize that exercise is the way to go. I lift weights myself, it's excellent, but you definitely could stand to use some cardio. That helps rev up the engine and in conjunction with strength training, you're giving it a one two punch. I don't care for cardio, but it definitely did help in the calorie burning department. lifting weights (unless you are doing a circuit) isn't for weight loss, I'd think. Try and find a cardio exercise that is tolerable and easy on your body. Start with lower intensity and then increase. You will probably have to do thirty minutes, but 15-20 is good to start until you gather more stamina. I believe I only hit one major plateau, and that was at the 40-45lb mark. Until then, I had been losing steadily. I was lucky in that forty pounds was gone before it occurred. My body was telling me that as I got thinner, I needed to do a bit more.
I think that people who are active probably have less plateaus, IMHO. Just my thoughts, based on your observation and my experience. That's why I strongly believe exercise is more than just a "feel good" thing.
You're right. I'm not in a race. It's just that I've been stagnant for so long that I'd like to pick back up some steam for a morale booster. I really should have been measuring myself though because I am consuming quite a bit of protein and lifting very heavy. Some of the weight staying the same on the scale could have been from losing fat while simultaneously gaining muscle. If I'm losing even the smallest bit of fat and gaining muscle to replace it, it would show up in inches.
I definitely see the value of cardio but it definitely puts a strain on me. Cardio used to make me feel better when I was younger but it doesn't do that as much anymore. After carrying around so much extra weight, I have a bit of a knee problem as well as plantar fasciitis in my foot. It keep looking for ways that I can do cardio without straining those problems and hopefully allowing them to heal. Biking is a decent solution but it just doesn't feel like I'm doing as much. I may need to find a gym with a rowing machine.
You're right. I'm not in a race. It's just that I've been stagnant for so long that I'd like to pick back up some steam for a morale booster. I really should have been measuring myself though because I am consuming quite a bit of protein and lifting very heavy. Some of the weight staying the same on the scale could have been from losing fat while simultaneously gaining muscle. If I'm losing even the smallest bit of fat and gaining muscle to replace it, it would show up in inches.
I definitely see the value of cardio but it definitely puts a strain on me. Cardio used to make me feel better when I was younger but it doesn't do that as much anymore. After carrying around so much extra weight, I have a bit of a knee problem as well as plantar fasciitis in my foot. It keep looking for ways that I can do cardio without straining those problems and hopefully allowing them to heal. Biking is a decent solution but it just doesn't feel like I'm doing as much. I may need to find a gym with a rowing machine.
You're right. I'm not in a race. It's just that I've been stagnant for so long that I'd like to pick back up some steam for a morale booster. I really should have been measuring myself though because I am consuming quite a bit of protein and lifting very heavy. Some of the weight staying the same on the scale could have been from losing fat while simultaneously gaining muscle. If I'm losing even the smallest bit of fat and gaining muscle to replace it, it would show up in inches.
I definitely see the value of cardio but it definitely puts a strain on me. Cardio used to make me feel better when I was younger but it doesn't do that as much anymore. After carrying around so much extra weight, I have a bit of a knee problem as well as plantar fasciitis in my foot. It keep looking for ways that I can do cardio without straining those problems and hopefully allowing them to heal. Biking is a decent solution but it just doesn't feel like I'm doing as much. I may need to find a gym with a rowing machine.
Make sure that you are paying attention to the calories that the "quite a bit" of protein provides. Calories are still calories and they add up. You might be still eating too much for your current size. You very well could be building muscle (since you are actively lifting), I don't know, but putting on body fat is a heckuva lot easier. I have OA in the knees, due mostly to obesity, which could make exercise difficult. However, I've found that by regularly exercising, the pain is better managed. Go figure! you need to find a cardio exercise that you enjoy and that you're able to do. start slowly. The bike is a wonderful machine to use that is good for people with issues. The only way you can "feel like" you're doing something is by exerting yourself more but you're new to it so take it slowly and work your way up as you get more fit. Kathryn also mentioned water aerobics, that's another great exercise.
You've gone this far, you can overcome this! 75lbs is a lot to lose and if you could do that, you'll be able to break through this wall.
Make sure that you are paying attention to the calories that the "quite a bit" of protein provides. Calories are still calories and they add up. You might be still eating too much for your current size. You very well could be building muscle (since you are actively lifting), I don't know, but putting on body fat is a heckuva lot easier. I have OA in the knees, due mostly to obesity, which could make exercise difficult. However, I've found that by regularly exercising, the pain is better managed. Go figure! you need to find a cardio exercise that you enjoy and that you're able to do. start slowly. The bike is a wonderful machine to use that is good for people with issues. The only way you can "feel like" you're doing something is by exerting yourself more but you're new to it so take it slowly and work your way up as you get more fit. Kathryn also mentioned water aerobics, that's another great exercise.
You've gone this far, you can overcome this! 75lbs is a lot to lose and if you could do that, you'll be able to break through this wall.
Thanks for the response. I actually decided to start a 90 Day Challenge to give me another kick start. I went back up to 255 pounds which was mostly water weight and I'm now 249 pounds after one week. I would say that I probably lost 2-3 real pounds over the past week.
I'm not quite new to cardio but I haven't done it as much as I should. So I decided to kick that up a notch. I'm still not doing extended sessions of cardio but I'm trying to get in additional cardio in as many times a day as I can. I've started doing 15 minutes in the morning. A 30 minute bike ride at lunch. 15 minute walk in the afternoon. And then HIIT at the gym. It seems to be working well for me so far.
And this is my first time in the 240s so I'm super excited.
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