Reader’s Request: Plateaus
Hey friends 🙂 How’s your morning treating ya? Hope it’s been lovely so far 🙂
Lately, I’ve received quite a few emails/comments about plateaus and thought it would be perfect for this morning’s post.
*Friendly disclaimer: if talking about calories/weight/plateaus is a triggering or uncomfortable topic for you, please skip this particular reader’s request. I’ll be back with standard shenanigans this afternoon 😉 Let’s all be aware of how certain topics affect our bodies and minds and use our best judgment <3
Hey Gina,
I love your blog!!! You and the Pilot are so cute. I have a reader’s request for you: I’ve lost 20 lbs and have at least 5-10 lbs until I reach my goal weight. When I started out, it seemed like the results were happening so much more quickly and feels like I’ve hit a plateau. Last week I only lost 1 lb! I’m doing everything I did before, but it seems like my progress has totally stalled.
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks for the great blog.
Sara
Plateaus are a tricky little thing… mostly because I don’t really believe that they exist.
I think a *plateau* is often the result of the body saying “hey, I’m in a happy place! I like it here”
I think that oftentimes when we feel like we’ve hit a plateau, it’s actually a combo of the rule of diminishing returns and our body finding its own happy weight.
For example, when we have a lot of weight to lose, our body responds to small changes more rapidly. For example, when I first began my weight loss journey, I cut out refined carbs and only focused on whole grains. I dropped weight from that small change very quickly because it was so different from the foods I had consumed previously and my body responded immediately.
When we drop the bulk of our unhealthy range and get into a safe and healthy range, our body likes being there. It’s comfortable and can flourish on a healthy weight, which is why trying to lose “vanity pounds” (often referred to as “the last 5 or 10 lbs”) makes it more difficult.
Also, when the reader said she only lost 1 lb- guess what? 1 lb is still progress, not a plateau 🙂 [Also 1-2 lbs a week is a healthy and safe range for weight loss, assuming that you’re still trying to get to a healthy weight]
I think when we get to the point of trying to lose vanity pounds, it’s even more critical to focus on body fat percentage than a number on the scale.
Body fat percentage says SO much more about composition than weight (as we all know, muscle is more dense than fat), so it’s a great idea to get checked out by a personal trainer at your local gym. Many will give you your body composition stats for a small fee, or for free!
The best way to check body fat percentage is via the Bod Pod (<— you can read my experience with it *here*)
Bonus: you get to wear a funny little hat 😉
So let’s say, hypothetically you get your body fat percentage tested and you want to focus on decreasing fat and building muscle. [Mother hen note: Stay above 18%! This will protect your baby-making abilities]
Here are some tips:
1. Keep a journal! When I was trying to decrease my body fat percentage, I kept a journal with my eats for the day, exercise, water intake and fruits/veggie servings. I didn’t count calories, but instead tried to be more mindful that I was getting the nutrients I needed and a good balance of macronutrients. Calorie counting works wonders for some people, but I’m not one of them.
2. Change up your exercise routine. Diminishing fitness results can occur from the body kicking in cruise control. It’s a smart machine and gets used to the tasks it’s routinely asked to perform- shake it up a little. Instead of focusing on the quality of workouts, focus on quality. Add in some HIIT (High intensity interval training), new classes, switch up your weight split (for weight training splits, check out *this post*) or just change up the order in which you do you cardio and weights. A new fitness plan is a great way to change up your current routine, shock the body and see amazing results. I love TurboFire, Insanity, the Summer Shape Up plans (new one starts June 6th!) and Bodyrock. A new routine often = instant refresher in motivation.
3. Respect the fact that the scale may not move. You body may be in its “happy place” weight-wise and while the scale doesn’t go down, it could actually go UP and you’d need a smaller jean size. Monitor your body fat percentage every couple of months to see if you’re on the track you’d like to be.
I hope this helps a little!
Have you ever felt like you hit a plateau? What steps did you take?
xoxo
Gina
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Great tips! And that pod looks like a space ship, haha!
I really liked this post. It’s funny because I listened to a Jillian Michaels podcast yesterday about the same topic and she basically said the same thing (I know you’ve said don’t always agree with her). Your tips were really great too…I haven’t found myself feeling like I’ve hit a plateau, but I know it’s frustrating when you think you have more weight to lose and your body isn’t responding. I try to remember to listen to my body, and if it’s happy where I am (and I”m at a very happy weight for me) because I’m taking care of it, I’m trying really hard to listen. Thanks for the post! I always really appreciate your reader’s request and focus on posts.
Great post Gina! There is a saying I read that put a little better perspective on weight loss lack of or just slow. It goes something like Even though you can’t see a tree grow, there are still many changes and growth happening. Happy your pilot is home for good!
great post. I’m at that point now. I lost about 25-30lbs in the year before my wedding and am now stuck there. I’d like to lose that last 5-10 “vanity lbs” (love that!) and am thinking I probably need to do some new workouts. Looking forward to your summer shape up!
really good advice gina! you are right….the vanity pounds are the hardest!
My plateau is definitely not a happy place! I am still 75lbs overweight!
Ha!
But I think your advice is the best – change up your routine (in a healthy, and challenging way!)
Always good stuff, G$.
great post gina! i love when you post pictures of your clothes, you have such a great sense of style!
I love this!
When I was losing weight, I was losing at a steady rate until my body hit my “healthy range.” It was like, overnight it was difficult to lose. Also, by that point it was unhealthy to try to lose more than a pound per week, because losing more than that would have required my daily calories to go less than 1200!
It took a long, long time to trust my body that my current weight is where I should be. It’s not that I’m overweight or anything. I’m definitely healthy and my body fat percentage is as well! But when I was nearing the end of my weight loss endeavors, I was about 5-10 lbs less than I am right now. It was hard to keep my body weight that low, and I always felt like I couldn’t eat reasonable portions of REAL, HEALTHY food without gaining! I was exercising a ton, had no life, and was overall unhappy. When I quit counting calories, stopped weighing myself, and started nourishing my body with enough food, I gained 5-10 lbs in a few months, but I’ve maintained that weight somewhat effortlessly since then.
I really should have paid attention during my “plateau.” That weight, 145-150, was the same weight I was at all through high school, and is what I weigh now. It’s easy to try to compare and envision my body as the same slightly-chubby way it was in high school, but it’s not a perfect correlation. My body fat percentage is much lower now than it was then, and I’m wearing smaller clothes than I could ever wear at any point in high school! I’m also taller, and older.
Eating well and exercising for enjoyment has helped me maintain a happy weight for my age and frame (22 y/o, 5’7″, large frame). When my body was at 140, it was almost impossible to maintain. And it’s not like I was underweight by the BMI! My BMI was perfectly normal, nowhere near the bottom end, and my body fat percentage was healthy at that weight, too. But it turned out not to be right for my body. I am happier now at this slightly higher weight than I was eating next-to-nothing and working out like a dog at 140.
I want to try the bod pod! HIIT is the best hands down. My body responds so well to short + intense workouts!
what a great post! I love the comment above about “Even though you can’t see a tree grow, there are still many changes and growth happening”, great advice michelle! changing things up also sparks creativity and energy in your everday life as well.
Great tips! I think getting body fat checked is an important factor to check into.
LOVE this post!! GAHHH!! 🙂 You’re amazing!
When I read that this post is about plateaus, I first thought it was about shoes! Haha!
I’ve been stuck at a weight plateau for quite a while now. When I changed my diet to a vegetarian, whole food one, the first 20 lbs just melted off. Losing the next 10 lbs was much more difficult, but I still made it work by increasing my activity and watching my portions even more. Now I’d like to lose those ‘last 5-10 lbs’, by watching my calories and staying consistent with my workouts. It’s tough right now, but I’m still hopefull that I will succeed in the end.
Great post!
Gina this is a great post…so thorough and I love that you’re so respectful for where everyone is at with HER particular journey, body, lifestyle, etc…you always do such a great job of putting the info out there but not making as gospel and law and that’s great. Wiggle room, room to find our own path, b/c yes we ARE all so different.
When I feel like I hit plateaus in my life, it’s usually a mental/emotional plauteau which is why I am grateful over the past decade+ I have moved from running, insane amts of running, yoga and no running, yoga with some cardio, pilates, yoga and tons of running, weightlifting and nothing else, yoga and lifting, yoga and cardio and lifting, to you name it…endless combos of things. Some better than others, clearly.
For me, I have found that if I mix up what I do not only does my mind/emotional state not feel bored, that also translates into better results physically in a shorter amt of time. I work out *no more* than 60 mins per day and most days it’s 45 or so. I just dont have the time or desire anymore!
I used to always measure my BMI & % body fat using a fancy pants (= very $$$) scale….until I read in a research article that those things can be off by as much as 10% due to fluctuations in water weight. Crap bag! And I dunno how I feel about the whole “plateau” thing. I’ve heard that people can only expect to loose 20% of their body weight at a time. So, you loose 20%, you stay for awhile (which could be seen as a plateau), then after maintaining for about a month you can start to loose more (only if its needed, of course). But – what you’re saying really makes sense. Plus, shows like The Biggest Loser show people loosing WAAAAAAY more than 20% of their body weight without plateaus, so…..i dunno.. haha. no real conclusion : )
Thank you for saying 1 pound a week is a healthy loss rate!! I think sometimes with the Biggest Loser out there, people think they fail at that rate and it’s just not true! Whenever I’ve tried to lose, 1/2 pound a week would be my body’s happy rate of loss –except for the first three water pounds that everyone loses going from maintenance to deficit calories. 1 pound a week is a great, successful loss! I like to do measurements every day along with the scale –much more accurate –and take pictures once a month when I’m trying to lose. Those changes can seem invisible unless you’ve got photographic evidence sometimes. 🙂
I think you give really good advice here Gina — when I hit plateaus (same with Averie in having mental plateaus) — I just keep going. Switch some things up since the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results!
amazing post!! I always love all your tips 🙂 what do the letters mean next to your food? I can assume P means protein, but not sure about the C? (I’m sure it’s something insanely obvious – hey it’s Monday ;)) I’m a list-a-holic so that’s why I ask! seriously, obsessed!
Think it means “carbs”.
hmmm… definitely obvious 😀
no worries- it was early 🙂
Same here… My plateau is not my happy place. The last 10-15 lbs are not vanity lbs. 🙁 I have lots of fat on my tummy and back to lose and I can’t seem to shrink anymore :-/
Thanks for this post. I had been in a “plateau” since last fall, and stuck at the SAME number no matter what I did. I had lost 35 pounds and needed to lose 20 more. I had also been doing the same routine for over a year. What I did was stop counting calories. I ate more, and started training for a half marathon. I stopped focusing on the scale for a good 3-4 months, and now I’m back on track, and losing 2 lbs a week. 🙂
I think switching up the workouts helps tremendously as well as incorporating interval work. That being said, your body also needs rest to move forward so sometimes if we’re exhausting ourselves, the body might not want to let go of those last few lbs. Additionally, I find that sleep, hydration and good eats are sneaky things that can be easy to lose sight of when you’re just trying to lose lbs. All of that stuff matters big time! Nice post, Gina.
Plateaus are tough but possible to overcome. For me calorie counting *does* work and it allows me to see differences between weekdays and weekends. I’m also a firm believer in revamping the workout routine to surprise a different set of muscles.
I think changing up the routine is the BEST way to get through a routine. When you body gets accustomed to a certain routine.. is isn’t being challenged anymore. It can even be as simple as upping your weights in a lifting routine. But doing something drastically different.. like going from running.. to swimming a couple of days of week.. will truly challenge your body and help you to work a new set of muscles!
I agree that a new exercise routine (DVD, class, anything) brings an instant boost of motivation! Especially something so upbeat like Turbofire. Turbofire even boosts my motivation after I haven’t done it for a few weeks! 🙂
Hi Gina!
Love this post, when I was trying to lose weight, I often wxould hit a plateau and just stopped eating healthy because I thought it wasn’t working any longer..
I’ve since then totally ditched the scale and only measure myself with a measuring tape.. For my job (modeling) I have to stay within a certain range of inches/centimetres but I don’t look at the scale any longer!
Since some people can loose a lot of weight on a ‘Twinkie diet’, in the end it is really about calories. In-take vs burning. A body that has lost 20-30 pounds needs less calories to function. So, eating the same amount of calories (when the body needs less calories because it is lighter) and exercising the same (when the body now needs less calories to do the exercises) does not make that much of a difference anymore in the loosing department. Ergo: Plateau. There could more exercise or eating less or both to get out of the plateau. When all fails, it helps to really weigh the food because sometimes we are ‘lying’ to ourselves of how ‘small’ a portion is and how many calories it contains. Sometimes we don’t count the handful of almonds we sneak or the glass of beer or wine….. but it all counts. Breaking down the calorie balance honestly…. there is hope.
Good tips!
How about for someone just starting out losing weight. into their 2nd week with exercise, cleaned up diet and cut back on some of the calories for weightloss, but so far having no luck losing weight. How would you go about that?
Thanks
Good post! I really agree with your points. We are all differeent–true but I feel for the most part that our bodies are always smarter than we are and trying to tell us something. 🙂
You could either be in “starvation mode” with your diet or doing way too much of the same workout routine. You Must be eating correctly and working out correctly and resting correctly! Do not pay attention to the scale is my advice.
I did a post on this as well as I get asked all the time. 🙂
http://monicanelsonfitness.com/blog/fitness/have-you-reached-a-plataeu/
I am so glad you addressed the fact that sometime plateaus mean that you’re at your happy weight. When I dieted insanely in college, I could never get down past a certain point and no matter how much I lost, I just wanted to be thinner. I’m not sure where my thinness limit was. Great information!
Great plateau post! Mixing things up is definitely the key if you really are not where you want to be yet!
I just love your healthy perspective on weight. I’m happy you’re in the blog world, lady 😉
yep!
Love your tips! I thought I was the only person that got all giddy and motivated at the thought of a new workout dvd. I’m in serious love with Chalene Johnson’s dvds.
I’m also with Shannon, I’ve hit a plateau but still have a substantial bit of weight to drop.
For me the biggest thing to understand was once you lose a good chunk of weight/body fat your body doesn’t require as many calories as it did before to just exist. I think it’s called basal metabolic rate?
When I was at 250lbs I could do low impact workouts, eat junk, and I’d still lose an okay amount of weight..
Now at 200 I have to watch my portions of healthy stuff, push myself more at the gym, and can’t eat as many goodies.
i just wanted to say that i completely agree with the possibility of weight going up while your actual size going down. when i started seriously training for athletic events (a lot of endurance work, plus i bumped up weight training quite a bit to stay strong and prevent injuries), i gained 7 lbs but suddenly fit into pants two sizes smaller (pants that i had in my closet for about a year until i was able to wear them!). weight is definitely not a good indicator of body composition.
I’m kind of at a sticking point right now, I’m not unhappy with my weight, but I’m not so happy with my body fat. I’m don’t know my exact bf% right now, but today I’m calling a nearby gym that is known for evaluating body composition. I’m cutting out all added sugar for now because I’m at the point where I have to work really hard to lose the vanity bf that likes to stick around (lower stomach, back of arms, upper thights). Actually I’m thinking of cutting out all added sugar long term since it is unnecessary.
I’ve even hit a bit of a running plateau and I’ve been coming up with a plan to bust through that.
As far as body fat%, I think women can go below 18% and still be healthy. I’ve seen/read in many places that the essential percent to function normally and healthily for women is 12%. I’m not trying to get to 12%, but I think in the 15-16 range is fine and healthy. As for BMI it is suggested to not go below 18.
not if you’re of reproductive age and want to have kids. it’s unsafe to go under 18%.
Great tips girl! I feel horrible when I have clients who are frustrated about plateaus, but like you said, progress definitely isn’t just measured on the scale!
I fall into that camp of wanting to lose vanity pounds. I had my bodyfat measured a few months ago, and it came in at 18.8. I believe that is very inaccurate. They used a little thing that looked like a steering wheel that send a wave through your body, and then it calculates your BF% based on your weight.
I am actually going to start working on the body composition thing by finally doing as they say by consuming protein after workouts. I am terrible and wait until after I’ve showered and driven to work… yikes!
Great post! I have been MANY a “plateau.” Some as a result of the same routine over and over again, some because I wasn’t enough to make my body happy, and some because my body just needed more time to get used to what I was doing to it. My current plan now as I try to lose post-babies weight is to lift heavy and then lift heavier. 😉
I’d love to do a BodPod assesment, but the nearest one to me is several hours away. Maybe someday…
Gina–I follow your blog like crazy (loves it!)
My friend Heather…think….Travel Agent with Classic Travel who booked your trip, introduced me to it, and I have been an avid follower since.
That being said I love your recipes and workout recommendations etc. We have a lot in common (my fiancee is an officer in the Marine Corps and I love working out/running as well) so…that being said, I have a question. I hope you don’t find it rude, but I have been following your blog for awhile, and thought you opened up a Dance Trance studio. What happened to it?
You never mention it anymore.
Anyways, I was just curious! Hope your Monday isn’t too manic!
hi girl,
thanks so much for reading and saying hi!
i did open up a dance trance studio, and it was doing fairly well for just starting out so we were going to move into a bigger studio.. and then i started a new job, and something else happened (which ya’ll will find out about sooner rather than later- it’s a good thing so don’t worry), so i’m not at a place where i can keep running DT, working at the resort, and blogging on top of that right now.
xoxo
Gina,
silly question, but where do you go to find a bod pod?!
call local gyms and see if they have one in your area
(that’s a great question)
Great advice! When I hit my plateau a couple of years ago, I switched up my workout routine. I added Insanity and now Turbo Fire. I also added in more strength training. At first, I was afraid to look like a bodybuilder, but actually the opposite happened. I got lean and toned! I love the program Chalean Extreme. Now that I’m at a good weight, I’m adding in mo healthy and wholesome foods and fats!
Great post!!! I recently felt like I hit a plateau. I was doing one long run a week and then a lot of ellyptical cardio. I decided to disperse running 4 times a week and do intervals of fast paced incline walking and sprints/jogging.. I feel like I burn so many more calories with intervals and it definitly helped me to feel like I was pushing myself harder.
I kinda feel like I’m in a plateau now, but I know that’s only because while I’ve lost weight by cutting out some very unhealthy food, I need to focus on becoming more active and portion control now. So I’m working on it 🙂
In the world of nursing, we say losing one pound a week is the healthiest way to lose weight :). However, I don’t totally believe that anymore, after switching to a vegan/raw diet. Things move very quickly when you eat like that, especially in the beginning. All that to say, while weight loss may have slowed down for your reader, one lb a week is nothing to overlook! It’s very good! Just certainly not as exciting as the quick weight loss we can have. I agree with you too, Gina- Your body certainly finds a happy place. Also, sometimes we don’t factor in that we might gain muscle we didn’t anticipate, so measuring inches is important too.
OR you could not weigh yourself and just eat high raw and exercise. Who needs a scale?
I totally agree, everytime I have hit what I call a plateau it is usually very easy to track it back to something I was or wasn’t doing. I think that the biggest part of avoiding a pleteau is to make sure that your diet and exercise changes are things that you are comfortable doing in the long term. If you can only eat a certain way for 3 weeks then it will only work for those three weeks. Also if you lothe a certain type of exercise then don’t try to add it to your routine or you will not put the effort in or even worse skip it, and then you have a pleteau. So my biggest lesson I have learned thus far in my health journey is that, only make changes that you can realistically stick to in the long term, otherwise you won’t be able to keep them up and you will plateau or worse rebound.
Great post, its truly amazing how the tiny changes we make can have such large results. When you feel like you’ve hit a ‘plateau’ look back at everything you are doing and make tiny changes. Changes such as type of cardio, training routine, and your diet. Also take into consideration lifestyle changes such as stress and mood, the mind is extremely strong and can affect gains or in this case losses.
that’s an excellent point… mind has so much control over fitness results
That bod pod still sounds so cool! I would love to try that thang out!
I love seeing a picture of sabino canyon! Well I hope that is the case! I run it every time I am home.
yes! one of my favorite places 🙂
this post was exactly what i needed! thanks so much;)
“When we drop the bulk of our unhealthy range and get into a safe and healthy range, our body likes being there. It’s comfortable and can flourish on a healthy weight, which is why trying to lose “vanity pounds” (often referred to as “the last 5 or 10 lbs”) makes it more difficult.”
^^ Totally agree with this statement. Last summer, I was a few pounds away from my “goal weight” (an arbitrary number that I’d pretty much picked out of thin air) and stayed at that weight for months… in the fall, I decided to really focus on my diet and exercise and while I did finally hit my goal weight, I had to be really disciplined to get there, which was no fun. Besides, as soon as I loosened up my diet a bit, those last few pounds came back pretty quickly. So I think my body is happiest at its current weight… I still eat healthy and exercise, but I don’t have to obsess about every single calorie in order to maintain.