My goal is to lose 1lb/week for 52 weeks. I seem to have hit a plateau - what do you recommend to do this?

Question

I'm getting married next summer and looking to lose weight. I know it sounds easy but all of a sudden I am STUCK. I don't know if it's because I'm concentrating on it, but my weight isn't changing. Have links to sites? Recommended exercises? I'm watching what I eat and have access to a gym. It's only 1 pound but I'm started to get frustrated when it doesn't happen!!

Answer 1

Imagine that you cut out 20% of your daily intake. A person who is 250 pounds might take in about 3,000 calories, so cutting 20% of that amounts to 600 calories per day. In a week that is about 4,200 calories, or just over 1 pound of fat (1 pound of fat equals approx. 3,600 calories).

At first, this reduction is not so substantial that your body will try to resist the weight loss. If you weigh 250 and you lose 20 pounds, as a proportion of your weight that's only about 8%. But when you start losing more and more weight, each additional pound becomes a greater proportion of your weight (because you are dividing by a smaller weight). Your body will start to "sense" this loss and will attempt to slow it by reducing the metabolic rate. Some people say this happens because the body recognizes a "set point" and it tries to keep the body as close to it as possible. But what I think is really happening is that your body is reaching an equilibrium between calories in and calories out.

At first it is easy to lose weight because you are much over your normal weight, and the vast majority of excess is accounted for by eating. (The body requires calories for producing heat, regular basal cell activity, organ function and locomotion). Contrary to the popular notion that overweight people have a slow metabolism, the fact is that overweight people are actually in metabolic over-drive. All cell activities are increased just to balance out the increased caloric intake. But there is only so much "faster" that cells can burn energy. At some point, you just start packing on more and more pounds. Think of it as the ratio between calories in and calories out. If you take in 3,000 calories but only need 2,000, your body starts packing on the extra 1,000 until the metabolism has adjusted to create equilibrium. But when you reduce caloric intake, because you have so much of that "excess" and your body is already in metabolic over-drive, it is quite easy to lose weight fast. However, once you start to lose a substantial amount of weight, you are starting to match the metabolic rate. The body then tries to compensate by reducing the metabolic rate. At some point, just cutting back on calories will not "cut it" because you are taking in the bare minimum; your metabolism has slowed so much that you barely need much to eat. You're stuck.

The only way to sidestep this adjusting mechanism is to build up on muscle mass. Muscles burn about twice as many calories as fat cells. What this means is that even at rest you are still burning twice as many calories. In effect, you raise your metabolism while holding caloric intake constant. You don't starve yourself and, more importantly, you don't slow down the metabolism. Starvation diets just slow down the metabolism, and eventually you hit the proverbial "brick wall" where equilibrium is reached. You want to avoid that equilibrium by bulking up on muscle (not fat). Eat a higher complement of proteins versus fats while you do this. Don't go on Atkins-type diets, however, since they have some major health risks. The goal is to replace fat with muscle. Alternate one day of weight-bearing exercises for the muscles with one day of aerobic exercise. This will allow your muscles to grow and will also help burn some fat. But I want to emphasize that aerobic exercise alone is not enough to lose weight. You would literally have to run a marathon to see a noticeable difference. Maintaining a moderate diet- initially cutting back on some calories- while doing weight bearing exercise is the best way to go.

Answer 2

The last few pounds that you want to shed are usually the hardest to lose. Mainly this has to do with your natural resting metabolism, your daily intake of calories, and how many calories you are burning each day. What have you been doing as far as exercises and eating habits are concerned? How long has it been since you started? It could take any number of things to break out of your rut. It could be just as easy as changing what you eat and what kind of exercises you are doing. Sometimes it takes pretty drastic measures to lose those last few pounds. Also, you should keep in mind that your weight can fluctuate by a few pounds each day depending on how dehydrated you are and how much food you've eaten. I'm not sure how accurate and precise you can be when you're only looking for a 1 pound difference per week. You should read up on it some more and maybe consult a nutritionist and personal trainer.

Answer 3

First of all, losing 52 lbs is a huge undertaking, so you have my best wishes for your success. Your best friend in this undertaking is going to be commitment. It's easy to lose your will or cut corners and give yourself a 'treat' such as a meal or two at a fast food place. It might seem harmless at first but watch out or you may degrade into a pattern.

Make sure you're getting a rounded diet. Carbs are not the enemy, white starches are. Make sure you're eating whole grains and not white, flour-based starchy foods. Chicken and beans (I recommend tofu or black beans) are good choices for protien. And of course fruits/veggies for vitamins. For calcium I recommend 1% or skim milk (milk fat is a tummy plumper, so keep the percentage low) or a straight calcium supplement.

It's important to only eat when you're hungry. No snacking! (I know, doritoes are delicious. But they are also tools of the devil).
I'd also recommend cutting out all sodas, including diet ones. Enough studies have shown that diet sodas do not aid weight loss. (I know, my reference is fox news. I invite you to search for more sources on this topic though). Besides, sodas also eat away at tooth enamel and stomach lining, so you're better off without them.

As far as exercising goes, swim! Swimming is low-impact, strength-building, and aerobic, all in one. Try and get a half a mile or more each day you do it, and try to do it often. Also, consider some mass building exercises. I know it's counter-intuitive, but it would up your muscle mass which would make you look "toit like a toiger" to quote Austin Powers. My best results have come from "German Volume Training", which is a very intense workout, so make sure you have a lifting buddy if you're going to try this. A basic routine can be found here: http://www.strengthcats.com/CP-GVT.html

Once again, don't try that unless you are really up for a stressful exercise routine. It hurts. Strength training will increase the amount of calories you burn while resting too, so you'll be losing pounds even in between workouts.

Also, aerobic games are great weight losers. Play soccer, basketball, or even Dance Dance Revolution for the Xbox or PS2 on a daily basis and you're bound to see results. Just keep moving and burn up calories!

Answer 4

don't worry it is completely normal. it is because your body is starting to get use to the amount of exercising that you are doing. I'm not a fitness instructor or anything but maybe you should think about increasing how much you work out. not too much so that you are worn out by the end of the day. and no matter what you decide to do...don't starve yourself. your body needs that food for energy to allow you to do daily activities. good luck with the weight loss and the marriage. hope everything works out.

Answer 5

so this spring sesion for school, i took cross training it was 3 weeks of running, working out, and learning about like our bodies and stuff. i learned that what you are experiencing is normal. here is why...

111. if you are lifting weights as part of your excersise regime... you are adding muscle which adss weight which may add on to your curent weight or may just not assist your weight n dropping. you may be losing inches though, just not weight. i recommend not focusing on the scale so much as inches, or how you look naked in the mirror.

2. your body is getting used to your regime.my teacher explained this as "progressive resistance" which means you need to constantly change your routine. since you are only shooting for a pound a week.. i would only recomend 45 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. but ok what progressive resistance is....how he explained it is. the first week we ran 13 miles. the second week, to allow our bodies to adapt to the workout and he said it like improved our fitness, he took it down to 11 miles. but the third week we had to puch ourselves and increase the work out to 15 miles a week. then on week 4 we took it back down to 13. then week 5 was 17 miles. he svid you use this pattern to allow your body to adaptg and as long as it is adapting to yourt workout/diet it well be improving.
dont over exert yourself with your diet/ exercise either.
sorry if this isnt wordses the best im a bit stoend

Answer 6

When you hit a plateu eat alot one day and then diet the next day and continue this schedule. The difference in the food balance will straighten out the weight loss. Then as soon as you begin losing weight again continue dieting everyday.

Answer 7

Water is the key trust me i am a firefighter i lost 40 pounds in 6 months by drinking water while im on shift and one healthy meal a day.....When im off at home i only have i soda a day and still drink my water i eat lunch somthing small and dinner i done it anyone can....try it i also work out 4 times a week.

Answer 8

Plateaus are very normal. Keep up the good work. You will start losing again. You must give your body time to adjust. And remember, sometimes if you gain a pound or two back, it may be nothing more than water. GIVE YOURSELF TIME!

Answer 9

For the next few days, eat food that you never eat usually.This generally kicks start the system again.

Answer 10

an increase in exercise and fluid intake.