Help I've hit a Plateau again...Newbie here!

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Michi - 28 Jun 2006 21:55 GMT

Hello there! I'm a newbie :)

I've begun my new "Lifestyle change" since May 1, 2006. I've lost 20
lbs to this day! I no longer believe in diets, I know now, they do not
work! This is a lifestyle change that I must make to live a healthier
lifestyle.

I have high BP and do not wish to live on BP meds the remaining of my
years. I know, that perhaps loosing the weight I then may not be able
to live without BP meds, but who knows, I'm willing to give it a try!!

My doc informed me, to loose weight to live healthier and not for my
BP, because some people may still require meds after they have lost the
weight. My main goal is to be healthy once again...

I have even joined a gym and I am surprised and even happy with the
results thus far. I simply listen to my body in regards to how many
days I work out per week, but I make sure to go at least 3 times per
week.

My question is... (Get to the point right? lol)

I've been exericising on a regular basis, I've only had a few slip ups
since May 1, but sometimes I do not see the numbers on the scale moving
lower, when I know, I've worked hard that week without cheating, not
even one bite of ice cream!! lol

My exercise buddy has informed me, while my weight is at stand still, I
am building muscle and if I continue to do good, eventually I will burn
more calaries?? Is this true? She even informed me not to be
surprised if I gain a few pounds working out and then viola I will
loose those extra pounds plus a few more! Is this plateau thingy a
never ending cycle?

Also, I'm very worried about excess skin. Lately, I've been hearing
dramatic stories pertaining to people who lost a great amount of weight
and later to have skin just hanging. I know, it is much healthier to
be in the right weight range, but does the skin really just hang as a
constant reminder we have to continue to carry? It's so scary...

If you've read this far, thanks for listening to my rambles, just
sharing thoughts and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from this list
and I thank you for allowing me to be a member.

Michi

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Doug Freyburger - 28 Jun 2006 22:56 GMT

> I've begun my new "Lifestyle change" since May 1, 2006. I've lost 20
> lbs to this day! I no longer believe in diets, I know now, they do not
> work! This is a lifestyle change that I must make to live a healthier
> lifestyle.

Big difference in mental approach diet vs lifestyle.

Let's look at your numbers. The best loss rate to keep it off
is 4 per month. Having lost 20 so far you're good for 5 months.
May, June, July, August, September. Ah, it's not September
yet. So your expectations are unrealistic. You have an
excess of success. So admit your sucess.

> I've been exericising on a regular basis, I've only had a few slip ups
> since May 1, but sometimes I do not see the numbers on the scale moving
> lower, when I know, I've worked hard that week without cheating, not
> even one bite of ice cream!! lol

I don't understand your question. On Atkins a stall is 4+ weeks
without a new low. Doesn't matter that you're not on Atkins, it's
a principle that applies across the board. Yet you're referring to
"sometimes" and labelling it a plateau. You are so far from
being on a plateau.

> My exercise buddy has informed me, while my weight is at stand still, I
> am building muscle and if I continue to do good, eventually I will burn
> more calaries?? Is this true? She even informed me not to be
> surprised if I gain a few pounds working out and then viola I will
> loose those extra pounds plus a few more! Is this plateau thingy a
> never ending cycle?

Again I don't understand your question. Is it true that weight
bounces up and down? Certainly. Is it true that exercise
triggers water retention that is temporary? Certainly. Does either
have anything to do with the word plateau? No.

> If you've read this far, thanks for listening to my rambles, just
> sharing thoughts and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from this list
> and I thank you for allowing me to be a member.

UseNet is not a collection of lists. Different culture. You'll learn
the
differences in time.

Reply to this Message

Michi - 29 Jun 2006 11:58 GMT

First, I'd like to say thank you for your advice it is well
appreciated.

Secondly, doesn't plateau mean you have reached a point where you stop
loosing weight for a short while, or am I mistaken?

> > I've begun my new "Lifestyle change" since May 1, 2006. I've lost 20
> > lbs to this day! I no longer believe in diets, I know now, they do not
> > work! This is a lifestyle change that I must make to live a healthier
> > lifestyle.
>
> Big difference in mental approach diet vs lifestyle.

***Yes, very big difference. Plus, this difference between before and
now is, when I slip up now, I know it is OK tomorrow is a new day!
Before when I had one of those slip up days, I would mentally beat
myself up and then quit.

> Let's look at your numbers. The best loss rate to keep it off
> is 4 per month. Having lost 20 so far you're good for 5 months.
> May, June, July, August, September. Ah, it's not September
> yet. So your expectations are unrealistic. You have an
> excess of success. So admit your sucess.

*****Yes, I agree, my doc has advised me to loose 1 - 2 lbs per week.
She also gave me some good advice that really stuck with me. She said,
"You did not gain the weight over night, so do not expect it to come
off overnight." Those words stuck in my head. Also, I know numbers on
a scale should not matter, but you often see yourself gaining weight,
so why not see those numbers declining. I know it is all in the
mind....

> > I've been exericising on a regular basis, I've only had a few slip ups
> > since May 1, but sometimes I do not see the numbers on the scale moving
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> "sometimes" and labelling it a plateau. You are so far from
> being on a plateau.

*****I'm not sure why you did not understand my question, but either
way, you have answered my question thank you. :) Yes, there is no
rush in loosing the weight. I now take, one day at a time, rather than
looking at the entire picture.

> > My exercise buddy has informed me, while my weight is at stand still, I
> > am building muscle and if I continue to do good, eventually I will burn
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> triggers water retention that is temporary? Certainly. Does either
> have anything to do with the word plateau? No.

*****I was referring to the plateau thingy, but none the less, you
already answered my question thanks. :)

> > If you've read this far, thanks for listening to my rambles, just
> > sharing thoughts and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from this list
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the
> differences in time.

*****I'm not sure what you meant by a "collection of lists" but I do
thank you for your time in responding to my comments. I guess it was
my weird sense of humor trying to shine trhough my last comment.

Have a wonderful day.

Michi from MA, usa!

Reply to this Message

Doug Freyburger - 29 Jun 2006 16:59 GMT

> doesn't plateau mean you have reached a point where you stop
> loosing weight for a short while, or am I mistaken?

The time scale for fat loss in month to month, so short term means
within any one month. Since a stall is a full month without a new
low and most people use a plateau to mean longer than a stall,
no that's not what it normally means.

The time scale for fat loss is month to month no matter that there
has never been a dieter in history who was happy with the fact.
If you see a new low some week, don't see new lows for a couple
of weeks, then see a new low again that week after that, what that
is called as the standard experience of how successfull fat loss
happens in the real world. It's all about knowing what are our
desires (instant gratification, loss should even be hour to hour),
what is realistic (water bounce happens, water registers on the
scale, so it masks any fat loss over a time scale smaller than
month to month), and imposing realistic expectations onto our
desires. Against the shreaking objections of our desires of course.

> > Big difference in mental approach diet vs lifestyle.
>
> ***Yes, very big difference. Plus, this difference between before and
> now is, when I slip up now, I know it is OK tomorrow is a new day!
> Before when I had one of those slip up days, I would mentally beat
> myself up and then quit.

Life happens. People sabotaging our efforts is a reality that
will never let up. Wanting that tempting food will never let
up. It has to be about making what you actually can do become
permanent.

> *****Yes, I agree, my doc has advised me to loose 1 - 2 lbs per week.
> She also gave me some good advice that really stuck with me. She said,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> so why not see those numbers declining. I know it is all in the
> mind....

What can you control and what can't you control? You can
control your own behavior, most of the time. You can't control
what the scale says, on any scale shorter than month to month.
So your goals need to be behavioral not what the scale says. That's
even more in the mind, but it ends up even more important.

> I now take, one day at a time, rather than
> looking at the entire picture.

Using the expression from the 12 step programs. ;^)

> > > If you've read this far, thanks for listening to my rambles, just
> > > sharing thoughts and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from this list
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> *****I'm not sure what you meant by a "collection of lists"

You posted to alt.diet.support, one of several thousand UseNet
groups. It is every easy to view each group as a list because on
the surface it looks like they are lists of postings. UseNet is far
more than that. It has its own organization, its own traditions.
UseNet is a far greater resource than any list can ever be.

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bunker90@hotmail.com - 28 Jun 2006 23:28 GMT

> Also, I'm very worried about excess skin. Lately, I've been hearing
> dramatic stories pertaining to people who lost a great amount of weight
> and later to have skin just hanging. I know, it is much healthier to
> be in the right weight range, but does the skin really just hang as a
> constant reminder we have to continue to carry? It's so scary...

I know some people get this a lot worse than others. As far as I can
tell it has a fair bit to do with your age and subsequent skin
elasicity. I know that after having lost a substantial amount of weight
that I'm still a little saggy in a few places but it is definately
improving with time and excercise. I read an interesting web page a
while back, (could well have been a link posted in here) it was written
by a bodybuilder who's theory was that it wasnt so much a case of
excess skin as it was the remenants of loosely packed fat. According to
him it is the final stage of weight loss and could be corrected with
excercise and time. He could well be a kook but I find the idea of at
least trying to correct it with excercise far healthier than going
under the knife purely for the sake of vanity. I guess there are also
quite a few lotions and potions available on the market as well, some
of them may well be worth a try I guess. One thing I've been meaning to
do is speak to some women that have had children and have probably had
to deal with similar issues, I think they'd know a fair bit more about
this sort of thing than me.
However, I'd certainly advise you to cross this bridge when and if you
come to it. In a lot of ways its a pleasant problem to have!

> If you've read this far, thanks for listening to my rambles, just
> sharing thoughts and I'm sure I'll learn a great deal from this list
> and I thank you for allowing me to be a member.

I hope you can gain as much out of reading this group as I have, there
are some inspirational people around these parts!

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Mitch@this_is_not_a_real_address.com - 29 Jun 2006 01:32 GMT

I really have no concept of how much muscle a person gains in a given
time. It could be happening for you.

I just started lifting weights again a couple weeks ago. My weight
stopped dropping, but my % body fat dropped a percent. So who knows?
Maybe I really gained a pound of muscle and at the same time dropped a
pound of fat.

But you shouldn't worry about a plateau unless it really lasts a long
time. If it does, then it's simple: calories burned are not greater
than calories in.

Switch up your exercise. Go faster on the treadmill, change the
incline, superset weight training.

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