Pushing Through a Plateau

I have had some very good success so far. It is June and I have already lost 61 pounds in just under 6 months that is something to be proud of. But the last few weeks have been very hard. I have felt exceptionally hungry, I haven't exercised as consistently as I should and my reults have been rather lackluster.

I don't want to sound like I am feeling sorry for myself nor do I want to put out the wrong impression I have still lost 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks, and that is good, but the pace has certainly slowed.

I have not blogged in a few weeks b/c I have not really known what to say, I have not found any solid answers in my research on what to do when the momentum slows. In any weight loss journey people will hit a very rough patch where the results won't come easily and where frustration can sit in. Many call this rough patch a plateau. It is called a plateau for one primary reason... things level out.

There seems to be wide consensus that the plateau effect is real, but there is very little literature available on what causes the plateau and even less available on what to do about it. I will share a few of the suggestions I have found for anyone else who may struggle with the plateau:

Keep doing what has gotten you this far your body needs time to adapt.

Zig Zag your calories eat more one day than another day but try to havethe same weekly average

Take a week off then get started again.

Take one day and eat everything you can and let your metabolism adjust

I don't want to focus on these points too long as I am not sure how valid any of them are. They all seem to focus on giving your body some time to adapt, but I have not seen the evidence that this is the right approach.

I have a different approach I am going to take. I feel like my body has adjusted the weight I have lost and to my current diet and physical activity and therefore I feel like it is time to push my body through this plateau.

For the next 7 days I am going to reduce my caloric intake from 1900 to between 1600-1700 per day and I am going to increase my exercise to 5 days in the next 7 days then I am going to reevaluate.

I have a goal I have not shared out load before now, I want to achieve my 100 lb challenge by October 22 (this is my 36th birthday). I only need to lose 39 more pounds to get there, but I have reached the point where I feel I need an extra jolt.

For the next 7 days I will be keeping a journal of exactly what I eat and exactly what I do and I will report back here next Tuesday night.

I have come to far to let this plateau frustrate me.

I have too many people who believe in me to let this slow time stop me.

I don't know if this plan will work, but we will all find out together.

Tomorrow is Weigh-in Wednesday and I don't expect great results, b/c I know how my body feels. But tomorrow also begins my Push through the Plateau.

Thank you for anyone who may be following I hope you will continue to support me and I hope next week I will be reinvigorated and back on the right track... this is a goal I can realize with the support from all of you.