Not necessarily because you aren't on a diet -you've done a liifestyle change and that will be with youfor the rest of your life... new habits replaced old habits so - as long as you pay attention the weight wil stay off.
Fit by 60! - TomO's Pledge
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Not necessarily because you aren't on a diet -you've done a liifestyle change and that will be with youfor the rest of your life... new habits replaced old habits so - as long as you pay attention the weight wil stay off.
TomO
0
True, but I'm still very nervous about it, you know. It's just like when I went back to school, I kept having dreams about showing up to the final exam and not knowing what any of the questions meant. I'm afraid I'm going to be "running scared" for quite a long time.
a little fear never killed anyone - keeps ya on your toes and from getting complacent. 
Miss Ladybug
New member
Morning Tom!!! I agree with what you suggest on just letting it happen (plateaus) that is. If your doing it all right, then there isn't anything else we can do, just DON'T give in and keep on going. I think to be honest our bodies try to sabotage us and see if we won't cave, but that's not going to happen, we are going to keep praying to those gods and burning those incense and enjoying our good food. Eventually, even our bodies will give in and then fat will be gone!!! Okay, so that's my theory and I'm sticking with it!
Kim
Kim
TomO
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My wife keeps on telling me, "You've messed with your body so long, it's just telling you, 'Are you sure? Do you really mean it this time?' And once you convince it, it'll drop a couple more pounds." Sometimes I feel like it's not MY body, you know? I feel like I'm still a long way off from controlling it -- like we have a dysfunctional relationship that's been injured by too many fights. Weird, I know.
Miss Ladybug
New member
Oh I can so relate to that comment!!! Enjoy your day!
Kim
Kim
I don't have much science on plateaus, mainly because the science isn't there. Plateaus are fundamentally an expression of your metabolism. With many things in the body, there is a single gene that acts like a "switch" turning a phenomenon on or off. Not so with metabolism. There are many, many genes involved, and scientist are just beginning to understand how metabolism works in the first place.
There are lots of "tricks" to "fool" your metabolism (see the Index of WLF "Keepers"), but these are basically ideas based on practical experience.
If you're doing everything right, and you've tried all the "tricks", then about all you can do is let "momentum" build up. Sooner or later, the plateau is bound to crack.
In the meantime, burn plenty of incense to the scale gods, offer lots of burnt meat to GOM, and pray to GOWR.
A plateau really only occurs when you eat at maintenance. The science is still sound. Eat more than you need and you have storage. Eat less than you need and you have tissue loss.
What people fail to remember is metabolism is not a static thing. It hops around based on many factors, the parameters of your diet being one of them. At certain times, you may be in a surplus, at other times you may be in a deficit.
That is why dieting is a "touch and feel" process.
As Tom said, sometimes all you can do is wait it out. Other times, this isn't the case. If your metabolism down-regulated to a point that is ineffective for long term success due to some screwy dieting techniques from the past, or even from prolonged dieting.... sometimes you need to change some of your parameters. Like, taking a break.
felici
Well-known member
I reckon even apparently physical feelings of hunger have a mental component and a bunch of small physical changes from day to day (sleep, types of food, emotional states, trying to eat in awkward restaurants etc), can all impact. It strikes me that hungry patches are temporary things like plateaus - I hope they're about to move off again and leave you in peace. I feel sure they will go - because I know you will persist, the scale gods will be forced to acknowledge your efforts, and you will outlast this hard patch.
I'm just wishing their movement to be speedy. Cos they are a pain in the ... you know! Bugger off hungry bear days!
I'm just wishing their movement to be speedy. Cos they are a pain in the ... you know!
Bugger off hungry bear days!
Happychubette
Banned
I don't see why it should be hard for us to keep the weight off once we reach our goal as long as we keep an eye on intake. i.e. use fitday.
bethann1156
New member
Hi Tom!
I think that even after you reach goal, if you continue to weigh yourself every day and just keep that awareness of your weight that you can continue to maintain it fine. And stay active and work out regularly. Never let it slide. Make it part of your life like brushing your teeth...something you just do as a habit.
For me, I get complacent, and begin letting old habits creep back in or indulging too many times...and not weighing, making excuses to not workout...telling myself its fine and then the next thing I know my weight has crept back up...and then it is out of control.
Mentally then, I am defeated and there is another whole dynamic to deal with to get out of that mindset.
I think that even after you reach goal, if you continue to weigh yourself every day and just keep that awareness of your weight that you can continue to maintain it fine. And stay active and work out regularly. Never let it slide. Make it part of your life like brushing your teeth...something you just do as a habit.
For me, I get complacent, and begin letting old habits creep back in or indulging too many times...and not weighing, making excuses to not workout...telling myself its fine and then the next thing I know my weight has crept back up...and then it is out of control.
Mentally then, I am defeated and there is another whole dynamic to deal with to get out of that mindset.
bethann1156
New member
You're right, it shouldn't be. But it is....that is why a lot of us are repeating this cycle. I believe that it will require daily effort for the rest of my life...for me, I get busy and think, oh, I am at goal, no problem...it becomes a lesser priority once I reach goal.
Tom, I haven't read the article referenced in your earlier post, but, having failed to successfully maintain weight loss in the past, from day one this time around I've read a TON of material regarding successful maintaining and have purposely chosen to maintain for extended periods throughout-as I am presently. So, my 2 cents on a couple of things.
1) You are right to be a little nervous. Use that healthy caution to start developing a well thought out written plan for the transition period of moving towards maint. and being at maint. Because it is not easy...in fact it is on some level as much work to actively maintain at a lower weight as it is to lose it in the first place. The key word being "actively"...just as it's difficult to effectively and consistently lose weight by deciding to "just eat less and exercise more" - it difficult to maintain the loss with the same approach. The role of planning, monitoring and keeping a defined set of controls and bounderies in place is crucial. Among one of the universal factors (noted by the National Weight Control Registry) responsible for failure to maintain is a "lessening of food restraint".
2) I can sadly verify that the fact there there is always a little extra "hunger" present while maintaining a lower body weight...based on everything I've read it's pretty much just the body's natural inclination to return to what it perceives as its "natural" weight/bodyfat. It's one of the reasons I'm so anal about keeping my fiber high and spreading out small meals through out the day...it's partly a defense action against what would otherwise be a constant niggling undercurrent of my body saying "feed me".
3) There is very, very little "wiggle room" for whoops meals. During weight reduction we get too comfortable with the idea that if we go over our calorie allotment (i.e. a cheat day or social function) the "worst" that's going to happen is we won't lose weight that week...during maint. however, those extra calories are not just taking us up to maint. cals but are actually creating a surplus - and depending on our individual metabolism, it may not take long for those surplus calories to add up to weight gain.
All of this is stuff you probably already know...I think I'm just on a mini-soap box about it because I think there is a great danger in underestimating how much work it requires, at least in the first five years, to maintain that initial loss. Thanks for the platform
TomO
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It's that "touch and feel" stuff that is so frustrating to a lot of people. It would sure be a lot easier if there were a clear cause and effect chain of events that occurs with metabolism. Instead, it is a very cloudy picture, and the typical overweight person reaches one of these plateaus and gives up.
Taking a break -- I took one at the beginning of March, and it helped a lot. Planned breaks are now a part of my routine. I'm going to complete this 18 day regimen, and then one more, and then take a week off.
Thanks, Felici. It's strange about the hunger pangs. Sometimes I don't have them at all, even when I only consume around 2,000 calories, low for me. Then other days, I get them, even when I'm closer to 3,000 calories. And there's no difference in the food I'm eating.
Yes, that's been my problem in the past, too. That's why I'm taking a full two years to reach my goal this time. I want the habits to really get a chance to take hold. They say that you only need to do something for 4 weeks for it to become a habit. I don't really buy that. I think it will take me a couple of years to solidify my new habits, and even then there will be a huge temptation to get lazy.
Cym, I tried to give you reps for this, because it is such a good post. I think you're absolutely spot on here. The "natural" thing to do once you reach your goal is to say, "Wow, that was sure a struggle, but now I can relax." You're right -- you can't relax then; you have to be as vigilant as ever.
I've read that too, about the body's natural inclination to return to a certain weight. Keeping the fiber high is a good remedy for that; I think I need to concentrate on that a bit more.
On point number 3, that's why I intend to keep exercising for good. That's the ONLY way you can make up for the inevitable cheats, IMO. And in my case, surpluses manifest themselves almost instantaneously, while deficits take their sweet time to show up.
Thanks for your comments, much appreciated, as always.
And at that time we should switch up the training routine.
TomO
0
I'm looking forward to that!
Curvie Girlie
New member
Morning, Tom!
I like CYM's post, too, I actually printed it for myself!
Have a fantastic day!
I like CYM's post, too, I actually printed it for myself!
Have a fantastic day!
TomO
0
Exercise Log - 5/9/2007
Weights "B"
59 minutes
691 calories
View attachment 3387
OK, I just gotta use one of these new smileys. Why? Today, for the first time in 8 years, I squatted and deadlifted 200 lbs. Now, I know this is a warmup weight for someone like Steve, but that's an increase of 50 lbs. in the squat over the past 2 months, and 70 lbs. in the deadlift over 2 months.
With the other exercises, there have been some gains, but not very dramatic. I was able to go up from 120 lbs. to 130 lbs. on the incline db press, where I've been stuck for over a month. I also increased the bb row by 5 lbs., but had trouble finishing the last set. By the time I got to chinups, I was pretty tired, so I kept at the same level there, and didn't make any improvements. But the reverse crunches were finally coming into line with good form, and the calf raise went up 15 lbs., to 345 lbs.
All in all, a pretty good workout.
Weights "B"
59 minutes
691 calories
View attachment 3387
OK, I just gotta use one of these new smileys. Why? Today, for the first time in 8 years, I squatted and deadlifted 200 lbs. Now, I know this is a warmup weight for someone like Steve, but that's an increase of 50 lbs. in the squat over the past 2 months, and 70 lbs. in the deadlift over 2 months.With the other exercises, there have been some gains, but not very dramatic. I was able to go up from 120 lbs. to 130 lbs. on the incline db press, where I've been stuck for over a month. I also increased the bb row by 5 lbs., but had trouble finishing the last set. By the time I got to chinups, I was pretty tired, so I kept at the same level there, and didn't make any improvements. But the reverse crunches were finally coming into line with good form, and the calf raise went up 15 lbs., to 345 lbs.
All in all, a pretty good workout.
