Let me introduce myself. My name is Mark Sisson. I’m 63 years young. I live and work in Malibu, California. In a past life I was a professional marathoner and triathlete. Now my life goal is to help 100 million people get healthy. I started this blog in 2006 to empower people to take full responsibility for their own health and enjoyment of life by investigating, discussing, and critically rethinking everything we’ve assumed to be true about health and wellness...
Pat yourself on the back: You’ve lost weight! Or, at least you had lost weight, but for the past few days or even weeks, the scale hasn’t been budging. You don’t feel like you’re doing anything different with your diet. You’re keeping carbs low, eating the appropriate amount of protein, and you’re moderating all of it with a consistent exercise program.
For most people attempting to lose weight, there comes a time when they reach that inevitable plateau where their motivation is soaring but they’ve stopped seeing results. If you’re nodding right now, don’t worry. What you’re experiencing is totally normal. Plateaus, whether they relate to weight, to your job, or your closest relationship, are a call to charge things up again, refine your strategies and keep moving forward.
So rather than give up and maintain your current weight, or worse yet, drown yours sorrows in a half dozen donuts, there are numerous actions you can take to reignite your program.
Here are our top 5 picks for breaking through your weight plateau:
Consider Intermittent Fasting
Although Conventional Wisdom tells us that fasting forces the metabolism into slow motion causing your body to cling onto fat stores, recent scientific studies have suggested otherwise. According to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, alternate day fasting may result in an improvement in insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, as well as decreases in fat mass. While science is still unearthing the precise mechanisms for why and how this occurs, the previously-held idea that you have to eat six meals a day or more in order to keep your metabolism stoked to lose weight simply isn’t true.
Lucky for you, intermittent fasting (IF) can be done in a number of ways. From daily fasting, by only eating during a 5-hour time period, or setting aside one to three days a week to fast, the combinations are virtually endless. The important thing is to know is what kind of intermittent fasting technique will work best for you and your lifestyle, and this can only be determined by a little experimentation. As long as IF is done correctly, it can kick your body off of its weight plateau in just a matter of days. And keep in mind that IF is not about starving yourself. It’s about eating in a manner that mimics the natural irregularity of Grok’s eating patterns.
Write it Down
A slice of bread here, a handful of tortilla chips there – it all adds up. When we start to lose weight, we might be inclined to loosen the reins on what we can eat. Even though occasional indulgences should be enjoyed guilt-free, when you’re still trying to lose weight, those seemingly benign snacks still count.
So for one week, write down everything that you eat. Everything. From the sugar packet you dropped into your coffee to the two bites of of Cherry Garcia you snuck from cousin Sal’s dessert bowl at your niece’s sweet 16, write it down. A food diary is an honest look into what you’re actually eating, not what you think you are eating.
Need more convincing that you might not be being honest with yourself? According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, those who kept a food diary in a 20-week study dropped double the weight of the dieters who did not chronicle their food choices. Keeping a food diary makes you accountable for what you eat because it forces you to consider your actions before you take them. This is an effective safeguard against mindless snacking or emotional eating.
If you’re looking for an online food journal, check out the one at FitDay.com. It’s free and super easy to use.
Side Note: The Primal Eating Plan is meant to be intuitive and easy. One of the great things about Primal eating is that you don’t have to count calories and track every bite of food you consume. This is why we only recommend the food diary as a temporary method to uncover any dietary indiscretions. Once you’ve honed in on and refined your behaviors we say ditch the journal and get on with eating Primal in a natural way that requires little to no effort.
Switch Up Your Workouts
They say variety is the spice of life, and this holds true when it comes to your workouts. Without change you might find yourself dreading the monotony of regular gym sessions and simply lose motivation. Additionally, your body can become used to to the same caloric burn and muscle exertion as it becomes more efficient at completing regular movements. Give your brain and brawn the wake up call they need by shaking up your usual routine with some new additions.
Try increasing the speed as you exercise and do short bursts of intense exercises (such as sprinting) for one to two minutes followed by small rest periods. These short bursts of anaerobic activity will stimulate your body to release human growth hormone, which helps to burn fat while maintaining muscle mass.
Keep in mind that 80% of your body composition is a result of your diet. The remaining 20% is determined by how you effectively manage your sleeping patterns and stress levels, how you exercise and other lifestyle factors. Increasing your workout intensity is but one way to tweak an otherwise optimized weight loss plan.
Remember that losing 10 lbs when you are starting at 300 isn’t nearly as difficult as losing 10 when you are approaching your ideal weight (say, going from 170 to 160 for a male). Don’t let this come to you as discouragement. Just recognize that changes might not come as quickly as they once had and resolve to stay the course.
Also, know that The Primal Blueprint lifestyle is about long term goals. Though you can lose weight quickly on the PB, keep your head straight and remember that the emphasis should always be on a healthy, Primal lifestyle – not a get-fit-quick routine. You can do it, but it may take time.
Final Tips
If you haven’t done it already (or even if you have!), consider taking the 30-Day Primal Health Challenge. It may sound daunting, but employing the “act as if” tips will be sure to get you through those tough moments when a piece of dry toast looks better than a killer omelet (does this really ever happen?).
If you’ve tried all of these strategies and you’re still stuck, don’t hesitate to hit us up with a comment. Our experienced Primal community will likely be able to help.
A buddy of mine has been hitting this plateu bit for about a month now. We discovered that he may be overdoing the nuts and berries and mini carrots a bit. He is cutting back on those and I think the plateau is going to be a thing of the past. When in doubt.. cut some carbs!
Sometimes a carb refeed after a workout is a great way to restore low leptin levels that are a result of a diet. Also a great way to boost muscle glycogen and enhance insulin sensitivity. I have found it is best to stick with white rice. White rice has no bran, which can irritate the gut, and virtually no lectins. Stick with primal starches and avoid “sugar” and fructose The weight/fat loss the next day will be apparent when you look in the mirror.
Jane
9 years 2 months ago
I think Son of Groke brought up a good point – it helps to talk it over with someone else… how and what you are eating, your exercise regimen, your sleep patterns, etc… they can take a more objective (and new) look at it and might be able to more easily find ways to pass the plateau.
Thanks Mark- another great post. Since I’m at the beginning of my weight loss I haven’t hit the plateau – YET. But it’s probably inevitable, and I’m bookmarking this to remind me to look at all my factors and tweak!
And I agree with SoG- I was eating too many nuts and berries at first (because I think they’re a great combo of ‘transition food’) but they were hindering my weight loss.
I have lost 70 pounds and did it by Weight Watchers and excriese. I have been told that you are to get rid of all the fat clothes because its to easy to say well I can just wear the bigger size if I gain . Its more of an incentive to stay in the smaller size by giving up the bigger ones. And thats what I did!
anna
9 years 2 months ago
is it possible to still be losing fat when youre not losing weight? i mean, ive hit a plateau before and its taken me months to lose another 5 lbs but my clothes were loose fitting and people thought i was still losing weight but i stayed that weight for a long time. also, cutting carbs.. does that mean veggies too? i eat all my meals with a salad and i think thats where im getting all my carbs from… i do more weight exercise than i do cardio, i usually just walk my dog and once in a while… Read more »
Well, I have been in a bit of a plateau for a while now. Here are my efforts at the various strategies mentioned in this post. I do fast intermittently. Mainly by skipping breakfast 2-3 times a week. Sometimes if a tennis game goes on till late into the evening, I may skip dinner that day. However, of late, I have allowed myself a small, home-made, cappuccino on fasting days. I wonder how bad that little bit of milk is. As for exercise. I have become extremely committed to doing the Crossfit Workout of the Day. I generally do crossfit… Read more »
Really? You can’t figure it out?? 😉 Maybe try NO alcohol, NO cheese, NO chocolate. I mean come on! You’re dieting to drop bodyfat, if you get stuck, all “sensible indulgences” are temporarily GONE. You can have those things again when you reach your goal weight. I hate to bust ba**s but it sounds like you need more DISCIPLINE. Going from fat to “normal” is easy. From normal to ripped is HARD. …No matter what diet your on.
Ken
6 years 1 month ago
I agree with Fixed gear, if you want to get ripped you have to drop the chocolate and alcohol. I know you can do it without dropping them, but it makes it easier and faster to get ripped. Out of all of the training I have done, the best thing is muscle confusion. I know some people don’t believe in it, but I think they never really experienced it. I hit a plateau myself at 172 lb 5’9″ at a medium to large build. I started to do p90x weight training and insanity cardio work out interchanges. The main thing… Read more »
Michael Moriarty
6 years 1 month ago
Apurva,
Your post on breaking thorough your plateau is quite old but it is nearly identical to my current predicament. Just wondering how you’ve done since?
Thanks-
Michael
SuperMike
9 years 2 months ago
What works best for me?
Sprints. (Bike, elliptical, or running.)
Fast until about 2:00 P.M. two days a week.
Throw in some very low calorie days.
No carbs after 7:00 P.M. (Even fruits and vegetables.)
And my least favorite, but the most effective…cut out all alcohol.
Eric
9 years 2 months ago
1) Can’t “plateauing” weight wise still mean you’re overall fitness is improving because you could be trading fat for muscle?
2) I don’t think there’s enough paper to truly document everything I eat…
Michelle
9 years 2 months ago
Excellent post which has come just in time, I don’t consider myself in a “plateau” so to speak as it’s only been a week but to date since 18th October 2008 I’ve lost 35lbs (I have 100 to lose). I was losing consistently about 2lbs a week and two weeks ago I started really getting serious about exercise doing at least 30mins a day of low level aerobic, HIIT, yoga and weights. I’ve been a lot more hungry since doing this which is frustrating, should I be eating more or is there a way to avoid the hunger? I’m really… Read more »
If you were REALLY sedentary before, and now suddenly you’re moving your body a lot the cardio could actually be building some muscle. You certainly won’t “bulk up” doing cardio, but if you were a couch potato you probably had very little muscle mass to start and you’re growing SOME muscle in response to the cardio. I would guess after a week or two that will max out and stop and you’ll drop pounds again. You probably ARE dropping fat right now, you just can’t tell on the scale because of the muscle you added simultaneously. …I’m no expert, just… Read more »
If you are in the Sarasota area, I am a NSCA CPT and specalize in weight loss. Visit my website at GulfCoastPersonalTrainingLLC.com
Ken
6 years 1 month ago
Michelle, if you want to lose the weight quicker stick to cardio and cut your calories a little bit, I think for women it is 1800 daily so stick to 1300-1500. Eat primal foods, and make sure you get the protein like Mark says especially if your doing weight training. Getting hungry is normal when you start working out, because your metabolism is increasing. 30 mins a day and eating right you will shave those lbs off in no time. I wouldn’t necessarily work out every day, do something else like hiking, swimming or some kind of sport. Good luck… Read more »
Eric
9 years 2 months ago
Does fasting between meals really count as fasting? If I didn’t “force” myself to eat lunch I would only eat dinner every day (I don’t really even get hungry OR thirsty until around 7 PM).
Michelle
9 years 2 months ago
I meant smallest amount of berries not veggies LOL
Merry
3 years 8 months ago
In your current profile photo, you appear to be a perfectly healthy weight. Since this post is like 5 years old, I assume something has changed. May I ask if you were able to break the plateau and, if so, how you did it? I’ve lost around 85 but I have around 30 more to go (probably 40, but I would be happy with 30). It has been 2 years since I have lost any real weight–though I haven’t gained in that time either. I eat around 1,500 calories a day, weight train twice a week, and try to get… Read more »
Cheryl
3 years 8 months ago
It turned out that I have a thyroid disorder, and that is why it is was so difficult for me to lose any weight. I have been taking natural thyroid support and it has made a remarkable difference. When you correct the underlying cause, things just start working again. I can finally stop worrying about the scale. After eating one meal I would have gained around 5 lbs. I can now eat a balanced diet, and never gain more than 1 lb or so. How liberating that is, I cannot tell you. I spent entirely too much on doctors telling… Read more »
Good reminder to mix it up some. I’ve been at my current weight/body composition for quite a while now, but I have some unwanted pounds I’d like to shed. It will take some focus.
It’s not so much the weight I care about as body composition. This brings up the old question: What’s a good way to estimate body composition (lean/fat)?
anna, Eric – Yes, of course. In fact that is a nuance to the weight loss plateau that I neglected to mention. Your may be building muscle faster than you are losing fat. Thanks for the tips, SuperMike. It is great to hear what someone is doing that has seen great results. (Check out SuperMike, everyone: https://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-testimonials/) Apurva – Thanks for the update. I’d say you should pay particular attention to the last tip: Keep on keeping on. Stubborn belly fat can take a long time to lose. Keep doing what you are doing. Over the long haul I’m sure… Read more »
zbiggy
9 years 2 months ago
Re Eric
for what I know, there’s no need to stuff oneself with a meal if not hungry – metabolism will not slow as long as you keep adequate intake of calories.
Technically, the answer to “Does fasting between meals really count as fasting?” is : all fasting is between meals (except for the last fast in one’s life, that is).
I understand the IF concept but it doesn’t sit well with me. I believe in doing the things that are healthy habits, the things you will continue to do after you’ve lost the weight.
Tweaking your intake food and workout routine is one thing, but IF? Nah.
On the other hand, fasting to cleanse the body or for spiritual purposes is totally different. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for your answer, Mark. Your words are reassuring. That being said, this lifestyle makes me feel so great that I have no hesitation to keep on going. It feeds itself, really. My previous comment was made primarily as an invitation for suggestions for further optimizations/improvements in my lifestyle.
Apurva
Rick
9 years 2 months ago
I gotta say that I am a huge fan of IF. I started doing it “instinctively” about a month or so ago, in the midst of an over-intense workout regimen. I would just wake up and decide that I wasn’t going to eat or workout that day, and suddenly it felt like this burden had been lifted off my shoulders and I could truly relax. My favorite part of the day long fast has to be late in the evening, when the craving for dinner has passed and you sort of reach what I refer to as an elevated state… Read more »
Mike Boudreaux
9 years 2 months ago
@Rick: mmmm…..Mammoth…..drool….
Zen Fritta
9 years 2 months ago
Currently using a lot of flax seed meal and oolong to reduce weight – 7 pounds in 2 weeks.
I’m the friend Son Of Grok was talking about. I’ve been on this plateau about 5 or 6 weeks. This post couldn’t have come at a better time and it simply reinforced most of the advice SoG has been giving me. I think this plateau will end soon as I’ve already noticed in my belt size in just the past week.
Mark – do you ever buy into the theory that a plateau might mean you’re not eating enough? I’ve been talking to a few people about whether this notion is really fact or a myth. What’s your opinion?
Donna
9 years 2 months ago
Wonderful Post Mark!
I esp. love the write it down, that’s something that is a huge help to me to keep track of and keeps me on track!
One thing that i try to encourage people asking me advice to lose weight, i also suggest to NOT eat past 6:00 p.m.
Doing this you’ll be hungry upon waking up. For me, eating breakfast gets me going.
Thanks for the great post Mark. I love the reminder to write it down. As a formerly obese person (morbidly so if you trust the BMI) I have always seen great results when using Fitday, but then I get cocky and think I don’t need it. Guess what happens…
Evan
9 years 2 months ago
Very happy to read this and all the comments. I, too, am probably eating too many nuts, and maybe too much fruit and berries. I try to have a day where I do eight 100m sprints, but I’m going to try throwing in Tabatas on the exercise bike to make my week look like this: weights, bike, weights, bike, rest, sprint, rest. Shuffle as needed to keep it interesting, I guess.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. After my 6 week plateau and today being weigh day, I was happy to see that after my adjustments I finally had a 7 pound weight loss. Phew!
Great article…as plateaus happen to anyone who never seeks to change up their routine (hence I can’t stand the Zone or any other eating plan that strict). As they say…if it ain’t working, mix it up…whether workouts…eating less/more…cycling carbs…etc. The body likes variety…it hates routine. A good analogy could be like driving a car…if one person is stuck on cruise control on the highway…and another is stop and go (with enough speed) city driving…which burns more gas (or energy)? My best routine breaker is going for a trail run and just doing whatever pace I feel like…sprint the hills…walk a… Read more »
I continue to watch my diet very strictly and somehow I managed to gain 15 lbs. which I cannot lose. It appears I am holding alot of water which I cannot get rid of. There was a period of time where I just gained 1.2 lbs per day until it stopped at 15 lbs. Now my weight is holding but I cannot break that plateau. I am drinking two litres of greens and 2 litres of water per day. I eat two meals per day. I load up on alot of veggies. Should I just be patient or is it… Read more »
Ken
6 years 1 month ago
Cheryl, 15 lbs from water(if it is water weight) is too much. What do you mean drinking 2 liters of veggies, that is just crazy. If you drinking veggies that means it is condensed and a lot more food and carbs that you could normally intake. I don’t drink those super veggie shakes or v8’s, have you seen where one veggie shake equals like and ungodly amount of vegetables and your drinking 2 liters? Plus you don’t need to drink 2 liters of water. I consume about 6-7 glasses a day and that is with extreme workouts like p90x, the… Read more »
Sarah
9 years 2 months ago
Reiterating the question a few others have asked above, when limiting carbs for breaking a plateau, does that include veggies? I keep wondering, if I still feel hungry at the end of the day, what’s the best snack I should opt for – a bowl of broccoli, lean protein, fatty protein, tablespoon of coconut oil?
Well after months of “effortless weightloss” I AM STUCK. I rocketed down at 1-2 pounds a week from 200 to 162. For the past 3 weeks I’ve been stuck at the exact same 162 and 14% bodyfat. Says the weekly weigh-in on my scale and pictures I take, since the mirror can lie but the computer screen doesn’t 😉 It’s great to no longer be fat, but I sure didn’t set “slightly better than average” as my goal. I want to be LEAN. Single digit bodyfat. There’s no reason I can’t achieve that. I haven’t broken this plateau, so I… Read more »
chima_p
8 years 6 months ago
I assume you are male. At 14% BF as a woman that would start getting into the unhealthy range. Getting ripped (single digit BF)is HARD. There are no health advantages. The only reason to do it is for the challenge and/or esthetics. First re-evaluate wether or not it is worth it. If it is (I understand I have similar goals) then the only way is through diet. No amount of exercise is going to help. It is way easier to consume 1000 less calories than it is to burn 1000 calories through exercise. Also, IF is going to do you… Read more »
chima_p
8 years 6 months ago
“You will have to get into the LBM x 1-1.25g in protien you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.”
What? (post got srcabmled)
You will have to get into the LBM x 1-1.25g in protien or you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.
chima_p
8 years 6 months ago
I am unsure of what is happening here…
ohhhhhh! I was using greater than less than symbols and the post deleted every thing in between.
Last time… promise.
You will have to get into eating less than 50g of carbs per day for several weeks or you will not get ripped. Ask a bodybuilder.
You will have to eat greater than your LBM x 1-1.25g in protien or you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.
I just have to follow up here because some of the things being said are simply NOT TRUE. It’s been 7 weeks since my last post at 14% bodyfat. I’m now down to 11-12% bodyfat and STRONGER in the gym in everything! I incorporated 4 or 5 days of sprinting in that time, no more than once a week. I did 2 different days of intermittent fasting on different weeks. The fasts I did were 36 hours. I’d stop eating at like 10pm on a Monday, not eat all Tuesday and then start eating again 10am on Wednesday. ….not easy!… Read more »
g00na
6 years 3 months ago
100g or even 150g protein is not much. That’s literally like the palm of your hand in size i.e. piece of beef or a can of tinned tuna which is 130g (drained). Surely that’s barely enough for ONE meal on its own without too much veg and zero carbs (by carbs I mean starchy or processed). How do you make up the rest of your daily allowance of food? Surely a few vegetables is not gonna make up the difference to keep you from being hungry. I ask because I have had only very limited success with low carb diets.… Read more »
Bob
6 years 3 months ago
A can of tuna is only 30g of protein, not 150g of protein. A piece of beef the size of the palm of your hand is also 30-40g of protein.
Ken
6 years 1 month ago
At your stage if you want to get ripped I have 4 words for you that will work without a doubt.
“Also, IF is going to do you harm if your in a healthy range and still trying to drop BF. You will end up catabolizing muscle to feed your brain. It takes 3 days for you brain to switch to ketone bodies for fuel. It takes another 3 weeks for your muscles to switch to stored fat for the majority of energy needs.” Sounds nice, but I don’t agree with this at all. Primal man had times of feast and times of famine. The whole REASON humans and other animals store bodyfat in the first place is for times of… Read more »
chima_p
8 years 6 months ago
“Sounds nice, but I don’t agree with this at all. Primal man had times of feast…” Exactly. Primal man was not fat and did not have unlimited fat reserves like we do now for the reason you mentioned, however, 1 day is not famine. The body will resist using precious fat stores and will use a more metabolically expensive tissue (muscle) until it is perceived to be in a real famine. “I think the body WANTS to burn fat in a time of famine, not hoard it and burn muscle” Agreed but again one day is not a famine. I… Read more »
I broke through the plateau! After 3 weeks in a row with the scale reading 14.4% bodyfat, this week it dropped to 13.6%. You may argue that BIA bodyfat scales aren’t accurate. I would agree with you, IF you just jump on them whenever you want, you’ll get wildly different readings. But if you get on them under the same conditions with the same hydration levels they are extremely accurate. I hop on mine once a week on Wednesdays, same sleep schedule, same time of day after breakfast and the gym, but before lunch. And the readings are very consistent.… Read more »
when you say “lower the carbs,” does that include vegetables?
i understand that carbs drives insulin drives fat, but vegetables are so low in carbs and calories that eating three huge salads a day with some eggs or a piece of meat seems like a reduction in calories which would reduce bodyfat…so when we say “lower the carbs,” are we just talking about fruits and nuts???
micki
8 years 6 days ago
Oh, those dreaded Plateaus! I found that if I cut way back on the carbs AND did IF by shortening my meal window (eating within 8 hours and fasting 16) I got off the plateau within a few days. Keeping a food journal has been a boon to me on this journey.
I think that the best way to break through a weight loss plateau is to constantly change your workouts to challenge your body. Most people keep the same intensity level throughout their workouts.
If you are doing this you will most likely reach a plateau and it will be very hard to get past it until you intensify your workouts.
Sometimes it could be something as minor as tweaking your diet a little to get past that point.
This type of training worked as a short-term kick, and resulted in some good gains. But, it’s important to remember that this type of training isn’t for everyone; and for the long term, I believe it’s not for anyone.
Pat
6 years 9 months ago
I was at 300 pounds at my heaviest, which was in mid-February. Right now, I’m at about 225, and that’s where I’ve been for about 3 weeks now. I’m working out as hard as ever, my diet could probably be a bit more strict, but I’m doing very well. I had a goal to get to 220 by July 4th (as well as 200 by Labor Day and 180 by New Year’s). As of a few weeks ago, 220 looked easily attainable, but it might be tough to lose these 5-7 pounds in a week. Any tips?
I know you posted this a year ago, but I am in almost the exact same position you were in when you wrote this. I started at 317 and am right now at 225. I have been stuck for going on 3 weeks. The weight came off much easier earlier. What’s the update and can you give me some suggestions on what you did to progress on your journey?
Cheryl
5 years 10 months ago
Hi: Funny, you should mention that. It has taken me 9 months to lose 12 lbs. I seemed to hit plateau after plateau. I am on another one now. My advice is to stick to it and please do not give up. Your body has to get used to that weight for awhile, and if you can keep that at the same number for awhile you will keep it off. Don’t be in a hurry, I promise you, it will start coming off again. Sometimes we get sloppy and end up eating more rice in the pot when we put… Read more »
If you really Struck weight loss plateau then you had really doing nothing still now . But by eating Green Vegetables it really help me to reduce upto 2 % within couple of weeks . Also the TRIMMY exercise that give a great lift to me to reduce really the shape of my body. I can see real change in my look now.
Arty
6 years 6 months ago
I broke through my plateau by reducing carbs down to 50-75g a day + calorie reduction. Actually when I reduced my carbs which came primarily from RAW milk and fruit, then automatically calories were reduced. I used to not worry about it because I felt so great but could never get rid of the last bit of flab on my belly. But I got greedy and wanted to be ‘perfect’ so had to take a new approach. My calorie intake used to be 2500+ with around 150-200 carbs a day drinking a Quart of milk a day. Now I’m below… Read more »
The Superwag
5 years 1 month ago
Oh Arty thank you so much for this post. I hav been drinking raw milk for the past month and noticed weight gain and visible muscle building. Usually raw milk with one or two coffees a day. It is kicking up my carb intake. As a result, I reduce vegetables to get carb around 5% and ramp up my fat intake to 80% to get full at dinner. While I used to have the same amount of coffee daily, it was just from cafe milk. Very interesting… I want to actually decrease my muscle a bit. I think good bye… Read more »
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his is an old post but still relevant so I thought I would comment…TThe notion that we tend to slack off a little once we begin to lose weight is something I observe in clients and in myself. In this case success does not seem to breed more success and if your weight loss has slowed or stopped this is very likely the cause.
g00na
6 years 3 months ago
Bob thanks for the clarification. I just assumed the measurement of proteins i.e. animal protein was just the weight of the food but of course it also contains water. Canned Tuna has almost no fat but only 25% protein. So I many not be eating too much protein after all, which still leaves my question on why I’m not losing weight even though I have a lot of excess fat to lose. Have you lost weight on this diet or on low carbing? Did you find you needed to reduce calories and cope with any hunger that comes with doing… Read more »
KattKovacs
6 years 2 months ago
I’m having so much trouble with weight loss, I know I know .. No scales right? I have an obsession. It wont budge … And the days it does I’m so ecstatic! The days it goes up, is well .. rather horrifying. I’m 19 and 134 pounds Mostly fat. OF course the scale yesterday said 130. I’ve come down a lot from (when I was 14) 170 pounds or so. That wasn’t a healthy loss though. I’ve been on and off primal for a while. I’ve officially stuck to it over a month. My diet consists of meats, Veggies, nuts,… Read more »
Emelu
6 years 1 month ago
I’m interested in this because of recent weight loss and I’m curiously stuck at my (maximum) goal weight. Not complaining, but I’ve been shooting for an little extra and no go, so I’m wondering: since this is a weight I normally get to when dieting and have not ever been below it, is my body not budging because it’s not “familiar” with this lower weight?
CAM
6 years 1 month ago
I’ve been eating primal for 2 months. The first three weeks I dropped 13lbs. Since then I have list ZERO. I’ve gotten a bit more strict on my diet but can not seem to find why I would lose so fast and then stop all loss altogether. I am female. 5’10”. Stuck at 172#. I have lots of fat left to lose. I would love to be 160#. My typical day is 2 cups of coffee with whole cream, cinnamon and Truvia. Eggs and veggies in grassfed butter. Sometimes Bacon. Big salad with lots of veggies, sometimes feta, a whole… Read more »
CAM
6 years 1 month ago
Snacking* LOL
What do I cut back on? My old brain says eat less fat…
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Pat yourself on the back: You’ve lost weight! Or, at least you had lost weight, but for the past few days or even weeks, the scale hasn’t been budging. You don’t feel like you’re doing anything different with your diet. You’re keeping carbs low, 
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92 Comments on "Break Through Your Weight Loss Plateau"
A buddy of mine has been hitting this plateu bit for about a month now. We discovered that he may be overdoing the nuts and berries and mini carrots a bit. He is cutting back on those and I think the plateau is going to be a thing of the past. When in doubt.. cut some carbs!
The SoG
Great post- I had this question a while ago.
Sometimes a carb refeed after a workout is a great way to restore low leptin levels that are a result of a diet. Also a great way to boost muscle glycogen and enhance insulin sensitivity. I have found it is best to stick with white rice. White rice has no bran, which can irritate the gut, and virtually no lectins. Stick with primal starches and avoid “sugar” and fructose The weight/fat loss the next day will be apparent when you look in the mirror.
I think Son of Groke brought up a good point – it helps to talk it over with someone else… how and what you are eating, your exercise regimen, your sleep patterns, etc… they can take a more objective (and new) look at it and might be able to more easily find ways to pass the plateau.
Thanks Mark- another great post. Since I’m at the beginning of my weight loss I haven’t hit the plateau – YET. But it’s probably inevitable, and I’m bookmarking this to remind me to look at all my factors and tweak!
And I agree with SoG- I was eating too many nuts and berries at first (because I think they’re a great combo of ‘transition food’) but they were hindering my weight loss.
I have lost 70 pounds and did it by Weight Watchers and excriese. I have been told that you are to get rid of all the fat clothes because its to easy to say well I can just wear the bigger size if I gain . Its more of an incentive to stay in the smaller size by giving up the bigger ones. And thats what I did!
Really? You can’t figure it out?? 😉 Maybe try NO alcohol, NO cheese, NO chocolate. I mean come on! You’re dieting to drop bodyfat, if you get stuck, all “sensible indulgences” are temporarily GONE. You can have those things again when you reach your goal weight. I hate to bust ba**s but it sounds like you need more DISCIPLINE. Going from fat to “normal” is easy. From normal to ripped is HARD. …No matter what diet your on.
Apurva,
Your post on breaking thorough your plateau is quite old but it is nearly identical to my current predicament. Just wondering how you’ve done since?
Thanks-
Michael
What works best for me?
Sprints. (Bike, elliptical, or running.)
Fast until about 2:00 P.M. two days a week.
Throw in some very low calorie days.
No carbs after 7:00 P.M. (Even fruits and vegetables.)
And my least favorite, but the most effective…cut out all alcohol.
1) Can’t “plateauing” weight wise still mean you’re overall fitness is improving because you could be trading fat for muscle?
2) I don’t think there’s enough paper to truly document everything I eat…
If you are in the Sarasota area, I am a NSCA CPT and specalize in weight loss. Visit my website at GulfCoastPersonalTrainingLLC.com
Does fasting between meals really count as fasting? If I didn’t “force” myself to eat lunch I would only eat dinner every day (I don’t really even get hungry OR thirsty until around 7 PM).
I meant smallest amount of berries not veggies LOL
I was going to say, thanks for the response back.
Good reminder to mix it up some. I’ve been at my current weight/body composition for quite a while now, but I have some unwanted pounds I’d like to shed. It will take some focus.
It’s not so much the weight I care about as body composition. This brings up the old question: What’s a good way to estimate body composition (lean/fat)?
Re Eric
for what I know, there’s no need to stuff oneself with a meal if not hungry – metabolism will not slow as long as you keep adequate intake of calories.
Technically, the answer to “Does fasting between meals really count as fasting?” is : all fasting is between meals (except for the last fast in one’s life, that is).
I understand the IF concept but it doesn’t sit well with me. I believe in doing the things that are healthy habits, the things you will continue to do after you’ve lost the weight.
Tweaking your intake food and workout routine is one thing, but IF? Nah.
On the other hand, fasting to cleanse the body or for spiritual purposes is totally different. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for your answer, Mark. Your words are reassuring. That being said, this lifestyle makes me feel so great that I have no hesitation to keep on going. It feeds itself, really. My previous comment was made primarily as an invitation for suggestions for further optimizations/improvements in my lifestyle.
Apurva
@Rick: mmmm…..Mammoth…..drool….
Currently using a lot of flax seed meal and oolong to reduce weight – 7 pounds in 2 weeks.
I’m the friend Son Of Grok was talking about. I’ve been on this plateau about 5 or 6 weeks. This post couldn’t have come at a better time and it simply reinforced most of the advice SoG has been giving me. I think this plateau will end soon as I’ve already noticed in my belt size in just the past week.
Mark – do you ever buy into the theory that a plateau might mean you’re not eating enough? I’ve been talking to a few people about whether this notion is really fact or a myth. What’s your opinion?
Wonderful Post Mark!
I esp. love the write it down, that’s something that is a huge help to me to keep track of and keeps me on track!
One thing that i try to encourage people asking me advice to lose weight, i also suggest to NOT eat past 6:00 p.m.
Doing this you’ll be hungry upon waking up. For me, eating breakfast gets me going.
Thanks for the great post Mark. I love the reminder to write it down. As a formerly obese person (morbidly so if you trust the BMI) I have always seen great results when using Fitday, but then I get cocky and think I don’t need it. Guess what happens…
Very happy to read this and all the comments. I, too, am probably eating too many nuts, and maybe too much fruit and berries. I try to have a day where I do eight 100m sprints, but I’m going to try throwing in Tabatas on the exercise bike to make my week look like this: weights, bike, weights, bike, rest, sprint, rest. Shuffle as needed to keep it interesting, I guess.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. After my 6 week plateau and today being weigh day, I was happy to see that after my adjustments I finally had a 7 pound weight loss. Phew!
Opps…just saw I need my new contact info. 🙂
Reiterating the question a few others have asked above, when limiting carbs for breaking a plateau, does that include veggies? I keep wondering, if I still feel hungry at the end of the day, what’s the best snack I should opt for – a bowl of broccoli, lean protein, fatty protein, tablespoon of coconut oil?
1. Increase the frequency of exercise
2. Increase the intensity of exercise
3. Increase the amount of time you exercise
4. Change the type of exercise you are currently doing.
F – Frequency
I – Intensity
T – Time
T – Type
5. Nutrition – Take another look at the type of food you are eating and the amount.
“You will have to get into the LBM x 1-1.25g in protien you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.”
What? (post got srcabmled)
You will have to get into the LBM x 1-1.25g in protien or you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.
I am unsure of what is happening here…
ohhhhhh! I was using greater than less than symbols and the post deleted every thing in between.
Last time… promise.
You will have to get into eating less than 50g of carbs per day for several weeks or you will not get ripped. Ask a bodybuilder.
You will have to eat greater than your LBM x 1-1.25g in protien or you will not get ripped either. Ask a bodybuilder.
… and please work post.
A can of tuna is only 30g of protein, not 150g of protein. A piece of beef the size of the palm of your hand is also 30-40g of protein.
At your stage if you want to get ripped I have 4 words for you that will work without a doubt.
“MORE CARDIO” “LESS CALORIES”
when you say “lower the carbs,” does that include vegetables?
i understand that carbs drives insulin drives fat, but vegetables are so low in carbs and calories that eating three huge salads a day with some eggs or a piece of meat seems like a reduction in calories which would reduce bodyfat…so when we say “lower the carbs,” are we just talking about fruits and nuts???
Oh, those dreaded Plateaus! I found that if I cut way back on the carbs AND did IF by shortening my meal window (eating within 8 hours and fasting 16) I got off the plateau within a few days. Keeping a food journal has been a boon to me on this journey.
I think that the best way to break through a weight loss plateau is to constantly change your workouts to challenge your body. Most people keep the same intensity level throughout their workouts.
If you are doing this you will most likely reach a plateau and it will be very hard to get past it until you intensify your workouts.
Sometimes it could be something as minor as tweaking your diet a little to get past that point.
HIIT is also great. The original Tabata method only takes 4 minutes
Hey Mark, this is a great article; I always wondered how to break past this cycle.
Many of the people in my inner circle are always complaining how to get past their plateau. This is a GOLDEN article I will take to heart.
Thanks again,
Ontarian
This type of training worked as a short-term kick, and resulted in some good gains. But, it’s important to remember that this type of training isn’t for everyone; and for the long term, I believe it’s not for anyone.
I was at 300 pounds at my heaviest, which was in mid-February. Right now, I’m at about 225, and that’s where I’ve been for about 3 weeks now. I’m working out as hard as ever, my diet could probably be a bit more strict, but I’m doing very well. I had a goal to get to 220 by July 4th (as well as 200 by Labor Day and 180 by New Year’s). As of a few weeks ago, 220 looked easily attainable, but it might be tough to lose these 5-7 pounds in a week. Any tips?
I know you posted this a year ago, but I am in almost the exact same position you were in when you wrote this. I started at 317 and am right now at 225. I have been stuck for going on 3 weeks. The weight came off much easier earlier. What’s the update and can you give me some suggestions on what you did to progress on your journey?
If you really Struck weight loss plateau then you had really doing nothing still now . But by eating Green Vegetables it really help me to reduce upto 2 % within couple of weeks . Also the TRIMMY exercise that give a great lift to me to reduce really the shape of my body. I can see real change in my look now.
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his is an old post but still relevant so I thought I would comment…TThe notion that we tend to slack off a little once we begin to lose weight is something I observe in clients and in myself. In this case success does not seem to breed more success and if your weight loss has slowed or stopped this is very likely the cause.
I’m interested in this because of recent weight loss and I’m curiously stuck at my (maximum) goal weight. Not complaining, but I’ve been shooting for an little extra and no go, so I’m wondering: since this is a weight I normally get to when dieting and have not ever been below it, is my body not budging because it’s not “familiar” with this lower weight?
Snacking* LOL
What do I cut back on? My old brain says eat less fat…
Wow,fantastic post.
g00na try eating more fat like 80% of your calories from fat, good fats from animals, coconuts, avocados etc. Check out Dr. Peter Attia’s website on the defense of fat http://waroninsulin.com/nutrition/what-i-actually-eat#comment-4656
‘good fats’ is not from animals