Diet plateau.

[Delacy]

Can anyone please advise me. I have been on a strict diet of 1800 calories a day for only 2 weeks now, the first week i lost close to 10 pounds, and in the second week absolutely nothing at all and i have done nothing different stuck to the same calories and the same work out. I was on about 4000 calories a day before this, have i cut back too much? i thought 1800 was pretty healthy?? why havn't i shifted anything in the second week!!??

 

Thanks.

[USMCHokie]

Weight loss resulting from drastic diet changes tends to be very high in the first few weeks, but your weight loss will gradually decrease the further along you go.

 

My guess is that you lost a ton of water weight in the first week.

[Delacy]

Thanks, should i stick to the same amount of calories?

[tman666]

Weight loss is generally non-linear. You might not change weight for a couple of weeks, and then suddenly lose a bunch. A lot of this can be attributed to water weight.

 

Don't panic. Definitely don't cut your calories any further (you're already at bare minimum). Going lower on your calorie intake could be potentially dangerous, and likely sabotage your efforts (via lowering your metabolism to a slow crawl).

 

You should also increase your protein intake. Protein has a high thermic effect, meaning it takes more calories to breakdown than other nutrients. It also helps with satiety.

[USMCHokie]

Thanks, should i stick to the same amount of calories?

 

If anything, I would increase my caloric intake slightly for a few weeks and then gradually decrease it each week until you hit your target of 1800 calories. The body tends to not react well to sudden and drastic drops in food intake, especially if you're starting a new workout program.

[Delacy]

Great! i will try that then.

[jahncrish]

One great disadvantage of losing weight quickly is loss of lean muscle tissue. The body has its way of using energy resources with utmost efficiency. When you result to rapid weight loss, the body recognizes that it is getting very little calories for its daily needs. And since it considers body fat as its energy reserve, metabolism adjust to preserve it energy reserve.

[phxsun]

What kind of work out are you doing? Any work out that build muscle will mean you gain muscle weight.

 

When I was in the beginning of my weight loss program, I was on a pretty strict diet as well and doing a lot of cardio. It went well for about a month. I was losing weight healthily without needing the starve myself but my weight sort of plateaued as well. I found out that when the body adjusts to the diet and slows down your overall metabolic rates. To overcome this, you have to have what they call a cheat day. It's one day in a week where you take in a lot more calories than your usual 1800 and it cranks up your metabolism. Basically, it returns your metabolic rates back to where it was before your strict diet and stops you from plateauing.

 

Like another poster said, your first week was probably just water weight and you can lose that just sitting in a sauna. You should look at your diet and lower your carbs, increase protein and have more low GI foods.

Edited March 3, 2011 by phxsun

[starryeyed12]

Another problem could be the fact that you are doing the same workout.

 

Your body develops muscle memory, and the same workouts that kicked your butt begin to become too routine for growth and change.

 

Try switching things up. If you were running or using an eliptical, try biking or doing a workout DVD such as plyometrics, yoga, or cardio based DVDs.

[andrena8gayle]

Healthy diet is platter comprising fruits, vegetables, greens, whole grains and meat as they all provide required energy to body and keep you fit all day without losing grip over concentration and falling for stress.