Stuck at a plateau

[Elaine69]

I have been dieting since February and have lost 21lbs. For the last month I have lost nothing and as I am already only eating a 1000 calories a day, it’s making me fed up. I was 13 stone and I am no 11 and a half. 5ft one inch tall means I am still obese. Anyone else get past a plateau to lose more weight? Or am I stuck in limbo for ever?

Ah that must be frustrating OP, especially as you have done so well. It's normal to get stuck sometimes, weight loss is not linear as I am sure you know by now. But a month is a while to see no movement.

Have you rechecked all your calories and are you being meticulous in logging everything? Are you being consistent 7 days/week?

If you're satisfied that your calories are as accurate as possible then you could consider increasing movement if possible, up your daily steps for example? When you have been dieting for a while your body can reduce your daily movement as a coping mechanism i think, to preserve energy, so you fidget less and are generally a bit more lethargic so your calorie usage goes down and your deficit reduces.

Or perhaps give your body a short break back up at maintenance for a few days. I can't claim to have a scientific theory but after a long period of dieting I do find that a few days of maintenance calories helps to get things moving again on the scales.

Your calories are already quite low so you probably don't want to reduce much more.

Keep at it OP, you have done so well.

I would treat myself to a spell at maintenance.

Inna couple of weeks you’ll be ready to hit a deficit with real effectiveness again.

It’s really hard to truly stick to a deficit as low as 1000 a day, it’s possible you’re overestimating.

Either way you deserve bit to be fed up all the time. Only one life and all that.

What shifts me out of a mini plateau is high protein, low carbs and plenty of water all day. If you can increase walking that helps. I've only had a few week long plateaus in 9 months of dieting and mounjaro and lost 3 stones, just hit bmi 25 today.

Finally! Another lb has gone! I seem to be back on track. Thank goodness and thanks for your support xx

There you go @Elaine69! Keep at it!!

So I lose a pound then gain a pound. I am going to have a bloody ice cream.

How often do you weigh @Elaine69? Even if you were eating maintenance calories your body weight would go up and down. If you know you're in a deficit then you have to stick at it and look at the longer trend. It's hard though!

The heat at the moment means we retain water - so it could be that.

I think you could be right. I was thinking about that today.

You were right. 🤣🤣