Plateau=hell on earth

Hey guys,
need your advice.
Im 3 years into my band and so far lost 92 lbs but the most i lost was 94 (i gained two lbs over vacation)
For the past 3 months i've been hovering over the 178-183 area and for the life of me i cant seem to budge >_<
Granted I just started working and im soon about to graduate college, I cant get myself to go to the gym! there are just not enough days in a week!
but anywho,
I maintain a proper diet i eat about 1300cals a day, im on my feet for 8 straight hours at work running around helping customers(its a shoe store) so i figure im getting some kind of workout there but i cant seem to lose the weight!!
Its so REMARKEABLY FRUSTRATING!!!
I dunno what to do ;(
Any advice??Im desperate

I'm looking forward to seeing replies.  I'm stuck at the same point - for the last 5 weeks, i've been teetering between 179 and 182.  *sigh*  And i do get to the gym, 3-4 hours a week with my trainer, plus an additional 3 hours a week of cardio.  But the scale doesn't move!

Unfortuneately, our bodies are smart and they become accustomed to our regular workouts.  Also, as you lose weight what was a tough workout before isn't so tough anymore.  Remember when you were barely able to climb the stairs.  Well as you become thinner and more physically fit you need to work your body harder for the same effect.  So for example when I first started to workout I was barely able to do 30 minutes at 3 mph...and that burned about 300 calories...now I have to do a lot more to burn 300 calories.  So it makes sense that your 8 hours a day on your feet no longer helps you lose weight.  Your body needs more activity to lose weight.  Yep...I know that sucks.

What I do when I plateau is I increase the intensity of my workouts.  For instance I do interval training.  When a plateau hits I add more minutes to my run time or I increase the speed of my running.  Since I started this strategy my plateaus haven't lasted more than two weeks!!! 

I am now at 150 lbs lost!!!   

Congratulations on your loss. I've been stuck at the same place too. I can't seem to get past a certain weight and I do go to the gym when I'm feeling well enough too.

I have been at the same weight for almost a year. I try everything. I eat mote I eat less I exercise more I dint exercise at all. I'm 165 and may need to accept that's all the weight I will ever lose. You can do it and believing you can Is half the battle. Now to take my own advice.

Start taking your measurements monthly if you haven't been doing so.  Your body may be reshaping even if you're not losing numbers on the scale.

One thing to consider, even if you can't workout, you could think about how you could workout at work.  For example, you could put little 1 or 2 lb weights in your pockets.. seems small, but over time, the extra that you carry around should make a difference. 

The other day, while I was on hold on the phone, I did squats and calf raises.  Now, you might not could do that if you're out where the public can see you, but if you're in the back, out of sight, you could.

Park further away from the entrance to the store (but stay safe too.. park under a light if you work at night).  Look for little ways to add more movement to your day.  Put away the silverware one fork at a time.  :) 

Hang in there!!

First off, know that you are not alone. It is like the honeymoon is over and your body doesn't react the way it did in the beginning and it's frustrating. So you must evaluate all that is going on.

How many calories are you consuming? You say 1300 calories. The question is, do you know your BMR? Check to see if this is enough calories for you to still be in a losing phase. It may only be enough for maintenance.

Are you still getting in 64 ounces of water daily? It can be tough when you are working I know. And you said you are in customer service so I'm sure it is difficult to try and squeeze it in. I drink a liter on the way to work every morning. And I drink a liter on the way home and squeeze in what I can durring the day.

As far as exercise goes; the rule is 30 a day/210 a week. But the good thing is, after talking to a trainer, he said it doesn't matter if you spread those 210 up or do them in three days. Because I too went back to work this year, I got a few of the 10 minute solution videos. My favorite is a kickboxing one with Kelli Roberts. Each workout is 10 minutes. You can mix and match them or do the entire circut for a 50 minute workout. It is great!  And always vary your workouts. You body gets used to the same ole same ole and will stop responding really quickly! I change it up every 4-6 weeks.

I'm two years out and have gone thru some of the same struggles. There was a point that my scale did not move for 9 months, but I lost 3 sizes. Remember when you gain muscle, it just fills in where you burned the fat!

Good luck to you!

Sometimes a weight loss plateau means your body is in a metabolic rut and it’s time to shake things up. Some things you can do include:

 

Increase or change your exercise – I have read that it takes only 30 days for your body to accommodate itself to an exercise routine.  Do a combination of cardio, strength training (weight training) and flexibility training (stretching or yoga).  If you do 50% cardio, 30% strength, and 20% flexibility now, change it to 40% cardio, 40% , and 20% flexibility.  Or whatever.  You get the idea.

Plan all your meals (the "how much" as well as the "what") in advance so you're sure to eat healthy and avoid making impulsive choices when you're hungry

Weigh and measure your food before you put it on your plate. Your serving sizes may have been gradually increasing without you realizing it. If you are able to eat more, maybe you just need a fill.

 

Log your food intake

Vary your calories - eat 1200 one day, 900 the next, and so on, to keep your body guessing
eat 3 small meals and 3 healthy snacks a day instead of 3 meals a day - supposedly keeps your metabolism stoked, and definitely prevents blood sugar crashes (I have tested this with my glucose monitor and it's true)

 

Increase your water intake

 

Decrease your sodium intake

Try not to weigh yourself every day - the scale can really mess with your head.  Switch to once a week or once a month.

Don't skip breakfast.  According to my nutritionist, if you don't eat within 2 hrs of getting up, you set up your body to conserve fuel for the day, slowing your metabolism.  If all you can do is a protein shake, that's fine.

 

Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.  Inadequate sleep disturbs the body's production of appetite-related hormones.

Hang in there!
Jean

thank you guys so much for all the advice because at this point I'll take anything you all got!

Be happy that you're stalled in onederland- my body hit 250 and won't seem to budge- for 6 MONTHS!!!  6 MONTHS!!!! 

I have met with my nutritionist- surgeon, you name it.  Eat more, eat less, work out harder, work out less hard.

Here's the latest test I'm trying for 6 weeks. 
1. Limit carb intake (I had let that slide a bit)
2.  Work out at a lower intensity to stay in the zone longer- I had to get a heart rate monitor to do this (EBAY).  Dr's office wanted me to try and keep my heart rate above 120 but below 150 during my workouts (which last an hour).  Once a week I am to do interval training and get it up above 150 for 2-3 minutes, then bring it back down, then back up for 2-4 minutes, repeat so that I hit those highs about 4 times in an hour.
3.  Drink water- I've got days where I am good at this and days where I am not so good- need to make a better effort at it.

I know during this painful plateau my body is changing- I can wer clothes I couldn't wear 6 months ago- but it's still painful and I feel so desperate.