A plateau? Help!

[Diva]

Here's my problem & I'd appreciate some advice -

My TOM got over on 16th this month & I weighed in at 81kg
Today (wk3) I'm still stuck at 81kg. There has been no weight nor inch loss either in wk 2 & wk3

I've had no deviations, switched meal 1 (yogurt) to dinner time, getting enough sleep, water, checked the allowances, spices...the works. My consultant says to relax and wait for it to move.

I cannot help but be worried - I thought I should lose a significant amount in the first month & I just have a week more to go

Am I missing something..is this the dreaded plateau? Can someone experience it in the first month itself?

[cmb86]

Hi Diva I'm sitting at the same weight as you and have been now for 2 weeks. I'm in week 5 currently and it just seems to have stopped. I think it will start again.. i hope it does anyway haha keep on chugging along you are not alone!

[lil_doll]

Hey Diva...

Eek how frustrating!

What was your starting weight? Did you lose much before TOM??

Hmm... Sounds there might not be a magical answer from what you have posted... but maybe you could give us a complete run down of what you would eat and at what time for a whole day?

[Diva]

@ cmb86 - I know what you mean...but its exactly at times like this I feel I'm so good but its not helping me one bit. So maybe I should eat that " little piece of xxx" it wont hurt..

@ missy! My starting weight was 85.5 & I lost nearly 3.8kg in Wk1/& early part of wk2 before my TOM started. After that I have lost 0.7 kg but it keeps fluctuating up and down between 81 - 81.5 & never goes below 81kg mark.

I plan the week's menu beforehand, so it's very standard each day.

7.30am - meal 3 - egg veg -stir fry + multivitamins
bet 9 -11am - half cup black coffee + crackers + apple ( if hungry )
1pm - meal 2 - tofu stir fry veg + chromium + apple/ or coke light
bet 2-3 pm - crackers
7pm - meal 1 - yogurt kiwi ( rarely mango/ or apple stewed for a change )

all weighed - no sugar substitutes, no mayo, no cheese, no gum, no meat ( I'm vegetarian), less than allowed crackers. condiments are always - salt, pepper, oregano water is 2.5L minimum - I don't count the amount drunk after this. weekly I swap meal 1 & 3.

Boy!! It's tough being so good..maybe I should have some SF gum

[Kohinoor]

Hi Diva,

Have you asked your clinic about this? If so, what was their answer?
I was just having a read of your dilemma, and, yeah, it does sound a bit unusual.... but then, everyone is an individual, and there is no "one size fits all".

Let's set a few thoughts down for you - see what you think :-

1. Month 1 is "usually" the big one (but we have had one or two that exceed Month 1's losses in later months - it is not common, but is also not unknown).

2. Month 1 is usually HUGE because of Week 1 and Week 2, primarily - Weeks 3 and 4 are often settling down (and can even be VERY small... there is no gauge to follow to predict how they will go for you).

3. It is COMMON for people who "didn't ever overeat too badly" to have slower losses than those who "would eat 3 Big Macs in one sitting". Since you are vegetarian, could it be that you fit into that early group? Maybe your losses may never set records - but, if you WERE a "3 big Macs" girl, you could very well have a LOT more Kgs to lose right now....

4. "Memory weights" might be coming into play too - if you were ever (for a large amount of time) steady around 81Kg, your body may well be scratching its head, thinking "Well, we're there - aren't you happy?"

The way through is to force it to change its mind by sticking to Plan - once it gets the message (that you DO want to move on down), it will often drop a large amount to make up for the delay. Convince it by hanging tough, Diva

I cannot help but be worried - I thought I should lose a significant amount in the first month & I just have a week more to go

"Worry" is a common reaction - but then, Dr Cohen said "Weigh Monthly" for a very good reason (and you are living it right now). See, by being worried, you are adding stress to the mix - and stress can stop your weightloss in its tracks. Do your best to be accepting, confident, and happy instead - the weight WILL go, when it suits your body to let it go.

In a nutshell, Diva - you CAN'T control your body as it starts working the Cohen way - all you CAN do is to give it the best possible chance of success. So, don't set any goals that are like "xxKg by end of May" - 'cos you can't control that. Instead, set goals like - drink all my water, eat only to Plan, get early nights, etc. You CAN make them as goals, as you can meet them.

Originally Posted by Diva

Am I missing something..is this the dreaded plateau? Can someone experience it in the first month itself?

First off, the "dreaded plateau" received a positive boost from one of ours - Shanara posted this (click the link):-
Another way to look at Plateauing

There are SO MANY factors to this, Diva - the little list above is a small array of possibilities (but you may well relate to some of them).

Also, in case you are one of them, let me say that MANY arrive here with "old thoughts" in their heads - like, "losing weight is easy - just eat less than you expend in energy". On here, we already know that is not the complete truth - as we have seen some who cut the Plan amounts, thinking if they "eat even less" they will "lose even more" - and IT WORKS AGAINST THEM !!!

We all need "the RIGHT amount" of food. Too much, and we add weight - too little, and we DON'T shed weight.

Hmm, maybe try eating ALL of your crackers and fruit - you might be "running on empty".... On Cohens, the food amounts are "just right" for YOUR body - trying to eat even less can be counter-productive. Just ask some of the others who have tried this.....

Of course, do run any thoughts like this past your clinic if you wish.... just for their verification/approval. You may well do better by eating those "optional after Day 10" crackers rather than leaving them. Doesn't hurt to "try it" - as they are optional......

Koh

[butterflydreamin]

Hi Diva,

I had the same experience as you and mid way in the forth week, the weight started to move again and quite quickly. Keep the faith and stay true to the program. Your weight will move again. If you consider other forms of weight loss, the amount lost to date is great. We just expect more from Cohens because we know it can be really quick.

If you give into those demons, your weight loss won't go any quicker and then you will be battling cravings again.

You are doing well and it is worth it.

I am also vegetarian by the way, so maybe it is something about being vegetarian on the program??

Take care,

Butterfly

[lil_doll]

Hey Diva...

I agree with Koh, the first thing I thought of when looking at your meals was that you were under-eating.

Definitely trust in the program, you will lose weight as long as you are 100%- Don't give in to those sabottaging voices coaxing you to deviate- they're just checking if you're serious or not, persevere on plan and you will benefit. Try not to stress and get all your sleep

If I were you, I would try eating all of my allowance (ie cracker and fruit) and see if there's an improvement. There is a pretty decent chance you may start to drop weight again and little chance you'd gain. Worth a shot I reckon!

When on program I rarely eat less than my allowance... I try my hardest to eat all my crackers and fruit, and only miss it on the rare occasion I stuff up timing. All of our allowances (protein, vege, crackers and fruit) are designated specifically to us to keep our bodies running and melting fat without going into starvation mode and slowing down our metabolism - there are variations between programs even in the crackers and fruit department.

I hope you see some results ASAP.

[Diva]

Thanks Koh, Butterfly, Missy - for more thoughts to chew on. I'm realizing this is one of those times where I need to let go my own expectations & let my body deal with this the best way it chooses.

Yes you're right - I was never one of the big eaters, although I could binge thru a bag of chips or a pizza from time to time. But I stopped all that 2 years back.

In the past year without cohen's I dropped from 92 to 86 - 6 kgs in one year ( no dieting - just healthy food, yoga, more water ). So in comparison 4kgs in one month with cohens is absolutely nothing to complain about. It's just that I saw the trend across the forum was big losses in Month 1 & what I heard from the clinic folks in general, so I also started expecting results along those lines - my bad :P

I've read about the advantages of animal protein. So I think possibly being vegetarian might be a small factor - although the clinic said its not. They said one need to be able to consume any 3 of the 5 protein groups to be on the program. They've only advised to give it more time to see results and stick to the program.

There was the longest time I stopped weighing myself around the 78-85 range as nothing I did helped me lose the weight far back then - so its possible what you say about body memory weight.

I will consume the optional crackers and fruit - its worth a try defintely ( & I'm not saying no to more food) while I wait for my body to Integrate

Thanks again everybody for sharing & being here.

~ Diva

Ps. Actually I haven't been skipping all the optional food- just 1/3 of the fruit and 1/3 of the crackers.

[lil_doll]

I am positive that you will see results soon, Diva...

And it sounds like you weren't too out of control prior to cohens, and that might make you lose at a more steady pace (Ie: not crazy fast at the beginning and slowing at the end, but the averages at the end of the day will likely to balance that all out).

[RevampedTramp]

Hi Diva
Here's a thought - how about NOT weighing yourself until the 4 weeks are up..you would have saved yourself all this angst. I WAS a serial daily weigher until this program, but it actually gives me reassurance by not doing this regularly..
By the 4 week weigh in, you will have lost the weight you were meant to, (because, let's face it, you jumping on the scales doesnt alter your result) without disturbing yourself in the middle few weeks.
I know that many weigh weekly - and they see it as a psychological boost - it also works the other way - a psychological downer.
Just my two cents worth - and what seems to be helping me
I am on week 6 and the first four weeks I would swear that I wasnt loosing anything, but my body just seemed to change shape almost. Imagine my elation when the scales showed (at 4 wk weigh in) a loss of 10.1kg. Now THAT is a psychological boost - especially as my goal amopunt is a total of 39 kg.
You are obviously welcome to do as you please, I just wanted to give you another perspective in the hope it may help you.
Best wishes
Donna

[melaniej]

I think we all understand how your feeling, one of the big incentives with doing Cohen's is the rapid weightloss, although looking into it, its alot more involved and alot of factors to consider as Koh mentioned.
I did notice you quoted the clinic's advice to have 3 out of 5 proteins on the list and being a vegetarian and looking at your example of your daily diet - egg and tofu is what your currently having so i wonder if introducing cheese 3 times a week would mix things up alittle? Cheese has been mentioned many times before in the forum for slowing weightloss when consumed too often or for some people even at all but i wonder in your case it may work the other way.Then you would be consuming the minimum of 3 proteins to meet the criteria that allows vegetarians to do the program. I'm sure with alittle time those scales will move down and all the best with your journey. Please keep us posted! Melanie

[Diva]

@ Donna - I first thought I can handle the daily weighing, especially since it gives such a big boost to see the numbers go down. But I've clearly underestimated the effect the reverse/or stagnant trend can have on me. I'm gonna have to spread the weighing to weekly at most from now on to spare myself the day 2 day worrying.

As Koh also said..the change will or wont happen regardless of weighing.

@melanije - I do have 3 of the proteins now - yoghurt, tofu, eggs + I can also have cheese that makes it 4. I've had both mozz & cottage cheese but they just don't fill me up like the other three do. So I've had them just twice so far in 3 weeks!
But there's plenty others who wont give up their weekly cheese quota I know

[Mich]

Hey Diva,

hang in there! you are on the right track and it will definately move! I know its frustrating, some days I wake up and go "COME ON I WANT TO BE AT GOAL!!!!" but then i realise, i've never lost this much before and the reality is it is fast.. I planned for a 2.2k loss one week and got my lowest loss ever that week, it got me a bit down, but then I realised, my body will do wants, all I can do is stick to it 100%, and love my body heart and soul and it will lose.

then right after that, BAM I had an awesome loss. So now I try (and I say try as old habitls die hard.) to keep my obessive nature in check, and let my body do what it does and just ahve faith - easier said they done I know!.

good luck, it will move soon !

[Alli]

Hey Diva,

We all hit the plateau at some point, and it does start to move again, just don't let it do your head in!

I would start eating your full allowance of fruit and crackers - it is weird how that can start it up again - and that's what got mine moving again when I hit a plateau at week 6.

My other very odd thing, was I actually have to limit my water to 2-2.5L per day or I notice that the losses slow or stop. Most people don't have that problem, but I used to drink 3-4L per day, and when I experimented and cut it back significantly the losses got better. As I said, strange but true!

Unfortunately the only thing we can control is what we are eating/drinking, and our bodies have a mind of their own and will loose when they want to, regardless of what we want! By following your program you are doing everything you can to loose, and in the end it WILL be enough, so we need to just let it go.

Easier said than done I know!! Especially if you are an OCD control freak like me LOLOL!!

[Diva]

Just wanted to share my progress with you all.

At 4 weeks I have now lost 6.5kgs & I'm really pleased about this
As I mentioned before Cohen's it took me 1 year to lose 6kgs & here I have a similar result in one month.

After the plateau phase did me in mentally - I've stopped weighing myself daily & moved to weekly. I also limited my water to 2L a day most days & few days 2.5L - I noticed this started up the weight loss again.

I look much better in photos already with my jaw/ jowls/double chin reducing quite a bit. But my face does look rather tired; even after being regularly the vitamins/ flaxseed oil. And best of all I've dropped 2 pant sizes...so I have to chuck away many large sized pants & dig into my hoard of smaller size clothes....yay!yay!yay!

[lil_doll]

Nice nice NICE, Diva!!

Really great results... being able to actually see the difference is really great!

I need to go through my wardrobe too, so many ugly fat clothes that need culling!

Keep up the great work!!

P.S- I saw you in the SLIMer By JUNE challenge... join, join, join! LOL- if you want, of course... We'd LOVE to have you!