Crash diets and Plateaus?

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nol3afclover

New member
Soemthing crossed my mind the other night..Once you've hit a weight loss plateau, would going on a short crash diet help getting past that plateau? Now I realize it's not the healthy thing to do, but COULD it work? Lets say my maintenance intake is at 3500, and ive been eating around 2k per day...Then once I hit a plateau, could eating around 1300 cals break the plateau?

Just curious
 
What i do personally when i hit a Plateau is... i increase my workout (meaning i add in more cardio) and i also increase my intake a little bit to compensate for increase cardio. I try to trick my body by doing this. Plateau happens when our bodies get used to our normal activities and calorie intake. So by doing this i trick my body and it starts to burn up again.
 
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A plateau occurs b/c your body is resisting your weight loss efforts.

It's made the necessary adaptations to slow the weight loss process.

Starving it more doesn't seem like the rational answer to me to reverse these adaptations. Does it to you?

However, if you were dieting using a very conservative deficit, and it was simply a matter of your metabolism catching up to your intake, you could potentially drop cals again. To trigger another loss. But again, that's assuming you started with a conservative deficit.

Plus, it's different for different people.

Simple answer though: Crash dieting is usually not the answer.
 
I agree with steve. Depending on the calories your taking in ie/3500 per your example I don't think 1300 would be healthy on any basis, even a short one.
IF you can have the patience to wait it out and you are not starting to go in the other direction. Most plateus will work themselves out eventually and if it doesn't it may mean it is time for a small reduction in calories ie/100 a day from 3500 to 3400 and a increase in duration or intesity of your workouts.

Goodluck and try to remember you are recompsitioning your body. Physics tells us that our bodies natural reaction is to try and maintain the status quo and stay the same. Sometimes it is just a matter of not getting discouraged and keeping on the path that will break a plateu
 
It boggles my mind that people can lose weight when they eat over 2000 calories a day!

I guess I am just afraid to try it lol

I have been eating between 1200-1400 calories a day and sometimes I struggle just to get that in.
 
I eat anywhere betw/ 1700-2100 calories per day due to my activity level and have been consistent with my weight loss. (225 to 167 and still going) I just love food way too much, so being active is the only way to go for me. haha

-Sheryl
 
I eat between 3000-4000 calories per day.

It boggles my mind that so many people literally starve themselves.

However, it's also why so many people (especially women) reach their goal weights, yet still remain unsatisfied with the way they look in terms of physique.
 
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IME, you are the exception though.

You alone don't make my statement invalid, KWIM?
 
Word.

No one thing will work for everyone.. and it's up to you to find out what works for you. I'm sure I could maintain a conistant loss from week to week, should I up my caloric intake and activity, but what can I say, I'm a creature of habit. (And again.. to be honest the idea of it scares the crap out of me)

I applaude anyone that quits making excuses and takes that step to change their lives and make it better... lord knows the struggles I have SEEN. lol
 
nol3afclover said:
Soemthing crossed my mind the other night..Once you've hit a weight loss plateau, would going on a short crash diet help getting past that plateau? Now I realize it's not the healthy thing to do, but COULD it work? Lets say my maintenance intake is at 3500, and ive been eating around 2k per day...Then once I hit a plateau, could eating around 1300 cals break the plateau?

Just curious
Click to expand...

Just my 2 cents: ;)

As quickly as it entered your mind - let it leave just as quick..

Speakin' from experience, this can just lead to major problems and even weight gain.

I know for me, once I deprived myself it then led to a massive binge.

Everyone is different of course but I wouldn't take the chance!

If you stick to healthy meals/exercise your stall will break..

Maybe do a double check of what's around/what you're eating/ and see if you need to increase your activity level..

I know I'll start checkin' labels more closely when I stall and most often find the lil probs..I also have to kick up exercise..

Honesty is a big key as well..Sometimes it's hard to admit to yourself you did eat this/or that which wasn't a good choice!

~Best Wishes!~ :)
 
KatieFabulous said:
Word.

No one thing will work for everyone.. and it's up to you to find out what works for you. I'm sure I could maintain a conistant loss from week to week, should I up my caloric intake and activity, but what can I say, I'm a creature of habit. (And again.. to be honest the idea of it scares the crap out of me)

I applaude anyone that quits making excuses and takes that step to change their lives and make it better... lord knows the struggles I have SEEN. lol
Click to expand...

No one thing will work forever for anyone, you are right. However, there are a set of 'core' principles that all must abide by in order to succeed. One easy one is caloric balance. In order to lose weight, you must be in a caloric deficit.

That said, under-eating throughout a diet, especially with women, usually leads to a lot of muscle loss. Only the genetically fortunate can sneak by eating a very small amount of food without ending up with a smaller, still soft version of your former self.

That was my original point.
 
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