Hello~

I have a question for you.... I have hit a plateau

Since running my first 5k, and experiencing how hard and different it is from running on my treadmill, I have stepped up my training, have tried to stay on the program 1800 cal/19 grams of fat, making sure that I am staying under in fat grams/calories and drinking water.

Here is the problem... I have not been able to lose weight.  (bouncing up and down between 184-181 for about 3 weeks)

My exercise routine is as follows:

6 days/week I run on the treadmill.... 1/2 mile at 5-5.5mph then the next 1/2 mile 6-7 mph then back down to 5mph until I reach 3.1 miles

I also do strength training every other day on my bowflex (curls, benchpress, leg press, etc) to work my upper body....

Do you have any suggestions/advise on what can be done to jumpstart my weightloss again?

Tammy

Can you tell me how long you've been on the alli Program and how much weight you've lost so far?  Also let me know your goal weight and starting weight and height -- and how long you've been doing that exercise routine?  That will help me give an accurate answer.

In the meantime, you mentioned that you tried making sure you're under in calories and fat.  If that's a substantial amount of either, that's probably the reason you've plateaued.  The top two posts on this message board have more on why calories and fat are so important.  If you haven't read them yet take a look -- it's great information.

Let me know the info above and we'll go from there.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian

 Pat,

No complaints here but I would like to know something...

I started alli the end of May and have strictly followed the plan 1800/60 ever since. It seems that I am in a cycle now where I will lose 5 lbs one week and then plateau for 2 weeks before another 5 lb loss...I can tell you that as of today I know that come monday at my weigh-in it will be another 3-5 lbs as I feel it and noticed it yesterday when I weighed in at my doctors appointment for my annual check-up and since last monday...I have already dropped off 4 lbs.

I figured it is my body making it's adjustments and I am fine with that as the inches are coming down. I also would like to mention that I don't miss a pill!!! LoL

Is this just the way my body adusts and trims itself? I watch all the numbers on the nutrition chart as I enter everything to make sure I stay in the numbers and drink 32 oz water daily.

Gary

Pat~

I have been on the alli program since april 08 and have lost 17 lbs so far.  My goal weight was initially 160, however I am wondering if 145 is not a better goal... I am 5'9" medium boned... and my starting weight was 199.

I have been doing this exercise routine for about 2 weeks now before it was mostly just walking for about 30 min @ no higher than 5 mph.  4-5 days/week.

Tammy

Wow!  I'm impressed.  It sounds like you're doing all the right things -- and another way to look at it is you're losing about 2 pounds per week give or take.  So, yes, this is your body's way of losing weight and that's fine.  Everybody's body is different.  There's no set pattern that can ever be predicted.  So I think you can forget about that and just keep moving along.

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietititan