Breaking a plateau?

Answer

I want to push back on your notion that 6 lb in 45 days is “extremely slow” or even “slow”. Losing 3-4 lb a month can seem like you’re doing so much work for so little, but in my opinion this is the perfect rate for someone who is doing IF in a manageable, sustainable way. Losing 25 lb in 6 months is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you’re building a lifestyle that you can keep up for a long time even after you’ve lost the weight.

I’d recommend taking photos to mark your progress because they’re going to look more dramatic than the scale. I think you’re doing a great job, and you should keep it up 👍

Answer

Most of this stuff about tricking or resetting your body into breaking a plateau is nonsense. You’ll hear recommendations from extended fasts to a big cheat day. I’m not saying it’s impossible for there to be some physiological explanations, but I would wager they’re all minor compared to the logical and psychological/behavioral explanations.

1. Coincidental. The person would have started losing again regardless.
2. Confirmation bias. You only hear about cases where the person associated some action with the breakthrough, and not all the cases where somebody didn’t make that association or the association didn’t work.
3. Extended fasts. If the person has slipped into a plateau or is gaining, then an extended fast will cause that same fluid loss as when they first started. Seeing this could be the motivation they need to recommit to moving more and/or eating less.
4. Mega-cheat day. A psychological break from dieting can be what some people need to recommit to the plan the way they did when they first started.
5. Mixing it up to ‘fool your body’. Again, this is about committing to something/anything more intensely.

In other words, most of these work (when they work) not because you’re tricking or resetting your body. No, it’s some combination of resetting your mindset and recommitting to the plan, and sometimes it makes no difference at all.

Answer

this is probably a stupid question but as well as IF do you actually track your calories, or just eat in a limited window?

either way, what I’ve heard about having a “normal day” is that your body adjusts to your new way of eating/the amount of calories you have and your metabolism begins to match it. if you eat more calories for a day or similar then your body doesn’t think it’s in a restricted phase any more and starts burning more calories for energy. very badly phrased but I hope it makes sense, and that’s my understanding at least!

Answer

Easiest way for me to break a plateau - drink a ton of water, and cut carbs. Do that for three days and then ease back into carbs and you don’t gain back.

I also do 20:4 for what it’s worth, and keep to a reduced calorie intake

For reference on me: SW: 264, CW: 220

Related Fasting Blogs