Wegovy Week 6 - Plateau Time!

HI everyone

This hasn’t been a great week because I haven’t lost any weight at all. That said, I can’t really complain. Since starting my journey, I’ve generally had consistent losses every week—apart from the times I’ve been away on holiday—and I’ve still averaged over 1.5 lbs per week. That’s a solid achievement.

I knew this day would come because plateaus are an inevitable part of any weight loss journey. It’s entirely possible that I won’t lose any more weight for several weeks, and that’s a fact many people struggle with. Plateaus are often the point where willpower falters, leading some to give up altogether. There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling like you’re denying yourself all your favourite high-calorie foods and having nothing to show for it.

Plateaus occur for several reasons:

  • Lower body weight = fewer calories burned. As you get lighter, your body requires less energy to function, which slows your metabolism.
  • Exercise adaptation. If you’ve been doing the same workout for months, your body becomes efficient at it, reducing calorie burn.
  • Hormonal changes. Appetite and metabolism-regulating hormones can shift as you lose weight, making fat loss harder.
  • Loss of muscle mass. Even with strength training and adequate protein, some muscle loss is inevitable, and muscle is metabolically active tissue. Less muscle means a slower metabolic rate.

In short, losing weight slows your metabolism. It’s a natural process, but it can feel like hitting a brick wall.

The good news is that a plateau doesn’t mean failure—it’s just a signal to make adjustments. Here are some strategies:

1. Recalculate Your Calorie Needs

As your weight changes, so does your calorie requirement. Use an online calculator to estimate your maintenance calories, then subtract about 500 per day to resume weight loss. Be aware that calculators vary widely—I’ve seen results ranging from 1,550 to 1,987 calories for myself! They’re not perfect, but they give a starting point.

2. Go Back to Basics

Portion sizes can creep up over time, and occasional treats can become regular habits. Logging food is essential. I used to record everything in my Fitbit app, but lately, I’ve been inconsistent. Best guesses are almost always underestimates, so track everything accurately for a week—you might be surprised.

3. Try Intermittent Fasting

This approach works for some people. Two popular methods:

  • 16:8 method: Fast for 16 hours, eat within an 8-hour window (e.g., skip breakfast, eat lunch and dinner nothing after 8pm).
  • 5:2 method: Eat normally for five days, then restrict calories to 500–800 on two non-consecutive days.

Plans like The Fast 800 by Dr Michael Mosley are popular and effective, but fasting isn’t for everyone. If you try it, stay hydrated and listen to your body.

4. Reduce Carbohydrates

Lowering carbs can help because it encourages your body to burn fat for energy instead of glucose. This process, called ketosis, breaks down fat for fuel. A low-carb diet is often higher in protein, which helps you feel fuller and supports muscle maintenance.

5. Change Up Your Exercise

If you’ve been doing the same routine, mix it up. Add intensity or variety:

  • If you only do cardio, incorporate strength training.
  • If you only lift weights, add aerobic sessions.
  • If you exercise twice a week, aim for three.

Even small changes can reignite progress.

Perhaps the most important thing is to stay positive. A plateau isn’t permanent—it’s part of the process. I'll use this time to focus on non-scale victories: improved fitness, better sleep and how much better my clothes fit. I'll try and remember why I started and just keep going. 

So, here are the stats but they're the same as last week:

Weight - 11st 13.5lb
BMI - 31.5
Total weight loss since 6th Jan 2025 - 4 stone 10.5lbs
Total Wegovy loss - 3lb
Wegovy dose - 1mg
Total weight loss on Mounjaro - 3 stone 12.5lbs

Having said all that, I've been away with work this last week and, although I tried to stay on track, it's hard when you're eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm glad to be back home and into my usual routine. Of course, it doesn't help the Christmas is just weeks away and I've got a couple of parties over the next couple of weeks but, life is for living and I'm going to enjoy it. Tomorrow's another day, isn't it?

See ya x


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