Kathy Harriott

Breaking Through the Plateau

When the Scale Stalls but You Don’t

There’s a moment in every weight loss journey that feels especially cruel.

You’re doing the things.
Making better choices.
Showing up for yourself in ways you didn’t before.

And then… the scale stops moving.

If you’re on a GLP-1 journey, this moment can feel even more confusing. After seeing steady progress, the plateau can feel like hitting an invisible wall. You might wonder:

Is it me? Is the medication not working anymore? Am I doing something wrong?

Let me gently tell you something you need to hear:

You are not stuck. You are stabilizing.

The Truth About Plateaus

A plateau isn’t failure—it’s your body recalibrating.

When you lose weight, especially after years of struggling, your body has to adjust to a new normal. Hormones shift. Metabolism adapts. Muscles, water retention, and even stress levels all play a role.

GLP-1 medications help regulate appetite and blood sugar—but they don’t override biology completely. Your body is still doing its job: protecting you, balancing you, figuring things out.

And sometimes… that looks like stillness.

What’s Actually Happening Behind the Scenes

Even if the scale isn’t moving, so much is still changing:

Your habits are becoming consistent
Your relationship with food is improving
Your body is healing internally
Inflammation may be decreasing
You may be losing inches, not pounds

Progress is happening—even if it’s not loud.

The Emotional Side No One Talks About

Plateaus mess with your head.

You start to question your effort.
You compare yourself to others.
You feel tempted to give up… or go back.

But here’s the powerful truth:

This is the exact moment your transformation deepens.

Because now, it’s not just about motivation—it’s about commitment.

How to Break Through (Gently, Not Punishingly)

Breaking a plateau isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing things differently and intentionally.

1. Revisit your basics
Are you eating enough protein? Staying hydrated? Sleeping well? These simple things matter more than you think.

2. Add a small change—not a drastic one
A short walk after meals. Light strength training. A slight shift in your routine can wake your body up.

3. Manage stress (this one is huge)
Stress can stall weight loss. Cortisol matters. Give yourself permission to rest.

4. Stop obsessing over the scale
Try tracking how your clothes fit, your energy, your mood, or your stamina instead.

5. Stay consistent—even when it feels boring
Consistency during a plateau is what separates temporary success from lasting change.

A New Way to See It

Instead of saying:

“I’m stuck.”

Try saying:

“I’m in a strengthening phase.”

Because that’s what this is.

You’re building the version of you who doesn’t just lose weight—but keeps it off.

A Little Reminder for You

You didn’t come this far to quit during the quiet part.

This is where resilience grows.
This is where discipline forms.
This is where your new life is being built—brick by brick.

And the breakthrough?

It’s coming.

Maybe not tomorrow.
Maybe not next week.

But if you keep going… it’s inevitable.

You are not behind. You are not broken. You are in progress.

And that is something to be incredibly proud of.

I should have said no.

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

During the past three months, I have been really good at saying no to food and drink that I know I should eat sparingly or not at all. Yesterday I didn’t and boy did I suffer. A coworker brought in some garlic focaccia that his wife made. It looked and smelled delicious. Bread of any kind has always been my favorite weakness. I had a 1.5 x 1.5 inch square of warm, fragrant, delicious focaccia. I thoroughly enjoyed it for about half an hour. Then the stomach issues started. Needless to say, today I am sticking to foods that I know won’t bother me. But boy-oh-boy was that little piece of focaccia DELICIOUS!!!

What a difference (almost) a year makes!

I regret that I didn’t take before photos when I started my healthy journey on December 17, 2025. I decided to try and find a decent face picture from a year ago. The closest I could find is one from May 2025 when I weighted 30 pounds more than today. I’ve lost 25 since December 17, 2025 and I’ve been trying to “see” it when I look at myself. Here is my comparison photo that I just posted to Facebook.

I think I can see it in my face.

I am happy. Still a lot to go but I am very pleased with my progress.

Thanks for reading.

Day 57 – down 13.4

I started my GLP-1 health journey 57 days ago.

This week, my weight loss stalled with me being down 13.4 pounds. I actually gained 5 pounds recently, but when I started being more strict and I re-lost that 5 plus two more – stalling out at 307.5. (That is very stressful for me to admit) I know I’m still losing, but gaining muscle, which is good. I can tell that I’m losing from the body scans I do using the ZOZOfit app. The app lets you create a video showing the changes in your scans. It is very, VERY motivating when the scale hasn’t moved. I’m trying to hit my first “mini goal” of 300 pounds. I know I can do it!

The doctor upped my dose from .25 to .50. After my first new dose shot….NO APPETITE! I have to make myself eat enough. It is so weird to not be hungry — AT ALL.

My body feels 95% better than it had been feeling. Most of my joint pain has gone.

I am so glad that I decided to do this for myself.

Thanks for reading.

GLP-1 progress report

I took my first dose of GLP-1 meds on 1/9/26. I have phone coaching from a nurse, a dietitian, and an exercise coach. I see the doctor every 4 weeks. I have lost 11.2 pounds since my first shot. In total, I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating better and moving more, which was 12/17/25.

Today was the first day that I really just didn’t want to eat – ANYTHING! It was a rough day.

I go to the doctor after work on Thursday. It will be interesting to see what their scale says.

And so, the journey continues….

Microwave Ricotta Egg Mug

I wanted to try something new to enhance my breakfast of eggs in a mug. I read that you can add some ricotta cheese. So….

I sprayed my mug with avocado oil.

Into the mug I added two eggs and two tablespoons of ricotta cheese. I scrambled it up with a fork until the ricotta was incorporated. I added a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for another 45 seconds to 1 minute.

It turned out pretty tasty. I wish I had taken a picture. Next up, I will try adding chives or fresh tomatoes.

Nutrition according to my food diary app.

2 eggs – 143 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g carbs, 13 g protein

2 Tbsp ricotta cheese – 46 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g carbs, 2 g protein

Avocado oil spray (2 sprays) – 10 calories, 1g fat, 0 g carbs, 0 G protein

Total – 199 calories, 14 g fat, 3 g carbs, 15 g protein

What would you add to this recipe??

Finding the Best Chocolate Protein Shake: My Reviews – Part 3

Today’s protein shake reviews are for two really good ones.

First I tried Super Coffee Protein. I wasn’t sure if this one would count toward a chocolate shake. The flavor was mocha. This one was super creamy and it had a nice coffee and chocolate taste. With 150 calories, 25 grams of protein, 8 carbs, 5 grams of fiber and 1 g sugar, this was delicious. I give it 4 stars. You can find it here – https://amzn.to/3Ou3k8S

The second shake I tried in this batch was Slate Ultra Protein. At 130 calories and 30 grams of protein, this was a tasty choice. With 3 g of carbs, 1 g fiber, and 1 g sugar, it was a good choice with less calories and sugar. I give this one 4.25 stars out of 5. You can find it here – https://amzn.to/4c62ubq

Anything you want me to taste test?

Thanks for reading.

Please note: As an Amazon Affiliate I receive a small commission for any items purchased using my link.

Finding the Best Chocolate Protein Shake: My Reviews – Part 2

Today we are going to taste Fairlife Core Power and Muscle Milk.

First up … Fairlife Core Power. This one has 170 calories, 26 G protein, 8 g carbs, 2 g fiber, and 5 g sugar. It is very creamy and has a nice chocolate flavor. I really liked this one. 4 stars. You can find it here – https://amzn.to/4dGKmpS

Muscle Milk – sounds like something that a body builder would drink, doesn’t it? It has 170 calories, 25 G protein, 11 g carbs, 6 g fiber, and 0 g sugar. I had high hopes for this one. First, the smell is not pleasant. It smells like medicine. While it starts out creamy, it quickly turns chalky. It lacked a chocolaty taste. I had two sips and I was done. This is a pass for me. 0 stars. You can find them here – https://amzn.to/4tzTVLL

Is there a “health” food or healthy recipe you would like me to try or compare? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Please note: I am an Amazon Affiliate and make a small commission on items purchased using my links.

Finding the Best Chocolate Protein Shake: My Reviews – Part 1

Since starting a GLP-1 three weeks ago, I’ve had to concentrate on getting enough protein. I try to have 30 grams of protein by 9 am. This can be a challenge. One way to do this is to have a protein shake. If I don’t have time to mix one up, I like to grab a bottle or can of already made shake. But, which is my favorite? I decided to get as many shakes as I can for a taste test. I’m going to try two, write my review on them. Then when I have finally made my way through all of them, I will do a summary. To help compare apples to apples, I am sticking with all chocolate flavors.

First up is the Oikos Protein Shake. I love Oikos yogurt, so I have high hopes for this one. With 30 grams of protein, 180 calories, and only 1 gram of sugar, this shake helped me hit my 30 by 9 am. This had a great chocolate taste but was not a creamy experience. For 10 minutes after finishing it, there was a weird aftertaste in my mouth. Passable but not my favorite. 2.5 out of 5. You can find them here – https://amzn.to/4cdb0nS

The second shake I tried was the Nutri Chocolate Milk Shake. This one has 30 grams of protein and 1 g sugar, just like the Oikos but it has 30 less calories. This one was nice and creamy and the chocolate taste was so good. I didn’t get any aftertaste. I will probably try more of this brand. 4 out of 5. You can find them here – https://amzn.to/4ml6gBn

I believe I have 7 more shakes to try. Stay tuned for more chocolate protein shake reviews.

If you have any taste test suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Please note: I am an Amazon Affiliate and will make a small commission from purchases made from my Affiliate links.

Progress, not perfection – Day 20

It is day 20 and I am officially down 14.3 pounds. I’ve been pretty good with my eating. My biggest problem has been making sure I eat enough. The days that I gain slightly have been the ones where I’ve not eaten enough food the day before. I wouldn’t say I forget to eat, as some people have reported. It’s more that I am not hungry. I pay more attention to my macros (protein, fat, carbs) than I do calories and that seems to be working well.

As you can see, there have been some days I’ve gained but then lost it plus more. Those were the days I was too restrictive and my body said “Hey, we’re starving here. Better save that fat for tomorrow in case there is no food!”

I am still working on moving more. Some days are better than others. As my wellness coach says, “something is better than nothing”.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me.