Anyone who’s ever stared at the same number on the bathroom scale week after week knows the frustration of a weight loss plateau. Unfortunately, instead of hanging in there, too often dieters give up.
What is a Weight Loss Plateau?
To lose weight you must take in fewer calories, while burning more through exercise. Initially the body burns those fewer calories for energy. However, after awhile your body gets used to burning fewer calories so it can protect its reserves as cautiously as possible. As a result, the scale refuses to budge and a dieter can become discouraged after not losing weight week after week.
When Plateaus Usually Occur
A plateau can occur at any time. However, for most dieters, it’s about half a year on a weight loss program that they come to a standstill.
What Causes a Plateau?
Weight loss plateaus can occur for a variety of reasons.
- Fewer calories burned
- Relaxing on your weight loss program
- Loss of lean muscle tissue – Continued weight loss results in less lean muscle tissue. This usually goes along with a lower metabolism.
- Psychological changes
- Cut back on carbs/eat more protein - Often when weight loss slows down, you’re taking in more carbohydrates than you are aware of eating. If your weight loss progress seems slow, look out for carbohydrates that might be sneaking their way into your body. Sugar can lurk in the most unexpected places such as ketchup, salad dressings, teriyaki sauces as well as barbecue sauces.
- Read food labels – Look out for hidden sugars which can be found in many foods considered “safe” such as salad dressings and condiments.
- Avoid processed foods - Processed foods such as sauces, granola bars, and diet snacks contain sugar, which slows down your weight loss.
- Keep a food journal – Write down every morsel of food that you eat. It’s easy to get careless and start tasting food while cooking.
- Include healthy oils – Rather than processed salad dressings, choose healthy oils found in nuts, olive oil, and avocados. Other omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish. Just a small around of these healthy oils help to slow down the carbohydrate intake in your blood stream. This results in your blood sugar being more stable, which also helps with food cravings and mood swings.
- Work out with weights – Tone and firm your body by working out with weights. Weight training (also known as resistance training) can boost your metabolism. Use toning machines (found at fitness centers) or invest in some inexpensive small weights you can buy at sporting goods stores.
- Adjust your exercise routine – A treadmill routine of 30 minutes at 3 miles per hour may have been effective when you first started your weight loss program. However, to continue to burn calories, you need to challenge yourself. For example, why not increase either the amount of time on the treadmill or the speed. Instead of 30 minutes, aim for 45 minutes. Or, if you’re cramped for time, change the speed to 3.2 miles an hour. What’s more, add another form of exercise to your treadmill routine.
Finally, focus on your goal weight. Too often dieters give up and settle for just losing a small percentage of the weight they need to lose. If you keep doing all you need to do to lose weight, it will eventually come off. You just have to be patient and realize a weight loss plateau doesn’t last forever.
Venice Kichura - Venice Kichura is a freelance writer who writes on a variety of subjects. She holds a special passion for topics relating to art and ...
