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Engine Stalled? How to Get Past a Plateau
You ' ve been shedding pounds like a pooch drops fur in the dog days of summer, and then, suddenly, things come to a screeching halt. Don ' t be discouraged; you ' ve hit a plateau and there are actions you can take to break through it.
A plateau-which I define as an inexplicable pause in weight loss that cannot be traced back to dietary misdemeanors or lifestyle changes-is not an uncommon occurrence. It usually happens in the later stages of weight loss, after the easy pounds have come off. Fortunately, plateaus are seldom permanent. I counsel a calm approach to the problem, followed, if necessary, by aggressive action. But first you have to figure out if you ' re really on a plateau.
The Definition of a Plateau
If a pause in weight loss is a genuine plateau, I require that it meet the following criteria:
• You have experienced no weight loss or loss of inches for at least four weeks.( Increased muscle mass will deceive the scale because muscle weighs more than fat-but inches will continue to disappear.)
• You have not started a new medication, such as hormone therapy, altered your exercise regimen or made any other significant lifestyle change.
• You have examined your physical state carefully and are able to conclude that you have no symptoms indicative of a diet-related disorder( see Chapters 24-27) or a thyroid problem.
• You can take a close look at your eating habits and honestly say that you ' ve adhered to the same healthy, controlled carbohydrate eating plan that has brought you success up to now.
Now let ' s examine these criteria one by one.
Losing Pounds Isn ' t Everything
For too many of us, trying to lose weight induces a fixation on the bathroom scale. I have patients who get upset when the scale doesn ' t show a change for three consecutive days, so you can imagine how crazy they get when it doesn ' t budge for four weeks.
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