HOW TO OVERCOME WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU
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FITNESS
HOW TO OVERCOME WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU
By Charlotte Forde , Elevate Fitness
When you have been working hard to improve your level of activity and maintain a healthy , balanced diet you will feel and see a big difference very quickly however it is typical for weight loss to slow down or even stall when your body starts to get used to your new way of life . Don ' t let this discourage you , plateauing is completely normal . By understanding what causes you to plateau , you can decide how to respond and get back on track to progress .
Typically , in the first few weeks of a change of habit you will see a rapid change . If you change your diet and initially cut calories , the body will get the energy it needs by releasing its stores of glycogen which is a type of carbohydrate found in the liver and in your muscles . Glycogen is partly made of water , so when it is burned for energy , it releases water resulting in weight loss , but this effect is temporary . As you lose weight , you may lose muscle along with fat . Muscle helps maintain your metabolism ( the rate in which you burn calories ) therefore , as you lose weight , your metabolism decreases causing you to burn less calories than what you did when you weighed more . Your slower metabolism will decrease the amount of weight you are able to lose , even if you are eating the same amount of calories that helped you lose weight initially . When the calories that you consume match the calories you burn through output you will reach a plateau . Therefore , in order to continue to progress you either need to increase your physical activity or decrease the calories that you eat .
If you are happy with your current progress then following the same plan will help maintain your current state however , if you are committed to losing more weight the following tips will help you get past the plateau : -
Reassess your habits Sometimes when you have a big loss to start , the longer that you follow a more restricted plan , you may become more relaxed on things like your portion control and the intensity of your exercise . When you hit a plateau , it ’ s important to reassess your habits to see if you may have let your guard down slightly . This is why it can be a good idea to journal your journey as you can look back and see if you have increased your portions or if you ’ ve introduced more sugar or fat into your diet or even if you are not exercising as frequently or intensely . A journal also allows you to have a better insight into your daily habits and then make the appropriate adjustments . It is very easy to underestimate what we eat each day especially when it comes to condiments and cooking oils which can be high in calories , so by keeping track of these little things can be the difference in making big changes .
Change your exercise routine You should ensure that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly . This does not need to be in the gym , you can increase physical activity by simply walking more however , to see better results , exercise is key for moving stubborn fat as well as many other health benefits . If you have access to a gym or equipment at home or in the workplace , the quickest way to increase your metabolism is to lift weights . Using resistance from weights or using your own body weight burns a higher amount of calories than general exercise such as walking , therefore it ' s a great way to overcome a plateau .
Make changes to your diet If you are already eating the correct amount of calories then you may need to look closer to your diet and ensure that you eating the correct type of food . By adding more protein into your diet you can increase your satiety and your BMR ( basal metabolic rate ) which will in turn help you burn calories more effectively .
Get more sleep Getting less than 6 hours of sleep each night can result in a slower metabolism , shifting your hormone levels to promote appetite and fat retention . Sleep is a major factor of your life so it is important to get a good quantity and quality of sleep aiming for 8 hours per night .
Stop weighing yourself and listen to your body Sometimes a plateau isn ' t actually a plateau . If you weigh yourself frequently you are very likely to see many fluctuations and changes that aren ' t consistent with your progress . There are many physiological changes that you can experience when losing weight that the scales wont recognise . You are best to use a scale that measures your body composition not just your weight ; this should include your muscle mass , fat percentage etc . and perhaps even take physical measurements with a tape measure monitoring your waist circumference to give you an idea of your internal fat if your scales don ’ t measure this . At the most , stick to weighing monthly under the same conditions i . e . the time you weigh . Remember , your weight on normal scales won ’ t reflect an increase in muscle and a loss in fat mass so you may have an unrealistic goal weight that isn ' t healthy or suitable for your body type .
Don ' t let a plateau defeat you Plateau ’ s happen to everybody but if you find it really difficult to incorporate any further changes into your lifestyle then revisit your goal . Celebrate your success so far and make any changes you can , from changing meal times to exercising at a different time . You will have already improved your health by improving your diet and increasing your exercise so don ' t give up and go back to bad habits that may cause you to regain the weight you have already lost . Your body is very smart and will realise if you are doing the same activities repeatedly and will adapt to this . Ultimately if you feel good and you ' re living a healthy lifestyle , maintain that !
“ The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results .” - Albert Einstein
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