Previously we have spoken about your awareness of calories consumed and mentioned that this was one possible reason for weight loss plateaus. But there are more possible reasons, so we’ll look at them now in a little more detail.
Sluggish Metabolism
We all know that a sluggish metabolism can mean a slower weight loss. Speeding up your metabolism is one way to burn those love handles faster. While genetics plays a small part in determining your metabolism, you can give it a boost by changing the way you eat. Instead of sticking to the rule of three big meals a day, why not make it three smaller meals with two snacks in between. And change some of your carbs for protein foods such as low fat cheese, nuts and lean meat. Eating at regular intervals keeps your metabolism fired up and helps to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day. And stable blood sugar levels also helps to keep sugar cravings at bay which can otherwise hijack the best of intentions.
Just to confirm, eating five times a day, does not infer that you eat five times the amount of food. You need to remain conscious of your calorie consumption but replace super-sized, carb loaded portions with smaller high protein meals.
Protein That Packs A Punch
Let’s face it, if your tummy is rumbling it is almost impossible to concentrate on any else apart from feeling hungry. And if hunger pangs are constantly gnawing at your insides, it can be very hard to stick to your planned healthy meals. And if you’re not making good food choices, a plateau can be hard to overcome.
Letting yourself get hungry is not a good idea as you will suffer from hypoglycaemia later in the day which could lead to bingeing. Hunger can also make your willpower disappear quickly, which makes a plateau difficult to beat.
Try combating hunger by including a larger serving of protein in your meals, such as lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, legumes or tofu. Protein works wonders to fill you up – and keeps you feeling full for longer.
Including protein in your snacks is also wise. For a filling snack, try low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or cottage cheese, a small can of tuna (water-packed), or a handful of almond nuts. Don’t forget to balance out your meals using all the food groups but with a low intake of carbohydrate foods and some fruits and vegetables.
Vary Your Exercise
Don’t get so used to your exercise routine that it bores you. You’ll lose interest and find it hard to stick with it which can easily cause your weight to plateau. On the other hand, mixing up your exercise activities can really get your weight moving again.
Changing your exercise routine can be as simple as trying something new. How about working out with some weights or resistance training, or swap one of your usual walking sessions for a yoga class. Contact your local bootcamp and work out with a big group. This can be great fun and you won’t notice the time passing.
You can also boost your exercise by picking up your pace, exercising longer, or by doing more exercise sessions each week. The idea is to surprise your body by varying your routine regularly. Trying new things will also give you something to look forward to and help you break through your plateau.
Hydrate Your Body
Water is very important for keeping your body healthy and is a key part of weight loss. If you often feel bloated and retain fluids, as well as feel uncomfortable, you’ll know that this can also register on the scales. Luckily there’s a simple solution – drink more water! It may seem strange, but drinking lots of water actually helps to flush water from your body and stops you from retaining fluids.
Water also works wonders at beating hunger. Often feelings of thirst can be mistaken for hunger pangs. Next time you’re feeling hungry, try drinking a large glass of water. If you’re still hungry in ten minutes, then go ahead and eat. However, you might find that you were really just thirsty after all. Now that’s an easy way to save yourself hundreds of unneeded calories!
Drinking a glass of water before eating has also been found to reduce the amount of calories consumed during a meal. So aim to drink 8 glasses of water a day and you’ll be kicking that weight plateau in no time.
Measure Up
Just because the scale is showing the same number for 2 weeks in a row, it doesn’t always mean that you’re not getting anywhere, it could be that you are retaining water. When you hit a scale-weight plateau, it’s a good time to take your body measurements and use them to track your progress as well. Body measurements are good indicators of how your body shape is changing.
So instead of obsessing over the scale, think about how you feel. Concentrate on changing one or two behaviours in a week instead of relying on the scale. Do your clothes fit better? Are you feeling healthier or more energetic? Are you finding everyday tasks easier to manage? Considering the big picture can help you stay positive and remind you that a plateau on the scale doesn’t necessarily mean a plateau overall.
Losing weight is about being healthier and feeling good about yourself, so don’t give up on your goals if the scales get stuck for a while. Stay focused, keep positive, and try some of our tips to give yourself the kick-start you need to get your weight loss moving again.
Plateaus Of The Mind
It is important to know that plateaus can be due to psychological blocks such as fear of failure, fear of success, abuse/trauma from the past or denial. Our clients must complete their Mental Weight evaluation on a monthly basis, they also read Dr. Larocque’s books and listen to his cd’s as these sources can help identify blocks.
We’d love to hear from our readers what works best for them when they hit a weight loss plateau so if you have any thoughts leave a comment or head over to out Facebook page and leave one there.
