After dieting and exercising for a length of time, you are likely to hit a weight loss plateau. During this period, you may feel as though your scale is stuck and it becomes difficult to drop any more weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, weight loss plateaus typically occur because the metabolism slows due to muscle loss. However, changing your diet and exercise routine can get you back on track to reaching your weight loss goals.
Review Diet Journal
When you are losing weight, you should record all of your diet and exercise records. Write down the foods you eat, the calorie amounts in each food eaten and your time spent exercising. Go back over the past several weeks to see if you have changed your habits. Eating more calories each day or exercising less cause a weight loss plateau.
Find Hidden Calories
Every morsel that passes your lips should be calculated into your daily caloric intake. According to the Oprah.com website, you should look for extra calories lurking in foods and your eating habits. This may include finding the calorie amounts for dressings, condiments and sauces. If you taste food during cooking or grab handfuls of snacks throughout the day, you could be adding a lot of extra unwanted calories.
More Exercise
Increasing the intensity or duration of your workouts can help you get past a weight loss plateau, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you are bored with your exercise routine, change it up by taking up a new sport or signing up for a new type of aerobics class. You can add more exercise into your day-to-day activities. This may include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking far away in lots and riding your bike to work.
Add Weights
Since weight loss plateaus are often caused by muscle loss, make sure you add regular strength training workouts to your routine. Use weights at least three times a week for 30 to 60 minutes. Resistance exercise machines, such as leg presses and pull up bars, can be used to work the upper and lower body.
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