A weight-loss plateau is a real test of discipline and sheer determination for even the most disciplined dieter. Watching the numbers on the scale go down gives us the willpower to skip dessert or eat just a handful of potato chips instead of an entire big bag. However, weight-loss success can turn to complete failure and put you back at square one--plus an extra 10 pounds--if you let a plateau discourage you from reaching your goal.
Jump-Start Your Weight Loss When it Stalls
Step 1
Record your daily food intake in a journal. Seeing your daily food intake on paper help you see exactly what you are eating and how much. You may be surprised to discover you are consuming more calories than you need.
Step 2
Increase the amount or intensity of daily physical activity. Overweight or obese people burn more calories per activity than their leaner counterparts because their bodies require more calories. Therefore, the amount and intensity of physical activity must be modified throughout the duration of a weight-loss regimen to prevent and even break a plateau. Adding weight training to a cardiovascular program boosts the body’s metabolism and promotes weight loss because muscle burns more calories. A running program can be intensified by increasing running speed. Incorporating a new physical activity into an exercise program provides a metabolism-boosting challenge to a body that has grown accustomed to the same physical activity over time.
Step 3
Eat more to break a weight-loss plateau, not less. You need to consume fewer calories than what you burn to lose weight, but eating too little slows the metabolism. Anything less than 1,200 calories a day sends the body into starvation mode, which results in a weight-loss standstill. According to the Family Doctor website, a person trying to lose weight should eat three balanced meals per day, plus one or two snacks. If preferable, you can eat five or six smaller meals about 2 to 3 hours apart. This helps stave off hunger and also keeps the metabolism in high gear.
Step 4
Don’t forget that weight loss is a mental process as well as a physical one. Progress is reflected on more than just the scale. Focus on your overall progress, such as inches lost and increased energy, stamina and mobility. Take pleasure in buying new clothes in smaller sizes, and let that be your motivation to hang in there until the plateau breaks.
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