A low-calorie diet and exercise are a proven combination for weight loss, although in some cases your results on the scale can suddenly cease without warning. The stall is likely the result of a weight-loss plateau that occurs even when you maintain your healthy habits. Resist the urge to try and resume your downsizing with unproven methods like fat-burning supplements. MayoClinic.com reports that a few safe tweaks to your lifestyle often allow you to escape a plateau and restart your journey to a smaller size.
Understanding a Plateau
Most people who follow an exercise regimen and consume a balanced diet are rewarded with an initial weight reduction. A weight-loss plateau, or a period when the results of your hard work suddenly diminish, can weaken morale and in some cases cause a return to unhealthy eating. A plateau occurs due to your body's changing metabolism. Weight loss triggers a reduction in your body of both lean tissue and fat. The reduction creates a slower metabolism --- or a slower process of using calories for energy.
Diet Evaluation
Decreasing the calories you consume is often helpful in overcoming a weight plateau. Consider cutting your daily intake by 200 calories, although avoid eating less than 1,200 calories daily since you'll be more likely to suffer hunger pangs. Some people escape a plateau by adjusting their caloric intake on a weekly basis so that the daily intake rises and falls within a safe range --- for example, from 1,600 calories one week to 1,800 the next and then back to 1,600. Proven methods for reducing your calorie intake include keeping a food journal, eliminating unhealthy snacks like chips and candy, and ensuring your salad dressings and sauces are low-fat.
Increased Calorie Burning
Trainers sometimes suggest adding time or more intensity to your daily exercise routine in order to resume weight loss after a plateau. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports reports that extending your aerobic workout --- such as a brisk walk --- by 15 minutes burns an additional 100 calories daily. Vigorous aerobic methods that burn the highest amounts of calories include tennis, aerobic dancing and racquetball. You'll also burn more calories by using the stairs instead of the elevator and parking away from the entrance to your favorite stores.
Muscle and Metabolism
Workouts that build muscle mass, also called strength training, trigger a positive effect on your metabolism and may help you remedy a plateau. Although strength training is often embraced as a way to gain strength, the workouts --- which typically feature barbells and dumbbells but can also include pushups, squats or even stretching resistance tubing --- help your body burn calories with higher efficiency. Gained muscle also allows you to burn calories even as your body rests. Seek your doctor's permission before any weightlifting.
References
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Starting an Exercise Program; September 2007
- Oprah.com; Seven Ways to Pass Your Weight-Loss Plateau; Dr. David Katz; August 2003
- My Family Doctor; How to Solve a Weight-Loss Plateau: Causes and Solutions From an Expert; Stacy Berman; September 2008
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Exercise and Weight Control
- MayoClinic.com; Getting Past a Weight-Loss Plateau; March 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier; June 2010
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