As much as most people dislike trying to lose weight, your results may actually come on quickly at first. It's not unusual to lose several pounds during your first week or two, as your body adjusts to your new routine. Eventually, though, your progress flattens out and you hit the dreaded plateau. At this point, many people become discouraged and frustrated and may give up. Before you do that, try doing a little readjusting to get yourself back on track.
Re-evaluate Your Position
Whether you've been dieting for one month or six months, you're not the same person you are when you started. During the first couple of weeks, most of the weight you lost was probably water -- fat is much harder to lose, and generally comes off at the rate of a pound or two per week. If you've lost any weight at all, your body's needs have changed, and your diet and your workout must be tailored to the way your body is now, and not how it used to be.
Adjust Your Diet
When you began your diet, your calorie allowance was tailored to meet the needs of your heavier weight. Your body is smaller now, even if it's just a little smaller, so you need fewer calories. Multiply your weight by 10, then multiply the result by 1.2 if you seldom work out, 1.3 if you do light daily workouts, 1.4 if you exercise moderately hard, or 1.5 if you exercise hard every day. Subtract 500 to determine the number of net calories you should have daily to lose a pound per week. The calories you burn during your workouts get added to this total -- for example, if your net calorie allowance is 1,400 and you burn 400 calories running, you must eat 1,800 calories that day.
Adjust Your Workout
Regular physical activity is a vital part of any permanent weight loss regimen. If you are new to exercise, you may have started out taking a stroll around the neighborhood -- congratulations for committing to a healthier lifestyle, but leisurely workouts aren't going to cut it from here on out. Your body gets used to doing the same thing over and over again, and it will find a way to do it more efficiently. The end result will be that the same workout will burn fewer calories. Try new activities, and don't be afraid to work hard. If your workout was easy, it wasn't effective for weight loss. Aim for an hour of moderate aerobic exercise per day, five days per week. Start doing resistance training at least twice per week to build muscle that can help burn fat.
Challenge Yourself
You'll notice that plateaus happen just as you begin to feel stuck in a rut, routine-wise. The trick is to never let yourself get comfortable with your routine, or you'll become bored and your progress will slow. Challenge yourself to go farther, faster and harder every time you work out. Don't eat the same "approved" foods every day -- explore healthy options that you might not normally try, because you'll expand your horizons and not feel so deprived. Constantly try new activities, and look for ways to sneak physical activity into your everyday life. When you make healthy living your lifestyle instead of a means to an end, you'll be happier and healthier, and your progress will come much more naturally.
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