When you first begin dieting, you may lose weight quickly and easily. But as your diet continues, your weight loss may reach a plateau, even if you're exercising and eating healthy foods. Don't be discouraged -- instead, continue focusing on eating a variety of healthy foods in moderation and getting exercise most days of the week to break through your plateau and hit your weight-loss goal. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet and exercise routine.
Losing Water Weight
When you start a new diet or exercise program, your body will shed water first. Water is heavy, and although the scale may read a few pounds less than usual, you have not lost any fat. If you drink water after a hard workout, your body will reabsorb the water, making your weight go back up again. Although it may seem counterintuitive, drinking more water may help your body shed water weight. If your body isn't being adequately hydrated, it holds onto water in the kidneys. When you are drinking eight glasses of water a day, your body will release the water it has stored, helping you drop unnecessary water weight.
Making Sustainable Changes
Following a fad diet that involves eating very low-calorie portions of the same foods over and over may help you lose lots of weight initially, but it is not sustainable in the long run. Because fad diets usually involve eating the same foods every day, they do not provide enough of a nutritious variety to serve as a healthy weight-loss plan. Talk to your doctor before starting any diet program that places some foods off limits or involves a strict eating regimen. Although these diets may help you lose weight, the weight will likely return as soon as you discontinue the diet.
Staying Motivated
You may have experienced more weight loss at the beginning of your diet because you were more motivated to lose weight. Even if you are participating in the same exercises you did on the first day of your diet, you may not approach them with as much vigor. And when you aren't seeing results, you may be more likely to overeat. Instead of feeling guilty, praise yourself for eating healthy foods and maintaining your daily exercise routine, even if you aren't seeing drastic results.
Add More Activity
Your metabolism may be adjusting to your new diet and exercise routine, which may explain your weight-loss plateau. Add physical activity to burn more calories throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of walking up the escalator and park farther away from the grocery store. Add another 15 to 30 minutes to your daily exercise routine and push yourself a little harder as your body gets used to the exercise.
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