Weight loss stalled? Move past the plateau
Weight Loss Plateau: Break Free Now
Do you feel stuck in your efforts to shed pounds? A Weight Loss Plateau can be frustrating, but it’s also a normal part of the journey. You might see no movement on the scale despite healthy eating and more exercise. Don’t revert to old habits. Instead, learn how to reset your routine and keep the weight off.
What Is a Weight-Loss Plateau?
A Weight Loss Plateau happens when your weight stops changing. Nearly everyone aiming to slim down experiences this. It can come as a shock if you’ve been cutting calories and working out regularly. Yet even the best weight-loss plans can reach a standstill.
During the initial weeks of losing weight, you might see rapid drops thanks to the body shedding glycogen, a carbohydrate stored in muscles and the liver. This quick drop is partly water weight, which doesn’t last. As you lose both muscle and fat, your metabolism slows. Eventually, this lower calorie burn meets the calories you eat, stopping further weight changes.
Why Does a Weight-Loss Plateau Occur?
When you first cut calories, your body uses stored glycogen for energy, releasing water in the process. That leads to early weight decreases. However, losing muscle mass alongside body fat lowers your metabolic rate. As that rate declines, you burn fewer calories than before. If your intake equals your output, your weight stalls.
To keep dropping pounds, you’ll need to adjust your approach—either ramp up your activity or reduce calories further. Doing more of the same might just keep your current weight steady, not drive it lower.
Overcoming the Weight-Loss Standstill
First, decide if you’re content with your current weight or if you want to lose more. If you aim to drop additional pounds, these tips may help:
1. Reassess Your Habits
Look at your food and activity records. Have you loosened the rules? Portions might have grown. Maybe you’re sneaking more processed foods or skipping workouts. Research suggests on-and-off breaks in discipline often spark plateaus.
2. Cut More Calories
Go lower, but never below 1,200 calories a day. Dipping beneath this number can leave you constantly hungry, raising the risk of overeating.
3. Rev Up Your Workout
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly. Better yet, push for 300 minutes a week for bigger health gains. Add strength training like weightlifting to maintain or build muscle. Doing so increases your calorie burn.
4. Pack More Activity into Your Day
Don’t just rely on gym time. Take walks instead of driving. Tackle yardwork or thorough house cleaning. Even small movements boost your daily calorie expenditure.
Avoid Turning a Plateau into a Setback
If you’ve tried everything and still see no improvements, consult a health care provider or registered dietitian. They might have fresh suggestions. Also, think about whether your goal weight is realistic. Appreciate your progress so far. Even modest weight loss can yield major health benefits, especially if you started with excess weight.
Above all, don’t give up. Returning to old eating and exercise habits could cause you to regain any weight you’ve lost. Celebrate how far you’ve come and keep up your healthy practices to maintain your success.
References
- Mayo Clinic Staff, “Getting past a weight-loss plateau.”
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Back to basics for healthy weight loss.”
- Kheniser K, et al., “Long-term weight loss strategies for obesity.”
- Perreault L, et al., “Obesity in adults: Dietary therapy.”
- Hall KD, et al., “Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity.”
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
