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How To Break A Weight Loss Plateau?
Introduction
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Introduction
Let’s face it- losing weight is no cakewalk, and each day in the journey can feel like nothing short of a battle. The one thing that anyone looks forward to in their weight loss journey is the weight on the scale going down. But then, there comes the point in the journey where you try and try, but the weight just doesn’t budge. It’s stuck. While it can be highly frustrating, it is actually normal and a part of the weight loss process. This ‘stall’ in the weight loss process is called a ‘weight loss plateau’, which is fairly common and does not mean that your weight is stuck forever. In this blog, we’ll look at what a weight loss plateau is and ways to break through it.
What Is A Weight Loss Plateau?
While losing weight, most individuals are able to drop a significant amount of weight in the initial weeks. This happens because the body takes its needed energy from the stored glycogen, i.e., a type of carbohydrate that can be found in the liver and in the muscles. This carb is made of water, and therefore, when it’s burned for energy, the body only loses water. But you should note that this is just temporary and makes individuals feel they’re losing weight quickly.
Additionally, during weight loss, it is normal to lose some muscles along with fat. Muscle loss results in a slower metabolism, which causes you to burn fewer calories than you did when you were heavier. Therefore, after a point, you may notice that you’re unable to lose any more weight with the same diet and exercise and at the same pace as you were able to. This means that you have reached the ‘weight loss plateau’ or ‘weight loss stall’.
The weight loss plateau may differ in duration for all individuals. It can vary depending on the individual’s body type and any underlying disease or condition they may have. But, it is important to remain patient and consistent during this period. If dietary or other lifestyle modifications are not made at this point, the plateau may continue to stay.
Signs That You May Be Having A Weight Loss Plateau
A clear manifestation of a weight loss plateau is seeing no difference in the weighing scale, despite making all the efforts. Some other factors that indicate you may be in the weight loss plateau are as follows:
- Gaining weight consistently even after all the restrictions and lifestyle changes.
- Experiencing more hunger pangs. This is because the body begins to feel it’s starving and begins asking for more food.
- When your body begins to lose much more calories during a workout than it generally does, for example, if you typically burn 100 calories doing a particular workout, you may start losing just 70 calories in the same workout.
- You may not feel satiated with the amount of food you generally eat. For example, if you generally feel full in a bowl of oats, they may not make you feel full when you reach a weight loss plateau.
10 Ways To Break A Weight Loss Plateau
Individuals experiencing a weight loss plateau tend to wonder if it will go away on its own. While it eventually will, there are things you can do to get out of this stall. The things you can do consist of a combination of altering your diet, improving workouts, and lifestyle modifications. Listed below are some tips to help you break through the weight loss plateau:
- Increase Your Workout
If you maintain the same workout for several days or weeks, your body tends to get used to it, and you wouldn’t lose as much weight as you typically would. To avoid this, you must increase your duration of workout, as well as its intensity. This can mean doing more reps, trying new exercises, or simply increasing the intensity of your workout.
- Restrict Your Carb Intake & Eat Enough Protein
To lose weight, and to get out of the weight loss plateau, you must restrict your refined carb intake. Avoid white bread, cereals, and other packaged foods. Additionally, your diet must consist of ample protein.
- Keep Track Of What You Eat In A Day
Keeping track of what you eat in a day is also important to get out of the weight loss plateau.
You can also plan your meals to have a record of what you ate during the day. By doing so, you’ll be able to calculate how many calories you have consumed, how to manage the extra consumption, etc.
- Keep Your Stress Levels In Check
It is normal to become stressed during a weight loss plateau. After all, seeing no change in your weight despite working hard can be disheartening for anyone. But, you should note that this stress may also be contributing to the plateau and should be managed. Stress often triggers the need for comfort eating, causing food cravings. Additionally, it also leads to an increase in the production of cortisol or the ‘stress hormone,’ which can increase belly storage fat. This can make weight loss more difficult for you.
- Avoid Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is a nemesis for weight loss and maybe a leading cause behind your stalled weight loss. Alcohol provides no nutritional value and is high in calories. Additionally, no one stops at just one drink. Additionally, alcohol is responsible for making you lose your inhibitions and pushing you towards eating excessively. Therefore, make sure you curb your alcohol intake during alcohol intake while trying to get out of the plateau and start gradually.
- Get Enough Sleep
Your sleep contributes significantly to how much weight you lose by impacting your mental, ensuring, and physical well-being. Research says that lack of sleep can cause weight gain by lowering the metabolic rate. It also affects the hormone levels that affect appetite and fat storage and may be a leading cause of a weight loss plateau. To combat the stall, you must aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
- Eat The Right Portions
A lot of people devalue how significant portion sizes might be. To be able to break through the weight loss plateau and achieve your weight loss goals, you must be a bit more meticulous. If you notice a stall in your weight, you must try limiting your portion size. For instance, if you were eating a large bowl of pasta in one meal, you can alter it to half a bowl or divide it across meals.
- Stay Hydrated & Consume Healthy Beverages
There are several beverages that can be very helpful in reversing a weight loss plateau. Water is helpful in boosting metabolism, which eventually means accelerated weight loss. Similarly, tea or coffee can also be beneficial as these beverages contain caffeine which helps in burning fat and even up the metabolic rate. Not to mention, tea also contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which also helps in boosting weight loss. But, ensure you consume these beverages in moderation.
- Stay As Active As You Can
Apart from the workouts, you must also stay active throughout the day. NEAT or Non-exercise thermogenesis is considered to be very effective in speeding up caloric expenditure and promoting weight loss. These activities may include taking a 5-minute walk every hour, taking the stairs, walking for household errands, etc.
To Summarize
A weight loss plateau is a part of the weight loss process and doesn’t denote that you’re doing something wrong. But, to be able to break through the plateau, you must make the necessary changes in your diet, workout routine, and lifestyle habits to make it through the stall and meet your weight loss goals. Remember to recognize the signs of a weight-loss plateau in time to ensure, but remember to remain patient through the phase. It is also advisable to seek an expert’s guidance during this phase, as they’ll be able to guide you best on what dietary and lifestyle modifications you can make, without compromising your overall health.
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