Breaking Through A Weight Loss Plateau

It happens to just about every dieter. Things are going great. You are losing weight quickly and then all of a sudden, no matter what you do, you stop seeing results. This can be extremely frustrating and even a bit maddening.  Luckily, there are things that can be done to break through the plateau and help you start losing weight again.

 

In an effort to re-jumpstart one’s progress, many people mistakenly cut back significantly on their caloric intake. This is a big mistake. When a person consumes too few calories, the body begins to tell the metabolism to slow down because it is afraid that they are starving. This will make it more difficult for them to burn calories and fat. Consequently, they will get just the opposite of what you want. They will likely stay at their present weight or start to re-gain it.

 

Instead of decreasing the amount of calories that a person consumes, they should amp up their exercise and change up their routine every couple of weeks. When a person switches up their exercise routine, their body will begin to work harder. This increases the amount of calories that they will burn because their body is not yet efficient at performing the new exercises.

 

For people that do not have the time to exercise more, they should pick up the intensity. Also, adding cross training to their exercise regimen might also be helpful. Running, swimming, walking briskly, cross country skiing and aerobic exercise are all great fitness options. Each of these, if done consistently and in a manner that challenges oneself can lead to weight loss. It is also important that a person eats a healthy, mid-calorie diet and drinks plenty of water. Avoid lots of sugary beverages and sodas.

 

Next, while a person should not decrease their caloric intake too much, it is important that they make sure that they are not consuming more calories then they need to. Keeping a food journal will give individuals a better idea of exactly what they are eating. Often time, persons underestimate how much they eat and thus end up gaining weight and are not able to figure out why.

 

Weight loss plateaus are common occurrences when people go on a diet. They are almost inevitable. While they can be frustrating and even maddening especially if a person is really doing well and losing weight, they can be overcome. Increasing the intensity and the amount of time that a person exercises is one way to get the scale moving again (downward of course). Keeping a food journal and ensuring that they are not consuming too many calories will be also be key to what one’s next move should be. If they find that they are eating too much and are counteracting your exercise efforts, they will know that they need to decrease their caloric intake. Obviously, this does not mean that they should lower it to unsafe levels. It is important to eat enough so that an individual is satisfied but not full.  A good diet should be well balanced with low amounts of sweets, fats, salty and fried foods.  

 

No related posts.