Effective tips to help you overcome a weight loss plateau
If you’re on a journey to weight loss, or have been before, then you know the pride and satisfaction that comes with seeing your efforts matched on the scale as the pounds melt off.
After some time, though, you may experience what many call a “weight loss plateau”, meaning that you’ve stopped losing weight and the numbers on the scale won’t budge - despite doing all the right things like eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet and regular exercise.
This can be incredibly frustrating. But also, very common.
There are several reasons for experiencing a weight loss plateau, but in many cases it tends to be a result of metabolic slow down that causes you to burn fewer calories, due to the loss of body fat and lean muscle that have occurred on your weight loss journey to that point.
And sometimes it’s a result of habits you didn’t even know were sabotaging your efforts. For instance, maybe your diet has become too restrictive and as a result you’re not eating enough (causing your body to hold onto fat), or maybe it’s so restrictive that it becomes hard to follow and then you deviate from it.
Whatever the reason is, there are small habits and lifestyle changes you can make to get back on track, that will make your weight loss journey easier but also more enjoyable.
Start Food Journaling
From mindless snacking to extra large portions, many of us tend to underestimate how much we eat in a day. We also often overestimate how many calories we burn when we engage in physical activity (on top of this, grueling workouts often lead to overeating).
Maintaining a food journal, where you can log what and how much you are eating, is a real helpful tool when it comes to weight loss.
In fact, research indicates that those who keep a food journal lose as much as two times the amount of weight than those who don’t.
And remember, food journaling isn’t just about how many calories you eat. It’s also a great tool for evaluating your diet in general. Read more about the benefits of food journaling here.
Increase your protein intake
Protein is a macronutrient that gets a lot of attention in the weight loss world.
Yes, it’s important to include all of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) in your diet for the healthiest lifestyle, but adequate protein intake is extra helpful when it comes to losing weight - for a number of reasons.
First, you burn more calories trying to digest protein than fats and carbohydrates due to the fact that it’s thermic effect is higher.
It also takes longer to digest, which prevents insulin spikes that result in cells storing fat.
Ample protein in your diet also helps you control your appetite and leaves you feeling satiated, for longer, which means less snacking at inopportune times.
Add or Increase Resistance Training In Your Workout Routine
Resistance training is highly effective in preserving muscle mass and metabolism - both of which can be compromised at some point on your weight loss journey.
Adding resistance to your workouts, or increasing the resistance in what you’re currently doing, will help you burn more calories and shed stubborn fat you’re trying to lose.
In fact, resistance training also burns calories while the body is at rest - making it the most effective type of exercise for weight loss.
If you’re feeling stuck your weight loss journey, adding or increasing resistance in your workouts is a no-brainer to get the ball rolling again.
Get some rest
Believe it or not, your lifestyle, and not just the food you eat, may be hindering you on your weight loss journey.
Sleep, or a lack of it, for instance, can mess with our bodies big time.
When you don’t get enough shut-eye, your body develops insulin resistance and produces more cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases the accumulation of belly fat.
I experienced this after the birth of my son. The weight didn’t just fall off after delivery, even with healthy eating, breastfeeding and a return to physical activity six weeks after giving birth.
It was only once my son began sleeping for longer stretches, and I, in turn was able to get consistent, high-quality sleep that I overcame my own personal weight loss plateau.
How much sleep one needs may be different for every body, based on your individual needs and make up, but an average of 6-9 hours of adequate rest each night is roughly what most of us need.
Not only will this help you shed fat, but there are indirect benefits too: it will give you the energy you need to power through a hard workout, sharpen focus and mental clarity, and even help you resist cravings for junk food.
Minimize stress
Stress effects every body differently. For some, it can prevent weight loss or even lead to weight gain.
This is because stress, like we talked about earlier, stimulates cortisol production in the body, which increases fat storage.
Whether it’s lifestyle-related stress, or even calorie restriction, which is a form of stress on the body - it doesn’t really matter; if your stress levels are chronically high, it could lead to difficulty losing weight.
Deep breathing exercises, meditation, physical activity, being in nature, free writing (journaling), yoga, speaking with someone I trust are a handful of my ‘go-to’ high impact techniques that I lean on to manage or mitigate my own stress, that won’t just help you overcome a weight loss plan but enjoy a healthier lifestyle in general.
For more information on my health coaching program, click here to schedule a free 30 minute consultation.
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