- Weight loss coming to a screeching halt can be frustrating but it is not an uncommon event in the weight watchers.
- We need to tighten up the procedure to see that any extra ounce or extra gram of caloric food does not add to the calories in your plan. Learn to use measuring cups and spoons and weigh the food before eating or preparing so that you make sure that no extra calories beyond that given in the diet plan are consumed.
- Running on the trendmill for a 30 minute walk or doing the hoop will make your body get into groove. Do not allow the body to get used to with a particular strategy, vary the physical activity and push the envelope to get past the plateau.
You were going through healthy diet regime and workouts and it was showing in your body. You were losing weight and it was going steadily thus boosting your confidence and self -esteem. But suddenly it stopped showing. The weight was not decreasing in spite of your efforts. Seems like the weight has got stuck. You seem to have reached the weight loss plateau.
Don’t get discouraged. It’s a common occurrence and people do get frustrated when we are not able to lose weight in spite of healthy weight loss efforts. If we come to know the causes of weight loss plateau, then it will be easy for us to understand how to tackle the situation.
What Happens During The Weight Loss Plateau?
When you start the weight loss program, there is a drop in weight which is quite normal. This occurs as the needed energy required by the body is taken from the glycogen stores that are stored in the muscles and the liver. Glycogen consists of partly of water, hence when the glycogen is used up, and then it releases the water which results in the weight loss which is mostly due to water. However, this condition is temporary. When we lose weight, we not only lose fat but also muscles. Muscles are the one that keeps up the metabolic rate up. When there is the loss of weight, there is a drop in the metabolism thus leading to burning fewer calories as compared to when you were at the heavier weight. When the metabolism becomes slow, then the weight loss also will become slow. When the amount of calories you burn is equal to the amount of the calories you eat, then you have reached a plateau.
Hence if you need to lose weight, then you would either have to increase the physical activity and reduce the calories you eat. If you are not reducing the calories that were initial, then it will help only to maintain the weight loss but not result in more weight loss.
Tips To Come Off The Weight Loss Plateau
1. Analyze The Caloric Needs
If you need to overcome the weight loss plateau, then you need to adjust the calorie intake. If we are taking the same calories on day 60 of the weight loss program as equal to day 1 then weight loss can come to a halt because your body requires fewer calories later to maintain the weight loss. You must have lost weight in the initial calorie deficit but now you will need to adjust calories to achieve the larger deficit of calories. Hence if you need to move on, then try to reduce about 100 to 200 calories from your diet and then find the effect. However, there is a warning that going below 1200 calories can lower the metabolism which is not good for health.
2. Almond It Up Before Workouts
Do you want the workouts work well for you? Have 5 to 6 almonds before the workouts. Almonds are rich in L-arginine which will help in burning carbohydrates and fats while carrying out workouts, thus gaining more weight loss.
3. Improve The Fibre Intake
It is possible to fight fat with fiber. Fibre helps us to shed more pounds where the other nutrients can bring us to the plateau stage. For every gram of fiber that we have, you lose 7 calories from the diet in a day. Hence if we add up to 30 grams of fiber a day you will lose up to 210 calories a day. Get the fiber from fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Hence let us swap a sugary candy for a fruit or white rice for barley, the difference will be seen not only in health but also in the weight.
Don’t miss these amazing fiber-rich foods for weight loss and the diet chart for healthy living!
4. Start Your Lunch And Dinner With A Big Bowl Of Salads
Have a big plate of salads made of fresh and raw vegetables as it is filling in the stomach and this will reduce the amount of high-calorie food to be eaten after this. You can even go for the second serving of salad. Prefer lighter dressing of vinegar without oil. Avoid heavy dressings made of mayonnaise, cheese, fatty meats or croutons as this will increase the calories and will undo the benefits of having salads.
5. Do Not Rely On Liquid Calories
Drinking fruit juices, milkshakes, alcohol or aerated beverage may be easy to consume but we are just adding on more calories and not improving the satiety of the meal. Which eating one orange fruit can do the job of filling a stomach, you need about 2 to 3 oranges to prepare fruit juice and that adds on to the calories? Hence why making efforts and preparing fruit juices, why not have an orange or bite into an apple?The liquid that you need to give importance during weight loss is water which you need to drink about 8 to 10 glasses a day.
6. Check Out For Healthier Options For Desserts
If you feel the urge to have desserts after the meal then opts for fruits. Fruits are available in markets nowadays with greater varieties. If you have a craving for high calorie-rich desserts even after having dinner, it is due to faulty eating habits and not due to hunger. Daytime tends to pass on faster as we are busy with our work but nighttime becomes tough where we are bored, tired or anxious thus tempting us to indulge in the desserts. Let us utilize the evening time with certain interesting activities like watching a movie, doing yoga, going for a walk which will in keeping our minds diverted and distracted.
7. Try Strength Training Workouts
Health personnel recommends doing at least strength workouts a week. Strength training tends to reduce more fat than cardio. It helps to build up the lean mass and the more the lean mass you have, the metabolism becomes more. Try alternating cardio workouts with resistance training. And never forget interval training with one to two minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise alternated with one to two minutes of low-intensity exercise. Intervals tend to burn more calories and help you to break through the weight loss plateau. Don’t go overboard with exercise as moderate exercise will not increase appetite but larger amounts will surely increase hunger leading to gorging whatever foods you catch hold of.
8. Try Adding More Protein To Every Food Or Snack
When it is always recommended to load up the plate with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables that are good in antioxidants and other nutrients, we also make a point to add a protein meal to every meal. Yes, protein is caloric but protein is that nutrient that keeps the stomach full for a longer time and reduces the calorie intake overall for the day. When we have protein in our meal, it helps us to fuel the muscle thus improving the lean body mass and increasing the metabolic rate and hence helps us to manage our body weight. Above that our body has to work more to digest protein, hence try to burn more calories while carrying out the process. Prefer small and regular doses of protein foods rather than overloading with protein. If we are having egg or peanut butter for breakfast, then we can have fish, meat or legumes in the lunch and prefer nuts or kefir in the evening snack.
Sometimes there is a possibility that your weight has stopped to do down as you must have reached the weight that is ideal for you and you are just aiming for more. Scientist calls it asset point theory if you are trying to lose lower than the set point, that can be dangerous as your physiology can work unfavorably.
Now, How Do You Know That You Have Reached The Set Point?
- If your doctor says that you have reached a healthy weight according to your frame.
- If your recent checkup interprets that you are healthy.
- If you feel great after the weight loss.
Confusions are many and help can always be provided if you consult a nutritionist regarding the food and what to eat in order to maintain a healthy weight.
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