Are you tired of no longer seeing physical changes in your body despite all the exercises and dietary changes you’ve been making? This can lead to a lot of desperation and frustration. The weight loss plateau is the point during a weight loss journey, that almost everyone endures, where the person is unable to shed any more weight. There are many reasons why this happens including slower metabolism, inconsistency in training or diet, and body adaptions to weight loss. There is no exact time when this occurs, but if you’re suffering this presently, remember you are not alone.
Read on for 10 tips that you can consider, when you’re enduring a weight loss plateau.
1. Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is about staying hungry for a long stretch of hours, typically more than 16 hours at a time. Studies have shown that there are numerous benefits of intermittent fasting, and it is beneficial in overcoming the dead-end in the weight loss journey. The following are different types of intermittent fasting:
1. The 16/8 method;
2. The 5:2 diet;
3. Alternate day fasting;
4. Eat stop eat;
5. The warrior diet;
6. Spontaneous meal skipping.
Note that intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone, and if you try it and it makes you unhappy, then move onto something else.
2. Perform Strength Training and High-Intensity Exercises
A person loses weight if, daily, more calories are burned than consumed (calories in Vs calories out). It’s recommended that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. This can be broken up with a mixture of high, medium & low intensity exercises. To help move through your weight loss plateau, when your body gets used to your current amounts of activity, you must put in an additional effort.
3. Note Down Your Food Intake
Too many of us underestimate the amount of calories we consume daily, which can make it quite difficult to be in a caloric deficit. Maintaining a journal is essential for losing weight, even if you only do this a period of time to help give yourself a better understanding of the calories you typically consume. You should note down your daily calorie intake so that you can compare it with the calories burned throughout the day. This activity requires, however there are many apps that can do this for you, giving you more time to focus on other areas of your weight loss journey.
4. Reduce Stress
Stress and depression can interrupt your weight loss journey. They increase the production of cortisol, also known as "stress hormone". This hormone inhibits the burning of fat in the body. It’s easy to just say reduce your stress, but a lot harder to actually implement this. Stress and depression can be addressed through counselling and strong social support. Finding the positive things in your life that can help you be grounded, content and full of joy, also goes a long way to reducing your stress.
5. Ensure a Good Night’s Sleep
Studies show that people who have good sleeping habits tend to lose more weight. Sleep regulates the metabolism and repairs the body tissues. To get past the weight loss plateau, you should prioritize at least seven hours of daily sleep.
6. Consume More Fibre-Rich Foods and Vegetables
We all know that we should consume at least five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits per day, which we don’t always do. It’s good to keep in mind that these fill up the stomach and curb down the hunger pangs. Fibre-rich food, generally slows down the digestion of meals, and a person feels full and satisfied.
7. Control your Mood Swings
Mood swings and emotional stress can often lead us to resorting to comfort eating. The risk with comfort eating is that it can often be to the long-term detriment of the health and fitness goals we’re trying to achieve. Having skills, & techniques that can centre you, bring a sense of calmness to whatever situation you’re in, can be a big help in controlling your mood swings, and as such limit your comfort eating. As with reducing stress, seeking professional counselling, and having a strong support network can improve your ability to manage your mood swings.
8. Motivate Yourself Regularly
Set achievable targets during the weight loss journey. It’s great to have a big picture view of your final destination, but to help keep you motivated along the way, set smaller goals that you can achieve regularly. This will boost your confidence, and can help you to enjoy the process of losing weight.
9. Incorporate Physical Activity in Your Daily Life
Structured exercise isn’t the only way to burn calories during the day. There are several activities that you can do that don’t involve you being in the gym every day. Try to replace the use of vehicles or public transport with cycling or walking, where possible. You should perform the house chores yourself as well. In this way, by taking small steps, you will be able to achieve your set target.
10. Consume Small Meals Every 2-3 Hours
This is on the other end of the scale compared to intermittent fasting. The science behind this approach is that if you’re regularly giving your body fuel, it doesn’t try and hold onto the calories. It knows that in another few hours, it will get a new intake of calories and as a result will ‘burn’ the calories in anticipation of the new calories coming in. with this approach, the key is to consume smaller meals consisting of vegetables, fibres, and proteins. When you spread out your meals throughout the day, you will feel more satisfied and do not experience hunger pangs.
Losing weight and overcoming the weight loss plateau is a tricky task but with the right mindset and motivation, you will overcome this obstacle. It’s important to remember that as with all things, do not go overboard with any diet or exercise. Having enough balance & rest, along with giving your body enough time to achieve your targets, will go a long way to helping you overcome the weight loss plateau.
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