So you’ve gone through all the proper steps in your weight loss journey – you’ve assessed your weight loss readiness (check), you have found the time to exercise (check), you are eating right (check). It’s all groovy, you are managing your nutrition and health – then BOOM! You hit a wall. THE WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU!!!! (wah!) That confounded weight loss plateau that all of us hit sooner or later and get frustrated about… but what happens here? Many of us revert, many of us fall back into old habits, sometimes out of fear, frustration, anger (insert emotion here). Sometimes we indulge in treats to pat ourselves on the back for a good job. So how do you know when you hit a plateau and what do you do when you hit it?
Let’s look at what a weight loss plateau is and what is means for your body (and in keeping it real with ourselves, just to make sure you are actually hitting a plateau rather than cheating/patting yourself on the back. What? Just saying).
My good friends at the Mayo Clinic of course have the answers to these questions and more. They are a great resource for you on your weight loss journey and you’ll notice, I reference them often. Here, I am just asking the questions and they provide all the answers.
What is a weight-loss plateau?
A weight-loss plateau occurs when you no longer lose weight despite continuing with your exercise and healthy-eating habits. Being stuck at a weight-loss plateau eventually happens to everyone who is trying to lose weight. At that point, losing additional weight becomes more difficult. Although hitting a plateau is common, most people are surprised when it happens to them, believing that if they just maintain a reduced-calorie diet, they should continue to lose weight. The frustrating reality is that even well-planned weight-loss efforts can become stalled.
Akilah’s Editorial: If you are losing a lot of weight (50+ pounds) it is conceivable that you will hit a weight loss plateau more than once. Your body is attempting to adjust to the new metabolic rate, the fact that your body may have become accostumed to exercises, etc. So be prepared and know what to do. How do you know what do you? Understand what causes the plateau…
What causes a weight-loss plateau?
The progression from initial weight loss to a weight-loss plateau follows a typical pattern. During the first few weeks of losing weight, a rapid drop in pounds is normal. When calories from food are reduced, the body gets needed energy by releasing its stores of glycogen, a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver. Glycogen holds onto water, so when glycogen is burned for energy, it also releases the water — about 4 grams of water for every gram of glycogen — resulting in substantial weight loss that’s mostly water.
A plateau occurs because your metabolism — the process of burning calories for energy — slows as you lose lean tissue (muscle). When you lose weight, you lose both fat and lean tissue. (The notion that overweight people have a slower metabolism is a myth. In general, the higher a person’s weight, the higher the body’s metabolic rate.) Your weight-loss efforts result in a new equilibrium with your now slower metabolism. This means that in order to lose more weight, you need to increase activity or decrease the calories you eat. Using the same approach that worked initially will maintain your weight loss, but it won’t lead to more weight loss.
Akilah’s Editorial: In order to continue losing more fat, you will have to change your activity. If you are into yoga, rev up your strength training. Increase the time spent on cardio. Instead of working out 3x a week at 30 min, try 4x a week for 45 min. Changes and increases in the types of activity you do will help tremendously… coupled with lowering your caloric intake will change how your body functions and if done healthfully get you through your plateau. I would recommend talking to your doctor and nutritionist about changes to your exercise and eating program.
How can you overcome a weight-loss plateau?
If you’re at a plateau, you may have lost all of the weight you will given the number of calories you’re eating each day and the time you spend exercising. At this point, you need to ask yourself if you’re satisfied with your current weight or if you want to lose more, in which case you’ll need to adjust your weight-loss program. (Akilah’s editorial: You may have to do this several times before you hit your weight goal target depending on how much you are trying to lose.) If you’re committed to losing more weight, try these tips for getting past the plateau:
- Reassess your habits. Look back at your food and activity records. Make sure you haven’t loosened the rules, letting yourself get by with larger portions or less exercise.
- Cut more calories. Reduce your daily calorie intake by 200 calories — provided this doesn’t put you below 1,200 calories. Fewer than 1,200 calories a day may not be enough to keep you from feeling hungry all of the time, which increases your risk of overeating.
- Rev up your workout. Increase the amount of time you exercise by an additional 15 to 30 minutes. You might also try increasing the intensity of your exercise, if you feel that’s possible. Additional exercise will cause you to burn more calories.
- Pack more activity into your day. Think outside the gym. Increase your general physical activity throughout the day by walking more and using your car less, or try doing more yardwork or vigorous spring cleaning.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing in addressing any plateau is NOT to go back into old habits that are harmful to your work and health. If you are hitting a genuine plateau, that says you’ve come so far, why go back to bad habits. Consider this a time to challenge yourself further, change your exercise, try jogging, train for a sprint triathelon, learn to swim, play tennis, do something that is better for your mind and body that will allow you to continue to meet your goals.
Good luck!
My Spot 