You’ve been working hard at managing your weight – you’re making healthy food choices, exercising frequently, and you’ve made a ton of progress! Now, you’ve hit the dreaded weight plateau and losing weight has become more difficult then it’s ever been… what’s happening?
Hitting weight plateaus are common, although frustrating. They don’t mean you’ve stopped working hard or that this is the end of your weight-loss journey. In fact, they’re a result of all of your efforts! Here’s what you need to know in order to overcome them and keep moving forward:
Weight Plateaus – What Are They?
Weight plateaus occur when your basal metabolic rate (BMR) changes after weight-loss. This is the rate at which your body burns the calories you need to survive every day, and the rest of those calories must be expended through physical activity. When you lose weight, your BMR decreases because your body mass is smaller – thus, you need fewer calories! As a result, you are burning less of them.
All of your progress has made significant changes to your body – congratulations! However, in order to keep up with the equilibrium your body is creating, you have to continue making changes and updating your strategies to continue losing weight (or maintaining) it. This is the time to shake things up!
How to Overcome Weight Plateaus
You may have reached one of the hardest parts in your weight-loss journey so far, but this doesn’t mean it’s over! Here are tips for overcoming weight plateaus:
- Evaluate your program – How much are you exercising? How many calories are you eating? Do you continue to challenge yourself? Knowing these details will help you figure out what needs to change.
- Keep a journal – You don’t have to obsess over numbers, but consider keeping a journal that tracks the calories you consume and the calories you expend through exercise. This will help you to figure out the deficit you need to reach in order to lose more weight.
- Create a shock factor – Making a change to your diet and your workouts can kick-start weight-loss once again. Don’t dread this moment – celebrate it, and let change be fun!
- Add variety, intensity and frequency to your workouts – These are all ways to complete the step above! Switch up your exercise routines by learning and trying new activities. You can also try exercising longer, or increasing the intensity through speed, interval training, etc. For tips on spicing up your workouts, CLICK HERE.
- Use weights – Strength training and resistance training may boost your BMR by offsetting any decrease your body created through weight-loss. Building muscle is always a plus! You might try using strength machines, free weights, medicine balls or resistance bands, but you can also use what you have at home. Aim for incorporating these kinds of exercises into your routine about 3-4 times a week.
- Increase your activity level – Simply get more active! Small adjustments can increase your movement, such as taking the stairs, going for a walk on your lunch break or swimming after a long, hot day.
- Re-assess your goals – Now is a great time to revisit the reason you set out to lose weight in the first place! By grounding yourself and examining your goals once again, you’ll gain more focus and motivation.
Want more information about overcoming weight plateaus? You can read the full article from Your Weight Matters Magazine by CLICKING HERE.
