You did physical activity, you were careful at the table and you strictly adhered to the rules of a healthy life; nevertheless, one day the balance needle inexplicably stopped moving. Unfortunately, stalemate in weight loss (also called plateau) is perfectly normal, so much so that it happens to most people who follow a diet. Pause to analyze the possible causes of this phenomenon, then try to put into practice the strategies explained in the article to start losing weight again.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Assessing the Causes of the Weight Stall
Step 1. Try to understand how the weight loss process works
When starting a new diet, most people tend to lose weight quickly, especially in the first few weeks. The pounds lost are partly due to the reduction in body mass, but mainly due to the elimination of excess fluids. Once the body has got rid of too much water, it is normal for the balance needle to slow down its descent.
- Track your progress to see if you've really stopped losing weight or if it's just a slowdown.
- According to experts, to lose weight in a healthy way and be able to maintain the results achieved over time, you should not lose more than 0.5-1 kg per week. Based on this information, you may realize that yours is not a weight stall.
Step 2. Count the calories
Maybe initially you were more loyal in counting calories or maybe you managed to lose the first few pounds without paying too much attention to what you ate. Either way, you may be eating more calories than you think, so it might be useful to start recording them accurately by keeping a food diary, alternatively you could use one of the sites or apps available for free for your computer or smartphone.. The goal is to always know exactly what, how much and when you eat.
- Once you are clear about how many calories you are consuming, you can try to understand what your possible mistakes are to find solutions.
- If you did a lot of physical activity, it is possible that the number of calories consumed was not enough. When subjected to strain, the body needs to consume more food. Depriving him of the necessary fuel, in the hope of being able to lose weight faster, you will only force him to try to maintain his current weight.
Step 3. Review your daily calorie requirement
As body mass decreases, the number of calories burned decreases; as a result, you need to gradually eat less and less to be able to maintain the calorie deficit that allows you to lose weight. If you haven't done so recently, use a schedule that helps you calculate what your current daily calorie needs are. All you have to do is enter some information about your weight and physical activity level.
- Generally, experts recommend that you consume 500 calories less than your daily calorie requirement. In this way, the unnecessary pounds will be eliminated in a healthy and gradual way, and the results achieved will be easier to maintain over time.
- If the calculation shows that you should be consuming 2,200 calories per day, try a 1,700 calorie diet to be able to lose around half a pound per week.
Step 4. Analyze your exercise program
Have you been constant? Did you do the same workout every day? Do you do muscle strength exercises? Did you rely on the elliptical's calorie calculator to find out how many calories you burn? Think about how you could modify or improve your daily training program. It is imperative to specify that the displays of the machines in the gym can be completely unreliable and misleading, so it is better not to use them.
- In particular, the calorie calculators of elliptical bikes are known to overestimate their consumption. Take note of the duration and intensity of the workout, then enter the data into one of the many calculation programs available online to get a more precise figure regarding the number of calories burned.
- The body can develop a kind of addiction to exercise if the movements are always the same and of the same intensity. By experimenting with something different, you will be able to engage different muscles and burn calories in a new way that the body is not used to, starting to lose weight again.
Step 5. Evaluate other items besides the scale
Its needle may not move, but there may be other evidence that your body is changing for the better. Do you feel like your clothes are becoming more and more comfortable? Are your arms more toned and defined? If you are developing new muscles, it means that your body is getting leaner even if the scale cannot register it. As an added benefit, the new muscles will burn more calories than fat, so you are likely to start losing weight again soon.
- Don't weigh yourself too often. Body weight can fluctuate due to a wide range of factors, which is sometimes deceptive. Getting on the scale once a week is more than enough. Try to always weigh yourself on the same day and at the same time.
- Be patient and remember that each person can experience a weight stall for different reasons and characteristics. If you are making progress in other respects, chances are you will simply have to wait another week for the scales to move again.
Step 6. Go to the doctor for a follow-up visit
If you've explored each option and made all possible changes, but still haven't started losing weight again, make an appointment with your primary care physician. He may give you some helpful tips and do some simple routine tests, such as a blood test, to check for hormonal imbalance. You may be suffering from a condition that has not yet been diagnosed, a thyroid disorder, insulin resistance syndrome, or polycystosis of the ovary, which prevents you from continuing to lose weight.
Part 2 of 2: Breaking the Weight Stall
Step 1. Change your physical activity routine
When you repeat the same exercise for a long time, your body automatically becomes more efficient and therefore needs to burn fewer and fewer calories to perform it. Try spicing up and varying your workouts, chances are you'll get better results.
- Increase the number of calories burned by experimenting with the interval training technique applied for example to running, cycling or swimming.
- Try a new class at the gym or a new team sport.
- Take one of the many free fitness classes available online. You can experience a new discipline every day!
- Make an appointment with a personal trainer, he will be able to offer you many new ideas and help you create an exercise routine that will allow you to start losing weight again.
Step 2. Add some exercises to increase muscle strength and endurance
Increasing muscle mass allows you to burn more calories every day even at rest. This means that the balance needle will start moving again.
- To increase your strength and endurance level, it is not necessary to go to the gym. At least initially, you can use simple and inexpensive dumbbells.
- If you don't want to look too muscular, do a lot of reps using light weights.
- Especially if you are a woman, chances are you don't want to have too big legs or arms, but unless you undergo a workout designed specifically to increase muscle mass, you are not at risk. Your muscles will get stronger, but they won't increase in volume because you have low testosterone.
- There are several exercises to strengthen the muscles that can be performed even without any weight, other than that of your body. They include for example push-ups, squats, step ups and many others.
Step 3. Break the monotony at the table
Often, we get used to eating more or less the same things every day, running the risk of getting bored and overdoing the quantities. Furthermore, the body tends to become more and more efficient in digesting those foods. Changing the menu frequently could be the right solution to start losing weight again.
- Try incorporating new foods into your diet, especially fruits and vegetables.
- Change your meal plan. Make breakfast your biggest meal or have six small light meals instead of the regular three meals.
- Eating often helps keep your metabolism active.
- Change the way you bring food to the table. Instead of relegating the salad to a small dish for the side dish and reserving the larger one for the first or second, do the opposite.
- Before going to sleep, eat a food that contains casein (milk protein), such as a small amount of cottage cheese. The body takes a long time to digest this type of protein, so your metabolism will be forced to stay active even while you sleep.
Step 4. Get more protein
Numerous studies have shown that a diet rich in protein allows you to lose weight more easily because it guarantees a greater sense of satiety throughout the day, as well as an increase in muscle mass. Modify your diet to include more protein and try to distribute it evenly throughout the day.
If you decide to increase your protein intake, you need to reduce your fat and / or carbohydrate intake to maintain the right balance. Remember that in order to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit no matter what foods you eat
Step 5. Have a bigger breakfast
If you have a habit of skipping what is considered the most important meal of the day or eating little in the morning, try changing your habits. Studies show that a protein-rich breakfast is particularly suitable for those wishing to lose weight.
- Start the day with scrambled eggs or a protein shake.
- Choose protein-enriched cereals if you don't want to change your routine.
- Never skip breakfast. The worst choice you can make is to eat nothing.
Step 6. Get more sleep
Lack of sleep weighs on your body, slows down your metabolism and pushes you to eat more than you need. If you often wake up feeling tired or sluggish, try going to bed an hour earlier for seven consecutive days. In all likelihood, in addition to feeling fitter, you will see the scales move again.
Step 7. Stop the diet for a couple of days
In some cases, the body simply needs a break. Many health professionals believe that briefly stopping a low-calorie diet can help break the weight stalemate. The logic dictates that you will not have to take advantage of it to eat all you want, you will simply have to start again to take on a normal number of calories, suitable to maintain the goals achieved so far. In general, it may be beneficial to consume 1,800-2,400 calories per day for three days. By returning to a regular diet, you should immediately notice a significant improvement.
