Weight Loss Plateaus: 6 ways to break through

Weight Loss Plateaus: 6 ways to break through

Rawinia Gregory and Boris Kazakov


Hit a weight-loss plateau?
When you first start to lose weight you're on a roll-losing-roll; nothing can stop you. Week after week, pound after pound drops off, and the more you lose, the more motivated you get. You're in weight loss heaven! "Whoever said this was hard?" you ask yourself. "It's as easy as (eating) pie!"
But then one day when you step on the scale, eagerly anticipating your next pound-punching record, something is very wrong. The numbers haven't budged! And it's not because your scale is broken. No, the inevitable has happened - you've hit a weight loss plateau.
The plateau stage in a weight loss journey can be tough - but you shouldn't give up. Dietitian Boris Kazakov has these six simple tips to help you break through.

*

1. Stop calorie amnesia!


Record everything you eat and drink
If you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, now’s a good time to take a close look at the way you've been eating lately. Maybe you just need to get back to basics:

• Use a food diary every day. Be honest in your diary and record everything that you eat and drink. Don't leave out that small handful of M&Ms or that piece of cheese you picked at while making dinner - every morsel counts.

• Are you getting too many calories? Consuming too many calories can make you gain weight or plateau. Your food diary can help you spot overindulgences, such as those two “innocent” lattes that could be adding over 350 calories to your daily intake.

• Are you getting enough calories? While overeating is not good for weight loss, neither is eating too little. Eating too few calories every day can trigger your body to start storing everything you do eat. It's a natural defense mechanism designed to stop you from starving in times of low food availability. Boris recommends that you make sure you're eating at least 1200 calories per day if you're female, or 1500 calories per day for males.

• Are you consuming a lot of salt? High sodium levels can cause you to retain fluids and feel bloated. As well as making you feel uncomfortable, fluid retention can also show up on the scales. Use your food diary to identify foods high in salt that you eat regularly, and avoid adding extra salt to your food.

• Measure and weigh. If you've been sizing up portions by eye, start measuring and weighing your foods accurately. It's easy to underestimate how much you're really consuming.

2. Boost your metabolism



A sluggish metabolism can mean slow weight loss. Speeding up your metabolism is one way to burn those waist-expanding calories faster. Although genetics plays a part in determining your metabolism, you can give yours a kick-start by changing the way you eat. If you're usually a “three meals a day” kind of person, try Boris' recommendation of eating four to five small meals and/or snacks per day instead.
"Eating regularly keeps your metabolism fired up and helps to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day," says Boris.
Keeping your blood sugar levels stable also means that you're less likely to suffer those diet-wrecking sugar cravings!

3. Protein packs a punch

If hunger pangs are constantly gnawing at your insides, it can be very hard to stick to your planned healthy meals. And if you're not making good food choices, a plateau can be hard to overcome.
Letting yourself get hungry is like dangling a piece of raw meat in front of a grizzly - downright dangerous! Hunger can make your willpower and resolve disappear faster than you can stuff three chocolate-iced doughnuts into your mouth, making a plateau difficult to beat.
Boris suggests combating hunger by including a larger serving of protein in your meals, such as lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, legumes or tofu. Protein works wonders to fill you up - and keeps you feeling full for longer. By making sure that each of your meals contains some protein, you just might find that you really don't need that doughnut after all.

4. How's your exercise routine?


Mix it up!
Boring? If you do the same exercise day in, day out, it's easy to get bored – disinterest in exercise can easily cause your weight to plateau. On the other hand, mixing up your exercise activities can really get your weight moving again.
Changing your exercise routine can be as simple as trying something new. How about working out with the help of a personal trainer for a month, or swapping one of your usual walking sessions for a yoga class?
You can also boost your exercise by picking up your pace, exercising longer, or by doing more exercise sessions each week.
The idea is to surprise your body by varying your routine regularly. Trying new things will also give you something to look forward to, and help you break through your plateau.

5. Hydrate your body



Water is very important for keeping your body healthy. It also plays a role in weight loss.
If you often feel bloated and retain fluids, as well as feel uncomfortable, you'll know that it can also register on the scales. Luckily there's a simple solution - drink more water! It may seem strange, but drinking lots of water actually helps to flush water from your body and stops you from retaining fluids.
Water is also a great “hunger buster”. Often feelings of thirst can be mistaken for hunger pangs. Next time you're feeling hungry, try drinking a large glass of water. If you're still hungry in ten minutes then go ahead and eat. However, you might find that you were really just thirsty after all. Now that's an easy way to save yourself hundreds of unneeded calories!
Drinking a glass of water before eating has also been found to reduce the amount of calories consumed during a meal. So up your water intake to Boris' recommendation of at least 6 or more 8 oz glasses of water, or other fluids, per day, and you'll be kicking that weight plateau in no time.

6. Measure up



Even when the scale is stuck on the same number for weeks, it doesn't always mean that you're not getting anywhere.
When you hit a scale-weight plateau it's a good time to take your body measurements and use them to track your progress as well. Body measurements are good indicators of how your body shape is changing which, after all, is where most of us would like to see a difference.
So instead of obsessing over the scale, think about how you feel. Do your clothes fit better? Are you feeling healthier or more energetic? Are you finding everyday tasks easier to manage?
Considering the big picture can help you stay positive and remind you that a plateau on the scale doesn't necessarily mean a plateau overall.
Losing weight is about being healthier and feeling good about yourself, so don't give up on your goals if the scales get stuck for a while. Stay focused, keep positive, and try some of our tips to give yourself the kick-start you need to get your weight loss moving again. Good luck!