Learn how to overcome a weight loss plateau with these expert tips and strategies. Break through the plateau and reach your weight loss goals faster.Let’s start with the main thing: it’s not your fault that you’ve gained weight – it happens to everyone.
The plateau effect is a common phenomenon. We often perceive it as a defeat: it is difficult to accept the fact that you stand on the scale and see the same numbers over and over again, although you put in a lot of effort to get rid of extra pounds – sometimes much more than at the beginning of the journey.
It’s not that you’re not working hard enough: plateaus are a natural result of your body changing. First, the less you weigh, the fewer calories your body requires. Second, when you diet, you inevitably lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism. And finally, nature has given us the ability to adapt to new conditions — including food shortages.
Alas, the mechanism that used to help is now only a hindrance – we don’t need to survive during a crop failure, but getting rid of the last couple of extra kilos – of course! So we’ve collected hacks that will help you overcome the plateau – here’s what you can do.
The amount of energy expended depends on weight – never forget about it. The norms of kbzhu should be reviewed once every one or two months, otherwise the calorie deficit may be “lost”.
Start keeping a food diary
This is the most important rule to follow for several reasons. Firstly, the more weight we lose, the higher the level of ghrelin, the hunger hormone . Because of this, we begin to overeat, without even noticing that the portions have become larger. Nutrition should be taken under control – for this you need to keep a diary, where all meals and their volumes will be recorded.
Secondly, you need to soberly assess the composition of your diet. For example, protein bars are considered a great snack for athletes, but every second one of them does not contain much protein and much more fat and carbohydrates. A diary will help you track down such disguised “enemies” and replace them with truly healthy snack options.
Move not only during training
There is such an indicator as NEAT – this is everyday physical activity not related to training. It is thanks to it that we burn up to 50% of the calories that we eat during the day – and this is much more than the usual one- or two-hour workouts allow us to burn.
According to many scientists, NEAT is the secret of the “witches” who eat whatever and as much as they want and don’t get fat: these women, without even noticing it, move a lot – they “freak out” and take the stairs if they have to wait more than 20 seconds for the elevator, or constantly jump up to walk around the office.
When we create a calorie deficit, our brain tries to reduce NEAT expenditures, and as a result, it turns out that we spend less energy than necessary for weight loss. Therefore, activity outside of training should be consciously controlled: try to get up more often, walk more, and love cleaning “in between.”
Be consistent in the gym
Have you heard that plateaus can be broken by trying a new type of exercise? In fact, newness doesn’t necessarily mean progress: your workouts just need to be more intense. There’s no need to swap the gym for step aerobics — you can simply increase the weights you lift.
And, of course, you shouldn’t skip training without a good reason: scientists have calculated that skipping one session increases your chances of not going to the next one by 61%.
Don’t forget about recovery
Eating after a workout, resting, drinking enough water is not a luxury, but a necessity if you are losing weight. Your body needs to recover, and for this it needs resources and time – the golden mean is considered to be training three times a week. However, you can go to the gym every day, but make sure that your program is designed so that you alternate the muscle groups being worked.
Forget about strict diets
We are sure that you have thought about them more than once: not a day goes by without someone telling you how great he or she lost weight on buckwheat or keto in just two weeks. Just wait, and very soon you will see how the person gains back all the lost kilograms.
“We call extreme eating patterns ‘yo-yo diets’ because they cause the weight to come back almost immediately. They also slow down your metabolism and destroy muscle mass, making it difficult to maintain your weight in the long term,” says Dr. Nabeel Tariq, MD.
Eat breakfast like a queen, dine like a peasant
Let’s start with the main thing: you shouldn’t skip dinner completely. However, according to nutritionist Joan Salge Blake, recent studies show that meal timing can play an important role in weight control – heavy dinners can make it more difficult to lose weight and prevent you from maintaining the results. It’s better to eat 25% of your daily calorie intake at the end of the day, and distribute the rest between breakfast and lunch.