10 Reasons you’ve hit a weight-loss plateau and how to get out of it
One kg after another and you fit back in the dress you longed for. Losing weight is a journey in itself but it can get really demotivating when you are giving in your best but still the scale doesn’t seem to budge.
Hitting a weight loss plateau is something everyone has to go through in case you are trying to lose weight. It’s all a part of the process (and just not in your head) and sometimes you just have to wait it out, keep yourself motivated and you will start losing weight again.
Here are 10 reasons why you’ve hit a weight loss plateau and how to get out of it-
1. You’re eating too much or way too little
Cutting down on unnecessary calories coming from processed and junk food and foods in unreasonable portion sizes can help you shed weight. Look at the food on your plate at each mealtime and make sure your portions are as per your current weight.
Eating too little or cutting back on calories can make the body trick into a starvation mode. Your body will then make you feel hungry because it thinks something is wrong and wants you to gain that weight back.
2. You’re missing out on protein-rich foods & fibre in your diet
Intake of an adequate amount of dietary protein and fibre helps one to feel fuller for longer. Protein suppresses the hunger regulating hormone ghrelin. Protein rich foods can help you boost metabolism and maintain muscle weight while burning fat. Protein rich foods include- eggs, chicken, fish, pulses and legumes, nuts and seeds and milk and milk products. Fibre rich foods include- fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lentils & legumes.
3. Your body is bored of your workout routine
Did you know that your body can adapt and adjust to your current workout schedule? Tweaking your exercise routine every six weeks and changing it completely every three months can help break the plateau. Addition of strength training and interval training are also suggested to bring slight shifts to your workout routine.
Building room for some extra activity in your day will help to boost your metabolism and burn calories. Doing dishes by hand, taking stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car away from office, taking a walk around the block in break time etc are some examples of activities to keep you on your toes!
4. Step away from the gym
Yes! You heard that right. Lack of rest or overtraining can occur due to continuous training and exercise and all the body needs is rest to overcome the weight loss plateau as it’s important for your body to recover and recharge and taking a few days off will help avoid your body being too stressed.
5. You’re gaining muscle weight (but still burning fat)
Do you see an inch loss but no change on the scale? The reason being you may be losing fat and gaining muscle mass instead. A body composition analysis (BCA) will be able to tell you exactly where and how much fat loss and muscle gain is happening….
6. Your medications can stall the process too..
Medications such as antidepressants, insulin, steroids or drugs to control high blood pressure may interfere with weight loss and affect your progress. Discuss with your doctor if your medications could slow down your weight loss efforts.
7. You’re too stressed and sleep deprived
With late night binge watching Netflix, you’re not chilling but killing your metabolism. Lack of sleep can make you feel tired and groggy and derail your metabolism. Too little sleep increases the stress hormone cortisol in your body leading to weight and fat gain, especially in the abdominal area. Plan at least an 8 hour sleep everyday and go through your bed time routine to figure out where you might be going wrong.
8. Your hormones are out of range
Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism or poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOD) can make it difficult to lose weight and you retain most of your weight. Regular physical activity and a healthy and nutritious diet will help to reduce the symptoms and promote weight loss as well.
9. You don’t keep a track of your meals
According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine¹, people who maintained a food diary lost twice as much weight as people who didn’t. Keeping track of your food intake with a food diary (and actually using it) will help you monitor portion sizes and little treats here and there which may get unnoticed.
10. You skimp on your water intake
Adequate water intake can keep hunger pangs at bay and accelerate metabolism eventually helping in your weight loss efforts. It’s easy to mistake thirst for feeling hungry and can lead to unnecessary munching. If you feel hungry after an hour of finishing a meal, try sipping on some fluids instead.
References:
- https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(08)00374-7/abstract
- https://www.eatthis.com/weight-loss-plateau/
- https://republicbos.com/5-signs-youre-weight-loss-plateau-break/
