You’ve been working hard for weeks (maybe even months) to shed those extra pounds. You’ve been mindful of your diet and have been sweating it out in the gym consistently. Everything seems to be going well, and the numbers on the scale are decreasing. Each pound you shed gives you a boost of motivation, but then all of a sudden, your progress comes to a grinding halt. You’re stuck. You’ve hit the dreaded weight loss plateau. But don’t worry. There are ways to get past this hurdle and continue achieving your weight loss goals.
First, let’s discuss why weight loss plateaus occur. Your initial weight loss is generally the result of your body’s glycogen storage being depleted. Glycogen is a carb found in your muscles and liver. It is made partially of water. As glycogen stores are used, the associated water weight is also lost, leading to rapid weight loss early in your journey. Additionally, as you lose weight, you also lose muscle mass, which can slow down your metabolism. To overcome these obstacles and ensure continued weight loss, follow these five tips:
1. Build muscle through weightlifting
Adding weightlifting to your workout regimen can help you build more muscle mass which, in turn, can help kick start your metabolism. This increased metabolism will help you burn more calories and push past your weight loss plateau.
2. Keep a weight loss journal
Tracking your daily calorie intake can help you identify any unintentional excesses that may be standing in the way of your weight loss progress. It’s easy to let your calorie count slide when you’re not paying close attention. Keep a journal, and make sure you don’t consume less than 1,200 calories per day if you’re a woman or 1,500 calories per day if you’re a man.
3. Prioritize sleep
Research from the University of Chicago found that dieters getting less than six hours of sleep per night had more difficulty losing weight compared to dieters getting eight hours of sleep. Make sure you’re giving your body enough rest to maximize your weight loss potential.
4. Increase your daily activity levels
While you may not have the time to spend extra hours at the gym, you can still find creative ways to burn extra calories throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk or bike when running errands, and stretch when working on a computer. Every additional calorie burned can help get you past that weight loss plateau.
5. Consider increasing your calorie intake
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t lose weight, you may need to increase your calorie intake slightly. Depriving your body of too many calories can cause it to go into starvation mode, thus slowing down your metabolism. If your calorie intake is below 1,200 calories per day, it’s time to add more to your diet.
Getting past a weight loss plateau is no easy task, but with perseverance, patience, and the right approach, you can continue your journey to better health. By keeping these tips in mind, you can rediscover your momentum and achieve your weight loss goals.
