The best tips for overcoming a weight loss plateau
This article includes links I have been paid to include but all opinions are my own to help you overcome a weight loss plateau.
If you are trying to lose weight it can be so frustrating when you hit a plateau. The plateau can be for a huge number of reasons. Getting a good night sleep is actually one of them. I know it sounds crazy but it is true.
What is a weight loss plateau?
A plateau in your weight loss is when you have been losing weight well but then stopped. It feels like whatever you do you can not lose any more.
Are you losing a pound one week and then regaining it the next? Perhaps you have been stuck on the same weight for 6 weeks? Whenever you get weighed your heart drops as you see the same number again.
Reasons for your weight loss plateau
There are so many reasons you could be struggling to lose weight. If you are still following the same plan it can be easy to get disheartened.
You are not eating enough.
If you are not actually eating enough calories in a day your body will panic. When your body thinks you are starving and it stores what it has.
If you regularly eat too little this could be how your body reacts and you stop losing weight. Look at what you are eating and try increasing it a little and see what happens.
You are eating too much.
If you have been dieting for some time and started out with much more weight to lose this could have a huge impact. The lighter you are the fewer calories your body needs to maintain your weight.
As such you need to eat less to lose weight. What you ate at 20 stone and lost weight will, of course, be different to 12 stone, you are a much lighter person.
You are eating too little whilst exercising
If you exercise, especially strenuously, then you need to eat more to fuel this. Food is fuel and if you are used to sitting at a desk all day and then starting to go to the gym for an hour a day you will need to eat more to fuel that extra.
You are not sleeping well enough
If you find that you are not sleeping well only getting a few hours of sleep can affect your weight. You burn more calories every day if you are awake longer hours but you will inevitably eat more too.
A lack of good sleep can affect your mood and without realising you could be eating to keep you awake or to keep you busy when you are tired. Getting a good bed can make all the difference. What sort of bedtime routine do you have?
We all need different amounts of sleep. Making sure you don’t wake up during the night can make a huge difference.
Your body is used to the same foods
It sounds crazy but it is actually true. Simply changing the foods you eat especially the types of fibre your body is using can make a difference. Do you eat a lot of bread?
Swapping to oats could make a big difference in keeping you fuller for longer and the fibre will help ensure you don’t get blocked up and go to the toilet regularly.
You are eating too many calorie-dense foods
I have spoken previously about how vegetables are low-calorie-dense. This is why the Slimming World plan recommends you have a minimum of 1/3 of your plate as them. The simple way of looking at this is that the volume of food in physical size and has the same space in your stomach.
A handful of peanuts will have significantly more calories than a handful of salad. Both take the same amount of space in your stomach. Whilst this is not always strictly true.
Some foods, such as protein-based foods, keep you feeling full for longer as they take longer to digest. This is a general rule to consider. Looking at the things you eat can help you spot these kinds of things.
Have you noticed anything else that makes your weight loss plateau?
To read all my posts with tips and experiences of various diets, exercises and lots more check out my comprehensive Weight Loss section.
