Breaking Through Your Weight Loss Plateau

Eugene Foster October 3, 2023

Are you feeling frustrated after weeks of dieting and exercise, yet finding yourself still stuck at the same weight? You may be experiencing a common phenomenon known as a weight loss plateau. Don’t give up hope – there are simple strategies you can use to get your weight loss effort back on track. Keep reading to learn about breaking through your weight loss plateau!

1. Uncover the Reason Behind Your Weight Loss Stall

It’s not unusual to reach a plateau in your weight loss journey. The numbers on the scale no longer change and it can be discouraging. But don’t despair, for there is usually an explanation to the stall. To keep yourself motivated and moving forward, take the time to uncover the reasons behind your weight loss stall.

Here are some of the most common reasons behind weight loss stalls, and how to tackle them:

Your Calorie Intake Is Too Low – If you are drastically cutting calories, this may be why you are stuck at a plateau. Keeping your calorie intake too low for too long can slow down your metabolism and cause your body to go into starvation mode. Increase your calories to a healthy number and watch as the weight comes off again.
You Have Poor Eating Habits – If you have been dieting for a while, it is easy to let unhealthy eating habits creep back in. A diet is only effective if you are committed and stick with it. Day after day of snacking on potato chips or eating out can add more calories than you realize and prevent weight loss. Eat healthily and make sensible choices.
You Don’t Exercise Enough – Exercise is essential for weight loss, and if you are not doing enough of it, you may stay stuck at a plateau. Make sure to include cardio, strength training, and/or yoga into your lifestyle. Mixing up your workouts can get your body moving and shedding pounds.
You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep – Sleep plays a huge role in metabolism and weight loss. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep every night, and avoid activities or screens before bedtime. Doing so will keep your energy up and keep the weight coming off.

2. Identifying Strategies to Overcome Plateaus

Experiencing a plateau in results can be incredibly disheartening — it’s like running against an insurmountable wall. But with some perseverance and a bit of exploration, you can push past it and unlock your potential to achieve even greater results.

Here are some strategies you can employ right away:

Switch up your routine— break your current routine and try something new. This could mean varying your exercises or changing your meal plans. When the body is taken out of its comfort zone, it will be forced into new adaptation.
Evaluate your progress— step back and evaluate your progress. Take notice of your strengths and weaknesses and tailor your plans to rectify any areas you can improve upon.
Focus on technique— many experienced lifters tend to forget the importance of technique, which can be a major obstacle to further progress. Doing each exercise correctly with the proper form and concentration gives low-intensity workouts a chance to make a real impact.
Keep your eyes on the prize— focus on the end-goal and appreciate the progress you have made so far, no matter how small. Knowing what you are working towards and bearings the significance of all the work involved to accomplish it can motivate you to continue.

By equipping yourself with the right strategies and mindset, you can overcome plateaus and gain momentum towards achieving your desired results.

3. Fire Up Your Metabolism with Exercise

Your metabolism is your health’s turbo engine – it’s the battery of your body that helps you break down energy and burn calories. Giving it a boost can help you fuel your body and its functions more efficiently. Exercise is the perfect way to rev up your metabolism.

Hit the gym or take a power walk—vigorous exercise can really help you fire up your metabolism for the long-term.
Challenge yourself to try out different high-intensity interval exercises—they’ve been proven to increase postseason metabolic rate and help you burn more calories overall.
Incorporate strength and resistance training into your routine to build muscle, since the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re at rest.

Exercise doesn’t just have to be all about hitting the gym! Start playing a sport you love, like baseball or soccer. Take a dance class or join a rock-climbing group. Activities that get your creative juices flowing can be great for your overall health, and they also help to boost your metabolism.

Make sure to take regular breaks to hit the water cooler or just have a few moments to yourself—your body needs to refuel every now and then.
Mix up your routine—try some aerobic exercises one day and strength training the next. This kind of cross-training keeps things interesting, and it switches up the muscle groups being worked out.
Diversifying exercises can help you kick start your metabolism for the day, and down the line.

4. Making Smart Food Choices to Support your Weight Loss

Fuel Your Body to Crush Your Goals

Making the switch from a junky diet to a nutritious one is key to lasting weight loss. The most important decisions you make are what you avoid eating. Make a conscious effort to avoid processed, sugar-loaded, and fried junk.

But it’s not all about avoiding the bad, there’s plenty of yummy goodness that can help you stay fueled and satisfied as you work toward your goals. Here are a few smart food tips to keep in mind:

Focus on whole, minimally-processed foods.
No matter what meal plan or diet philosophy you follow, make sure to get plenty of protein, fiber, and antioxidant-rich foods.
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to give your body the hydration it needs.
Whenever possible, opt for nutrient-dense, lower-calorie choices.

By focusing on eating healthy and nourishing foods, you’ll keep yourself full and energized during your weight loss journey. Choose nutrient-rich salads, soups, poultry, fish, fruit, and vegetables. Try to focus on finding the best balance of carbs, fats, and proteins for your individual goals.

Making smart food choices can seem difficult at first, but is key to successful and sustainable weight loss. Stick to a clean diet and get creative in the kitchen to fuel yourself on a tasty, nutritious path to success.

5. Track Progress and Re-Evaluate When Necessary

Setting goals is a good first step; keeping track of and analyzing our progress is the next. It’s essential to evaluate how our projects and initiatives are progressing and whether the goals are being met. Continuous evaluation will help make sure we’re staying on track and headed towards success.

To track progress, create small benchmarks along the way and regularly check in on our progress. The following are a few things to try:

Estimate the time for each step in a project.
Review milestones and goals, breaking them down into manageable pieces.
Calculate costs for each step.
Check in with stakeholders to ensure everyone is moving towards the same desired outcome.

Once we finish tracking our progress, it’s essential to schedule regular reviews to ensure that all of our goals are being met. Re-evaluating our progress gives us the chance to reassess, make changes if needed, and course-correct. This will help keep our projects on track and ensure we’re meeting our desired goals.

Breaking through a weight loss plateau is possible, with a little patience, persistence, and commitment. Acknowledge your accomplishments along the way, and strive to make healthy lifestyle changes that you can stick with long-term. With the right combination of diet and exercise habits, you can make strides in achieving your desired weight and living a more fulfilled life. So go forth, ready to conquer your plateau, and let nothing stand in your way!