Weight Loss: Why Have I Hit a Plateau?

Why did I suddenly stop losing weight? Things were going well but now the number on the scale is stuck. The good news is that this is a normal part of weight loss.

Possible Causes for a Weight-Loss Plateau

• You lose water weight in the beginning. ;When you cut calories, the body releases stores of glycogen. Glycogen is partly made up of water, so when it’s burned for energy, it releases water.
• Your metabolism slows down. If you lose muscle, or lean body mass, you’ll burn fewer calories. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn.
• You’re getting fitter. By doing the same exercise routine over time your body will become more efficient at it. When we become more efficient we burn fewer calories.
• You stop following your weight loss plan or you didn’t have a plan. Small, unconscious changes in daily calories can cause early weight loss plateaus. Or, you aren’t nourishing your body.

How to Beat a Weight-Loss Plateau

Take a close look at your behavior.

• Honestly assess your daily habits by tracking them using a journal or tracking app.
• Don’t starve your body of key nutrients: omega-3 fatty acids, high quality proteins, foods from nature.
• Avoid “calorie creeps” – what you drink, the food you sample at the store, the cookies at work.

Switch up your exercise routine every two to five weeks – plateaus happen when the body begins to adjust to the demands of your exercise routine.

• Change your exercises, frequency, intensity, and/or time.
• Strength train regularly to protect and build muscle tissue.

Pack in the protein – if you aren’t eating enough protein your body will take it from your muscles for fuel.

• Include lean protein in all of your meals and snacks: eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, lentils, low-fat cottage cheese, hummus.
• Make sure you are engaging in your exercise program with a fully nourished body.

Get enough sleep – sleep and fitness go hand-in-hand, so losing sleep can sabotage your diet.

• To keep the hormones that signal hunger in check, aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
• Sleep is crucial to keep your energy levels high to get a workout in and is needed for your muscles to recover.

Manage stress to prevent emotional eating.

• Set boundaries and design the life you want for yourself – nourish your soul.
• Meditation, deep breathing, mind-body movement, fun hobbies, practicing gratitude and nurturing relationships are effective.

By Kim Goblirsch, Well-Being Specialist