So you stopped
drinking soda and bringing ice cream into the house, and the weight
started to peel off. This boosted your confidence, so you joined a gym
to burn some extra calories on the stationary bike. All of your efforts
paid off and you lost weight, possibly even a lot of weight … well, for a
while. But now you feel stuck; you feel as if you’ve reached a
weight-loss plateau.
Possibly you’re
at a healthy weight, albeit above your dream weight, but those pesky
5-10-15 pounds are still lingering. Why? Are you just dreaming too big
and searching for something that is out of reach? If you’re at a healthy
weight, this might be because the body likes to maintain a stable
weight, also known as set-point weight. While your body’s set point can
be adjusted, it can take some time to get there.
As you are
losing weight, it can be tempting to cut calories too low to shed pounds
faster. The down side to this technique: your muscle can be used as
energy and this gradually slows your metabolism to spare energy. Whether
you find yourself above your body’s natural set-point weight or if
you’re hard pressed to lose those vanity pounds, here are 10 ways to
overcome a weight-loss plateau.
1. Adjust your calorie intake. As
you lose weight, your metabolism can drop because your body requires
less calories or “energy” to fuel a smaller you. The calorie intake that
you initially had when you began your weight-loss journey will need to
be adjusted to match your body’s current needs for weight loss. Make
sure to revise your calorie goal in MyFitnessPal every 10 pounds or so.
2. Focus on quality. Busting
through a weight-loss plateau is more than calories in and calories
out. Processed foods won’t cut it anymore, thus quality whole foods like
vegetables, beans, high-fiber fruits and lean proteins are needed for
your engine to burn body fat.
3. Rotate your routine.
Slugging away on the treadmill for the past four months? It’s time to
change up your workouts. The muscles become familiar with the same old
workout, making your regular routine less effective. To see a change in
body fat, you have to get outside of your fitness comfort zone. High
Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been shown to burn body fat
effectively. Try doing speed work at the track, a boot camp class at the
gym, or alternate walking and running intervals. Note: Just progress
slowly and deliberately when incorporating high-intensity exercise into
your routine. Doing too much too fast can leave you too sore, tired or
even injured.
4. Beware of clean-up duty. An
extra bite here, a little nibble there. Those calories DO count, even
if they aren’t on your plate. Mindlessly munching on the kids’ (or
spouse’s) leftovers during clean up seems harmless, but resist the snack
urge because it might be what’s keeping you from seeing results.
5. Know your numbers. If
you’ve been watching what you eat and exercising more and your weight
is not budging, consult with your doctor to rule out any underlying
medical conditions that could make it difficult for you to lose weight.
6. Sleep. A
full night’s sleep is vital to losing body fat because it resets your
hormones. Even a little sleep deprivation can lead to increased
cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to body
fat accumulation around the midsection.
7. Keep a closer eye on your caloric needs.Research
has shown that people often overestimate how many calories they burn
during exercise, and underestimate how many calories they eat. To better
approximate your caloric needs, use the MyFitnessPal basal metabolic rate calculator to
learn how many calories you burn a day if you did nothing but rest for
24 hours. Use your basal metabolic rate as a benchmark to subtract the
approximate number of calories burned during activity. Keep in mind that
the number of calories burned during activity can vary.
8. Flush with fluids. Keep
your hydration in check since the body will often crave food when you
are even mildly dehydrated. Symptoms of dehydration are similar to
symptoms of hunger, so it’s easy to confuse the two. Aim to drink 80-100
fluid ounces (2.35 liters) of water per day plus additional fluids lost
during activity.
9. Increase muscle mass. Want
to burn more calories at rest? Lift (heavier) weights and follow a
strength-training program to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the
more calories you burn, and the more body fat you’ll shed.
10. Eat more protein. Protein
has the highest thermic effect of food, meaning eating protein burns
more calories during digestion. Protein also contains an amino acid,
leucine, that numerous research studies have identified as a potent
catalyst for burning body fat.
Credit: MyFitnessPal
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