All strategies for weight loss revolve around the common goal of creating a calorie deficit, which occurs when you consume fewer calories than you burn. It sounds simple, but weight loss is actually much more complex than this, and creating a calorie deficit is often much harder than it seems. You may begin losing weight using traditional strategies, and everything is going great until you hit what is called a weight loss plateau.
It can be very frustrating to be doing all the right things and have your weight loss just stall, but you should know that this is very common and happens to almost everyone at one time or another. Today, we are going to talk about this annoying issue and why it occurs, and how to break a weight loss plateau so you can successfully maintain a healthy weight.
How Common Is Hitting a Weight Loss Plateau?
Researchers looked at different types of diets and found that no matter which one the individuals followed, as long as they consumed fewer calories than they burned over the 8-to-12-week time frame, they lost about the same amount of weight. This showed that the average body will lose weight at a steady pace for the first few months with little regard for which diet or workout plan you use to create that calorie deficit, and what matters most is that more calories are being burned than taken in. The interesting thing about this study was that when the researchers checked back in after 24 weeks, they found that only 20% of these individuals were able to keep the weight off.
This means that at least 80% of people who begin a weight loss journey experience a weight loss plateau. Many people think that following a specific weight loss strategy will always work the same way, sort of like putting money in a vending machine, and after you pay, you get your snack. They think if they cut calories and ramp up their exercise, they will create a calorie deficit and the weight will come off.
The truth is that creating a deficit is more complicated than you may think and can involve your DNA, family history, hormones, sleep patterns, medications you are taking, and more. The strategies you have used in the past that helped you lose weight may not be effective at all the next time you try them, and to make things even trickier, your own body might be working against you.
Why Has My Weight Loss Stalled?
When you stop losing weight despite following the same plan that has been successful up until that point, you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. This can be incredibly frustrating, but understanding some of the reasons this happens can help you recognize that you are experiencing one and give you some ideas on how to get through it.
Some of the reasons you might experience a weight loss plateau include:
Your Body’s Set Point
Many believe that the body has a built-in system that helps regulate your body weight and keep it at a certain point. When your weight changes from this set point, your body makes adjustments to rebalance itself to bring you back to this weight before leveling off again. The longer you have carried this excess weight, the harder it is for your body to reset.
You Are Not Reaching A Calorie Deficit
Many people think they are tracking their calories and doing everything right to create a calorie deficit, but their numbers are inaccurate. Research has reported that individuals tend to underestimate how many calories they eat and overestimate how many they burn. You might think you are creating a deficit, but small mistakes can add up and stall your weight loss.
Self-Preservation Has Been Triggered
Your body has a built-in survival mode and is designed to adjust under certain circumstances to keep you alive. When it is accustomed to getting a certain number of calories a day and then this number is drastically reduced, it triggers alarm signals, and this system begins making changes to your metabolism that will help preserve energy and make the calories you do eat count for more.
This might be helpful if you ever find yourself lost in the woods, but when you are trying to create a calorie deficit to lose weight, it becomes a problem. Your body starts to inhibit your weight loss attempts by changing the rate at which you burn calories, both while you are moving and sitting still.
It also adjusts your hormone balance and dumps more ghrelin into your system, which causes you to feel hungrier, and reduces the level of leptin in your system, which is the hormone that signals that you feel full. When your hormones get out of balance, it can make you tired and leave you feeling like you are dragging with no energy. When you are trying to lose weight, having no energy and feeling super hungry are counterproductive to your goals of exercising and controlling your portion sizes.
Your Lifestyle Is Holding You Back
Some of your lifestyle habits may be adding to your weight loss plateau, and you may not even realize it. Not getting enough sleep or managing your stress can throw off your hormones and make you feel hungrier, and also trigger your body to store fat instead of burning it. Also, if you do not eat enough protein, you can lose muscle mass, which slows your rate of calorie burn and makes it harder for your body to reach a calorie deficit. Other things that can inhibit weight loss are if you do not drink an adequate amount of water or get enough sleep. Sometimes your body can send signals that indicate hunger when you are actually thirsty, and experts recommend getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night. These may seem like small details, but they add up to big issues when you are trying to improve your health through weight loss.
How Many Weeks Is Considered a Weight Loss Plateau?
Most weight loss experts report that if you have gone at least 4 weeks with no progress, despite following the same low-calorie diet and exercise plan you have been using to steadily lose weight up until this point, you have more than likely hit a weight loss plateau. Unfortunately, these can last for several months if you do not do something to change it.
Before you begin to panic, make sure that what you are experiencing is a true plateau and not just your body composition changing. Lean muscle weighs more than fat, and you may be exchanging one for the other, which will make it seem like the scale is not moving at all, but you may be losing fat and inches and building muscle and becoming healthier.
How to Break A Weight Loss Plateau
Breaking through a weight loss plateau can be challenging, but the good news is that there are many strategies you can use, and the experts at Reveal Weight Loss can give you the help you need to be successful.
Everyone is different, and not every strategy will have the same effect on each person. It may take some trial and error before you figure out which strategy or combination of strategies works best, and you may also have to alternate strategies because sometimes a strategy will work for a period of time and then become ineffective as your body tries to outsmart you.
Some strategies you can try include:
1. Ramp Up Your Exercise Program
After performing the same exercise routine for a while, your body will become accustomed, and it will not be challenging enough to create a significant calorie deficit. You may have to switch up the intensity of your routine or add different elements to make it a little more challenging.
2. Eat Enough Of The Right Kind Of Calories
Sometimes people think they need to continue to drastically cut their calorie intake, and they inadvertently trigger their body’s survival response, slowing down their metabolism.
Your body needs enough calories to function properly, and eating the right type of calories consistently can help you stay satisfied without feeling deprived while giving your body what it needs to function at its best.
There are different kinds of calories, and your body uses different amounts of energy to digest them. Protein takes more energy to digest than fats or carbohydrates, so it temporarily speeds up your metabolism and causes it to run a little faster, which burns more calories. Eating food that is high in fiber helps to slow down how fast your stomach empties and makes you feel full for a longer time, so eating the right kind of calories can help you eat less, burn more calories, and lose weight.
3. Make Adjustments to Your Lifestyle
There are many things that can inhibit weight loss and contribute to a weight loss plateau. Losing weight involves more than just eating a low-calorie, healthy diet. You need to be deliberate in making sure that you are getting enough sleep, staying properly hydrated, and managing your stress levels, so your hormones will stay in balance and your metabolism works at its best, because these can make a big difference in how your body responds to the weight loss strategies you are using.
4. Get Professional Help From The Experts At Reveal Weight Loss
Trying to lose weight on your own is not an easy thing to do, and the professionals at Reveal Weight Loss can help you overcome a weight loss plateau, stop weight gain, and get your journey back on track.
Maintaining a healthy weight requires a lifelong commitment to consistently making healthy choices, avoiding unhealthy habits, and seeking out help from professionals when you need it.
Research has discovered that losing as little as 5% to 15% of your total body weight can improve your metabolic health significantly and can improve conditions like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as lower your risk for other serious medical conditions.
Get Help When You Need It
If you are struggling with your weight, have reached a weight loss plateau, or want to know how to restart weight loss after gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery, do not let the issue get worse. The Reveal Weight Loss team understands the complexities of weight loss and how to help you overcome all of these challenges.
Do not let a weight loss plateau sidetrack your journey, cause discouragement, or keep you from reaching your goals. If you are consistent and continue to eat healthy, exercise, and get help when you need it, you can reach and maintain a healthy weight and improve your health.
Set up a consultation with Reveal Weight Loss today, before things get worse, and let’s talk about your current circumstances and the results you would like to achieve. We will explain the options that are available to you and create a customized plan that will help you reach your goals. You will not be on your own struggling to figure out next steps; our team will be by your side with the tools, strategies, and support you need to get through any challenge.
