You have been working hard on your weight loss journey by following a healthy, low-calorie diet and improving your exercise habits. Your reward has been watching your weight go down on the weighing scale. Now, at some point, your weight stops decreasing! The weighing scale doesn’t tip in your favor anymore and you’re left frustrated! Don’t worry. You’ve just hit a weight loss plateau.
It’s pretty common and nothing to get discouraged about. It is normal for weight loss to slow down and even stall. But, by understanding what causes a weight loss plateau, you can decide how to respond and avoid backsliding on your new healthy habits.
Here are some ways you can overcome a weight loss plateau to stay on track and keep going!
How Can You Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau?
When you reach a plateau, you may have lost all of the weight you can on your current diet and exercise plan. Ask yourself if you’re satisfied with your current weight or if you want to lose more. In which case, you’ll need to adjust your weight loss program.
If you’re committed to lose more weight, try these tips for getting past the plateau:
1. Drop Your Calorie Intake
To cut down fat, a calorie deficit diet is needed. Consume fewer calories than you burn per day. Maintain a food journal to track your calories. Then slowly reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories per day to boost fat loss. Fat percentage can be measured either by using callipers or with the BCA machine.
2. Rotate Your Workout Routine
Have you been addicted to the treadmill and cross training for the past 4 months? It’s time to switch! Once your muscles become familiar with the same old workout, it makes your regular routine less effective. To see a change in body fat, you have to get outside your fitness comfort zone. Introduce High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to burn body fat effectively. Try a total-body circuit. Instead of a basic sprint interval, you’ll work your entire body which will boost your metabolism. Also note that you need to 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.
3. Eat More Protein
Protein is essential to fat loss, as it maintains your muscle during a calorie deficit. It keeps you satiated, which prevents overeating and snacking on junk food. Also, it boosts your calorie burn throughout the day because takes more energy to digest as compared to carbs or fat. Eat at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day and get your protein from whole sources like nuts, eggs, lean meats, yogurts, and quality protein powders.
4. Eat More Healthy Fats
To lose more fat, eat more fat. This might seem absurd but healthy fats such as animal fats, real butter, coconut oil, nuts, and avocados actually make you leaner and more muscular—they keep you full & maintain your good testosterone levels. Eating healthy fats force you to lower your carbohydrate intake. Get at least 30 percent of your calories from good sources of fat and never consume artificial fats, which can cause health problems like heart disease.
5. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is important as your body often craves food even when you are mildly dehydrated. We are often confused whether we are thirsty or hungry because the symptoms of hunger and thirst are similar. Aim to drink 2-3L of water per day plus additional fluids lost during activity.
6. Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting increases fat oxidation, which promotes more fat loss. Also, fasting along with exercise boosts the insulin sensitivity, helping your body send nutrients to muscle rather than fat. Fasting during a calorie-restricted diet can lead to weight loss.
7. Get Plenty of Sleep
Insufficient sleep can interfere with weight loss by reducing your metabolic rate and shifting your hormone levels to promote hunger and fat storage. Hence, have at least 7-8hrs of good quality sleep.
8. Eat Your Veggies
Vegetables are loaded with important nutrients and are low in calories and carbs. The fiber in your greens aids digestion and also provide your body the essential antioxidants it needs. Including them might help you break through the weight loss plateau.
9. Don’t Rely on a Weighing Scale
The numbers flashing on your weighing scale might be misleading because it does not reflect the loss of body fat. Instead, focus on how you feel, whether your old clothes fit you or if your measurements have changed.
10. Check for Medical Conditions
If you’re still stuck on the weight loss plateau despite all your efforts, then you might need to check for a medical condition. Check your thyroid levels, hormonal imbalance, PCOD, or for Vitamin deficiencies such as Vitamin D or B12. You will first need to correct a medical issue to lose more weight.
Stress also plays a part in weight loss as it raises the level of cortisol in the body which in turn increases weight. Most important of all, don’t get demotivated and work towards your goals. The weight loss plateau is a part of the journey and with the right direction, you can overcome it!
If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below! You can also find more articles on weight loss here. If you want to overcome a weight loss plateau and need some advice or guidance, reach out to our experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.
#BeTheForce
Everyone knows about yoga and the benefits it can bring to your life. This ancient form of exercise started in India and has reached far and wide across the world. Since the pandemic, we’re always looking for new ways to be fit and active, given that health has now become a priority. I have a few ways on how we can be more active during the day and that’s Hand Yoga!
In this Mudra, the thumb and index finger are touching and form a circle. The other three fingers are stretched casually. The palms are facing upwards. This Hand Yoga Mudra is known as the gesture of knowledge and wisdom. The Index Finger symbolizes the ego that is beaten by the universal wisdom, which is represented by thumb.
To perform this, the thumb and middle finger are brought together. The other fingers are casually stretching. Aakash stands for the element of room or ether.
In this Hand Yoga Mudra, you bend your middle finger until it touches the ball below the thumb. The thumb performs light pressure on the middle finger. The other fingers are stretched. Put your hands, palms facing up, on your thighs. Sunya Means “sky” or “zero”.
It is formed by folding the ring finger so that it touches the lower end of the thumb. The thumb pushes the ring finger slightly down and other fingers are casually stretched upwards. Surya Mudra activates the fire element of the body.
To perform this, the small finger is bent towards the thumb. The thumb pushes the small finger slightly down. The name of this hand gesture (Mudra) is made up of from three words Jal for “water”, Udar for “ stomach”and Nashak for “finish”. The small finger represent the water element.
A vacation is a good time to enjoy and stay carefree but it can certainly take you a step back in your health and fitness journey, if you are not mindful. There’s no need to panic! We’ve got you covered with few effective yet practical things you can do to stay healthy on a vacation.
