7 Ways to Bust Thru a Plateau
If you’ve been working to lose some of those extra pounds, it can be irritating when it feels like your progress has suddenly come to a standstill. Usually, if you can stick with your plan, the weight loss train will pick up momentum again. Just to be clear, a plateau is a halt in weight loss unrelated to diet, exercise, or other lifestyle changes. They can happen at stage of your weight loss journey. Generally and luck for us, plateaus are not normally permanent, and usually respond to these strategies:
- Watch for creep.
And I don’t mean the Cavity Creeps. Portion creep. Number of meals or snacks. Number of calories, emotional eating episodes, and “guesstimating” what your daily intake is or should be – can all contribute to minimal weight loss progress. When this happens to me, I always go back to basics. I start tracking things, just in case I’ve gotten off track and less mindful when it comes to my eating. So, be honest with yourself. Pull out your journal, and get back into the habit of writing everything down so you have a accurate idea of what you’re eating. You might be surprised.
- Drop something.
Consider dropping one of your snacks, or that extra portion, or that dollop of cream in your coffee. Sometimes a small change for a couple of days may be enough to get things kickstarted for you again. If you are worried about feeling deprived, consider adding something healthy in as a swap. Instead of your evening snack or dessert, consider having a warm cup of tea with stevia. You’ll still get the after dinner sweetness you want, plus the fluids you need, and this tweak could get you going again. Once your weight loss resumes you can try to add back what you eliminated and see if it causes you problems.
- Don’t get stuck.
The body loves samey-sameness. And because it prefers it, it adapts to what you’re doing as quickly as it can. So consider changing things up. But if you do decide to make changes – be sure that it’s something you are excited about doing – something you can be joyous about. You body responds to your happiness. Remember that. But shaking things up may be all your body needs to start shedding pounds again.
- Fat is not your foe.
Consider fat your friend, in mindful amounts. Fat is satiating, so consider adding healthy fats to your meals or snacks, or change the type of fat you are eating. Many of us cut our diet training wheels during the low/no-fat days. And that mentality did us NO favors. So focus on filling, healthy fats—add a slice of avocado to your meal, use a dab of butter or coconut oil, or a drizzle of olive oil. Add a handful of olives or walnuts to your snacks. Adding some of fat to your meals and snacks will help you control your hunger and cravings.
- Stay hydrated.
Whether you’re dealing with the heat or summer or the drying heat of the furnace in winter, water is essential. It can help ease your hunger. It’s great for your skin and overall wellness. Drink to your thirst. If you’re not sure, consider drinking a few ounces of water when you are hungry, just to see if it helps. To liven up your water, consider adding a few pieces of sliced fruit or vegetables or even mint leaves or other herbs.
- Watch out for the hidden and unknown.
You could be unknowingly be ingesting more than you intend when you eat out or eat processed foods. Keep in mind, that engineered food is DESIGNED to override your natural eating mechanisms. So you may eat more without even realizing it.
- Get moving.
Exercise can help you work through a set point. Consider going for a walk or popping in to a class at the gym. If you boost your exercise intensity, you may see the pounds start to drop again.
Most importantly, don’t give up. When you are losing weight at a steady pace, it’s easy to stick to the plan, but the true challenge is sticking with it when the going gets rough. This is where you really learn how to embrace your chosen lifestyle instead of focusing on a quick-fix solution. Be patient. Look at this place in your journey as practice in maintaining your weight, a skill you’ll be glad to have when it’s all said and done.
