How to Avoid Weight Loss Plateau - What You Can Actually Do!

You followed a strict diet, worked out 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes each day and very consciously avoided processed and junk foods. You saw immediate results that motivated you into continuing on with the fitness plan and the weight loss was beyond amazing. But now that you have come to your healthy weight, those last few pounds seem to be stuck, the ones that will help you achieve your actual weight loss goals. Why is that? Why you were able to get rid of the bulk, but these few pounds have become a major challenge?

Not being able to lose the last few pounds is something commonly referred to as weight loss plateau or weight loss stall. Not only is it profoundly discouraging, but it can become pretty depressing.

The reason why this happens is that once you get rid of the excess weight, your body makes it difficult to restrict calories and lose those last few pounds. The same exercises or diets don’t work, and you need to do something entirely new, that your body isn’t already prepared for to see any kind of change in your weight loss efforts.

If you are currently facing a weight loss stall, there’s nothing to worry about. The following 5 tips are going to ensure that you continue to lose weight without having to experience any sort of plateau.

1.  Routine Rotation

This is the first thing that you need to do. Change your routine. You have to pull your body out of the same repetitive patterns. What this will do is break the habit of doing the exact same thing each and every day.

For example, if you have been eating 5 times a day daily, start having 3 meals. If you have been working out in the morning for 45 minutes straight, break the exercise into 15-minute cycles and do them throughout the day.

Studies make it clear that by breaking out of the routine, you immediately see some changes in your weight loss efforts. Try it, you will be surprised by how well it can actually work.

2.  Up Your Calorie Game

This may seem like the worst approach, but you need to give your body something different. Whether you have been dieting for 6 months or 6 weeks, your body has gotten used to the amount of food you have been taking in.

Now increase the number of calories and fire up your metabolism by adding more protein and fiber to your diet. Keep in mind that if you continue to have too little calories for a long time, your metabolism will slow down, hence the weight loss plateau.

How do you go about this? Well, it’s pretty simple. Eat more calories one day and fewer calories the next day. You will be surprised at how well this simple change boosts your metabolic rate.

For example, if you’re eating 1500 calories one day, increase them to 1800 calories the next day and so on. However, make sure that you never go down below 1200 calories as that would put the body in starvation mode, and metabolic rate would slow down immensely.

3.  Rev the Exercise Program

This is another thing that can work wonders for your weight loss plateau. Try different kinds of exercises. If you have only been Gyming, then add some HIIT or some Yoga in your routine exercise programs. What’s more, try to add some stretching, strength training and gentle aerobic exercises to your days. This way, your body will break out of the same repetitive workout routine and get back into an active mode, where it starts shedding the extra pounds. 

Just like your calorie intake, you can do different exercises each week. For example, if you used the machines one week, lift more weights the next week and opt for gentle aerobics during the third week. Keep up this practice for a month to notice a visible difference in your weight loss efforts.

4.  Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has become very popular these days. It allows you to have food and yet lose weight at the same time. Intermittent means not eating for anywhere between 16-48 hours. Not only does it help with weight loss but also provides many other health benefits like clearing up clogged pores and more.   

If the idea of not eating at all the entire day worries you, you can fast alternative days or once every three days. Here is how you can observe intermittent fasting. Wake up early and have a hearty breakfast. Now for the next 16-20 hours after that, the only thing you are allowed to have is water. This will help you shed all the water weight, get rid of bloating and also make sure that you lose the pounds when you do this repeatedly.

5.  Sleep and Stress Management

Stress and lack of sleep are the worst things for weight loss efforts. They immediately put a full stop to everything that you try to do. You need to make sure that you are having 7-8 hours of peaceful sleep each night. Did you know that even when you are resting and eating healthy, your body continues to lose weight? As unbelievable as it may sound, it’s true.

Stress likewise is something you have to avoid at all costs. When stress hormone is released into your blood, it leads to the craving for comfort foods, acquisition of fat in the belly region and slow metabolic rate, the three worst things for your weight loss. So make sure you stay away from stressful situations and keep yourself relaxed at all times.

Weight loss plateau is not the end of your efforts, you just need to change your direction to get back on track. So continue on and try these 5 tips and tricks to see what works best for you. Good luck!