Breaking Through the Plateau: Six Tips to Overcome Weight Loss Stagnation

Attempting to shed extra pounds through diet and exercise can be a challenging feat. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome is the weight loss plateau, or a period when one’s weight loss progress stalls despite continued effort. It’s a frustrating setback, but it’s not an insurmountable one. In this article, we’ll detail six practical tips to help you break through your weight loss plateau and finally see progress once again.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is critical to maintain weight loss over the long term. To break through a plateau, it’s essential to track the number of calories consumed, monitor the ratios of macronutrients consumed, and manage portion sizes. Calorie counting can be done manually using nutritional information or an app. You can monitor macronutrients using the same approach. Some apps even simplify the process by scanning barcodes or providing a voice-enabled food diary typing. Planning your meals and snacks in advance, and shopping for ingredients accordingly, can reduce decision fatigue and ensure they’re healthy. Research shows that meal preparation leads to a more successful and sustainable weight loss program.

Change in Intensity of Workouts

It’s essential to challenge your body with regular exercise to increase your metabolic rate. Your daily activities, such as walking the dog or riding a bicycle, cannot provide the necessary intensity to break through the weight loss plateau. Instead, you will need to alter the duration, frequency, or mode of your exercise. Swapping out a cardio workout for a weight training session, incorporating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or taking up a new activity, such as yoga, can challenge your body in new and exciting ways. Aim for at least five hours of physical activity per week, combining cardio and weight training to get the best results.

Cut-out Artificial Sugars

Artificial sugars or “hidden sugars” are found in processed foods and can wreak havoc on your weight loss efforts. Let’s cut straight to the point: there’s no such thing as a ”healthy” soda. Swap sugary drinks for water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee instead of consuming beverages loaded with sugar and empty calories. You may not realize how much sugar you are consuming unintentionally. We recommend avoiding packaged or processed foods, such as canned fruits, yogurt, and salad dressing, that have added sugars and instead opt for snacks like nuts, fresh fruits, or dark chocolate when you have a sweet tooth.

More Hydrated

Drink water! Research shows that drinking ample amounts of water can help a person feel fuller, which means by extension they’re less likely to consume calories. Additionally, it can reduce bloating and inflammation, which can contribute to excess water weight. Drinking plenty of water can improve your performance during physical activity and can also improve the appearance of your skin. Avoid sugary sports drinks that may be high in calories and stick to natural water. If plain water is rather bland for you, infuse water with fresh herbs or fruits.

Increase Protein Intake

We always hear that lean proteins are critical for weight loss, and it’s true. Protein takes time to digest, keeping you fuller for longer and reducing the likelihood of overeating. Incorporate protein into your meals and snacks to help reduce your cravings. Healthy sources of protein include lean meats like chicken or turkey, fish, legumes, and dairy products such as Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Be mindful of portion sizes, aiming for a minimum of 20 grams of protein per meal.

Identify and Tackle the Root Cause

The primary reasons for a weight loss plateau are social and emotional triggers. Perhaps you have recently changed jobs, or a family emergency demands more of your time, so the gym hours are reduced. Alternatively, life has dealt you a setback, leading you to comfort eat occasionally. In either case, identify what is holding you back and what motivates you to make a lifestyle change. If you’ve had difficulty sticking to a meal or training program in the past, enlist the help of a friend or coach to hold you accountable and provide encouragement. This will give you a second wind to achieve your weight loss goals.

Conclusion

To summarize, these six tips are more than simple suggestions; they are practical ways to leapfrog the weight loss plateau, so you can continue on your journey of becoming a healthier you. Mindful eating, altering the intensity of your workouts, reducing and modifying artificial sugars, increasing protein intake, and remaining hydrated are all part of the successful formula. Additionally, identifying and addressing any emotional or social triggers and tapping into support can help keep you motivated and on track to accomplishment.

Incorporate one or more of these tips into your daily routine to achieve your weight loss goals and break through the plateau. It’s essential to remember that everyone threatens the plateau, but the key is how you respond. So, stay positive, seek support when needed, and, before you realize it, you’ll be maintaining long-term fitness and health.