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You’ve lost 10 pounds! Then the dreaded scale stops and nothing you do seems to move that number down, ugh. It’s not you; it’s your body. Well, it’s youandyour body. But it’s fixable. Keep reading to learn five sneaky culprits behind weight-loss plateaus and how to slide that number on the scale down again.
The #1 Food to Help You Lose Weight, According to a Dietitian
1. Calories sneak back in
But don’t worry, it’s easy to remedy this, she says: “To correct this: you should continue to weigh and measure your food to ensure you are not underestimating your portion sizes, and also continue to keep a food journal. A food journal is very insightful and can help you identify times when you might be mindlessly snacking, which is also a contributing factor to hitting a plateau.” You don’t need to track calories forever, but it’s a good way to identify issues.
2. You’re not eating enough
Yes, we just said you may be eating too many calories, but the opposite could also be true. “Our bodies are really smart,” says Megan Kober, RD, a registered dietitian atThe Nutrition Addiction. “If you’ve been eating super low-cal, you probably lost weight initially, but that isn’t sustainable. You have to eat more to feed your metabolism.”
Severe calorie restriction signals the body to conserve energy, not burn it. It’s your body’s way of protecting you because it doesn’t know you’re dieting. It just thinks you’ve run out of food and doesn’t know when you’ll eat again. To combat this, lose weight slowly—not through crash diets—and eat protein, fiber and healthy fat every 3 to 4 hours.
Read More:7 Signs You Might Not Be Eating Enough Calories
3. You’ve unintentionally slowed your metabolism
4. Your weight-loss goal isn’t realistic
You can lower your set point with slow and steady weight loss. Aim to lose 10% of your body weight at a time, say researchers atBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Centerin Boston. Then work to maintain that loss for six months before starting to lose another 10%.
Remember that it’s normal for people’s weights to change throughout their lives. If you’re trying to weigh a number you weighed in high school or before you had babies, it may not be sustainable given your current lifestyle. If it’s a lot of work to maintain the weight you want to be and you find yourself constantly thinking about food and your body, then that’s a good sign you need to change your expectations.
5. You’re a stress ball
The stress alone of hitting a weight-loss plateau could be enough to send cortisol soaring. Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” rises in times of trouble. But it’s supposed to come back down. Chronically high cortisol levels halt fat burning and may increasebelly fatstorage. The two ways to lower stress are to manage the trigger—the thing (er, or person) causing the stress—or manage your response to it, ideally both. Pick up those weights, go on a walk, talk to a friend, journal, listen to music or sleep. And be patient with your weight loss. Slow and steady wins the weight-loss race.
Bottom Line
Weight-loss plateaus are frustrating but fixable. If the scale is stuck, start tracking food again, assess your stress and pick up some weights. Review your weight-loss goal and determine if it’s realistic for your lifestyle. And don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for the weight you have lost. Sustainable weight loss is a journey, so don’t be too hard on yourself and enjoy the process!
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