How To Beat A Weight Loss Plateau
Reconsider Exercise Frequency And Times
Think about how often and when you have been exercising up until the point of the weight loss plateau. Once again, sticking to the same routine will at some point lull your body into complacency. It needs to have variety in order to keep burning calories at a fast rate. So if you go to the gym after work, try waking up earlier and fitting in a gym session before your day gets started. You can also consider switching the days you exercise to help shake things up for your body and metabolic rate.
Besides the timing of exercise, the frequency can also significantly influence a weight loss plateau. You may need to increase the frequency of workouts or even have shorter workout sessions more frequently instead of fewer, but longer ones. Even if the actual time you spend working out is the same, shorter but more frequent trips to the gym or time working out at home can still keep your heart rate going and burn more calories since your body isn’t used to the new routine. This is especially the case if you also increase the intensity at which you are exercising.
Continue reading to learn about how the food you are not eating can help you restart your weight loss.
Flip The Script On What You’re Eating
When you eat the same type of food most days, even if you are making healthy choices, the body will once again be lulled into complacency and stop losing weight quickly. Someone might be focusing a little too much on low-calorie fruits and vegetables, without enough emphasis on lean protein. Reports also indicate high fiber foods are great at restarting weight loss after a plateau has occurred.
As well, most diets include a ‘cheat meal’ or ‘cheat day,’ where you can eat what you want, even if it’s not included in the approved diet foods. In many cases when a weight loss plateau hits, people will cut out these cheat days to reduce the calories they eat. However, a cheat meal can be quite effective at confusing the body and forcing it to start burning more calories again. This is closely linked to the hormone leptin, which helps control our hunger and feelings of being satisfied. As we lose fat, our bodies will have less leptin, and less leptin can trigger the brain to start conserving calories to avoid starving, which means less weight loss, creating the plateau. Eating a meal high in carbs and with some fat, such as spaghetti and garlic bread, is a great way to produce more leptin and get your body back to burning calories at a reasonable rate.
Continue reading to learn how sleep can affect a weight loss plateau.
