How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau
What to Do When the Scale's Not Moving
Although hitting a weight loss plateau is frustrating, there are ways to get the scale moving downward again. Here are some tips to break through a weight loss plateau.
Those who are trying to lose weight often hit a time when the scale won't budge and weight loss stalls. While weight loss plateaus are common, they can be overcome.
Keep a Food Journal
Underestimating calorie consumption is common. Keeping a food journal makes it easy to see where you're getting in extra calories that you may not think about, such as those calories in condiments, the handful of chips you munch on while watching TV, the tasting you do while preparing dinner or the couple of bites of food your kids' leave on their plates that you clean up for them. Fitday and SparkPeople offer free online food journals that makes tracking calories super easy.
Change Workout Routine
Once the body has mastered the movements of a particular program, it no longer requires as much energy to perform the same routine and will stop responding. If you've been doing the same exercise routine for a few weeks, try something different. If you've been using the treadmill, try a new machine instead or try an aerobics class. If you would rather workout at home, buy a DVD that provides a good cardio workout.
Add Resistance Training
Muscle burns more calories than fat, even while at rest, so building muscle is a good way to get the metabolism revving again. If you're not already strength training, then this may be a good time to incorporate some resistance training into your workout. If you already strength training, it could be time to increase the resistance you're using, add more weight or more repetitions.
Drink More Water
Dehydration has a direct impact on metabolism. If you're not drinking enough water, your metabolism will become sluggish. Try to drink at least eight glass of water per day. Coffee and tea both have a diuretic effect, so if you drink a lot of either one, be sure to drink extra water throughout the day to compensate for the loss of water.
Stop Dieting
If you've been sticking with your diet plan religiously, you may hit a plateau because your body has gotten used to the predictably of how many calories it's going to get. Keep your body guessing. Try upping your calories every two or three days, or totally forget about your diet one day out of the weekend. If you're eating three large meals per day, try mini-meals instead.
Sometimes the body just needs a break from the same routine. If one or all of the above methods of breaking a plateau doesn't work, try giving your body a rest from dieting and exercise for a week.
