When working on losing weight, many people tend to – usually when they are close to attaining their ideal weight – experience an weight loss plateau. For those unfamiliar with the term, it simply means that you reach a point where it seems as if you are no longer able to lose another pound, no matter how hard you try. It seems as if your diet has simply stopped working, and as if you will never be able to attain your ideal weight.
If you happen to get stuck in this situation, there is no need for panic. There are a few specific steps you can take to force your system to continue losing weight, and go beyond the plateau – right down to the weight loss target you really want to achieve.
Firstly, do not focus on the short term – neither in terms of goals or in terms of expectations. By keeping your focus on the desired end result, you will be able to keep going. Remind yourself that you have already lost a reasonable amount of weight, and there is no need to lose hope. By simply sticking to your weight loss program, you will eventually be able to move on past the plateau and start losing the pounds again.
When you reach a plateau stage in losing weight, there is a possibility that your body has become very well accustomed to the activities that you have been doing to achieve your goals. For example, if you are doing brisk walking each morning to boost your body’s metabolic rate, try to mix it up a little, by changing a couple of mornings to swimming or running. Since they will require different muscle groups to move, your body will try to adjust to it, and it will be prompted to continually lose weight.
Aside from that, you can also change something in your diet, as long as it is still consistent with your weight loss program.
These basic steps will help you to adapt to, and overcome the weight loss plateau once it hits. Just keep at it, with some minor changes to your activities and eating, and you can be motivated to continue towards your goal.
Videos on how to avoid a Weight Loss Plateau