Doing all you can to lose weight and the scale won’t budge another ounce? Don’t give up, get creative! Here’s how to break through your weight loss plateau.
Feast…then fast
In an NBC News article titled, Feast or Famine: Evidence Mounts for Fasting Diets, author Parminder Deo writes about the weight loss success achieved by Jennifer Stewart on the intermittent fasting diet. Stewart says she previously lost weight very slowly. But on the intermittent diet, about 500 calories two days a week and 2,200 calories for the other five days, Stewart lost 110 pounds in 18 months. She isn’t alone in her success. Many others, including several celebrities have said intermittent fasting helped them loss weight.
Intervals work with exercise, too
Add intervals to your workout routine. These are short bursts of high-intensity exercise mixed in with regular effort. For example, alternate periods of running and sprinting or walking and jogging, to burn more calories and fat during your workout.
Fill up on fiber
Fiber helps you feel fuller, longer. That means you are less likely to overeat, so you’ll save calories.
Stay hydrated
Drink enough water each day. Thirst often masquerades as hunger so you reach for food before you really need to eat.
Watch what you eat
Download app or record your meals and snacks in a journal. It is very easy to underestimate portion size and actually calorie intake unless we record. The act of recording meals and snacks forces us to honestly quantify what we are eating, and how much. When you understand about the calories and nutrients you are getting you may find you are taking in more calories and fat than you thought. Look for obvious places to cut back.
Don’t skip meals
Skipping meals may seem like an easy way to save calories. It isn’t. Any calories saved in one more are probably lost when extreme hunger causes you to overeat during the next meal. Moreover, hunger makes it tough to make smart food choices. That means you’ll be more vulnerable to the siren call of fast food or other high fat, high-calorie foods.
Sleep well
Most of us don’t get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation has a number of consequences, including a wider waistline. When you’re tired, you’re more easily stressed and less likely to exercise. To make matters worse, you’re also more likely to reach for comfort food.
Skip the soda
Don’t drink your calories. Opt instead for water with lemon or green tea. Skip the diet drinks, too. Studies have shown they can make weight loss more difficult.
Change your perspective
Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. So even if you haven’t lost actual pounds, maybe you have lost some inches for a leaner look. Maybe your blood pressure or A1C number has improved. Healthy weight isn’t always about a magic number on the scale. It is also about your overall health. If yours is improving, you’re a winner even if you aren’t losing.
