There are few things more frustrating than experiencing a weight loss plateau. After all, up till now, you have enjoyed watching the scale register smaller and smaller numbers. Not only is this immensely satisfying, it also helps you feel like all your hard work is paying off.
Then, it happens – week after week you seem to be staying at the same weight. It doesn’t matter that you are watching what you eat and are continuing to work out as before, your weight just won’t budge. Now, you may feel discouraged and may be just about ready to give up. Well, you should hold off on that as there are a few ways you can beat this, once and for all.
Change Up Your Workouts
When you first start working out, your main focus is probably cardio. This is smart since this form of activity tends to burn the most number of calories. Once you hit your plateau, though, it may be time to switch things up. Of course, you should continue with your aerobic exercise like before.
That being said, you should also try to include more strength training in your routine. This is because while you need to be burning calories and fat, you shouldn’t be losing lean muscle. Lean muscle actually helps you improve your metabolic rate and thus, to aid in further weight loss. So, this is where strength training comes in. This form of workout helps you preserve and build up your lean muscle, allowing you to get over your weight loss plateau more quickly.
Be More Aware of Food Intake
One of the reasons that you may have begun losing weight in the first place is because you cut down on your portion size and focused on healthy food. However, once you start losing weight, you may find that you get hungrier than before. This isn’t all that unusual considering that once you shed a number of pounds, the hormone responsible for hunger is present in higher levels. As a result, you are more likely to feel hungry and eat more, without really realizing it.
Fortunately, there are a few things to get your hunger in check. First of all, you should slowly increase the amount of lean protein you consume. Protein may help reduce hormone levels and keep the hunger pangs at bay. You can also burn more calories by increasing the amount of fibre in your diet.
Exercise in Short Bursts but Regularly
Most people who are trying to lose weight will work out for about an hour each day, perhaps three to four times a week. While this sounds like you are staying on track, it doesn’t actually tell the whole story. Your hour-long workouts may actually be what is holding you back. Once you are done with them, there is a good chance that you don’t have the energy to do anything else that can be considered active. So, in the long run, you are actually preventing yourself from getting more exercise throughout the day.
The solution to this would be to work out about 30 minutes each day instead. This will give you more energy to engage in other activities. Of course, for you to truly see results, you need to exercise on a more regular basis. So, it can be helpful if you work out about five times a week instead.
There is no denying that hitting a weight loss plateau can sap you of your determination and dedication. Fortunately, you now know the tactics you can use to get yourself out of this rut as soon as possible.
