A lot of people end up hitting the dreaded weight loss plateau while they are working hard at getting in shape. There are a few reasons for stalled weight loss, and knowing what those reasons can help you overcome this setback and get back to seeing the number on the scale going down. Continue reading to learn more about weight loss plateaus and how to fix them.
The Reasons for Stalled Weight Loss
There are a few reasons that could be to blame if you’ve stopped losing weight:
1. Slower Metabolic Rate
Your metabolism has slowed down, and when this happens, your body’s ability to remove fat also slows. How could your metabolism have slowed? If you’ve been cutting out a lot of calories, your body will adapt by actually slowing down your metabolism in order to survive.
2. Underestimating Calorie Consumption
You might be consuming more calories than you thought. For example, if you aren’t accurately recording your calorie intake throughout the day with the help of an app, you might be consuming upwards of 1,700 calories even if you think that you’re sticking to your goal of 1,300 calories per day. Avoid getting lazy about recording those calories so you can stay on track!
3. Overestimating Calorie Requirements
Once you lose weight, your body won’t need as many calories to keep going. So if you’ve lost quite a few pounds but you continue eating the same way that you were before, you might find that your weight loss stops. This means that it’s time to re-evaluate your daily caloric needs for both rest and activity—what you’ll likely find is that you need fewer calories than you thought.
How to Fix Stalled Weight Loss
Now that you have a better understanding of the reasons for stalled weight loss, it’s time to tackle what you can do to overcome the plateau:
• Reduce your caloric intake by 100-200 calories per day
• Swap coffee for green tea, which contains fat burning compounds
• Eat more fiber to consume fewer calories and burn more fat
• Eat several small meals throughout the day, rather than skipping meals
• Reduce your salt intake to see if it’s really just water retention that’s to blame
• Try a metabolic support supplement for the boost you need
It might be hard to pinpoint the exact reasons for stalled weight loss when you hit a plateau, but if you use the strategies above, you might start seeing progress again. These tricks for stalled weight loss can also help!
