The Dreaded Plateau

I think we've all been there.

We've all had those times where we're doing the right thing, following our diet and exercise plan to a "T" and the scale just won't budge.

It seems so unfair!

It's so frustrating!!!

But, it happens to everyone, I mean EVERYONE.

We all go through this.

One of my WW friends was relating her frustration with this recently which inspired me to write this post.

And so today's post is dedicated to evaluating and treating the malady of the stubborn scale.  :)

I just want to mention that this is a HUGE topic and this will be a gross oversimplification of things.
If you're craving more detail I will list some articles you can read.  I love the Myfitnesspal articles.  They're usually quick, concise and reader friendly.

First of all let's go over just a few of the more common physical reasons it may not budge:

Constipation

Water retention

Medications

Stress/Depression(this increases cortisol levels)

Hormonal changes(menopause, hypothyroidism etc)

Slow metabolism

Just a quick note about water weight- while water is definitely a great thing for most of us some people are put on water restriction so always follow your doctor's guidelines.

Typically I don't weigh everyday though I know some people that do.  I think for some people it is helpful and really keeps them on track but for others it quickly becomes counterproductive.

If weighing everyday makes you feel good in mind, body and spirit then do it.
However, if you're feeling more hopeless, stressed and depressed I think you need to step away from the scale and limit yourself to once weekly weigh-ins.

Now let's talk about set point.

Your brilliant body is always trying to keep you in balance whether you're aware of it or not.

There are millions of involuntary activities that go on without your thinking about it.

I thank God for that- literally!

So your body decides that there is a set point of weight that it will maintain.

It doesn't care what you think of that number it just knows that it's going to do whatever necessary to keep you there.

And, it takes slow, consistent, patient and methodical work to change it.  Sorry.

That doesn't mean it's not possible, just that you need to be realistic.

Some of what plays into this is genetics and some of it is lifestyle driven.

Skipping meals and starvation/deprivation diets will NOT help you re-set your set point.

If you try starving yourself your body, in an effort to maintain set point and keep you alive, will start a hormonal chain reaction to increase your hunger and hold more tightly to fat.

When you do your body thinks "Yikes!  Food is scarce.  I better hold on to all the fat I can!"

In general getting enough sleep at night, staying hydrated, slowly and steadily decreasing your daily calorie intake to an appropriate level, eating regular healthy meals with snacks(several small meals daily) and getting exercise(not only to burn calories but add muscle which burns calories to maintain) in will move you in the right direction.

Cutting junk food helps a ton but I don't believe you have to give it up altogether.  Thus my preference for WW's plan.

Now, if you've already been doing those things and you're still at plateau, then what?

I would say the operative word here is "different".  Your body has acclimated to what you're doing and you need to change it up.  

Sometimes that means changing up the types of foods you're eating, lowering your caloric intake or changing the type of exercise you do or changing the intensity or duration.  Building muscle will help because it burns calories just to maintain that muscle.  That's the advantage men generally have over women.  They have a higher muscle mass(which, yes, weighs more) and having all that muscle burns more calories.  So don't be afraid of weight training as long as it's with good form and good instruction/supervision.

A couple years ago I remember meeting with a certified nutritionist and personal trainer.

She told me I would burn more calories during(and after) doing a 4 minute Tabata than doing a half hour of walking.

"What's a Tabata?" I said.  It's essentially HIIT(high intensity interval training).

What you should keep in mind is that it doesn't have to be running or high impact.  You could do squats or climb stairs in your house, whatever you choose as long as you're getting your heart rate up.

Again, just a reminder that any diet or exercise program should be under the supervision of your doctor.

So what about diet?  This is where the majority of weight loss happens which is a tough one for me because I've never really minded exercise but always hated dieting.

Sometimes a quick, easy answer is reducing your calories slightly.  Some people choose to do things like carb cycling of which I have not done nor am I an expert.

For me personally I see amazing results if I will buckle down and stop eating after dinner.

I focus on eating three meals and 2-3 snacks but stopping eating at around 7pm or so.

This is such an enormous subject that I can't possibly being to cover it well here.

However, if you want to read more you might click on one of these reader friendly articles from myfitnesspal.
You know I actually copied these off a year or two ago, not because it was new information to me but because it was like a positive affirmation just to read it.  It made me feel empowered and motivated to go on.  I hope this helps you too.

Articles that inspire and motivate me ~

1.  A Beginner's Guide to Your Metabolism

2.  22 Minute Tabata Workout For Beginners

3.  5 Ways to Cope With a Slowing Metabolism

4.  13 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition As You Age

5.  Counting Calories:  Getting Back to Weight-Loss Basics(Mayo Clinic)


This is a big subject but I hope you feel at least a little more informed.

For those of you with special dietary needs, such as diabetics, I would encourage you to meet with a diabetic educator who can lay out a specific eating plan for you.  An initial visit is typically covered to some degree by your insurance but I would always recommend calling your insurance to find out what your out of pocket would be first.

I am not a dietitian but am very thankful there are those who have that type of training.
They're a great resource!

I'll leave you with the quote that always motivates me~

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

                                                                                             -Albert Einstein

Happy Reading!