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For some, losing weight comes easily, but for others, it can be a challenge. In some cases, you may lose weight steadily and then suddenly find that the weight just won’t come off. This is called a weight loss plateau, and it can make things even more discouraging if you haven’t reached your weight loss goal. The good news is that there are solutions, but it’s important to figure out why you’ve hit a plateau in the first place. In some cases, the solution is simple, but in other cases, it could be a sign of an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
We spoke to a dietitian to find out what you need to know to get out of a weight loss plateau if you’re struggling to reach your goal weight. Here’s everything you need to know.
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Why Weight Loss Plateaus Occur
Have you ever noticed that when you’re intentionally losing weight, everything is going great, and then all of a sudden your progress stops? Your body has probably hit a weight loss plateau. Before you dive into a solution, it’s important to understand why this is happening. Lauren Mardeusz, a registered dietitian and owner of Salt and honey nutritionsays there are many reasons why a plateau can occur. A plateau can mean that your body has adapted to your current habits and needs a little change. “How long you consider it a plateau is unique for everyone, because people lose weight at different rates depending on their individual metabolism, diet, and exercise habits,” says Mardeusz.
In some cases, you may have lost too much, too quickly, and in an unsafe manner due to restricting calories too severely“As a result, this can lower the resting metabolic ratebecause the body is trying to compensate for the dramatic loss of calories,” says Mardeusz. “This can result in weight stagnation or even weight gain.”
If you menstruate, you should also pay attention to your cycle, as this can also affect your weight. Mardeusz says that weight loss plateaus can also occur in women during their menstrual cycle or during perimenopause due to a fluctuation in hormones that affect water retention and metabolism.
Another thing to consider is that you may be within your “set point” weight. Set point theory suggests that we have a predetermined weight that our bodies are biologically meant to maintain, despite our attempts to lose or gain weight. There is not enough evidence to prove that set point theory is entirely true, and some researchers would argue that this theory is too simplistic because our bodies go through different stages that can influence these factors.
How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they hit a weight loss plateau is continuing to restrict their calorie intake. “This behavior doesn’t promote further weight loss and causes people to experience symptoms such as fatigue, increased cravings, mood swings, decreased immunity, and hair loss,” Mardeusz warns.
Instead, she suggests a few better approaches to breaking out of your plateau. “Adjusting the type of physical activity you do, such as adding some cardio if you’re only focused on strength training, evaluating the stressors in your life, and incorporating habits to promote stress reduction can also be helpful in breaking out of a weight loss plateau,” she says. Focusing on reducing stress can be beneficial because stress affects many of the hormones in our bodies, and chronic stress can affect how effective your metabolism is functions over time.
Additionally, Mardeusz recommends working with a dietitian who can look at the nutritional breakdown of your diet to determine a plan to help you break out of a weight loss plateau. “A dietitian can help identify things that may be missing from your approach and create an individualized plan with the right macronutrients, along with education so you understand how it all fits together,” she explains. After you reevaluate your strategy, she recommends giving it about a month to see if it’s working. Depending on how quickly or slowly you were losing weight before the plateau, this can vary a bit.
Signs a Weight Loss Plateau Could Be Something More Serious
Sometimes, a weight loss plateau can signal other underlying issues. For example, hormonal issues can be the cause of a weight loss plateau. Symptoms that hormones can cause include irritability, fatigue, muscle weakness, and hair loss. “These are also symptoms of someone who is malnourished due to excessive calorie restriction,” says Mardeusz. If you’re not sure what’s causing your weight loss plateau, it’s helpful to get an expert opinion. Mardeusz recommends consulting a dietitian or your primary care doctor, who can help you make sure your eating habits are in line with other health goals you may have.
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