If you have been pleased with the early results of your diet and fitness routine, only to find that the scales now seem to be reluctant to budge, it can be disheartening. You are putting in the same amount of effort and discipline into your nutrition and exercise plan, so why aren’t you getting the same motivational rewards?
This is a common issue, and it happens to most people at some point in their weight loss journey. It’s rarely caused by anything serious, although it certainly can be frustrating! Here’s a look at the reasons why your progress might be flatlining, and what you can do about it.
Your metabolism has slowed down
When you first change your diet and exercise habits with a view to losing weight, chances are you are burning more calories than you consume. This is the basic equation of weight loss, and at first the formula is simple: we eat less and move more.
The rate at which our bodies burn calories is called the metabolism, and over time, your body will adjust to burning the same amount of calories that you are consuming. This can mean that even though you have made no changes in your diet and exercise regimen, the desired weight loss stops happening.
You are consuming more calories than you think
Exercise can certainly make us feel hungry, and with food readily available it can be very easy to put away the extra calories without noticing, because this is what our bodies are conditioned to. It can be very subtle, such as pouring a few more grams of cereal into your bowl, or upping the amount of pasta you put in the pan.
It may be that you are taking in hidden calories through fluids, such as sports drinks that contain glucose, or alcohol. Maybe you are just having extra snacks throughout the day without keeping tabs on yourself.
Loss of lean muscle mass
Our muscles burn calories and keep the metabolism ticking over at a good rate, but as we lose weight we can also lose muscle mass, which slows down the metabolism and therefore the amount of calories we are burning.
How to tackle a weight loss plateau
If you have been stuck at the same weight for a few weeks, start by taking a look at your diet. Write down exactly what you eat and drink in a day, and see if you can pinpoint any unnoticed sources of extra calories, such as bigger portions or extra snacks.
Changing up your exercise routine to include some more strength training can also help. Our bodies get used to the same workout, meaning that we can complete it without putting in the same amount of effort. Introduce resistance training such as lifting weights to keep yourself challenged.
Upping your protein intake and cutting back on carbs may help to build up muscle. However, do not resort to crash dieting, because this will only throw your metabolism into starvation mode, making it more difficult for you to lose weight in the long run.
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