I can't lose weight, my weight stays the same. This is a plateau
You decided to lose extra pounds, chose the right diet, calculated calories, bought a gym membership... It would seem that these are ideal conditions for losing weight. No matter how it is! Sooner or later you will hit a plateau. There is nothing wrong with this, but you need to be prepared for it. The secret of the plateau lies in one word - addiction .
The body is accustomed to the stress in the gym, accustomed to the number of calories you eat, etc. To summarize, our body strives to return to a state that is comfortable for it, so it tries in every possible way to adapt to your weight loss. And as soon as he succeeds, welcome to the plateau !
No, the body is not trying in every possible way to put a spoke in our wheel. Through adaptation we learn new skills, habits, maintain our weight, etc. I would say that this is a player who plays for us 50% of the time and against us 50% of the time (especially when we want to lose weight).
So, if you've hit a plateau, it's time to get out! It's time to use 16 tricks that will help you lose weight if your weight stays the same.
Video: How to get your weight off the ground
For this female nightmare, nutritionists have come up with an interesting name - the “plateau effect.” Why does this happen and how can you make your weight decrease again? Let's figure it out now!
In reality, the plateau effect is neither a disease nor a disorder. This is simply a natural reaction of the human body in response to weight loss. The point is that the human body gets used to it, which simply decides that it will now always have to make do with 1200 (1000 or even 800) calories per day, and learns to cope with it. This leads to freezing of the scale readings.
But the plateau effect does not occur only due to strict diets. There are other reasons for stopping weight loss. Now let's look at the three most common of them...
Tricks of proper nutrition
As you probably already know, effective weight loss is impossible without a healthy diet, quality exercise and some important lifestyle changes. It is necessary to pay attention to each element in this weight loss formula. Of course, you can burn more calories through more intense workouts without focusing too much on nutrition. I won't argue, it really can work. I’ll add just one thing: 2 Oreo cookies = 21 flights of stairs.
Now calculate how intense your workouts need to be to burn all those calories. And don’t be surprised that it’s difficult to lose weight, but the weight stays the same!
Count your calories
This is one of the most common causes of plateaus. Let's say you decided to lose weight and made a nutrition plan for yourself, a week, two, three passed, and a plateau arrived. Why? The thing is that after the first week of competent weight loss, you need to re-adjust your nutrition plan and re-calculate calories . After all, you have already lost some extra pounds, your body now needs fewer calories to continue the weight loss process. And you must take this into account!
How to lose weight in this case if the weight stays the same? In order to leave the plateau far behind, try reducing the number of calories by 100-200 . And see how your scales react to this. Any progress? Great!
“Why not more?”, you ask. A calorie deficit can have the same negative results as an excess. When we fast, our metabolism slows down, which can significantly slow down your weight loss process!
Eat more fiber
I've talked a lot about fiber lately. But I repeat, eat more fiber! It is necessary to fight fat and excess weight. In addition, it can become your compass to help you cross the plateau. How much fiber should you eat? About 30 grams per day (you can find out more here).
Do you still have doubts about the power of fiber? Then here's your proof. In one study, scientists found that one gram of fiber can “eliminate” 7 calories from our food. In other words, we ate 1 gram of fiber, but our body “does not take into account” 7 calories, for example, from lunch or breakfast. Cool? For 30 grams of fiber, the body is ready to “close its eyes” to 210 calories!
Just don't overdo it! Consuming too much fiber can lead to stomach problems.
Cheat meal time
A cheat meal is when you completely forget about all these calories, the balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Also, this is a great way to lose weight if your weight stays the same.
So what does it take? Your favorite pizza or burger will do. Yes, you heard right. Burger or pizza. The thing is that a cheat meal can speed up your metabolism (overload) and increase energy levels. In other words, a cheat meal is useful for losing weight (especially during stagnation).
But it’s important not to overdo it here! Have a cheat meal once every two weeks, not more often. And in order not to overeat, set yourself a time frame. You have exactly one hour, during which time you can eat whatever you want. The hour is up - the cheat meal is over!
Reduce your salt intake
Too much salt is not good for our body. Especially when we are trying to lose weight. The fact is that sodium (which is contained in salt) retains water in the body. Because of this, a weight loss plateau may occur. Reduce your salt intake and avoid processed and processed foods (they are especially high in salt).
There is an opinion that we get the daily supply of sodium that our body needs from regular foods, so it is better to refrain from additional salt.
Eat almonds before your workout
Why almonds? This wonderful nut is rich in L-arginine, an amino acid that will help you burn more calories and fat during your workout. And this, in turn, will speed up the loss of excess weight.
Don't skip meals
This may seem a little counterintuitive, but split meals really help you lose weight if your weight stays the same. Many are sure that the less they ate today, the better for the body. And so, a week later, they step on the scales, hoping that the extra pounds have been shed off and... nothing. Remember when I said that fasting lowers your metabolism? This is the first reason. Secondly, during such absences, your blood sugar level drops sharply , which means that you are more likely to snack on that delicious piece of cake or bun.
Try to eat every 3-4 hours. In total, you should have 5 meals: breakfast, first snack, lunch, second snack and dinner. Break your diet into 5 meals and you will see that it works!
Carry a bottle of water with you
You shouldn’t forget about water balance when it comes to losing weight (and if it doesn’t work, don’t forget either). Water will keep you full longer, fill you with energy, make your workout more effective and help you lose extra pounds. You can find out more about water balance and how to calculate it here.
Keeping a bottle of water at arm's length will help you remember about it!
Eat more protein
I think you've heard a lot about squirrels. The fact is that protein speeds up your metabolism and plays a crucial role in your muscles.
This is critical for effective weight loss. The thing is that if you do not eat enough protein, then instead of fat, muscles can be burned, since the body spends a lot of energy on maintaining them. And during a deficit (in other words, losing weight), all means are good, so the muscles go to “remelting” . So we find that we seem to be eating less, but the fat and excess weight are not going away. In general, a real plateau.
You should eat something protein throughout all 5 meals. This could be dairy products, meat, legumes, nuts, etc.
Analyze your menu
What is more in your diet - fats, proteins or carbohydrates? Most likely, proteins, since almost all diets that force us to eat chicken breasts and lettuce are based on them. Try to normalize your diet by supplementing it with healthy complex carbohydrates (cereals, muesli, legumes and porridges). You can add some healthy fats to it, for example, omega-3 fatty acids, which are rich in fish (trout, salmon, tuna), as well as flaxseed, olive and other vegetable oils (they can even be consumed in their pure form, a spoonful a day, or use for salad dressing).
Fitness tricks
If you can’t lose weight, your weight stays the same, and your nutrition is in perfect order, then the reasons may be hidden in your training. As I already said, our body gets used to stress. Over time, they will become habitual and our body will stop feeling them. Therefore, it is so important to constantly “maintain feedback” with our body and notice changes. And to diversify this process, I have prepared fitness tricks that will help you avoid a weight loss plateau!
Open up new horizons
Mix up your workouts or try new types of physical activity. There are a lot of options, from hiking to boxing and various types of martial arts. This will help trick your body into preventing it from adapting. Your muscles will always remain toned and you will be able to avoid plateaus.
If this does not suit you, then just include interval running . Each time you change the speed and duration of the intervals, you will “keep your body on the hook”!
Exercise together
This was the reason for my plateau. Training alone is not for everyone; in most cases, working out in a campaign is more fun and productive. Plus, it will add a healthy competitive spirit to your training and significantly improve your results. Maybe this is the breakthrough you need?
When does fat start to go away?
A proper breakfast starts metabolic processes, provides energy and a long-lasting feeling of fullness. The best foods for him would be whole grain porridge, eggs with toast, omelet, durum wheat pasta, and cottage cheese. The required amount of fluid helps remove toxins from the body, starts digestion and metabolism, and helps break down fat cells.
It is enough to drink about one and a half to two liters of clean water per day. There is despondency in the ranks of its members. The weight has stopped falling! Despite the fact that our participants comply with all the necessary rules. The meeting was pleasant, but with a hint of bitterness.
Bykova I. And I was already ready for such dynamics that 6 kg each. But now, it’s the fourth month and I’ve lost 4 kg. And what’s most important is that now the weight has stopped and is now completely stable…. A dead point occurred in weight loss for other project participants.
Moysenko R.
Alternate your workouts
If you constantly train only in a high-intensity mode, then this may be the reason why you cannot lose weight, and the weight remains stagnant. The whole point is that you need to alternate workouts. Strength, with endurance training. And don't forget about cardio!
By the way, strength training can help you lose extra pounds. Since they effectively build and strengthen muscle muscles. And, the more muscle, the better you burn fat!
So try not to focus on just one type of workout. Change your plan every three to four weeks, don’t give your body a chance to adapt to the stress!
The problem is how they do it!
According to statistics, out of 100 people who decide to go on a diet, no more than 20 turn to a professional nutritionist!
The rest get the necessary information from the Internet, communication with friends and colleagues at work.
No one takes into account that the method of losing weight that helped one person may not work for others.
No one thinks that the cause of excess weight may be a hormonal imbalance or depression.
This is why there are so many people around who, after several months, claim that the diet did not help them lose weight at all!
The weight remained the same, or even increased! To understand why this happens, let's look at the main mistakes that dieters make.
Lifestyle Tricks
We have reached the third necessary condition for effective weight loss - a healthy lifestyle. We spend about 1/3 of our day working out and eating right, but what about the other 2/3? Can't lose weight, but your weight stays the same? Perhaps it's all about your lifestyle. Read on to find out how to overcome the plateau!
Keep an activity and nutrition diary
Remember you ate a piece of cake last week? No? Then you just need a food diary. Write down all your meals; every “accidental” cookie should not slip by. This way you can better control your diet and know exactly why and when you slipped. The same goes for the activity diary.
Don't forget about sleep
Proper nutrition and effective training will not give results without quality and complete sleep. While we sleep, our body does a tremendous job of cleansing and renewing our body. Try to sleep at least 8-9 hours .
In addition, getting enough sleep reduces stress levels and prevents overeating the next day. By the way, this is a common reason why you can’t lose weight and your weight stays the same!
Don't forget about rest
Sometimes we focus too much on our goal - to lose weight, constantly think about it, and become exhausted energetically and mentally. Especially if the results are not what we expected. This is where the plateau awaits us.
Devote one or two days a week entirely to yourself. Give your body plenty of time to recharge. This will get you back on track and put you in a fighting mood.
This also applies to training. If you feel that it’s not going well, you have no strength or mood at all. Relax, it definitely won’t get any worse!
be patient
Sometimes, when there is a plateau and a “lull” in weight loss, it’s enough to just wait it out. The results will definitely come back! It is important not to lose motivation . Don’t get hung up on this, try to unwind, go with friends to the cinema, theater or just have fun chatting in a cafe. Be patient! The plateau can be overcome by those who walk.
Look less at the scales
There is no need to constantly concentrate on the scale arrow, it is not magical. Have you lost 2 kilograms less this week? So what! Look at it from the other side, maybe you have become more resilient or your favorite jeans now fit you the way you have long wanted! The world is not a wedge on the scales; what’s more important is how you feel . Focus on becoming healthier, stronger and more resilient - this will help you avoid plateaus!
As I said above, effective weight loss is impossible without proper nutrition, quality workouts and a healthy lifestyle. Implement these tricks into your life, and they are guaranteed to help you lose weight if your weight is stagnant. And avoid plateaus!
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What is the plateau effect
The plateau effect is a natural process of the body adapting to a new lifestyle. This is a common phenomenon that occurs 3-5 weeks after the start of weight loss. It is due to the fact that after losing a significant amount of fat, the body gradually gets used to the current conditions and “tunes” for survival.
As a result of the plateau effect, all internal organs adapt to work in a new situation, metabolic processes slow down, and the fat burning process stops.
The duration of this period may vary, depending on the individual characteristics of the organism. The way to overcome a plateau depends on the factors that have a direct impact on it.
Excess cortisol may be the reason why your weight has plateaued
Cortisol levels increase with any type of chronic stress. The topic of stress is more than familiar to people with increased weight:
- Working at night;
- Dissatisfaction with yourself, work, family;
- Violation of sleep and rest patterns;
- Chronic pain syndrome;
- Excessive workload;
- Unresolved problems, negativism
Cortisol in the body performs the function of a conscientious caretaker and strives to preserve as many of the body’s energy resources as possible to successfully overcome stress. Excess weight is a strategic reserve for him. Accordingly, in order to reduce its level and persuade the body to give up excess, it is necessary to reduce stress factors as much as possible.
What should be done:
- Avoid stimulants: caffeine, alcohol and smoking. There is no need for extra excitement. If a person doesn’t sleep for days on end, he needs to go to sleep; it’s difficult to survive on coffee alone.
- Fighting irritation. Find a way to relax: yoga, meditation, books, etc.
- Adaptogens: Eleutherococcus, Noni juice, magnesium, omega-3 and lecithin, B vitamins, “Anti-stress” or “Clear Head” sets. Everything that nourishes the nervous system.
For people with low mood, five (5-hydroxytryptophan) is suitable, and it is even better to take it in the evening with eight.
Magnesium reduces irritation, does not inhibit reactions and does not reduce attention. A person reacts more smoothly to what is happening in life. You can drink for long periods.
