Female checking her weight on the scale, all about self-care and loving your body – warm light hits the left side.
Healthy weight loss usually doesn’t just happen in a perfect, straight line where you keep shedding pounds consistently. It’s more of a wiggly, up-and-down journey, you know? Instead, weight loss tends to come and go, with plateaus as part of an overall decline. As long as you’re keepin’ your path goin’ the right way, you’re doin’ great stuff — even when you hit those flat spots called plateaus.
But it’s totally handy to have a game plan ready when those pesky plateaus hit ya. Here are the eight best tips for helping you overcome a plateau and get back on track with healthy weight loss.
Top 8 Tips for Breaking a Weight Loss Plateau
- Are you eating enough protein? Take a few days to keep track of the protein you’re chowing down on and tally up every single gram. I know, it might seem like a bit of a drag, but trust me, it can be totally eye-opening. You may think you are eating “plenty of protein,” only to find out you’re actually getting just 15% of your calories from protein. If that’s what’s happening, the top advice for getting over that weight loss plateau is to up your protein game.
- Are you eating enough fibrous vegetables? Fibrous vegetables are one of the best ways to increase nutrients for the minimum number of calories, increase stomach fullness, and slow gastric emptying. Again, keeping an eye on what you’re munching down for a couple of days can totally help you figure out how to add more veggies that are full of that good-for-you fiber. Shoot for like, at least four cups of ’em every day, okay?
- Are you limiting your non-nutrient calories? After increasing your protein and fiber-filled vegetables, what’s left? It’s usually the stuff we don’t really need — the cream or butter we pile on without thinking, the rice that just shows up with your dish, or that salad dressing that’s all sugar and pretends it’s healthy. And let’s not forget about that glass of wine we have every night like it’s just a part of the dinner deal. Experiencing a plateau is the perfect time to take stock of your non-nutrient calories and cut them in half or cut them out completely if you can.
- Are you struggling with cravings or snacking? Usually, addressing protein and fibrous vegetables can help cut down on snacking and cravings. However, if you catch yourself munching away, just remember to go for the snacks that pack a protein punch. Next, make sure you’re snacking for real hunger and not boredom or routine. Finally, try eliminating non-nutritive sweeteners that can stimulate cravings, such as erythritol, stevia, and other sweet additives.
- How are you sleeping? Plateaus aren’t always about what you eat. Not only does getting crappy sleep mess with what you want to munch on during the day, but it also throws your body’s hormones out of whack, making it a total drag to shed those extra pounds. Make sure you prioritize good sleep hygiene. It’s easy to chat about but tougher to actually get down to it. Eliminate screens an hour before bed. Keep a steady sleep-wake routine. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Kick the kids and dogs out of your bed. You can totally keep your partner, but just make sure their snoring isn’t driving you nuts at night!
- Are you exercising? Exercise by itself isn’t all that fantastic for shedding pounds. However, regular physical activity can help maintain weight loss and break plateaus when combined with healthy eating. Just make sure the workout you’re doing is actually helping you bulk up and not making you all ravenous, you know? Sometimes, a quick 20-minute weight session can be way better than slogging it out on the treadmill for 45 minutes.
- Have you tried time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting? For some, spacing out the timing between meals can naturally reduce caloric intake and allow for lower insulin levels. The combination may be enough to break a weight loss plateau.
- Are you fasting too much? Just because skipping a few meals here and there can help shed some pounds doesn’t mean going without food for longer stretches is the be-all, end-all. And let’s not forget, fasting isn’t always a walk in the park either. Sometimes, more isn’t better, and it’s not like it’s the perfect solution for everyone.
Some people react to fasting by feeling the need to binge or over-consume calories to “make up” for lost meals. People may even rationally know they shouldn’t react that way, but the pull is too strong to resist. If this is something you can relate to, intermittent fasting might actually be messing with you more than helping, buddy. Going back to a regular eating schedule may allow you to control your portion sizes better and break your weight loss plateau.
Maintaining Weight Loss Long Term
Flipping of wooden cube block for changing short term to long term. Business investment concept.
Maintaining weight loss is like, keep on with what’s working for ya, right? But let’s be real, sticking to those healthy eating habits can be a bit of a challenge. There’s a bunch of books out there with tips to keep those good behaviors going, and most of them aren’t like some secret magic spell or anything. They’re just stuff people have found that works for them to stay on track. The problem is when the recommendations become more items on your “to-do” list, adding chores to your routine that take time and energy you don’t have to give.
If that’s the case, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.Pick one or two tips that really hit home with ya, and just stick to those. Just because a tip made the list doesn’t mean you have to do it. The list is merely a collection of suggestions to try and see what works best for you.
Top Tips for Long-Term Success
- Connect with your why, to keep your motivation for maintaining your weight loss front and center.
- Create accountability buddies with someone, maybe a pal, a coach, or even just an app, or heck, stick to good ol’ fashioned calendar reminders.
- Control your environment. Don’t allow temptations in your house or workplace.
- See your new way of eating as a lifestyle, not a diet. It isn’t like you’re just ticking off a to-do list item. It’s more about what you actually are as a person. The words you choose can totally change the game.
- Keep it enjoyable. Find recipes you love that fit within your eating pattern.
- Celebrate small wins as you go for the big ones! Cheers to the little victories along the path to the big achievements!
- Realize that you’re not gonna be perfect, and that’s totally fine. Minor detours don’t have to derail you. Anticipate roadblocks and come up with a plan to deal with them. It’s like knowing there might be a traffic jam on the way to a party, so you bring a detour route or some good tunes to keep the vibe going.
- Incorporate smart strategies for optimizing your sleep, stress management, and physical activity. Better habits in these parts can totally help you keep that healthy weight for the long run.