10 Ways to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

It’s bound to happen sometime or another during your journey to hit a weight loss plateau. You lose half the weight you set yourself up to lose, you get past that hump and all of a sudden you hit a weight loss stall.  That wall is what is referred to as a weight loss plateau and it can occur in your workouts, diet, and weight loss program.  While a plateau is probably the most discouraging in a weight loss program, it could also suggest that your program is working so effectively that you need to find alternative ways to overcome it.  Generally, if you hit a weight loss plateau; however, you need to find something to change or “fix” in order to overcome it.  If you are stuck in that plateau or are in a rut, consider the following tips.

10 Simple Ways to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

1. Evaluate your program. When progress begins to slow or when it halts altogether, you should get to the root of the problem.  Solving why you are hitting this plateau could mean the difference of a minor setback and progression.  If you are stuck in your rut, consider being as accurate as you can with your diet.  Measure out everything you are eating and drinking (including water) and assess whether or not your diet is a culprit.  In addition, assess your workouts at the gym and if you are sluggish, bored, or have no gains, consider varying your workout.
2. Cut some calories. If you have been eating 1500 calories daily and you lost weight from this diet, consider cutting 100-200 more and see if this helps with weight loss stall.  After giving this a try, if you feel like you are starving and constantly hungry, then you know this may be too little for you.  It is all about finding that balance.
3. Change your workout. When you started your program, did you solely perform cardio exercise?  Did you lift weights as well?  Your workout is a major player in overcoming a plateau and if you only have one method of cardio exercise, consider changing it up. If you are a runner, consider changing your workout to cycling or interval sprinting.  In addition, if you strayed from weight training and have hit that plateau, then consider weight training every other day religiously.
4. Try a bootcamp. Varying your workouts can be scary at times, but if you are in a plateau, you will need to try something different.  Give a bootcamp class a try and see how this helps getting over the plateau.  Bootcamps such as Crossfit are ideal for varying workouts and they offer high-intensity programs that can help boost metabolism enough to get your weight loss back on track.
5. Increase your calories. Wait, doesn’t this contradict #2 above and doesn’t it contradict all theories of weight loss? Yes and no.  If you are someone who needs to eat 1800 calories daily to maintain your weight and you have been eating 1000 calories daily during your weight loss, there is a good chance that your plateau is due to undereating.  In this specific case, you are going to want to eat more calories (more in the 1300-1500 calorie ballpark) so that your body has energy and can overcome a plateau.  Remember, when you cut significant calories from your diet, your body adjusts and if it is a huge loss of calories, you will not lose any weight.
6. Get your hormones checked. If everything was going well and all of a sudden this wall hit you, you may want to try going to the doctor to get a hormone check.  Your body weight is largely affected by the thyroid gland and a common issue seen among many individuals is an underactive thyroid, which could explain why weight is not coming off.
7. Have a body composition test. Maybe your weight loss plateau is simply your body adjusting to increased muscle mass.  If this is the case, you are actually doing pretty well and should continue working out as normal.  In addition, your body composition test will reveal if you lost body fat, bone mass, muscle mass, or all when you get checked.
8. Eat less fat and more of lean protein. Maybe you have been eating the calories you need, but maybe you have been eating more starchy carbohydrates and fatty foods. Consider eating lean meats more often to add more protein in your diet.  The extra protein from eating lean meat can help suppress appetite and keep it suppressed much longer than carbs can.
9. Have you been sleeping? Adequate sleep is a huge aspect in a weight loss program and getting lean.  Sleeping a good 7-9 hours every night is ideal to help keep energy levels up and hormones acting the way they should.  If you frequently describe yourself as someone who functions off five hours daily and you just hit your weight loss plateau, add a few more hours to your nightly somber.
10. Do you drink alcohol? Yes you should have a glass of wine daily or similar drink, but you also need to consider that alcohol may be preventing you from moving to that next level.  Alcohol is a huge player in subcutaneous fat gain, especially in the abdominal area, even in small amounts.  If you feel like you drink your alcohol and have also hit a plateau, try skipping that beverage at night for a good month and see if this helps your program.