Outsmarting a Weight Plateau

You've been checking the scales each week and progress is steady, you'll achieve your weight loss goals in no time! But suddenly the scales refuse to budge... It doesn't make sense! You haven't changed your diet and you haven't skipped an exercise session...

It's disappointing, it's frustrating and it's called a weight plateau. But the good news is that you aren't the first to experience it, and that you can take steps to outsmart it:

Maintain your Metabolism

When you restrict your calorie intake it's almost inevitable that your metabolism will slow. Try incorporating more resistance training into your exercise program to maintain your metabolically active muscle tissue and eat small but regular meals.

Adjust Your Exercise Routine

As you become fitter your body becomes more efficient at performing a given exercise, i.e. you burn less energy. To burn more energy, try changing the type of activity that you do to challenge different (and less efficient) muscle groups. Try cycling, swimming, rowing, using a cross trainer or learning to use different equipment at the gym.

If you don't want to change your activity type, you will need to exercise at a slightly higher intensity. You can increase the speed or incline of your walks, the resistance on your exercise bike or your swimming speed in the pool. At this stage you may wish to consider purchasing a heart rate monitor to make sure that you are still exercising in your fat burning zone.

Reduce Your Stress and Anxiety Levels

Chronic stress means chronically elevated levels of a hormone called Cortisol in your body, which may predispose you to storing fat (1). If you are feeling stressed or anxious, investigate some stress management techniques.

Be Honest with Yourself

How long has it been since you weighed your meat portions or measured your cereal serves? Should you be counting that thick slice of raisin toast as one serve or two? These little things might not seem like much, but added together they determine if you gain weight or lose it.

Start weighing your food portions and recording your intake of food, including calories. Recording can be cumbersome, but it might just be enough to help you identify where the problem lies.

Are You Really at a Plateau?

Are your clothes feeling looser but the scales aren't moving (or even moving in the wrong direction)? It might be the case that your body composition is changing, i.e. you are gaining muscle tissue (which is heavier than fat). This is possible if you have changed your exercise regime to include more resistance training, or you have changed the type of exercise that you are doing. To find out if you have gained muscle, measure your waist and hip circumference instead of stepping onto your scales.

The benefits of exercise, stress reduction and healthy eating extend beyond losing weight - they bring out the best in your body. So focus on enjoying how you feel rather than focusing on the number on your scales. If you have lost weight you are probably feeling more healthy and energetic, and that's something to celebrate.