Steps To Take When You Reach A Weight Loss Plateau

When you've adapted a healthier lifestyle and are consistently losing weight, it's easy to feel that you'll have no trouble reaching your weight loss goal. While this might be true, there's also a chance that you'll plateau — in other words, after some steady weight loss, you'll reach a certain weight and have trouble losing any more. Hitting a plateau can be highly frustrating, and can even cause people to give up their efforts, resulting in their weight starting to climb. In order to avoid such a situation, it's important to consider a series of steps upon reaching a plateau.

Evaluate If You've Changed Anything

Some people can hit a plateau in their weight loss because they've slightly altered their approach, even if they're not immediately aware of it. For example, perhaps you were consistently losing weight with the help of a diet devoid of carbs, but as you made progress, you got a little lax with this idea. Some people might feel as though their progress has some relatively easily, and may have carbs once in a while. Evaluating what changes that you've made, even if they seem minor, can often reveal the potential cause for your plateau, which you can then correct to continue to lose weight.

Consider Switching Things Up

Sometimes, you'll lose weight up to a certain point through one specific approach, but then need to change things in order to continue to see your fat burn away. For example, if you've been walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and have hit a plateau, it could be time to change the workout. You might opt to add a sixth day of walking or stick with the five-day regimen but boost your workout lengths to 60 minutes. Alternatively, you might try an activity that burns calories quicker, such as running.

Consult An Expert

Weight loss can seem like a lonely journey at times, and hitting a plateau can make you feel overwhelmed about how to proceed. You might not have the answers yourself, and this can result in feelings of discouragement that can cause your weight to creep back up — potentially to the point that you undo all of the progress you've made. Don't hesitate to consult a weight loss professional. He or she will ask about how you've achieved your results, identify a likely cause for your plateau, and help you to get back on track. Contact a clinic, like InShapeMD San Angelo,  for more help.