by Mary Hartley,
Mary Hartley, M.P.H., R.D., is CalorieCount.About.com's resident nutrition expert. Read on for her guest post about overcoming weight-loss plateaus, and be sure to check back here soon for more of her healthy insights.
It happens to everyone. You are cruising along on the road to leanness, and then screech! The scale is stuck! What can possibly be wrong? There is no one-size-fits-all answer when weight loss stalls, but if you back up and review the facts, perhaps you can explain it. Start by asking yourself five questions:
1. Has your weight been stuck for less than a week?
If yes, then perhaps fluid accumulation has your weight at a standstill. For women, hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle lead to water retention. In addition, anyone can retain fluid after eating a high-sodium meal or too many high-sodium processed foods. And when the ambient temperature and humidity are high, the body becomes less efficient at removing fluid. Fluid may also collect as a side effect of medications, including oral contraceptives, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and others.
Solution: Drink lots of water and keep your sodium intake low to promote diuresis. If you don't see a change within a reasonable period of time, consult your doctor to rule out serious medical conditions.
2. Do you eat more than you realize?
A bite here, a lick there, a pinch while cooking, a nip while cleaning up—not to mention another small helping, or a binge we hardly remember. They all add up to blow your calorie budget. Unless you keep a food diary and count your calories, how can you be sure you are getting it right? Counting calories forces you to pay attention to food portions and the way food is prepared. It also assumes that you've assessed your calorie needs and know your daily calorie budget.
Solution: Keep a detailed food diary.
3. Is your exercise sufficient?
If you don't exercise for 30 minutes a day on average, you are missing an opportunity to burn calories. Cardio-type exercise prevents some of the metabolic adaptation to weight loss. If you do currently exercise, then step it up! Exercise for 60 minutes a day, before breakfast and dinner in 30-minute intervals. Try a totally new activity to burn more calories by taxing new muscles, or increase your intensity by adding interval training, where you work really hard in brief spurts. Lift weights to build and preserve your muscle, because muscle tissue burns calories as it does work.
Solution: Kick up your exercise.
4. Do you sleep enough?
You burn calories more efficiently when you get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation alters hormones that regulate your weight. It increases hormones that stimulate your appetite and decreases hormones that trigger fullness. Few people realize the harm they create by missing vital sleep.
Solution: Sleep for eight hours a night.
5. Have you reached your set point?
If you've lost 10-20 percent of your body weight, your body might be at its set point (for now). Scientists believe everyone has a genetically determined weight range that spans about 30 pounds. When people try to force their weight below their set point, hormones kick in to increase hunger, and metabolism slows down. To reset your set point, you'll need to maintain your new weight for at least six months, increasing your calorie intake to the number you need for maintenance. After six months, resume your low-calorie diet and add some interval training to build endurance and burn more calories. At that point, you should quickly lose the last few pounds.
Solution: Read Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off, by George Blackburn, MD.
If all else fails, change your point of view.
When you reach your goal weight, nothing will change in terms of diet and exercise. You have to eat a healthy diet and be active to maintain your new weight. So forget the scale and carry on as if you are already there. Actually, you are there! Enjoy the journey!
Source: http://www.mystyle.com
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