Breaking Through A Weight Loss Plateau

Here you are going along your Reboot, losing weight and feeling great. Then all of a sudden your weight won’t budge. What gives? The weight loss train that was cruising along at high speeds and has suddenly slammed on its breaks. You feel like you’re doing everything “right.” Before those helpless feelings creep in and rear their ugly heads attempting to derail your Reboot, take a moment to review this list of tips to see how to get your weight moving in the right direction again.

Bump up your water intake. Getting adequate hydration is very important for weight loss. Our bodies are 70% water and the metabolic process of burning fat requires the compounds water offers us (those good ‘ole Hs, and Os).

Drink more juice. Taking in too little in terms of nutrients and calories can lead to weight refusing to budge. Essentially we are hardwired to prevent starvation. We gain weight easily and taking it off is difficult. This prevents starvation in lean times. Our environment has changed much faster than our genes. Lean times are rare for most of us, although let’s not forget that hunger remains a serious problem for men, women and children across the world and often right in our own towns. (I digress from our weight loss tips but want to mention this important topic).

Balance out your juices. Be sure to add some veggies to most if not all of your juices to keep calories and carbohydrates balanced.

Get moving. Walking is a great way to boost metabolism and weight loss. If longer walks are not feasible doing 3, 10 minute walks is a great and effective option. Moderate pace is best too, no need to be an athlete, just active. Cycling, stationary bike, water aerobics, tai chi and yoga are other good ideas for exercise.

Cut the sh*t. Some folks experience constipation during their Reboot. As a nutritionist we talk about these sensitive topics all the time but many are not comfortable discussing potty talk. Stool weighs a lot! When weight loss screeches to a halt it may be that you’re backed up. Check out our tips for constipation in the FAQ section. A bowel movement, especially if it’s been a few days can lead to a 2-5# drop in weight!!!

Hit the sack early. Poor sleep and lack of sleep are correlated with difficulty losing weight. Addressing sleep is often enough to get the scale moving again.

Check your weight weekly. While it’s tempting to get a daily number, this can do more harm than good. Everyone’s weight will bump up and down a few pounds day to day. It’s not meaningful in terms of actual weight lost or body composition changes but it’s very meaningful in terms of being discouraging and playing mind games.

Think big picture. Are your clothes fitting looser, have you lost inches? It is not unusual to see body composition changes before weight loss.

Practice patience. Research shows that our body’s internal environment will often change faster than our weight. Your blood pressure may be less, your cholesterol or blood sugar may be lower, you may have more energy, clearer skin or stronger nails and hair but that darn scale doesn’t show any of these achievements. Don’t despair! Your weight will move in time. Weight loss is a very complex process.

Connect with your supports. We are all in this together! Whatever your Reboot goals we are all here to support each other. When you are feeling down about your weight or any other aspect of the Reboot process please remember to reach out. You are not alone.

Everyone’s Reboot and weight loss journey is unique. It is always possible to tweak an individual’s day to day diet, activity and other lifestyle factors to get back on track. Shoot me a message if you have questions about how to get your weight loss or other Reboot goals back on track if your progress seems to be stalling. If you have found ways to get the results you’re looking for with your Reboot please share them with us!