Losing the weight you’ve been wanting to shed is exciting. But what do you do when your progress stalls? Hitting a weight loss plateau can be disappointing, but it’s also normal.
Progress can slow down due to life circumstances, limiting thoughts, and your body adjusting to your new diet and exercise routine. Fortunately, you can explore several strategies that can help you regain your momentum.
When you know what to do, you can make more progress toward your weight loss goals. Let’s explore weight loss plateaus and several strategies to overcome them.
What is a Weight Loss Plateau?
A weight loss plateau is a period when weight loss stops progressing. Many factors can temporarily stall your weight loss journey. The reasons could be circumstantial, mental, or physical. But no matter what you’re going through, there’s a way to move forward.
While it can be discouraging to reach this point, it’s a normal part of the weight loss journey. A weight loss plateau doesn’t mean you won’t lose any more weight. Fortunately, you can explore several strategies to help you break through your plateau. Once you break through your plateau, it’s usually easier to lose weight again.
How Long Do Weight Loss Plateaus Last?
Usually, a weight loss plateau lasts between 8 and 12 weeks, but the duration depends on many factors. Your metabolism, genetics, and weight loss methods will impact how long your plateau lasts. Making adjustments to your diet and exercise routine can help you lose weight again.
The Different Types of Plateaus in Weight Loss
Identifying the cause of your weight loss plateau will help you make the right adjustments to overcome it. Here are the types of weight loss plateaus that can occur.
Circumstantial Weight Loss Plateaus
A circumstantial weight loss plateau occurs when personal circumstances temporarily stall weight loss. Some situations can increase stress or cause you to lose sleep. As a result, you may exercise less or make changes to your diet.
Common examples of circumstantial weight loss include life changes like moving, getting a new job, a death in the family, or the birth of a new baby.
What can help:
- Drink more water
- Reduce your stress
- Eat protein-rich foods
- Get plenty of sleep
- Do physical activities you enjoy
Mental Weight Loss Plateaus
Thoughts and feelings can cause mental weight loss plateaus. This plateau can cause a lack of motivation or feelings that can stop your progress.
There are two types of mental weight loss plateaus.
- Self-Satisfaction: When people become satisfied with their weight loss progress, they may stop trying to lose weight.
- Self-Sabotage: Negative self-talk or a poor body image may subconsciously hinder progress, causing overeating or a decrease in exercise.
What can help:
- Find and correct limiting thoughts
- Manage stress
- Give yourself positive affirmations
- Make small, achievable goals
- Seek support from loved ones
Physical Weight Loss Plateaus
Physical weight loss plateaus occur when weight loss stops progressing even when you continue to diet and exercise. This plateau occurs when your body has adapted to a lower calorie intake and doing more exercise. When this happens, your metabolic rate lowers, and you burn fewer calories.
What can help:
- Boost exercise intensity or variety
- Consume more protein and fiber
- Stay hydrated
- Be mindful of portion sizes
- Reduce sugar and starches
What To Do When Your Weight Loss Plateaus
While it can be discouraging to hit a weight loss plateau, several strategies can help you overcome it. Here are our top tips to help you get through your weight loss plateau.
Make Adjustments to Your Exercise Routine
If you stick with the same exercises long enough, your body will adjust to it and burn fewer calories. When this happens, it’s harder to lose weight. By challenging your body with new workouts, you can burn more calories.
Here are some tips that can help:
- Boost intensity: When you’re ready, try some more challenging exercises such as HIIT or interval training.
- Change your exercises: Switching up your workout routine will help challenge your body. Great options include running, swimming, and dance classes.
- Try strength training: Lifting weights helps you build muscle mass and burn calories.
- Spend more time exercising: Try adding time to your workout sessions or exercising one more day per week.
Eat Nutritious Foods
When you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, adjusting your diet can help you regain progress. Nutrient-dense foods can help you feel fuller for longer, control your calorie intake, and boost your metabolism.
Here are some additional tips:
- Increase Protein and Fiber: These nutrients can help you feel fuller for longer and help prevent overeating.
- Reduce Sugar: Sugar slows metabolism, making it harder to lose weight.
- Avoid Processed Foods: These foods usually contain high amounts of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, which often lead to weight gain.
- Limit Alcohol: Alcohol increases your calorie intake and can temporarily slow your metabolism, making it harder to burn fat.
- Drink Water: Staying hydrated with water can help reduce your appetite, burn calories, and increase your metabolism.
Intermittent Fasting
You can also discuss intermittent fasting with a nutritionist or healthcare provider. With this strategy, you can alternate between periods of eating and not eating. Intermittent fasting can help with fasting by reducing calorie intake, leading the body to burn more energy from fat rather than calories.
Manage Stress
Sometimes stress can cause us to turn to foods high in sugar and fat for comfort. Stress also releases cortisol, a hormone that increases cravings and leads to abdominal fat buildup.
Additionally, stress can make it more difficult to sleep, and a lack of sleep can reduce your metabolism.
Tips to manage stress include:
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Deep breathing
- Spend time with loved ones
- Take breaks throughout the day
Stay Positive
Reaching a weight loss plateau can be discouraging after making progress, but don’t give up. Staying positive and patient on your weight loss journey will help you overcome it. You can explore different strategies to make progress again.
Support For Breaking Weight Loss Plateaus
If you’d like additional support, you can explore medications and professional services that can help you overcome your weight loss plateau. Here are some options for you to consider.
Compounded GLP-1
GLP-1 medications can support weight loss by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone. These weekly injections work by decreasing appetite, regulating blood sugar, and slowing digestion. As a result, clients feel fuller for longer, which helps prevent overeating.
Ideal candidates for this treatment are people who:
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher
- Have a BMI of at least 27 and one weight-related health condition
- Have not achieved desired weight loss through diet and exercise
Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that supports weight loss by regulating blood sugar and appetite. This treatment mainly works by curbing appetite while more gently mimicking this hormone than compounded GLP-1 medications. Semaglutide also increases insulin sensitivity, which helps people with diabetes improve their blood sugar control.
Ideal candidates for Semaglutide are people who:
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher
- Have a BMI of at least 27 and one weight-related health condition
- Have not achieved weight loss goals through diet and exercise
Invisa-RED
Invisa-RED is a non-invasive weight loss and body contouring treatment that uses red and infrared light. As infrared light increases blood flow, it helps boost metabolism, which causes the body to burn fat. Infrared light also stimulates the fat cells to release fatty acids, which the body uses as fuel in a process that can help burn fat. Invisa-Red is an FDA-cleared procedure for weight loss, fat reduction, inch loss, and body contouring.
While it’s not a substitute for exercise and healthy eating, it can help you lose weight. You may be an ideal candidate for this treatment if you have stubborn fat that’s been resistant to diet and exercise.
Nutritional Coaching
Nutritional coaching is a weight loss strategy that helps guide you toward healthier eating. Your coach will educate you on healthy food choices and guide meal planning.
Here’s how it works:
- Goal Setting: Your coach will assess your current diet and help you set realistic goals.
- Customization: Your nutrition plan will be tailored to support your goals and lead you to sustainable changes.
- Coaching: You’ll follow up with your coach, who will help keep you on track and address any challenges you may have.
- Ongoing Support: Your coach will adjust your plan to help maximize your results and provide the support you need on your weight loss journey.
Ideal candidates for nutritional coaching are people who need guidance on making sustainable, healthy eating choices.
Overcome Your Weight Loss Plateau in Waukesha, WI
Whether your weight loss plateau is from a big life change, negative self-talk, or needing a new physical challenge, your progress doesn’t have to stop for good. Hitting a plateau can be discouraging, but the right strategy can help you feel empowered.
As the leading provider of weight loss treatments in Waukesha, our team at Wisconsin Medical Weight Loss can help you overcome your plateau. Whether you’re interested in GLP-1 medications, Invisa-Red, or nutritional coaching, we’ll help you find the best strategy to break through your weight loss plateau.
Ready to regain your momentum? Call (262) 794-3159 to schedule a consultation.
