12 Ways to Break Through Weight Loss Plateau: Remarkable Tips and Strategies

A weight loss plateau is a stop in your body from losing weight, even if you continue your usual exercise and diet routine. Almost everyone who tries to shed some unwanted pounds after a set period gets hit by this. Initially, there is very fast weight loss due to fluids and glycogen (a stored form of carbohydrates in the liver and muscles) depletion. But as your body gets used to it, you begin to lose weight at a slower rate, and then, sometimes, it stops altogether.

There are a variety of reasons behind a weight loss plateau, including fluctuating metabolism, muscular mass, and calorie expenditure.

What Causes a Weight Loss Plateau?

By knowing why you’ve hit a plateau, you’re better able to find ways to push yourself forward. Here are some common causes:

Loss of Muscle Mass

You don't lose just fat when you lose weight; you also lose some muscle. If you lose muscle mass, you burn less calories than before, and this in turn causes your metabolic rate to decline, which causes a plateau.

Reduced Metabolism

The more you lose, your body will need fewer calories to maintain its new weight. The slowdown of your metabolic rate comes into play, making it more difficult to continue to lose weight with the same amount of food and exercise you could do before.

Caloric Deficit Reached Its Limit

As time goes on, your body gets used to eating less, and what should have kept you losing weight might not be enough anymore. So your body settles at the lower calorie level and has hit a plateau.

Hormonal Adjustments

Changes in hormones such as leptin and ghrelin that help control hunger and offer feelings of fullness can happen during weight loss. These hormones may increase your appetite, make you gain weight, and make it harder to stick to your diet, leading to a plateau.

Inconsistent Diet and Exercise

With time, people may become less strict about their calorie intake and exercise routine, eating unhealthy food or slacking on the exercise a little bit more without noticing it. It results in stagnation in their weight loss journey.

Long-Term Stress

During stress, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol, disturbing your nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. It also affects the way you eat and how much you eat. Short-term stress suppresses your appetite, while long-term stress increases your appetite and causes a weight loss plateau. 

Poor Sleep

Getting enough sleep improves your overall health and regulates your appetite. If you do not sleep enough, you will eat foods containing more fat and sugar, causing plateaus.

It is important to know whether you have hit a plateau. Common signs include:

• Several Weeks without a Change in Weight: If your weight hasn’t shifted after sticking to your diet and exercise routine for 2-3 weeks, you’ve reached a plateau.
• Changes in body measurements were not seen: Sometimes during weight loss journey, your weight remains the same but you lose inches. So, if your body measurements like hips, waist, etc. aren’t changing, that’s another sign of a plateau.

How Many Weeks Is Considered a Weight Loss Plateau?

Typically, a weight loss plateau occurs when there is no change in weight for 2 to 4 weeks, even if you are sticking to your same diet and workout plan. During this time, your body’s metabolism may adjust to the new routine and stall out on progress. The plateau can occur as the body becomes more efficient at using energy or due to other variables like water retention or even muscle gain. 

Revising workout intensity, altering calorie intake, or switching up the exercises will help you break through it and boost your progress again. 

Read About: Massive 20,000 Participant Study Reveals Dramatic Weight Loss Results for Ozempic vs. Mounjaro

Notable Points to Consider:

Besides this, there are some points that you must take into account:

• Plateau duration can vary: Most experts claim four weeks is the benchmark, but some say the plateau can go on for several months. 
• Short-term fluctuations are normal: It is not necessarily a plateau if you are not losing weight week after week. It may be due to water retention, causing temporary fluctuations. 
• What to do during a plateau: When you hit a plateau, it is time to change your diet or exercise routine to boost your weight loss journey. 

So, how can you overcome a plateau during weight loss? When you hit a plateau, ask yourself whether you are satisfied with your new weight or you want to lose more. If you still want to lose more weight or away from your fitness goals, follow these tips and strategies: 

Reassess Your Caloric Intake

Your requirement for calories goes down as you reduce your weight. You should take the time to recalculate your new calorie intake depending on your new weighing scale numbers. You must:

• Use a calorie-tracking application to count the calorie intake in your body and avoid overfeeding your body.
• Decrease the amounts of food you consume or increase your caloric expenditure.
• Be mindful of hidden calories in drinks, snacks, and condiments.

Cut Your Calories 

You must eat a low-carb diet. It will reduce your hunger and make it easy for you to lose weight without any discomfort or hunger pangs.

Modify Your Physical Activity

A small amount of NEAT (non-exercise physical activity) makes a big difference in calorie burning and has a dramatic impact. So think outside the gym and:

• Perform deadlifts, squats, and weightlifting, or increase the intensity of your workout to boost your metabolic rate and burn more calories.
• Try to walk more during the day by parking your cars a lot farther from your workplace, take stairs instead of elevators, or go for short naps during working hours.
• Get a watch or use a fitness tracker to count the number of steps taken and try to go above the recorded amount.
• Try other forms of exercise like cycling or swimming to engage different muscle groups and boost calorie expenditure. 

Track Everything You Eat

Never underestimate the amount of food you eat. Track your calorie and macronutrients intake such as fats, carbs, and protein to get the clear idea what and how much you are eating. Tracking will modify your diet and improve your weight loss efforts.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Changing your macronutrient ratio occasionally might aid in getting out of a plateau. For example, increased protein consumption can increase metabolic rate, muscle retention, and decrease appetite. Moreover, protein enhances calorie burning by 20-30%, which is more than the carbs or fats. So, 

• Make sure to consume food that is rich in fiber and quality protein foods such lean meats, beans, tofu, nuts, fish, eggs and legumes for muscle repair and fat loss.
• Try using a keto or a low carb high fat (LCHF) diet to determine whether they cause additional weight loss.

Manage Stress

Stress triggers food cravings and interferes with weight loss by increasing the level of cortisol hormone that affects fat storage around the belly area. So,

• Perform gentle exercises such as pilates or yoga.
• Engage yourself in mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or journaling to reduce stress.
• Get enough sleep for 7-8 hours because if you lack enough sleep it will affect your mental & physical health and weight loss efforts.

Try Intermittent Fasting

If or intermittent fasting is an eating pattern whereby you shift between periods of eating and fasting. This method will assist you in making a progression from the plateau by enhancing fat loss and metabolic flexibility. So, 

• Try fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window (16:8 method).
• Alternatively, you can opt for 5:2 fasting, which means that for 5 days, you eat your normal meals, but on 2 other days, you take very few calories.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol sabotages your weight loss journey as one alcoholic drink (12 oz beer, 4 oz wine, or 1.5 oz hard liquor) contains only 100 calories and does not offer additional nutritional value. So you may drink more than one drink at a sitting. Moreover, alcohol loosens inhibitions, leading you towards poor food choices or overeating. So avoid alcohol and improve your overall health.

Eat More Fiber

Food rich in fiber (especially soluble fiber) helps you break through the weight loss plateau. Soluble fiber slows your digestion process and nutrient absorption in the small intestine, giving you a feeling of fullness, reducing weight, and improving health. So consume fiber-rich foods, including:

• Vegetables 
• Some fruits, like kiwi, apples, and raspberries
• Whole grains, like oats
• Pulses, like beans and lentils 

Drink Tea, Coffee, or Water

Although sugary beverages let you gain weight, some beverages like water, tea, and coffee reverse your weight loss plateau. Water boosts metabolism and helps you reduce food intakes. Coffee and tea, particularly green tea contains antioxidants which include EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), enhancing fat-burning effects and promoting weight loss.

Be Patient and Persistent

It can be disheartening when you do not seem to be losing weight, but the fact is weight loss plateaus are quite common. Stay kind to your body and make healthy choices. Losing weight in the right and sustainable manner is a long process and conquering the barriers of the plateau needs consistency.

Do Not Only Follow the Scale

Sometimes, progress is not only measured by the figure on the scale. Celebrate non-scale victories like:

• Improved strength and fitness levels.
• Better quality of sleep and energy.
• Losing body measurements or dress size

Plateau Weight Loss and Medical Assistance

If you are unable to break your weight loss plateau after efforts;

• Appreciate yourself for the weight you have lost.
• Talk to your doctor or dietitian for new strategies to try or to evaluate underlying chronic health conditions related to obesity.
• Revisit your weight loss goals.
• Continue your efforts to achieve your weight loss goals.

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• Saxenda Weight Loss Pen
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Plateau in Weight Loss Reddit: Let’s Wrap Up!

A weight loss plateau can be a major blow, but with the right tactics, you will find a way to break through and keep going. Revisiting your diet, adding in strength training, changing things up, and remembering how stress and sleep can affect your weight loss goals. However, with patience, perseverance, and some small adjustments to your routine can allow you to overcome a plateau. Always stay consistent and committed, eventually, you will see results you aim for.

How Do You Know If You've Hit a Weight Loss Plateau?
If you did not notice any change in your weight for several weeks despite sticking to your same exercise and diet routine. It is a common sign that you have hit a weight loss plateau. 

How Long Does a Weight Loss Plateau Last?
Weight loss plateau can last for a few weeks to several months, depending on your diet and exercise routine. Maintaining your routine and trying different strategies will help you break through it faster. 

Can a Cheat Day Break a Plateau?
However, a cheat day might trick your metabolism into running at a faster speed and can potentially break a plateau, but it isn't a silver bullet. It is about being consistent and doing things in moderation.

Will a Weight Loss Plateau Go Away on Its Own?
If you continue to adapt, the weight loss plateau may eventually go away on its own, but sometimes you need to modify your exercise and diet routine to overcome it. Adjustments and adaptations can help restart progress.

What Are the Best Foods to Break a Weight Loss Plateau?
Foods that can help break a weight loss plateau include high protein foods, like lean meats, eggs, and legumes, and fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains. They increase metabolism and help you feel full longer.