When weight loss slows down, it can feel as though we’re being attacked where we are weakest. Think about it. You’ve been working hard to conquer those pounds. Every one lost is a victory. Keeping up the pace becomes integrated with maintaining your motivation. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t always see things the same way our minds do.
Therefore, when we step on the scale at the end of a week when we feel we’ve “been good”, it is a bit disappointing when we don’t lose as much as has been the trend. We shrug it off. It happens. Perhaps we had a bit too much salt, and it’s just water retention. Then, the next week, the same thing happens. Weight loss slows down and it can start to feel as though we’ll never be able to make it to our goals. We’ve already sacrificed so much! What do we do?
Weight Loss Slows Down When You’re Doing Well
Don’t assume that this means you’re doing something wrong. In fact, it likely means that you have been doing something right. It happens to so many of us as we work hard to reach our goals, but what happens when weight loss slows down?
For many this can offer a form of sabotage or frustration that they simply can’t bear. It can come in the way of a dreaded weight loss plateau whereby the scale doesn’t move for awhile. It can come in the form of losing weight along the way and suddenly it slows to almost a halt. However, when it hits you it’s imperative to be prepared to work through this temporary setback. If you give into it then you will almost always fail and fall off track, so be prepared for this to happen and be proactive.
Overcoming this Trend
So when weight loss slows down it’s up to you to do a thorough evaluation of what is truly going on. Though you might think that you are doing all the right things, you may need to switch it up a bit. Eating the exact same foods each and every day can get stale.
Not only will you get bored with it, but so too will your body and therefore fight back by giving little to no progress. The same goes for exercise, so if you are doing the same thing at the gym each day it’s time to incorporate some variety. This will keep you on your toes and always ensure that the body responds favorably.
Be Honest About What’s Working and What’s Not
In addition to adding variety when weight loss slows down, you may need to change up your formula that has been working. After all, when you first started, you were heavier and not as fit. Therefore, you didn’t need the intensity or length of exercise you currently do. Your body could take on more calories and still lose the pounds because you were bigger then.
All that hard work shows you were doing something right. That said, when your weight loss slows down, it can be an indication that you need to freshen things up. It doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. You could still be doing things right. You just need a tweak here and there to reflect your new body!
Updates to Your Lifestyle
Perhaps you need to work out harder or smarter. Maybe you are working out but not for long enough. Maybe you need to add some strength training to your routine. Maybe it’s just a matter of working out more often. When it comes to your eating, are you truly watching your portion sizes? Often times after a workout or when you are mindlessly eating even healthy foods, it can mean extra calories that you don’t need, and which can backfire.
As you consider what to do when weight loss slows down try to re-establish some goals. It can be wise to look at what you have accomplished so far, and how you get there. It may mean that perhaps you get away from certain foods again or go back to basics. Maybe you write down what you are eating each day as a jump start. If you have been losing weight every step of the way and suddenly slow down, then think of what you have been doing and what you can do to change it for the better. This will help you to keep accomplishing your goals and help you to lose the weight once and for all.
