What is a dietary plateau?

A dietary plateau is the scientific term for the phenomenon of losing weight while losing weight. Moreover, a limited diet and daily exhausting workouts do not help cope with this.

The diet plateau lasts differently for everyone. Some people lose weight for 3-5 days. For others, this phenomenon may continue for several weeks. Moreover, even if a person practically does not eat, he arranges fasting days on which he drinks only water.

The reason for the plateau when losing weight lies in the body’s addiction. He manages to get used to constant training, a low-calorie diet, and fasting days when he is allowed to drink only water. The body tries in every possible way to return to conditions that are comfortable for it, when it succeeds, a plateau occurs, after which the weight does not go away.

Expert opinion

Fetisova Anna Andreevna

Fitness trainer, professional nutrition consultant.

Note! Nutritionists say this phenomenon is a good sign. During this time, the new body weight will be fixed and stabilized. That is, with further weight loss, this will play into your hands. The weight that was lost will not come back.

What determines the duration of the plateau?

The following factors influence how much a weight costs:

• Age. The younger the person, the shorter the plateau lasts, and the lower the risk of a phenomenon in which weight does not come off.
• Weight loss program. With a strict diet with periodic fasting days, when you can only drink water or kefir, and grueling sports, the risk of a plateau increases. In addition, this phenomenon will last longer.
• Failure to maintain water balance. If a person does not drink enough fluid daily, the body begins to accumulate it, resulting in weight loss.
• Individual characteristics. All people have different bodies. For some, it adapts quickly, while for others it takes a sufficient amount of time.

Nutritionists provide statistics on the duration of the plateau. On average, weight costs 5-14 days.

Expert opinion

Fetisova Anna Andreevna

Fitness trainer, professional nutrition consultant.

Important! If the volumes go away, but the weight rises during weight loss, then this is not a plateau. This phenomenon is most often observed during intense sports activities. Body weight remains the same due to the increase in muscle mass, while fat is lost.

How to move from a “dead point”

If the weight doesn't come off, there's nothing to worry about. To speed up your recovery from a plateau, you can follow some recommendations.

Calorie conversion

If you gain weight while losing weight, then you need to reconsider your diet. Since body weight has become smaller, the body therefore needs fewer calories for normal functioning.

It is necessary to reduce the daily energy value by 100-200 kcal. Reducing calories further is not recommended. If you do this, your metabolic processes will slow down and such a weight loss program will not give an effective result. If the weight still doesn’t come off, you can reduce it by another 50-100 kcal.

Expert opinion

Fetisova Anna Andreevna

Fitness trainer, professional nutrition consultant.

Important! When reducing the calorie content of dishes, one should not forget about water balance. You need to drink at least 2 liters of fluid daily.

Increased fiber

Coarse fibers promote weight loss. Scientists have proven that just 1 g of fiber can burn 7 kcal. An adult needs 30 g of this element daily.

This way you can remove 210 kcal from your diet. If the weight has risen, this will come in handy. However, everything is good in moderation; you should not consume more than the specified amount, because... this may have a negative effect on the digestive system.

Fiber is found in large quantities in grains and vegetables. Moreover, you can make drinks from the latter and drink them. Various vegetable smoothies are great for replenishing fiber deficiency.

Cheat meal

This word means that you can drink and eat whatever you want. This helps to “reboot” the body and restart the weight loss program.

The most important thing is not to overdo it. Cheat meals can be arranged no more than once every 2 weeks. At the same time, you need to set clear time limits for yourself when you can drink and eat without restrictions. For example, for an hour, and then stop.

Reducing the amount of salt

If you have gained weight, it is recommended to limit your salt intake. It retains fluid in the body, which a person drinks during the day. Naturally, this negatively affects weight loss.

It is better to avoid salt completely, because... It is believed that sodium is supplied in sufficient quantities through food. If this is not possible, then you should at least reduce its volume to 5 g per day.

Eating almonds

This product must be included in the diet before playing sports. It contains many useful substances, including L-arginine and amino acids. These elements help burn fat during training.

Of course, during intense physical activity, we must not forget about water balance and drink enough liquid.

Don't skip meals

If the weight does not come off, you cannot give up certain meals in the hope that this will help speed up the weight loss process. As mentioned earlier, fasting like this will slow down your metabolism, causing the plateau to last longer.

You need to eat at least 5 times a day, but in small portions. Breakfast, lunch, dinner should be complete. Between these meals, you can drink natural yoghurts, kefir and other drinks that the diet program implies.

Always have water with you

You should always drink, and the more, the better. Without water, the body cannot function normally. When a person drinks, workouts are more productive. Fat is burned much faster, and your health improves. In addition, when a person drinks, he experiences hunger less often and gets full faster. This is due to the fact that the stomach fills with fluid.

You can drink not only water, but also various teas, compotes, fruit drinks, etc. These drinks also help rehydrate. But you can’t drink alcohol, soda, or packaged juices. There is nothing useful in them.

Eat more protein foods

This element improves metabolism and participates in the formation of muscle tissue. Protein is found in large quantities in meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy and fermented milk products.

If you don’t get enough of it with food, you can take various sports supplements. For example, protein shakes.

New types of training

If the weight has risen, it is recommended to try a new training program. For example, include other loads (running, martial arts, etc.). This will help deceive the body, prevent it from adapting, and therefore avoid a plateau.

You cannot always adhere to one training regime, otherwise the body will quickly get used to it. It is recommended to change your exercise plan weekly to include endurance, strength and cardio exercises.

Expert opinion

Fetisova Anna Andreevna

Fitness trainer, professional nutrition consultant.

Helpful information! If there is a need to build muscle, it is recommended to take natural sports supplements (gainers and others).

Sufficient sleep time

If the weight does not come off with intense training and a balanced diet, then it is recommended to pay attention to the quantity and quality of sleep.

The human body needs time to recover. In a dream, it is updated and rebooted. An adult should sleep at least 7-8 hours in the dark.

Expert opinion

Fetisova Anna Andreevna

Fitness trainer, professional nutrition consultant.

For reference! In order for sleep to benefit, you should not eat food 2-3 hours before it. It is recommended to only drink water.

Why did you stop losing weight? Top 15 reasons.

Eat right11/23/2017

Why did you stop losing weight? Top 15 reasons.

Almost every person who loses weight has encountered the problem of stopping the weight loss process. Let's look at the reasons for this behavior of the body.

One of the first reasons is that you are a beginner.

in this case. You may have gotten back on track by eating right and exercising, but your body is in shock. Due to physical activity, muscles learn to retain glycogen. Don't worry, this phenomenon will pass in a couple of weeks. Believe that you are on the right path and continue in the same spirit.

The second reason may be lack of patience

. After a month, you have lost only 2 kilograms? This may seem unimportant to you, but it is not. Patience and a little effort. Once you see better results in another two months, you definitely won’t be able to stop.

The next probable reason is that you don’t eat enough.

! A lack of calories is just as dangerous as too many. There is a high chance that you have stopped losing weight because of this. The body needs nutrients and a certain amount of calories. Without getting enough calories, your body experiences stress and is reluctant to give up its reserves. Due to the imbalance of hormones that are responsible for weight loss and appetite control, the desire to eat something does not leave you. As soon as this happens, the body will definitely store even more than it had.

Reason four – you are obsessed with kilograms!

Are you doing everything right, eating well and exercising, but the scale doesn’t change or shows more? Pay attention to the quality of your body, most likely you have become fitter and more athletic. The body fat percentage measurement option is not for you. Start measuring your body size. As you know, muscle is much heavier than fat. By losing a kilogram of fat, but pumping up a kilogram of muscle, your waist will become several centimeters smaller.

Reason five - you don't do strength exercises.

It is a mistake to think that only cardio training helps you lose weight. In fact, you can burn fat through strength training. That is why you only need to do comprehensive training, and you should devote more time to strength training.

Another reason may be a passive lifestyle.

Do you have a monotonous job, do you sit at the computer all day? Short breaks to warm up and go for a walk after work will definitely not hurt you. Use a pedometer, your minimum should be 5000 steps!

The seventh reason is lack of sleep.

Think about it, do you sleep 7-9 hours? Do you go to bed on time? Do you have a routine? We are accustomed to thinking that proper nutrition and exercise are enough to lose weight. But the key factor for the proper functioning of the body is sleep. Lack of sleep increases your appetite. To somehow compensate for this, you choose high-calorie foods. You need to plan your time correctly, because lack of sleep affects not only extra pounds, but also your health.

The eighth reason is that you are constantly nervous.

During times of stress, the risk of overeating is very high. This is especially true for women. Stress increases the synthesis of cortisol, which retains fluid in the body and triggers the process of fat accumulation.

Reason nine – you don’t have a routine.

Chaotic workouts won't help you lose weight. We didn’t have time to eat and had a snack on the go - plus extra pounds. The regime is your opportunity to lose weight.

Reason ten is the plateau effect.

The body has become accustomed to your diet and exercise routine. You should change the exercises and review the menu. Perhaps you need to increase your daily calorie intake for a while, to pump up your body, so to speak.

The eleventh and not unimportant reason is that you no longer need to lose weight!

Look in the mirror, perhaps you have already lost excess weight and it’s time to stop. Now you just need to maintain your weight and don’t forget about physical activity.

The twelfth reason is ineffective training.

Do your workouts always take place in “light” mode? You must always give 100%, otherwise the meaning of training is lost. You'll just be wasting your time. Don't expect easy workouts to be effective. To lose weight, you need to create a small calorie deficit by using them in training. Give your body a reason to use your fat reserves.

The thirteenth reason is health problems

. Excess weight and the thyroid gland are continuously linked. If you think you have problems with your endocrine system, consult your doctor. Most often, health problems are a consequence of your lifestyle. It is worth noting that some hormonal medications can cause weight gain.

Reason fourteen - metabolism has adapted

. A long-term calorie deficit can disrupt your metabolism. The body adjusts by reducing the production of most thyroid hormones. To avoid such a process, you need to change the caloric content of your diet (do a “zigzag”), get full sleep and change your workouts.

The fifteenth reason is that you are not changing anything in your life.

If you constantly change diets, torture yourself with hunger, you will certainly break down, and so on in a circle. It happens that you manage to lose weight, but later you gain even more weight. This is not an option! Proper nutrition is not a diet, but a lifestyle. Change your life for the better!

• Arina
  Very cool written! Everything is together and connected! :) I would also add - non-acceptance of oneself))) and dissatisfaction with oneself).
  Marina Kovalkova

  Yes, Arina, you are right and this is the 16th reason from the top why we are not losing weight.?

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