How To Break A Weight Loss Plateau (Step By Step Guide)
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In this video you’ll discover a full step by step guide on how to break a weight loss plateau.
►If you found this video helpful hit Subscribe to support the channel and share the video with your friends to spread the word◄
First, let’s define a plateau.
Weight loss isn’t linear, your body weight changes will often be in spurts.
A plateau is defined as a period of about 4 – 6 weeks where you were stuck at a certain body-weight.
There’s only 3 possibilities for a weight loss plateau:
Type 1 – Not adhering to the program
Type 2 – New caloric maintenance
Type 3 – Water Retention Effect
It can be one or a combination of all 3 factors.
Type 1 Plateau – Not adhering to the program
We can look at 2 categories:
1. Conscious – You know you’re not following the program. The hard thing is essentially to admit to yourself that you are having a hard time following the diet.
2. Unconscious.
People often fail without even knowing.
Study of 224 subjects showed that people claimed 47% less caloric than they actually ate and overestimated activity by 51%.
A few high calorie meals here and there can easily erase a week’s worth of caloric deficit.
Both of these conscious and unconscious issues are usually solved by objective tracking using tools like MyFitnessPal.
Type 2 Plateau – Arrival At New Caloric Maintenance
This is normal and to be expected. This is why tracking is key.
Breaking through type 2 plateaus
Once you reach this plateau there’s 3 options to overcome it:
1) Eat less calories
2) Add more exercise
3) Combination of both
To pick which of those 3 you can use first you want to analyze and see what is the most realistic plan of action for you.
Type 3 Plateau – Water Retention The “Whoosh” Effect
This is where people panic after waking up every morning to see no progress on the scale.
Maybe you’re eating too much?
Maybe you’re not doing enough cardio, maybe there’s too many carbs?
This is especially true for people who combine large amounts of activity with large caloric deficit.
Most people lack patience to wait it out so they cut calories further and/or increase activity which just makes the problem worse.
Solution 1 (Best option): Patience
Simply be patient if you are adhering to your diet and exercising, there is no magic that is preventing fat from being lost.
It’s just being masked by water retention! You will dump the water eventually.
It’s not uncommon to be stalled for 2-3 weeks to wake up 4-6 pounds lighter seemingly overnight just by waiting it out.
Solution 2: High Carb Refeeds
Minnesota Starvation Experiment ( during World War 2.
The objective of this study was to establish guidelines for properly refeeding war prisoners.
The men were getting 1500-1800 kcal per day in a controlled setting lasting 6 months, with moderate amounts of daily activity.
At the start men were losing weight linearly, about 2 lbs per week.
However, after some time the weight loss occurred in “bursts” with long periods of plateaus.
Water retention was noticeable in most men and in some cases quite severe.
Half-way through the study they allowed men a relief dinner to celebrate the progress.
A big meal of 2300 kcal was served and that night everyone got up more often than usual to urinate.
The next day they discovered that they had each lost several pounds.
This was not a one-time occurrence.
When the experiment was over and the refeeding began, the men continued to drop weight until calories were increased substantially.
Solution 3 – Diet Break
Take a break from dieting by going to maintenance calories for 1-2 weeks and get used to the new weight.
Solution 4 – Relax
Do something fun and relaxing that will reduce your stress levels and you’ll experience a drop in weight. Often when people go on a holiday after a long diet this tends to happen.
Solution 5 – Sleep
One of the many reasons to get enough sleep is inadequate rest increases cortisol levels, which, as you know, increases water retention.
Hope you enjoyed!
Post any question you have in the comments below!
Talk soon, Mario
Free Workout Plans:
Beginner Routine
Intermediate & Advanced
Bodyweight Home And Travel
For more fitness, nutrition and personal development tips check out:
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Music Used:
Jim Yosef – Firefly
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In this video you’ll discover a full step by step guide on how to break a weight loss plateau.
►If you found this video helpful hit Subscribe to support the channel and share the video with your friends to spread the word◄
First, let’s define a plateau.
Weight loss isn’t linear, your body weight changes will often be in spurts.
A plateau is defined as a period of about 4 – 6 weeks where you were stuck at a certain body-weight.
There’s only 3 possibilities for a weight loss plateau:
Type 1 – Not adhering to the program
Type 2 – New caloric maintenance
Type 3 – Water Retention Effect
It can be one or a combination of all 3 factors.
Type 1 Plateau – Not adhering to the program
We can look at 2 categories:
1. Conscious – You know you’re not following the program. The hard thing is essentially to admit to yourself that you are having a hard time following the diet.
2. Unconscious.
People often fail without even knowing.
Study of 224 subjects showed that people claimed 47% less caloric than they actually ate and overestimated activity by 51%.
A few high calorie meals here and there can easily erase a week’s worth of caloric deficit.
Both of these conscious and unconscious issues are usually solved by objective tracking using tools like MyFitnessPal.
Type 2 Plateau – Arrival At New Caloric Maintenance
This is normal and to be expected. This is why tracking is key.
Breaking through type 2 plateaus
Once you reach this plateau there’s 3 options to overcome it:
1) Eat less calories
2) Add more exercise
3) Combination of both
To pick which of those 3 you can use first you want to analyze and see what is the most realistic plan of action for you.
Type 3 Plateau – Water Retention The “Whoosh” Effect
This is where people panic after waking up every morning to see no progress on the scale.
Maybe you’re eating too much?
Maybe you’re not doing enough cardio, maybe there’s too many carbs?
This is especially true for people who combine large amounts of activity with large caloric deficit.
Most people lack patience to wait it out so they cut calories further and/or increase activity which just makes the problem worse.
Solution 1 (Best option): Patience
Simply be patient if you are adhering to your diet and exercising, there is no magic that is preventing fat from being lost.
It’s just being masked by water retention! You will dump the water eventually.
It’s not uncommon to be stalled for 2-3 weeks to wake up 4-6 pounds lighter seemingly overnight just by waiting it out.
Solution 2: High Carb Refeeds
Minnesota Starvation Experiment ( during World War 2.
The objective of this study was to establish guidelines for properly refeeding war prisoners.
The men were getting 1500-1800 kcal per day in a controlled setting lasting 6 months, with moderate amounts of daily activity.
At the start men were losing weight linearly, about 2 lbs per week.
However, after some time the weight loss occurred in “bursts” with long periods of plateaus.
Water retention was noticeable in most men and in some cases quite severe.
Half-way through the study they allowed men a relief dinner to celebrate the progress.
A big meal of 2300 kcal was served and that night everyone got up more often than usual to urinate.
The next day they discovered that they had each lost several pounds.
This was not a one-time occurrence.
When the experiment was over and the refeeding began, the men continued to drop weight until calories were increased substantially.
Solution 3 – Diet Break
Take a break from dieting by going to maintenance calories for 1-2 weeks and get used to the new weight.
Solution 4 – Relax
Do something fun and relaxing that will reduce your stress levels and you’ll experience a drop in weight. Often when people go on a holiday after a long diet this tends to happen.
Solution 5 – Sleep
One of the many reasons to get enough sleep is inadequate rest increases cortisol levels, which, as you know, increases water retention.
Hope you enjoyed!
Post any question you have in the comments below!
Talk soon, Mario
Free Workout Plans:
Beginner Routine
Intermediate & Advanced
Bodyweight Home And Travel
For more fitness, nutrition and personal development tips check out:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Snapchat:
Website:
Music Used:
Jim Yosef – Firefly
Follow Jim Yosef
SoundCloud
Facebook
YouTube