Everybody does it, it happens to the best of us, sometimes we just hit weight loss plateaus, and it can feel like there’s no going back or fixing it. Losing weight is always going to be hard, and it’s always going to take extra work. But at some point, a plateau hits, and it can be that much more discouraging.
Some say that it’s your body telling you that it’s used to everything you’re doing and it has established a pattern. Others say that it’s the body’s way of surviving, because it assumes that you are still in hunter and gatherer mode (i.e. months of starvation). But for those of us who are not living that lifestyle, it’s frustrating.
The main reason that you hit a plateau is because your body has adjusted its caloric needs to its new, lighter weight. In other words, your 150 pound body doesn’t need as many calories to get it through the day as your 180 pound body did. Unfortunately, running that mile every morning doesn’t take as much effort on your part. So while you’re burning fewer calories, chances are you’re eating just as much, therefore hitting a plateau.
Once you hit this point, you may think panic time, I have to cut more calories, I have to eat less and exercise more! And yes, it’s true you do. But doing this can be simpler than you think. It could be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator in the morning, splitting a dessert with a friend rather than eating even a small dessert by yourself, skipping out on condiments or using half the amounts, snacking on fruits and vegetables, etc.