Anyone who’s ever been on a diet could tell you there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing your initial weight loss taper off.
The good news? Those weight loss plateaus are not only completely normal but there are several steps you can take to help the numbers on the scale start moving again.
‘While it’s normal for weight loss to slow down after the initial stage weight loss, plateaus are very frustrating,’ nutritionist and weight loss coach Pippa Campbell tells Prima.co.uk.
‘Often people can be doing everything right and eating the right things but still hit a wall, and there are several factors I look at with new or existing clients who have seen their weight loss slow down.’
Here are five likely reasons why your weight loss may have stalled – and what you can do about it…
1. You’re doing the wrong type of exercise
As we all know, healthy weight loss requires exercise, too. But, if you’ve been slogging it out at the gym hoping to burn calories through traditional cardio, then you could be sabotaging yourself.
‘Cardio does not actually burn huge amounts of fat,’ Pippa tells us. ‘So, if you’re doing long, steady runs, for example, it is time to think about changing your exercise.’
The best type of workout for weight loss? High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which involves alternating between high intensity activity and set rest periods.
‘Not only do you burn more calories during a HIIT workout, but the effect of all that intense exertion kicks your body’s repair cycle into hyperdrive,’ Pippa says. ‘That means you burn more fat and calories in the 24 hours after a HIIT workout than you do after, say, a steady-pace run.’
Oh, and did we mention that you can easily do HIIT at home without any fancy gym equipment? If you’re intrigued, check our our expert guide to HIIT here for more information on how to get started.
2. You’re being too strict with your diet
Now this one is genuine music to our ears… If you’ve been following a healthy diet religiously for a while but have started to see your weight loss plateau, then it might be time to hit the reset button by having a good old-fashioned ‘cheat’ meal.
‘If you are constantly calorie-restricting, your metabolism can slow down,’ Pippa explains. ‘I believe that you need to “shock” your system once a week with a treat meal to boost your metabolism.’
To be fair, numerous scientific studies have shown that having an occasional ‘cheat’ meal can help boost weight loss.
For example, a team from the University of Tasmania in Australia found that participants who took regular breaks from their diets actually lost more weight than those who stuck to a rigid regime, and ultimately gained less weight back once the study ended.
Like we said, best news ever. Anyone fancy spag bol tonight?
3. You’re eating more than you realise
This may be a difficult to swallow, but it could be that you are inadvertently eating more than you should for weight loss.
‘Many new clients that come to see me are eating far too much,’ Pippa tell us. ‘They can often be eating up to three times the amount a nutritionist would recommend for them.’
For this reason, it could be worth swatting up on healthy portion sizes to ensure you’re not accidentally overdoing it. Check out our detailed guide here, which covers a whole range of foods, from snacks to condiments. For instance, did you realise that one serving of meat should be no larger than a deck of cards? Nope, us neither…
And taking the time to use a (free) calorie-counting app, such as MyFitnessPal, could also be useful if you want to ensure you’re accurately sticking to your diet plan of choice.
4. You’re developed some sneaky bad habits
Once you’ve been making an effort to eat healthily for a while, it’s easy for some unhelpful habits to sneak back into your routine.
‘I often find that clients have slipped back into old habits, which is why their weight loss has slowed down,’ Pippa tells us. ‘It could be that your meals are too rich in carbohydrates, without enough protein to keep you full, or that you’re snacking more than you realise.’
For a full guide to the diet-destroying habits that could be undermining your weight loss, check out our expert guide here.
And, if you really can’t get through the afternoon without snacking, that’s not a problem: here are 10 of the best snacks for weight loss to try.
5. Your gut bacteria could be imbalanced
A lot has been said about the link between gut bacteria and weight loss in recent years. One study from 2017 showed that participants with higher levels of ‘good’ bacteria in their guts found it easier to shed weight than those who didn’t.
Pippa agrees that a gut bacteria imbalance could be playing a part in your weight loss struggle.
‘Scientists now know that the bacteria in our gut can have profound effects on weight and metabolism,’ she says. ‘Some bacteria actually extract more energy from food, leading to weight gain, while others trigger inflammation, leading to insulin resistance, independent of your calorie intake.’
With that in mind, Pippa says it’s crucial to try and heal any gut imbalances you may be harbouring. While it’s tempting to pop a probiotic supplement, there are numerous other ways you can maintain your gut health, too.
‘Try to eat whole, unprocessed, unrefined foods,’ suggests Pippa. ‘Cutting out sugar and refined carbs, while increasing gut-supporting fibre from vegetables and consuming plenty of good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, will all help.
‘You should also aim to reduce the amount of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids you eat (found in the likes of vegetable oil) and consider introducing fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, into your diet as well.’
