Losing weight is an on-going battle, which means that for every win there is also a loss. As long as you make steady progress then you are well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals. If your results become completely stagnant there can be many different reasons for that.
With that in mind, here is a list of ways in which you can do something about it and get back on track with your weight loss plan.
1. Eat enough protein
Your metabolism slows when you lose weight because your body doesn't require the same level of energy to maintain your size. You then have to account for the loss of muscle mass which naturally occurs when you shed pounds. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, so the goal is to preserve that muscle. To do that, you'll want to keep protein intake between .8 grams to 1 gram of protein per kilograms of body weight.
2. Portion out your food
A lot of people devalue the importance of portion sizes. You might think eyeballing the amount of food you eat isn’t doing much harm, but it can make a big difference when you’re trying to shed those last few pounds. As you get a little bit closer to your target weight, you have to be a bit more meticulous.
If you’ve stopped seeing results, you need to pay attention to portion control. First, familiarize yourself with what you should actually be eating. For instance, a serving of beef is 3oz and a serving of ice cream is half a cup. Then, measure it out. After you get used to what that amount looks like, you can go back to doing it by eye.
3. Don't treat yourself too often
Having something considered a “cheat” after a hard workout can cause that kind of mindset to stunt your weight loss. Instead of binging on something calorific because you “earned it,” you could choose smaller portions of treats you really love. Only a maximum of 10% of your daily calories should come from food outside of your diet.
4. Don't overestimate activity level
When you start working out more, you might experience something called “compensatory inactivity. That means you might be exercising more, but moving less throughout your day.
You work out hard during your morning sweat session. Sit down at a desk all day and then go home and sit down on the sofa all evening. That’s a mistake. If you’re serious about keeping up with your weight loss, falling into this habit of not moving after exercising can really hold you back.
Incorporating more movement throughout your day can keep you motivated. Make an effort to be active whenever you can. That way the weight will keep coming off.
5. Fuel up the right way
Sticking to a high-intensity routine boosts your appetite. You might end up feeling ravenous post-workout, causing you to overeat and gain all of those calories back instantly.
Play the preventive game. If you’re hungry going into your workout, chances are good you’ll be starving afterward. In that case, consider having a pre-workout snack to manage your hunger. You don’t want something too heavy or rich, which can make you feel uncomfortably full. Instead, opt for a banana, which is full of simple carbs to give you energy, or a handful of almonds, which contain good fats and some protein to hold your hunger over.
If you work out before work or after leaving the office, you will need to eat afterwards. Just make sure you’re doing it right. If you have some time to kill before your usual dinner time, make yourself a protein shake or have a small snack so you’re not tempted to overeat at dinner.
6. Be consistent in the gym
Consistency matters when you’re trying to lose weight. According to British research, skipping just one workout can increase your odds of missing another one by 61%. Consistency matters in your routine, too. For a fat loss program to work, you have to stick to a routine long enough so you can really master it.
The sooner you become proficient at an exercise, the better you get at it. That means you can add more weight to it, helping you gain and retain muscle—which helps you burn more calories throughout the day and fend off fat. But if boring really bothers you, add new stuff to the last 10 minutes of your usual routine as a finisher.
7. Recovery properly
You’re not going to maintain or continue your weight loss if you’re too sore to keep up with your workout plan out for the rest of the week. Not taking your recovery period seriously can cause you to plateau. When you work out, you’re literally breaking down your body by causing micro tears in your muscle tissues, so you need give it time to rebuild that muscle before you get back into it.
Going home and eating well, going to sleep, and drinking enough water is going to allow your body to recover so you can go back to the gym a day later so you can do it again. Alternatively, you can also do full body workouts every other day and allow a day of recovery in between.
If you’re constantly feeling too sore to get moving again, try one of these ways to speed up recovery after a hard workout so you can stay on track with your exercise routine.
