The Secret to Beating a Weight Loss Plateau

We've all struggled to lose weight at one time or another. These weight loss plateaus can be frustrating, discouraging, and even be the end of your diet. 

The first few weeks of a new diet are often the easiest. We feel healthier, we're motivated, and we're happy with the results that show on the scale. 

This might as well be called the honeymoon phase of the diet. Once the newness of the diet fades away and we begin to see less of a return on the work we put in to lose the weight, things start to fall apart.

This is where many people give up on their diets. But a weight loss plateau doesn’t have to spell disaster for your new, healthier efforts. Luckily, we know what you can do to overcome your frustrations and make your diet a success.

Why Do Weight Loss Plateaus Happen?

When you hit that inevitable plateau, it's common to ask yourself, "Am I doing something wrong?" Weight loss plateaus can last as little as a few days or extend to months, so you may be asking yourself that question a lot.

According to experts, these plateaus are common. In other words, no, you’re not doing anything wrong. When you begin losing weight, your body composition changes and so do your nutritional needs. 

Here are a few common reasons why you might hit the dreaded plateau:

• Beginning a diet can cause your body to lose fat, but it can also cause you to lose a bit of muscle. In fact, up to 25% of body tissue lost during a diet is muscle. With muscle being so important to your metabolism, a loss of muscle mass can reduce your metabolism and halt your weight loss. 
• You may simply just need to consume fewer calories or up your physical activity routine to achieve a lower weight. You may have already cut down on calories and upped your physical activity, but it’s not always that simple.
• Some believe that the human body naturally gravitates to a certain weight range where it's most comfortable. This is called the set point theory. If you consistently find yourself getting stuck around the same weight, this could be the culprit. 
• There could also be other factors at play, like adrenal gland or thyroid issues. Medications, breastfeeding, pregnancy, quitting smoking, and menopause can all make losing weight more difficult.

How To Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

There are several reasons why you could be experiencing a weight loss plateau. If the cause isn’t immediately clear to you, consider these essential tips to help make your plateau a thing of the past:

1. Exercise Intensity and Frequency

It's very difficult to lose weight without exercise. Plus, it's very well established that exercise is one of the best ways to successfully maintain your weight. If you're hitting a plateau, it's time to rev things up one way or another. 

Either increase your frequency or up the intensity. Why is this? Well, unfortunately, losing weight tends to slow your metabolism down. In fact, the average person burns about7 fewer calories for every pound they lose.

Naturally, this makes weight loss more difficult. That's where exercise comes in. Proper exercise, like resistance training, helps your body retain muscle mass which, in turn, impacts the number of calories you burn. 

If you've already been exercising, try adding another day to your weekly regimen or exercising for longer periods of time. You can also increase the intensity of your workouts to promote your metabolism.

2. Get More Protein

Increasing the amount of protein in your diet can also help when you're starting a weight loss plateau in the face. Protein boosts your metabolism more than carbohydrates or fats. When your body digests proteins, calorie-burning increases by up to 30%. 

Additionally, protein stimulates the production of PYY and other hormones that reduce your appetite and help you feel full and satisfied. Lastly, protein can protect your body against the dreaded loss of muscle mass and metabolism that can occur during a diet.

There’s no better way to get low-carb, low-calorie protein than Smart Pressed Juice’sVegan Vanilla Proteini. Our Proteini is natures perfect dose of plant-based protein, with no fillers or artificial sweeteners to taint your body. Packed with 10 nutritious superfoods, this protein blend activates your daily detox while powering your day. It's exactly what you need to get past that plateau.

3. Reduce Stress Levels

Stress can affect your body in more ways than you might realize. Not only can stress trigger food cravings and comfort eating, but it also tells your body to increase the production of cortisol. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone because it helps you deal with stress, but it also increases belly fat storage. 

If you're trying to lose weight, stress is the last thing you need. Properly managing stress has been shown tobenefit weight loss. 

If stress is something you struggle with, check out our blog onself-care practices. 

4. Cut Out Alcohol

We know it's nice to enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two, but your intake could actually be contributing to your weight loss plateau. Not only does alcohol provide no nutritional value, but it's common to have multiple drinks in one sitting. 

The calories can add up, and looser inhibitions may even lead to poor food decisions. Aweight-loss study showed that decreasing your alcohol intake will reduce overeating and promote greater weight loss.

If you are consuming alcohol on a regular basis and you’ve noticed a plateau in your weight loss journey, consider cutting back to see if that is the culprit.

5. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber

A high-fiber diet is another way to break through a weight loss plateau. Soluble and insoluble fiber are known to be beneficial for weight loss. In particular, soluble fiber helps slow the movement of food through your digestive system, keeping you fuller for a longer period of time. 

Cravings are perhaps the most difficult part of maintaining a diet, so make sure you get enough fiber. In addition to keeping your appetite under control, fiber is also known to promote weight loss by decreasing the number of calories your body absorbs from other foods in your diet.

If you’re like most people, you’re not getting enough fiber to begin with. You can fix this with Smart Pressed Juice’sPineapple Chia Cleanse. Our Pineapple Chia Cleanse is the perfect daily mini-cleanse you need to keep bloating and cravings under control. Plus, if you do slip up and eat poorly, it contains activated fibers that gently remove the waste from unhealthy eating.

6. Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleeping more might seem crazy when you’re trying to lose weight. Surely you should be more active, not hitting the snooze button more - right?

But sleep is important for emotional, mental, and physical health. If you're focused on losing weight, failing to get enough sleep can actually lower your metabolism and lead to weight gain. 

Plus, a poor sleep schedule can also impact your body's hormones that control your appetite and fat storage. Go ahead and get the sleep you need. Your body will thank you.

For more SMART lifestyle tips like this, visitwww.smartpressedjuice.com and follow us onInstagram andTwitter, or like us onFacebook. You can also visit ourAmazon store to stock up on our delicious juices.

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