In this article, I want to help you overcome a weight loss plateau and offer some solutions to get you towards your goal once and for all. And stay there for the rest of your life!
This is a story about my client Paul who was really doing well with his weight loss and then about six months in he got stuck at 200 pounds.
He had done so well up until this point taking down his weight from 240 pounds.
Amazing accomplishment!
But now despite cooking most of his meals at home, buying and cooking fresh ingredients, journaling, and recording his food consistently, he was unable to budge from that number for a month!
You can imagine how exasperated he was!
The reasons for plateaus are complex and not always what you might think. Yes, there are obvious reasons and then other not-so-obvious reasons.
So I came up with these SUGGESTIONS for him.
Are you really in a calorie deficit?
Despite cooking whole foods and eating balanced meals you can still be eating too many calories.
I call this the “Healthy Halo effect”.
If it’s a product from whole foods it’s okay to overeat!
Or if its a product that has numerous health benefits and you believe you can eat as much as you want because it’s healthy.
Olive oil guacamole, granola, gluten-free, low carb keto foods high in fat, and hummus are a few that can add pounds without realizing it.
Counting calories is an inexact science and you can’t always eyeball a portion size - you have to weigh and measure certain foods if you are going to come even close to getting calories right.
Sometimes I suggest clients go on the TV dinner diet.
Basically, you eat healthy foods that come in packages so you can easily know the exact portions and the calories you are consuming.
It’s crazy but it actually works.
I worked with a local TV news station about ten years ago that kept track of 5 people who were working with a trainer and in a competition to see who could lose the most weight in a 12 week period.
Well, my guy lost 43 pounds and most of what he ate were frozen lean cuisine dinners and frozen veggies!
Another strategy is to replace high-fat foods with reduced-fat items or substitute with protein or fresh veggies or fruit.
The biggest diet wreckers are nut butter, excessive amounts of guacamole, salad dressings, protein bars, smoothies and cooking oils.
Yes, they are KETO friendly, but not good if you are trying to lose fat. Being in ketosis is not a long-term strategy for most people.
I have seen the KETO fad come and go three times since the ’90s!
I don’t know anyone who started the KETO diet 20 years ago and is still on it. Just sayin’!
So take a good look at what you are putting in your mouth and don’t assume anything.
The only thing you need to ask is:
Is this within your calorie range?
If it is then by all means please go ahead and enjoy it!
If not portion an amount that actually is.
Back to Paul:
He realized he was splashing olive oil on a lot of his salads and using it to cook.
I suggested measuring the oil and substitute an olive oil spray for cooking.
He was also mindlessly eating hummus and chips in the evening while watching Nexflix.
Hummus while healthy is another sneaky source of excessive fat.
He uses a measured portion instead of eating out of the container.
He is back on track and losing about a pound a week as of this writing in April of 2021.
Once you practice and apply some of these ideas, you will have smoother sailing towards your goal of good health in a body that is the right size and shape for you!
You can eat the foods you love if you pay attention to the quantity and portions- whether it’s broccoli or doughnuts!