It can be frustrating, you’ve been working hard to make better diet choices, increased your level of exercise and have successfully lost weight but then it all comes to a screeching halt or worse you may even gain back a few pounds! What is going on?

Unfortunately, our bodies have not evolved to support weight loss. In fact, in 200,000 years that it is estimated we have existed on the planet, it has only been within the past 100 years that we have enjoyed food security. Simply put, our biology is a mismatch for the modern environment. Even though we can identify that we are carrying around too much fat, your body will fight to hold onto those stores in preparation for times of starvation. As you lower your calorie intake in an effort to lose weight, your body will eventually adjust to the lower calorie consumption and will slow your metabolism in response. In addition, you may also require less calories as you lose weight, particularly if you lose lean body mass.

Luckily, we CAN outsmart your body’s protective defenses and achieve our weight loss goals.

Here are my top strategies to push you through a weight loss stall:

1. Eat more! Yes, this may sound completely counter intuitive, but scheduling either a weekly “feasting” day where you increase your calories, or take a purposeful two solid weeks off of your current regimen can help prevent your metabolism from slowing down. Increasing calories strategically can intervene the signal that there has been a decrease in resources, and your metabolism stays stable. Ultimately, during the time that you are focused on losing weight you still want to achieve a calorie deficit over the course of the week. Remember, we have evolved for alternating times of both feasting as well as fasting.

• Keep a food diary and track the average calorie intake over the course of the week. As you lose weight, the total amount of calories needed to continue to lose weight may also need to be adjusted.

• Exercise for muscle gain and fat loss. If your goal is to maintain your weight loss over the long term, then you are going to need to increase the intensity or frequency of physical activity. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn 24/7.

• Beware of “diet” foods. Unfortunately, food companies that produce products with labels such as sugar free, keto, paleo or vegan do no always have your best interests in mind. Always, turn the package over and read the ingredients. In addition, beware of the serving size, there is no regulation on what is considered a reasonable serving size. Who drinks half a can of soda or a half a bag of chips?

• Eat your protein! Protein is the most satiating of all macronutrients. Your body is wired to seek all the essential amino acids in a meal before it will send a signal to your brain that you have had enough. In addition, roughly 30% of the calories contained in protein are needed to metabolize it.

• Manage stress. Chronic stress or stress experienced over a long period of time can impact hormones such as insulin and cortisol that increase circulating glucose and fat storage. Not only can stress control where your calories are stored, it can also influences where those calories come from. Under stress, you are much more likely to reach for the pizza, chips or ice cream.

• Master your sleep. Sleep is the time for building muscle, losing fat and regulating the hormones that can impact appetite as well as fat storage!

Final takeaway: do not let a weight loss stall derail you from reaching your goal! Take a moment to appreciate what you have accomplished so far and then evaluate what diet/ lifestyle modifications you have yet considered.

If you want to know how a personalized plan could be the missing link in achieving your goals, please call now 941-685-8074 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute discovery call.