As much as there are people thinking of starting to lose weight, there are equal and more number of people who have been losing tremendous amount of weight but have been stuck by a strong weight loss plateau. Reaching a weight loss plateau can be really worrisome as all your efforts seem to go in vain. But remember, its just the weight that has hit the plateau. There could be a fat or muscle mass that’s lost or converted which may not necessarily be visible on the scale. However, there can be a few factors that can contribute to reaching that WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU!!!

1. Your workout pattern

If you have been doing similar set of workouts for over weeks and seen results, there are high chances the same set of workouts will not give you results in the later phase of your journey. This is simply because the human body can get adapted to any change that comes in and can also get used to the changes soon. Once your body gets comfortable with the workouts, the weight loss pace can reduce drastically. Altering your workouts and the workout time can break the plateau to a certain extent.

2. What are you eating?

In the initial stages of weight loss we make careful attempts to avoid junk and unhealthy foods. We also work on eating healthy foods and drinking enough water. All this have definitely given us results. The moment we get comfortable, there is a high tendency for us to cheat once in a while considering that our body is co-operating. However, these small cheats can be the actual culprits. When we reach a plateau, its wise to sit diligently and record a dairy to see what we are actually eating and 95% of the times, we will find the answer for our weight loss plateau.

3. Focusing too much on the scale

Are you focusing only on the scale? Are you checking your weight every day? Then there are high chances that you will hit the plateau. When you get obsessed with a number, failure to achieve it can trigger frustration and disappointment. This can further lead to emotional eating and guilt which are two negative reactions that can inhibit your fat burning. Instead, focus on the results you have achieved, be grateful and highlight the positives such as inch loss, glowing skin and most importantly how you feel from within. Shift your focus from the scale to the inside.

4. Stress.

You might be following a wonderful diet with varying exercises to break your plateau, but if you are stressed with less sleep, emotionally disturbed, and filled with negativity, there are high chances you wont see the scale moving. In fact, the scale might start moving the other way. Take care of your stress levels by involving in various activities, plan and manage time well and get sufficient sleep. You will be amazed at how a peaceful life can break that tough plateau.

5. Hormonal Imbalance.

Having a hormonal condition can make weight loss slow. Most often you might see more than 2 plateaus in every 3 months of your weight loss journey. Medication for hormonal conditions can also trigger a plateau. However, the good news is that we can counter the effects by being consistent on the exercises, healthy eating and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Results might be slow,but once the hormones get back on track, the weight loss might just shoot up like how you would never imagine.

Most importantly, SMILE when you hit that plateau simply because its time to work out a different strategy to challenge your body!!! Its a body or mind game.