Real Life Fitness Questions Answered

How can I escape this weight loss plateau?

Hi, been doing this since 2nd week in April (think that works out 5 weeks). I have lost 4lb and for the last 3 weeks have maintained. Compared to before I am exercising so much! I keep within my calories, I eat a varied diet. I am doing following exercise Mon 1hr cross country walk (med pace) Tue Jillian Michael 30 day shred (session 1) then body balancing class Wed rest Thur body balance class (gym first for warm up) Fri rest Sat or sun .. at least 1 hour walk Thing is, I've done slimming world before, eaten more than i am and not exercised and dropped 10lbs within 4 weeks.. Although I feel amazing for doing the exercise.. it is starting to really get me down that I'm not losing any weight.. and hardly any inches (i had a bit at the start and its stopped losing again). Please can you give me any idea why my journey seems to be at a complete standstill so early on into this plan? It is very de-motivating. I am weeing a lot more.. I used to do this at slimming world when I was losing weight - but this time I'm not losing!.. I'm very confused and desperate to see some results.. I'm working harder than ever before.. :( Please can you offer a little advice? Thank you

Our expert says...

Hi,

Well done for your initial weight loss so fat. It is good to remember that fluctuations in body water mass can vary by several pounds within a few hours. The timing of your "weigh-in" is also important as having gone without something to eat or drink for a few hours or having just been to the loo could make several pounds of a difference and give a low reading, whereas the opposite scenario could give a higher than actual weight - and the difference between the two results could be as much as half a stone.

I would suggest you consider the following to figure out the reason for the ‘plateau’:

- be very very strict with the calories you consume sometimes we can leave small things out or make minor underestimations in the amount we are actually consuming which obviously would provide misleading calorie figures. Even if you are sure you are doing it right reassess! It’s amazing what you can sometimes realise when you doubly-check your figures/amounts/foods etc.

- Exercise wise you would benefit from adding in 1-2 more higher intensity options for your training like a more demanding class or even just different ones. Alternatively, if you go to a gym for your classes you could get yourself an adapted/updated gym program from an instructor. Overload means more adaptation and more calories burned!! The body is so effective at finding shortcuts, making things easier and just adapting to the demand placed on it that you are already likely to be burning less calories for the same workout! Bodypump is a very good class for general toning and calorie burning; just ensure you keep strict technique throughout the exercises.

- General activity – on your rest days make sure you are still taking all opportunities to move more, taking the stairs, parking further away and taking every opportunity to do more. The days you don’t exercise are as crucial as the ones you do and you can contribute to the daily calorie balance through physical activity.

- With relation to your food, make sure you aren't over consuming due to your regular training you are doing on a weekly basis. Often we can end up taking on too many calories because exercise increases the metabolism but can improve our ability to 'refuel' effectively if we choose. Make sure you have a post-training snack in the first 15mins after your exercise sessions, to help curb any overconsumption later on that day. You won't need to do anything drastic with your eating habits because your exercise volume is excellent, so just reduce a tiny element from your daily intake and see if it tips the balance for you. Also, make sure you are adjusting your food consumption on rest days, i.e. not eating as much!

- This may sound strange but make sure you get enough sleep! With regular training, your body will need adequate rest to recover and adapt. If however, you also have moderate-high levels of emotional / occupational stress, have irregular sleeping patterns and/or stay up late/get up early, then your body may be more tired then you realise. The way we often deal with this scenario is to eat more in an attempt to alleviate the tiredness, keep training, etc. So BE AWARE, consider whether this could be a potential factor for you. Being aware of it is half the battle won already!

- make sure you are re-hydrating! Drink water little and often and ensure you absolutely consume 2 litres of water on the days you exercise. If we are dehydrated our body’s ability to burn body fat is directly affected. Hopefully what I have mentioned will help you consider some small, realistic changes you could make to your current exercise/eating plan and kick start your weight loss progress!

Hope this helps,

Kelly