Over the years, I’ve had the chance to help hundreds of people on their weight loss journeys. While there is always a bit of nutrition and fitness confusion to clear up (thank you, diet industry), most folks really do know much of what they should and shouldn’t be doing.  Eat better.  Eat less.  Move more.  But why do I have such a hard time getting it done? they wonder. Today I’m sharing with you the strategies that will help you sidestep your weight loss barriers and finally achieve your goals.

Weight loss success begins with a solid action plan that’s personalized for your lifestyle and needs. So often when attempting change, we think about all the things we’ll do right, all the while neglecting the temptations and challenges that will lurk at every turn.  By dealing with these obstacles honestly and realistically, you can make your chances at success that much more attainable. 

Here are a few thoughts to get you started with your own action plan and the strategies you’ll need to overcome any stumbling blocks along the way.

This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop using these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thank you for your support!

The Usual Suspects

There’s a good chance that that if you’re trying to lose weight, this ain’t your first rodeo. If so, take a long minute to think about your previous weight loss attempts. What worked well for you? And perhaps more importantly, what flat out did NOT work for you?

Did you struggle to stick with your plan? What tripped you up along the way? Make a list of these stumbling blocks.  Do not pretend they don’t exist or that your sheer force of will will enable you to soar past them without grazing a toe.

Look at your list and begin to brainstorm solutions.  While some may be overcome with avoidance, others must be tackled directly.  Do you struggle with stress eating? Seek out ways to soothe your frazzled nerves without food. If you tend to mindlessly snack whilst watching the boob tube, turn off the TV and do something else!  Or, if you find yourself eating and drinking a wee bit too much with certain friends, test that friendship and have a frank conversation about the changes you’d like to make.

By taking a clear-eyed look at your previous weight loss attempts, you can zero in on your most effective tactics all while sidestepping your weight loss barriers.

Create an environment for success.

Whenever tackling a serious lifestyle change, it’s important to set yourself up for success. While willpower is well and good, why not simplify your life and make it easier to reach your goals? 

Take some time to think about what will make it easier for you to stick to your plan. Remember, it is far better to get rid of obstacles than to be constantly tripping over them.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Plan your meals a week in advance and shop accordingly. Do as much meal prep ahead of time as possible so that following your plan during the week is a snap.
• Clear out temptations so you don’t have to waste energy constantly avoiding them.  If you can’t simply toss them out, at least get them out of sight.
• Stock your home and office with nourishing foods that will keep hunger at bay and fuel your activity throughout the day.
• Keep your gym bag packed and ready in your car for post-work workouts.
• Post reminders and encouraging notes where you’ll see them.
• Buddy up with a friend or your spouse for extra accountability and encouragement.
• Join an online support group.

Fill the void.

Anytime you give up a pet activity, you’ll find yourself with a big ole’ hole in your routine.  And, if you do not fill that hole with something constructive or productive, it’ll be all too easy to just flop back into your old habits. 

For example, let’s say you’ve gone cold turkey and you used to smoke during your work breaks. Unless you figure out something else to do with your time, you will go crazy thinking about that now forbidden cigarette. Whether you go for a quick walk outside, fix a cup of tea, or catch up on emails, find another positive activity that will distract you from the temptation to light up.

Or maybe you’ve been using food to deal with boredom and you’re trying to stop.  Here’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone!  By choosing a new hobby, whether it be hiking, pickleball, or line dancing, you’ll not only quit the unnecessary noshing, but you’ll also get off the couch and maybe have some fun!

Kicking a bad habit takes more than just quitting. If you’re serious about making lasting changes, you’ve got to create new habits that will fill the void and spur you onto success.

Know your team.

Identify the angels as well as the saboteurs in your life.  Maybe you have a spouse who cheerfully changes alongside you to ease your way.  On the other hand, you might have a cheeky co-worker whose greatest thrill is to leave donuts on your desk whenever she knows you’re trying to lose a little weight. 

While we’d all prefer to be surrounded by those who are nothing other than supportive and encouraging of our goals, that is not the real world.  Some people are a breath of fresh air and others are stinkers.  Though we can’t control the actions and behavior of others, sometimes identifying the players on the field can at least give those relationships a bit of context.

Get back in that saddle!

But what if, even after all this thoughtful planning, you still manage to mess up and lose track of your goals?  Fear not and let not your heart be troubled, I say!  When you take a nosedive out of the proverbial saddle, you know what to do.  Get right back on that horse. 

Don’t wait–not for tomorrow, Monday, next month, or the New Year.  Ate too much at lunch?  Don’t throw in the towel and think, Oh well!  Might as well pig out the rest of the day because TODAY is shot!   Nonsense.  Don’t let a lapse become a relapse.  

Or maybe you took a bite of some monster muffin in the office break room.  While you may be tempted to polish it off and blow your calorie budget, don’t get into that ‘all or none’ mentality.  Take a moment to remember why you are chasing your goal, get focused, and get back on track.

It Takes Grit

Despite what self-help and gimmicky diet books might promise, don’t fool yourself into thinking that any lifestyle change will be easy.  Overhaul your life in a matter of days or weeks?  Please.  Many of our habits are decades in the making! How could anyone claim to rewire them in just 30 days? 

No, real change takes time and stubborn commitment.  There will be ups and downs and certainly 30 days of focused effort will give you a running start, but changing your regimen, your rituals, your mindset, is an endurance event.

When you set your mind on change and begin to imagine the steps before you, the question isn’t, Will I stumble?  Rather you should be asking yourself, When will I mess up and how will I deal with that?  Will it merely be a lapse?  Or an utter relapse?  How you deal with your weight loss barriers will determine whether or not you will truly change and reach your goals.

Changing your lifestyle and losing weight is definitely a journey. Be kind to yourself along the way! Changes worth making are rarely easy, but nothing compares to reaching that finish line. Armed with a personalized plan, you CAN reach your goals!

PS. Want to learn more about effective meal planning and weight loss strategies? Check out my Plan for Success series HERE!

The post How to Sidestep your Weight Loss Barriers appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

Life’s stressors giving you the munchies? If you find yourself reaching for the chips when anxiety strikes, know that you are not alone! According to the American Psychological Association, 27% of people admit to using food as a means to relieve stress and 38% report to have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods as a response to stress in the last month. The bottom line here? When the going gets tough, a lot of people turn to food for comfort and stress relief. If you’d like to learn more about why we eat when anxiety strikes and practical tips to avoid stress eating, just keep reading!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop using these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thank you for your support!

Why do we turn to food?

So why do we do this? Why do we crave all manner of tasty things when we’re stressed out? When faced with tense situations, our bodies make survival the top priority. We also long for comfort and actively seek ways to feel good, if only for a moment.

Food, of course, has long been associated with comfort, whether we’re talking a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup or a bowl of ice cream after losing the big game. But what is it about stress that makes us head for the kitchen? Let’s take a closer look at the role food plays in our reaction to stress.

Cortisol

Also known as the ‘fight-or-flight’ response, stress and anxiety trigger a cascade of physiological changes that prepare the body to battle it out or head for the hills. Through hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis (say that three times fast!), our bodies release the hormones necessary to face whatever threats come our way.

One particular hormone worth considering as we discuss stress eating is cortisol. Released by the adrenal gland in response to stress and anxiety, cortisol is a glucocorticoid responsible for energy replenishment, hunger regulation, and cardiovascular function.

When thrown into stressful situations, cortisol’s job is to make sure the body has the energy needed to face the crisis at hand and it does this by ramping up hunger. To put it simply, we get stressed, our bodies release cortisol, and we eat. Our stress may be purely emotional or mental (like a looming deadline or being stuck at home), but the HPA axis can’t tell the difference and braces for the attack.

The result? Though our bodies might be primed to go full-Rambo, a real physical confrontation never actually occurs and all those extra calories get stored as body fat.

Endorphins

While we’re on the topic, now would be a good time to talk about endorphins. Known as the ‘feel good’ hormones, endorphins are a naturally occurring opioid formed and released by the brain. A power player in our brain’s reward mechanism, they elicit feelings of euphoria and pleasure all while decreasing stress and pain.

A wide range of activities can stimulate the production and release of endorphins, from logging a great workout to having a roll in the sack. Eating in particular has been shown to get these hormones going and though endorphins may help the body know it’s getting satisfied, overeating may trigger an over-stimulation that ultimately leads to weight gain.

A Vicious Cycle

Unfortunately, though stress eating may provide a brief relief, the benefits are only short-lived. While a bit of self-soothing with a favorite treat can feel good in the moment–especially thanks to those endorphins–reality soon comes crashing back in. Not only have studies shown that stress eating does little to reduce anxiety, it may actually worsen mood and can lead to serious weight gain.

So if you find yourself struggling with excessive snacking and overeating, it’s time to change tack and get the strategies you need that will actually reduce stress and give your mood a much needed boost!

First Things First

Before we dig into the strategies that will help you avoid stress eating, it’s essential to start with the basics of good nutrition. The first and most important thing you can do to curb the urge to snack all day long is to eat well-balanced meals throughout the day.

When life gets crazy, regular meals are often one of the first things to go out the window. Time and energy are at a premium and so mundane tasks like grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking quickly go by the wayside.

The end result is a diet where perceived convenience and comfort are heavily favored over nutritional value. Though ‘tasty’ and ‘healthy’ don’t have to be mutually exclusive, we’re quick to fall back on heavily processed snacks and meals that pile on the extra calories with little to offer in the nutrition department. They just seem easier and we’re all about easy when life’s throwing us curve balls.

Don’t let yourself fall into this trap. Good nutrition doesn’t have to be fussy! Make good nutrition a priority and you’ll reap the benefits both today and beyond. By choosing wholesome, (mostly) unprocessed foods, you’ll provide your body with the lasting energy it needs to face life’s challenges, the nutrients necessary to stave off chronic disease, and the building blocks essential for strength and recovery.

Wondering where to start? Make sure your grocery cart is full of these great choices:

• Complex carbohydrates and fiber from whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, and legumes
• A variety of fruits and vegetables
• Dairy and eggs
• Lean meats, poultry, pork, fish, and seafood
• Protein-rich plant-based foods and meat alternatives
• Healthy plant-based fats

Strategies to Curb Stress Eating

Now that you know why we turn to food to soothe anxiety and have laid a strong foundation for success, let’s dig into some practical strategies that will help you avoid stress eating. It’s all about rewiring habits, finding alternative ways to deal with stress, and ultimately being kind to yourself.

Clear the Counters

The first important step for reigning in your stress-related eating is to completely clear your table and counters of food between meals. Though a simple strategy, it’s one that works.

Leaving an assortment of goodies out on your counter is a constant visual invitation to snack. Remember the saying, ‘Out of sight, out of mind?’ I’m pretty sure that whoever first coined that phrase was referring to a plate of chocolate chip cookies! So save yourself a bit of willpower and put away the treats. You’ll be less likely to sneak a bite if you have to go rummaging through the cabinets.

A Healthier Spread

Now that you’ve tidied up, you’ve got plenty of room for healthier options! If you like to keep an assortment of snacks within easy reach, now’s the time to swap in the good stuff.

Fresh fruit is always a great idea and makes for the perfect grab and go snack. Or, if you’d rather, put out some crunchy veggies with this Skinny Blue Cheese Dip! If chomping into whole pieces of produce isn’t your thing, take a few minutes to make a fruit and veggie tray or charcuterie board loaded with healthy choices like sliced apples and pears, cucumber spears and celery sticks, thinly sliced turkey, and whatever else inspires you.

Stay Hydrated

Thirst is often mistaken as hunger, so make sure you’re drinking enough! Though there’s no set amount that applies to everyone, the standard recommendation of 8 cups per day is a good place to start. And remember–all beverages except for alcohol count! Just be sure to reach for low- or calorie-free options to avoid excess calories your body doesn’t need.

Here are just a few options to get you started:

• Fruit-infused water
• Fizzy seltzer or club soda with citrus slices
• Mineral water
• Green, black, or white tea
• Herbal tea
• Coffee (decaffeinated or regular)

Treat Yourself Like One of the Kids

I recently saw someone post this brilliant idea to reign in their kids’ snacking throughout the day. Each kid got their own little basket with snacks for the day. Once the basket was empty, that was it! No more snacks.

If you find yourself mindlessly snacking throughout the day, give it a try! Pre-portion a number of snacks for yourself to keep in a designated tub or basket. Include healthy options (think fruit, veggies, whole grain crackers, and cheese sticks) as well as a favorite or two (like chips or a cookie). You’ll get to enjoy a few goodies throughout the day without blowing your calorie budget.

And don’t forget to brush your teeth!

This tip is as practical as they come! To cut back on grazing throughout the day, make a point to brush your teeth after meals. After all, who wants to wreck a minty fresh mouth just for a stale Dorito? For extra credit, slap on a pair of whitening strips to brighten your smile!

Don’t Stock the Offenders

Do you struggle with self-control when it comes to certain foods? Does that quart of ice cream just burn a hole in your brain until you eventually dive in? Or can you hear the Oreos calling your name relentlessly until you finally cave in and get dunking? It might be time to re-think your shopping list.

Sometimes the easiest solution is the most obvious one. If you have a hard time controlling your intake of certain foods, don’t keep them in the house! Instead of buying that quart of ice cream, grab an ice cream cone with the kids for a special treat. Wanting a cookie for dessert? Buy just enough for today from a local bakery. You can still indulge in your favorites without having the constant temptation.

Embrace Comforting Rituals

Sometimes we focus so much on what we shouldn’t be doing that we don’t take the time to consider what we should be adding into our lifestyles. We people are creatures of habit and little rituals, from the way we take our coffee to how we like our eggs. It’s all about creating a routine that is helping and not hurting our well-being.

The habits we choose to nurture in our day-to-day lives can have a huge impact on our health and wellness. If stress eating has become a real struggle for you, look for opportunities to care for yourself and wake up your other senses. A change of pace might be just what the doctor ordered! Here are a few small rituals to consider adding to your day:

• A cup of good coffee before everyone wakes up
• Yoga out on the deck or by a sunny window
• Afternoon tea and devotional time
• Crafting and listening to a favorite podcast
• Reading outside on a picnic blanket or in a hammock
• Gardening after dinner
• Evening bike ride with the family
• Grabbing a quick pick-up game with friends
• An hour tinkering in the shop
• Relaxing to your favorite music
• A bubbly bath before bedtime

Get Busy

All too often, constant grazing is a result of boredom. Combine that boredom with frazzled nerves and you’ve got a recipe for the mindless munchies!

So get busy and look for distractions to take your mind off of food. Tackle a project, weed the garden, start a puzzle, challenge the kids to a board game, get out your knitting stash, organize your work bench–you get the idea! Engage your mind, get a little instant gratification, and forget about what’s in the cupboards.

Break a Sweat

I cannot emphasize enough the benefits of adding regular exercise to your daily routine! While we’re all quick to think of the ways a little activity can improve our health and waistlines, a good sweat session has also been shown to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.

Whether you’re an exercise devotee or if it’s been awhile since you’ve laced up, set aside time everyday to get moving! The options are limitless. If you can get outside, go for a walk, a quick run, or bike ride. The gym is a great place to get your training in and snag a group exercise class. Stuck at home? No problem! There are loads of free workout videos online that require little floor space and if the internet isn’t an option, do a quick round of calisthenics.

With so many options for every interest and fitness level, you’re sure to find something to enjoy! Make exercise a priority and life’s frustrations will soon fade to the background.

Try Aromatherapy

When life’s stressors have you thinking about snacks, light up your senses with a bit of aromatherapy! Studies have shown that the smell of certain essential oils–particularly vanilla and lavender–has the ability to calm nerves and relieve anxiety. Whether due to influencing the production and release of endorphins or the associations we make with certain smells, these aromatics can help soothe frazzled nerves and put you in a calmer state of mind.

Want to give aromatherapy a try? Here are a few ideas to consider:

• Light a few vanilla-scented candles
• Add a lavender bath bomb to your evening soak
• Stash a lavender sachet near your pillow
• Decorate your mantle with a vanilla reed diffuser
• Bring a pretty lavender plant or two indoors

Practice Self-Talk

Sometimes, you just need to check yourself. While too many people practice negative self-talk–insulting and belittling themselves for failures or perceived inadequacies–positive self-talk can actually be a force for good when it’s constructive and encouraging in nature.

The next time you think about diving head first into a bag of chips, take a moment to talk yourself down. Remind yourself that this sort of noshing can’t take away the stress and will likely make you feel worse. Then shift gears, get out of the kitchen, and find a positive outlet that will actually do something to lift your mood and spirits.

Take a Breather

Never underestimate the power of fresh air and a little sunshine! Studies have shown that people who live in environments with green spaces have lower levels of circulating cortisol and that spending time in the great outdoors is a great way to significantly lower stress levels.

While the greatest benefits are seen from nature settings, don’t hesitate to take what you can get! If you don’t live near a park or rural vista, you can still reduce your stress levels just by stepping out your front door. Enjoy what your view has to offer and use days off as an opportunity to go for an adventure!

What do I need?

When the walls seem like they’re caving in, it’s hard to not reach for some quick comfort. While it may be tempting to stuff down the stress and anxiety with extra food, just remember that stress eating will not actually calm your nerves.

When the going gets tough, take a moment to ask yourself, What do I need? Odds have it, food isn’t the answer. Perhaps what you really need is sleep, a moment of quiet, a brief escape, an engaging distraction, or more meaningful comfort. Of course, taking a good hard look at the source of your anxiety and searching out real solutions is also essential. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone qualified to do so.

While food can certainly be a source of comfort and indulging now and then can be wonderful, it’s a poor band-aid at best for life’s troubles. I hope you’ve been able to find here the strategies you need to break the cycle of stress eating and have discovered a few new habits worth forming. Your health and well-being are worth the effort!

As always, thanks for reading!

Sources

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Vicennati V, Pasqui F, Cavazza C, Pagotto U, Pasquali R. Stress-related development of obesity and cortisol in women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009 Sep;17(9):1678-83. Epub 2009 Mar 19.

Munsch S, Meyer AH, Quartier V, Wilhelm FH. Binge eating in binge eating disorder: a breakdown of emotion regulatory process? Psychiatry Res. 2012 Feb 28;195(3):118-24. Epub 2011 Aug 16.

Volkow ND, Wang G-J, Baler RD. Reward, dopamine, and the control of food intake: implications for obesity. Trends Cogn Sci. 2011 Jan; 15(1): 37–46. Epub 2010 Nov 24.

Stubbs B, Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, Firth J, Cosco T, Veronese N, Salum GA, Schuch FB. An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2017 Mar;249:102-108. Epub 2017 Jan 6.

Chamine I, Oken BS. Aroma Effects on Physiologic and Cognitive Function Following Acute Stress: A Mechanism Investigation. J Altern Complement Med. 2016 Sep;22(9):713-21. Epub 2016 Jun 29.

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Ewert A, Chang Y. Levels of Nature and Stress Response. Behav Sci (Basel). 2018 May; 8(5): 49. EPub 2018 May 17.

Stigsdotter UK, Ekholm O, Schipperijn J, Toftager M, Kamper-Jørgensen F, Randrup TB. Health promoting outdoor environments–associations between green space, and health, health-related quality of life and stress based on a Danish national representative study. Scand J Public Health. 2010 Jun;38(4):411-7. Epub 2010 Apr 22.

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There’s nothing quite so deflating as the dreaded weight loss plateau. It takes a lot of time, discipline, and raw effort to lose weight. Stepping on the scale and seeing no change can be a real heart breaker. So what do you do? Give up on your goals? As tempting as that may be, know that weight loss plateaus can be overcome!

In today’s post, I’m going to share with you the strategies that will help get you off that plateau and back to seeing results. Though it may take a little trial and error and a willingness to switch up your game, these tweaks have helped many of my patients and clients continue their weight loss journeys. So if you’ve ever found yourself staring down a scale that just won’t budge, this post is for you!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop with these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thanks for your support!

So what is a weight loss plateau?

Before we get going, we’d better get our definitions straight. A weight loss plateau is a loose term, but generally describes a situation where after enjoying a number of weeks or months of steady weight loss, the scale comes to an unexplained standstill. Despite every effort to carefully follow your calorie and exercise plan, the scale just won’t budge and it hasn’t for a few weeks or more. Could anything be more exasperating?

One caveat I’d like to make at this point is to not confuse natural fluctuations in your weight and the occasional steady scale with an actual plateau. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a forlorn dieter in my office lamenting their lack of results only to remind them that they actually have been losing weight, just not at the breakneck pace seen on many weight loss reality shows. Dropping 5 pounds in a month is not nothing. Don’t confuse your unrealistic expectations with a weight loss plateau!

But First, the Usual Suspects

Before we dig into how to deal with stalled results, let’s be sure to rule out alternative explanations. Sometimes you’re not really in a weight loss plateau but rather a discipline slump. It happens to most everyone!

Sticking to a weight loss plan for weeks or months (and for some, years!) can really take a toll on your motivation. So you start to skip workouts. And measuring portions goes by the wayside. Food journaling? You haven’t logged a morsel in weeks. In this situation, the solution is all about revitalizing your plan and getting back to the fundamentals. With most of my clients, a few fresh tactics and a renewed commitment to that food log gets their weight loss back on track. Here are just a few of my typical recommendations:

• Measure all portion sizes, especially ALL added sources of fat and sugar
• Food journal and track all calories (Consider an online app or website like SparkPeople or MyFitnessPal!)
• Limit restaurant dining and takeout
• Limit liquid calories
• Avoid excessive calories as a reward for working out
• Stay on track over the weekend

If you’ve loosened your grip on the reins in any of these ways, I’d heartily encourage you to start there first. Take an honest look at what you’ve been doing and see if there are areas where you’ve lost a bit of due diligence. Remind yourself of your goals, commit to making the necessary changes, and soon the scale will start to change, too!

Breaking out of a Weight Loss Plateau

But what if you’ve been faithfully following your plan and yet to no avail? You’ve been sticking to your guns, tracking calories, and haven’t deviated one bit–what then? Perhaps it’s time to consider whether you might be in a weight loss plateau.

Though a stuck scale can be extremely frustrating and disheartening, don’t let it stop you from chasing down your goals! Today we’re going to be looking at the strategies that will help you overcome this familiar hurdle and start seeing results again. By asking yourself a few important questions, you can solve the mystery of your weight loss plateau!

Are you on the right calorie plan?

It can be tricky figuring out the right calorie level for weight loss. Though online calculators can be extremely helpful, they aren’t precise for everyone. Sometimes finding the best calorie level can take a little trial and error. If the first calorie plan you pick doesn’t work, don’t give up! With a few tweaks, you can figure out what works best for you.

This is where keeping an accurate food journal becomes extremely helpful. If, for example, you’ve been carefully following an 1800 calorie plan and walking 4 days per week without results, you can use this information to formulate a revised plan. One solution might be to reduce your calories to 1600 calories per day and add 3 days of strength training to your routine. Continue to log your food and activity and then see what happens.

Those two changes might be enough to get the scale moving in the right direction. If not, continue to tweak and modify until you start losing weight. Remember, though, that weight loss doesn’t happen overnight. Give it a week or two before you decide that your plan isn’t working.

Generally speaking, most dietitians do not recommend weight loss plans less than 1200 calories per day, though there’s always the occasional exception. Such a low caloric intake is hard to sustain over time and leaves a person vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies. If you’ve ever tried sticking with one of those 800 calorie plans, you know what I’m talking about! You’ll find yourself constantly hungry and thinking of little else besides FOOD. That is not an equation for success!

How much weight have you lost thus far?

Once a person has lost a significant amount of weight–let’s say 5% or more of their starting weight–it’s very common to see their results begin to taper off. Despite being faithful to the plan, the scale just won’t budge. Why does this happen?

To put it simply, when you’ve lost a number of pounds, you are quite literally a smaller person. Given that metabolism is the ongoing building up and tearing down that’s constantly going on in the body, a person who weighs less has less tissue to support and maintain. Furthermore, you are also carrying less weight around–yet another source of caloric expenditure. As a result, when you lose a significant amount of weight, you don’t need as many calories.

So if you’ve lost 5-10% of your body weight but you’re no longer getting results with your plan, it might be time to reduce your calories (or increase your physical activity) to make up for the likely changes in your metabolism. Start by reducing your intake by 200-300 calories per day, log your efforts carefully, and check your weight every week or so. This adjustment might be just what you need to start losing weight again.

What do your macros look like?

For some people stuck in a weight loss rut, changing up their macronutrients (or ‘macros’) can be really helpful. Macronutrients are the three nutrients that provide our bodies with calories–namely, carbohydrate, protein, and fat. (Alcohol also provides calories but is not essential for health, so it’s not considered a nutrient.) All should be included in a balanced diet, but switching up your breakdown can really enhance your goals. Whether you’re a runner fueling for the next race or a mom who just needs energy to get through her busy day, the right balance of macros can make a huge difference.

If you’ve been following the same plan for a span of weeks or months and your results have come to a standstill, it might be time for fresh tactics. Our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt to our various behaviors (within limits), and that includes the way we choose to eat. Switching things up can be a great way to get the scale headed in the right direction.

If you’ve been food journaling, take a look at your nutrient breakdown. Are carbs eating up the lion’s share of your calories? Try reducing your percentage to perhaps 40% and increase your protein and fat percentages accordingly. Give it a few weeks and see if that makes a difference. Have you been following a very low-fat diet? Try increasing your fat percentage to 30% and see if that helps, again adjusting your other macros accordingly. It is okay to experiment with your diet plan to find what works best for you!

While calories are very much king when it comes to weight loss (it’s hard to beat physics!), macronutrients are an important–if not essential!–consideration when you’re trying to lose weight. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, switch things up! That might just be the catalyst you need to start seeing results again.

What’s the timing of your meals?

When it comes to how often you should eat, you’ll find a never ending litany of opinions!

• You should eat small, frequent meals to keep your metabolism humming!
• Avoid eating too often–you’ll only end up getting in too many calories!
• Don’t ever eat past 6pm!
• Never skip breakfast!
• Intermittment fasting is the best way to shed pounds!

Any of these sound familiar to you? When it comes down to it, there is no single right way to eat that works for everyone. I’ve had some clients who’ve had great success with small, frequent meals while others do much better with 3 square meals per day. Intermittent fasting has some great testimonials, but a lot of folks feel crummy when they go too long without a meal. You’ve got to find what works best for you.

If you’ve been following one particular eating schedule but the scale hasn’t moved for a few weeks, consider trying a new meal pattern! Have you been eating frequently throughout the day? Try switching to 3 main meals each day. Intermittent fasting no longer delivering results? Try eating every 4 hours (being sure to track those calories) and see what happens. Finding your best strategies is going to take a little trial and error–and that’s okay! Just be sure to measure those portions, track your calories, and keep an eye on your weight. Slowly you’ll begin to find the tactics that work best for you!

You can overcome a weight loss plateau!

I hope you’ve come away with some strategies that will help you on your weight loss journey. Though it can certainly be a bumpy ride, remind yourself often of why you want to lose the weight. Be willing to re-think your plan when it’s no longer working for you and get fresh tactics when you need them. Stay focused on your goals and don’t give up! You can do it!

P.S. How does exercise weigh into all of this? Check out this post all about how to get the most out of your workouts–whether you’re under the bar or on the scale!

The post Break Out of a Weight Loss Plateau appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

If you’ve ever set your sights on losing some weight, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced what all dieters dread: the unholy weight loss plateau. What the heck is going on here? You followed your plan. Got in your workouts. You even skipped the whip on your latte! So why didn’t that number on the scale go down?? One minute you were on top of the world, but now you just feel like a deflated balloon.

Though you might not have lost any weight, don’t lose heart! Keep in mind that plateaus are normal and happen to even the most dutiful dieters–just ask our friend, Evelyn! A stalled scale can happen for a number of different reasons, some within your control, others not.

Today we’re going to take a look at what you can do get yourself back on track. With a little due diligence, you can overcome that weight loss plateau and see the number on the scale go down.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop with these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thank you for your support!

Weight Loss Plateau–or Slump?

Before we dig in, it’s important to take a good, hard look at your weight history. It amazes me how often I’ve had a client complain at having not lost any weight when in reality, they have!

But I’ve only lost 5 pounds in the last 3 weeks!

Thanks to the unrealistic expectations fostered by magazines, online testimonials, and “reality” weight loss shows, too many people have been led to believe that losing 5+ pounds per week is an attainable goal for the average person. Anything less seems like a failure and utter waste of time. In reality, shooting for 1-2 pounds per week (or 1% of your body weight), is not only a more sensible goal, but it is also more sustainable over the long haul.

So before you decide that you’re not making any progress, take a look at your weigh-ins. If the overall trend shows that you’ve been steadily losing weight (with perhaps a few bumps along the way), you are not in a plateau! To the contrary, you should be excited with your progress! Just keep your eye on the prize, and you’ll eventually reach that finish line.

When the Scale Really isn’t Moving

Now, if it really has been a stretch of weeks since you’ve lost any weight, it’s time to figure out what exactly is going on. It’s time to take inventory and get some clear-eyed perspective. This is where food journaling becomes a crucial source of information. In order to truly assess your eating habits and figure out why the scale isn’t moving, you’ve got to figure out precisely how much you are putting in your mouth. This can only happen with careful food journaling.

Thankfully, food journaling no longer has to be done by hand. There are multiple apps and websites out there that do a fabulous job of helping you keep track of everything you’re eating. Virtually every food you can purchase at a grocery store or restaurant can be found in these databases, making all that math a snap. Simply enter how much you ate and the app will do the rest, giving you an accurate analysis of your caloric intake, plus a breakdown of the nutrients you’re getting in.

If you’re looking for a little direction, SparkPeople and MyFitnessPal are two food journaling websites with free apps that I heartily recommend. They have excellent food journaling tools plus so much more.

Measure Everything

Of course, a food journal can only be as accurate as your measurements. If you’re going to take the time to record what you’re eating, do it right. You’ve got to measure everything. This means that if a food is not already pre-portioned for you (e.g. a slice of bread, a packaged bar, a container of yogurt), you’re going to have to either grab a food scale or a set of measuring cups and spoons and get after it.

Yes, I know measuring everything you eat is a pain. Yes, I know your life is busy. But given that the average person underestimates their calorie intake by 500+ calories per day, measuring your food is really the only way to get a clear picture of just how much you are putting down the hatch. Until you do this, you really can’t begin to figure out whether you are actually in a weight loss plateau or simply eating more than you realize.

The Usual Suspects

In case you’re not yet convinced, here’s a short list of foods that are often overlooked and yet quickly add up. Even these little trifles should be measured and included in your food log. Remember, just 500 calories each day can make the difference between losing a pound per week and losing nothing!

• Added fats like butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and sour cream
• Nuts and nut butters
• All the goodies you add to your coffee or tea, like sugar, honey, half and half, or creamer
• All “diet”, “keto”, “Atkins”, “low-carb”, or “low-fat” foods. Just because these foods are marketed to dieters doesn’t mean they are low-calorie.
• All caloric beverages, including those lattes and Frappuccinos.
• Any little odds and ends you randomly grab and pop into your mouth, like that handful of M&M’s, chips, or your toddlers leftover animal crackers

For many of my clients, the simple act of food journaling is the catalyst that gets their weight loss back on track. When you are measuring and logging every bite, it is a very eye-opening experience. After all, if you know you have to log that handful of M&M’s, you might think twice about popping them in your mouth! Careful food journaling will give you confidence in your calorie counting and a friendly nudge to stick to your plan.

Next Steps to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

Admittedly, food journaling doesn’t always solve the plateau puzzle. If you’ve made the effort to log every bite but you’re still not seeing any results, it’s time to take another look at your weight loss plan. Remember, not every plan works well for every person! With just a few adjustments, you can hone your weight loss strategy and get the results you’re looking for.

Wondering what these adjustments might be? Check out my post, Break Out of a Weight Loss Plateau. We’ll dig into the strategies that will help you overcome a stuck scale and reach your goals. Thanks for reading!

(Psst…Want to read more in the Facing Obstacles series? Check out this post!)

The post The Scale Won’t Budge appeared first on The Diet Oracle.

If you find yourself needing to lose more than 10 or 15 pounds, it can be a bit daunting to embark on what is sure to be a challenging weight loss journey.  No doubt, this will be an endurance event.  The question is, can you stick with it long enough to reach your goal? 

Today I’ve got for you just a few strategies that will help you lose that weight without losing your sanity. Even if reaching your goal will take months (or even years!), these tactics will enable you to keep your focus until you reach the finish line.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you shop with these links, which helps to make this blog possible. Thank you for your support!

Set Milestones

One helpful trick for dealing with long-term goals is to set smaller, easier to attain goals along the way.  Not only will this meet your need for a bit of quick gratification, but it will also give you the opportunity (excuse) to reward yourself. 

For example, if you have 30 pounds to lose, set 5-pound milestones.  Each time you lose a fiver, treat yourself! Reward your progress with something that will enhance your continued weight loss efforts, like some new workout music, or that Restorative Yin class you’ve been dying to try.

Shed Weight, Not Tears

The changes you choose to make will also determine how easy or arduous the journey is.  Yeah, you could live off broiled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli for the next 6 months, but what sort of life is that?  And how will you maintain those painfully-earned results? 

There is a reason most people can only last for a few weeks on these extremely restrictive plans. They are difficult and unpleasant to sustain over time, to say the least! So be sure to make changes that you can truly live with and incorporate long term into your lifestyle. Remember, temporary changes will only give you temporary results!

Changes Worth Making

If you’re truly in this for the long haul–that is, you really want to change your life–you need to make changes you can live with.  In fact, a good test for any change you’re considering is to ask whether you’re doing it just to lose weight or if this is a change worth making permanently. 

Make a list of such worthy changes and, one by one, begin incorporating them into your lifestyle.  As the weeks and months go by, you’ll not only lose the pounds but you’ll also be creating a new way of living that supports your new physique.

Is the juice worth the squeeze?

Finally, as you get started with your goal, it’s always helpful to get some perspective.  As you sit there wondering whether you have what it takes to go the distance, ask yourself one simple question:  If you knew that one year from now–after all the work and diligence and perseverance–you’d have reached your goal, would it all be worth it? 

For some, this question becomes a transformative mantra because they know that one year is a small price to pay for shedding the weight and changing their lives.  One year is a small investment compared to how you will feel at the finish line.

Lifestyle change is never easy, but if the change is worth making, the rewards will be sweet! If you’d like to see examples of everyday people chasing down their weight loss goals, check out my Plan for Success series! You just might find the inspiration and tactics you need to reach your goals.

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