You may not be maintaining a calorie deficit or you could be doing too much of one type of exercise. Reach out to a healthcare provider if you are feeling stuck and need help developing a more effective weight loss plan. They can help determine the reason for your plateau and help you get back on track.
Several factors, including hidden calories, inadequate exercise intensity, medical conditions, stress, lack of sleep, or muscle gain, could be hindering weight loss. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
Your body eventually adapts to your workout regime, so you burn fewer calories and slow down weight loss progress. Other health conditions: There are some medical conditions that can drive weight gain and make it harder to lose weight. These include hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome and sleep apnea.
According to their Physical Activity Guidelines the CDC recommends vigorous exercise for 20 minutes, three times a week. If intense exercising is too much for you, the CDC also recommends moderate exercise sessions with a minimum of 30 minutes, five days a week for weight loss.
The usual culprit of short-term weight fluctuations is just water retention though. If you have an especially tough workout, your muscles experience microtears. To repair the tears, your body recruits more fluid to aid in the healing process. This can result in a several pound gain on the scale.
Stage 1: Fast weight loss
In the beginning, weight loss happens pretty rapidly. Over a period of 4-6 weeks, you'll likely see a noticeable difference in your body weight [1] — either on the scales or by the way your clothes fit.
A total of 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity is recommended for keeping you healthy. However, if you're trying to lose weight, you may need to exercise more than this. Shoot for 30 minutes on 5 days of the week as your minimum target. This will help you to reach your 1,500 per day calorie deficit.
Muscle helps keep up the rate at which you burn calories (metabolism). So as you lose weight, your metabolism declines, causing you to burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight. Your slower metabolism will slow your weight loss, even if you eat the same number of calories that helped you lose weight.
Water is more than just a thirst-quencher. It offers various benefits that can aid in weight loss. These include boosting metabolism, suppressing appetite, aiding in detoxification and enhancing exercise performance.
If you're asking yourself, “Why am I gaining weight when I barely eat,” several factors may be at play. Your body may be holding onto fat stores if your eating habits are inconsistent or restricted. Or, your weight gain may be the effect of a sedentary lifestyle, medical condition, or long-term stress.
Building visible muscle generally takes time, specifically anywhere between eight and 15 weeks, the experts say. "Substantial muscle growth can take several months or even years, depending on your genetics, consistency and effort", Pelc Graca says.
Unhealthy eating is the biggest driver of big bellies. Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats. Choose healthier fats in things like fish, nuts, and avocados.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
If you're exercising regularly and doing a mix of cardio and strength training, it's likely your body composition (ratio of muscle to fat) is changing for the better. “If the scale isn't moving, but your clothes fit better, and you feel stronger, that's a win,” Pelc Graca says.
Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.