|
Helpful Ways to Push Past Your Weight Loss Plateau
Your diet has been going so well; after a difficult start, your willpower kicked in and you started dropping
pounds, and the elation of the weight loss just kept you going and it was all good…but then, you started losing the
pounds less quickly, and then you stopped losing at all. You have slammed up against the Weight Loss Plateau.
You haven’t done anything wrong; you were following your diet and exercising. The plateau isn’t your fault. The
human body has been doing this for millennia. In the history of mankind there have been feasts and famine. During
periods of famine, the body stopped burning fat as a survival mechanism; in other words, the body didn’t want to
reduce so quickly that it couldn’t sustain life. In the past, the human body carried precious little extra pounds,
and tried to keep them. In the timeline of human history, just a few generations of plenty aren’t enough to
convince the human brain that famine isn’t just around the corner, and to give up the body’s stored fat so
quickly.
Thanks for the history lesson, you might say, but I’ve hit the plateau and what can I do?
The normal response would be anger and depression at the state of things. Both of those emotions can bring on an
eating binge of titanic proportions. This is exactly what you don’t want to do! Here are some helpful hints that
will help you push past that plateau and begin to lose pounds again!
As stated before: IT ISN’T YOUR FAULT! You don’t want to lose your feeling of empowerment you worked so hard to
get! You just need to resist the urge to beat up on yourself and to reduce your caloric intake to an unhealthy
level. It’s time to give yourself a time out from any negative emotions; you are just having a little rest from
weight loss. Continue your diet and if possible, increase your exercise a bit, but in a fun way. If there is a
beautiful garden near your house, walk past it and enjoy the lovely sight and scents. Or put on a favorite CD from
the past and dance to it! Give your dog and extra walk! Have fun with it!
Anger over the plateau is not easily defeated. If you feel anger, don’t repress it, let it out! Beat on a pillow
while you’re screaming at it, visualize your plateau; tell it in so uncertain terms what you think of it, cuss at
it, kick it in the butt!
Remember that depression is anger turned inward! If you begin to feel depressed, visualize yourself as another
person in the room, and help them with this depression; you know her problem; tell her why she should be hopeful
and make her feel better. If you still feel depressed, follow #2 until you feel better.
Do something everyday that is just for you. Watch your favorite tearjerker movie with lots of Kleenex nearby; gift
yourself with a candle that is your favorite scent; have a totally decadent bubble bath; get your nails done! You
know what you like, give yourself a little present everyday.
Resist stepping on the scale everyday; do it instead once a week or not at all if you like! You will know when you
start to lose again; wait until then!
Remember, this is usually make-or-break time for any diet. You are committed to this diet; you are in for the long
haul. Depending on the amount of weight you want to lose, this may be the first of several plateaus. Remember that
your body is getting used to and adjusting to its new dimensions. Be a little patient with it; it will reward you
in the end!
| 
Delicious
Google Bookmarks
Stumbleupon
Digg
BlinkList
Blogmarks
Facebook
Ma.gnolia
Reddit
Twitter
Yahoo My Web
Livejournal