You made a New Year’s resolution to shed some extra weight, and you’ve been doing everything right by restricting your calories and moving your body; however, the number on the scale just won’t budge.
Weight-loss plateau is a common experience that can happen for a lot of reasons. But it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
Because there are so many factors that can impact your ability to lose weight, Anita Petruzzelli, MD, and the rest of our integrative medicine team at BodyLogicMD in Glastonbury, Connecticut, want to take a closer look at some of these factors to help you determine what might be keeping you from reaching your weight loss goals.
Cardio is a great exercise method. It can burn calories and even prevent the onset of many diseases, but it may not be enough on its own. In fact, doing too much cardio can start to lower your metabolism because your body thinks that you’re starving and wants to conserve energy.
For an effective exercise plan, combine cardio with strength training. The more you lift weights, the more that you’ll build muscle, which will help you burn calories and fat more effectively.
In order to lose weight, you have to be at a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume. However, not eating enough can also trigger your body to slow down your metabolism to save energy.
Try eating whenever you’re hungry and eat slowly until you don’t feel hungry anymore.
Drinking water helps you stay hydrated and can also lubricate your joints, regulate your body temperature, and help your body get rid of waste. In addition, getting enough fluids helps increase your metabolism and will also lower your cravings for unhealthy foods and beverages.
If you get more than nine hours or fewer than seven hours of sleep each night, it might be preventing you from losing weight. Good-quality sleep helps regulate your hormones that control appetite. So, if you’re getting too much sleep or not enough, you might have more cravings and feel hungrier, which can contribute to weight gain.
Certain medical conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), diabetes, or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can contribute to difficulty losing weight. Some medications used to manage health conditions can also make it hard to lose weight effectively.
When you’re stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol to give you the energy you need for “fight-or-flight.” However, too much exposure to cortisol can cause your body to start storing fat. If you experience high amounts of stress on a regular basis, you may want to evaluate areas where you can alleviate it.
Healthy weight loss is a slow process, and it’s easy to lose your patience before you’ve reached your goal. Most people lose about 1-2 pounds per week, but you may come to a standstill after a few months, and that’s OK.
You can still keep making healthy lifestyle choices, and you will probably continue to lose fat and gain muscle, which won’t be reflected back in the number on the scale.
If you’d like to learn more about how to lose weight effectively, contact our team for custom weight-loss plans and counseling. Schedule an appointment by calling our office or booking online today.
