So you’re stuck in a weight loss plateau. , if you diet to lose weight you’re bound to strike a plateau at some point in time… Once you struck a plateau that will make all the difference in whether or not you break through and continue losing fat, it’s what you do.
Once you reach the stabilization stage, you should stop dieting.
I’m going to discuss what happens in occurs body hormonally to cause a weight loss plateau then provide you with a solution for how to get out of it. The first hormonal shift involves Leptin levels.
Leptin is a hormonal agent released from fat cells which informs the brain essentially 2 things; just how much body fat you have, and how much you’re consuming. Leptin generally tells your brain what’s going on with your fat and energy stores.
Leptin is very important for among lots of things as it serves to prevent fat storage, promotes glycogen storage in the muscle, and increases fat loss in the muscle. The problem is when you diet, Leptin levels plummet. This is followed by a series of hormonal responses that trigger your cravings to increase and your metabolic rate to crash.
During a diet, Leptin levels drop much faster than you lose body fat.
After just 7 days of dieting your Leptin levels may be down by 50% from regular. With the reduction in your metabolic rate, you in essence turn the “fat storage” switches on while turning off the “fat loss” switches. Your body will shuttle energy into fat cells instead of into muscle cells.
Here’s what occurs … you start dieting by cutting calories and you lose weight. Fat storage takes precedence and hence you struck the dreadful weight loss plateau.
When you diet, Leptin levels go down but Ghrelin levels go up. This is what causes your hunger and hunger to increase while you’re dieting.
Just know that it’s next to difficult to fight the biology of your body by using “willpower” to lose weight with dieting. You have integrated into “self-preservation” systems that work to safeguard you from starvation.
Ghrelin likewise works to promote insulin secretion from the pancreas, therefore, increasing fat storage.
I understand what you’re probably thinking …” Ok, fantastic now we have yet another reason that diets fail. Not only do Leptin levels drop when you diet causing your metabolism to crash but your Ghrelin levels increase at the same time making you hungry all the time.”
how to know if you’ve hit a weight loss plateau
You’d suspect to discover chronically high Ghrelin levels which would cause them to overeat. This is just another reason why you can’t just blame overweight individuals for their weight problems due to a lack of willpower.
This is a big misunderstanding and people who are quick to make this claim merely don’t totally comprehend how the hormonal systems function. Do not let me get on my soapbox with this subject. I could go on throughout the day about the ignorance most people have about what triggers weight problems.
I believe that what triggers obese individuals to eat way too much has something to do with Leptin resistance. In this case, Leptin hormone levels are typical but the cell receptors closed down. This is much the same as insulin resistance and the 2 are most likely linked.
I assume genetics play a big function in all of this but there are steps everyone can take to enhance their hormonal balance. Exercise is an obvious factor with burst training for lean muscle development taking a high concern. A diet that is naturally low in carbohydrates (eating fruits and veggies for carbohydrates while getting rid of starches and grains) with moderate to high protein and omega-3 fats is the best for obese people.
Alright back to what you need to do to break the weight loss plateau. So now I have actually provided you more than you most likely wished to know about Leptin and Ghrelin but a minimum of you have an understanding of what happens when you restrict calories.
Best ways to break the weight loss plateau
Here’s fortunately … if Leptin levels drop when you diet plan, the reverse is also real when you bump calories support again. When you do what I call a “re-feed” your Leptin levels will increase together with your metabolic rate.
There I said it! I understand it took a while for me to offer you the answer however that’s it. , if you desire to break a weight loss plateau you have to consume more.
If I told you this in the beginning of the article that’s why I desired to discuss the thinking initially, I understand this most likely would’ve sounded insane. Believe me on this one it will work. If you find yourself stuck in a weight loss plateau merely increase your calories for 4-5 days to reset your metabolic process. Continue to eat clean using supportive nutrition principals, but simply increase your calories by about 20%.
Because it will have the greatest impact, look to increase your carbohydrate usage at this time. Do not hesitate to throw in some starches like sweet potatoes, rice, and beans.
The entire idea is to create a resurgence in your hormonal agent levels, therefore, raising your metabolism again to promote weight loss. Do not fret about the additional calories making you gain weight. Your body will renew diminished glycogen stores in the muscle cells and liver plus you won’t be able to save fat fast enough due to the spike in your hormone levels raising your metabolism.
Due yourself a favor and don’t get on the scale when you begin doing a re-feed. As you increase carbohydrate usage your body will naturally save water weight. One gram of glycogen (stored carb) binds 4 grams of water. Your body will be replenishing lost glycogen shops to the cells and be adding water right together with it. The water weight gain is just short-lived so wait a week after doing this to get on the scale.
Here are some other clues that your metabolic process has actually crashed due to falling Leptin levels with dieting. You’ll most likely experience one or more of the following in addition to your weight loss plateau.
- Reduced energy levels, feeling tired and slow (even with 7-8 hours of sleep).
- Decreased body temperature level.
- Reduced libido.
- Increased sugar yearnings.
These are all common signs that you’re metabolic rate has fallen and you switched over to a “fat storage” mode. When you bump the calories back up once again you’ll likely experience the exact opposite with more energy, higher body temperature, and an increased libido.
A basic yet reliable diet method is to diet for 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off to reset your hormonal agent levels and metabolism. You can also try out some periodic fasting followed by re-feeds to prevent a plateau.
Once you hit a plateau and re-feed for 4-5 days by increasing your calorie material by around 20%, the easiest and most convenient thing to do is simply stop dieting. Keep in mind to eat more carbs at this time to help bump up your hormone levels.
Alright, there you have it. Ideally, that provides you a much better understanding of how to get out of a weight loss plateau and on to additional weight loss.
