Conquering the Plateau

It's official. I have reached my first plateau on my renewed weight loss journey. It's frustrating and disheartening which causes negative feelings and destructive emotional responses.

"Just give up, your genetics are stronger than you are..." blah blah blah.

Just me?

How do we handle these plateaus, and maintain spiritual strength and emotional stability while keeping the determination to keep our bodies on track and not allow our emotions to tank and derail the entire process?

"...didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body."

-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tamara Willner of Second Nature writes:

"Weight-loss plateaus occur when our brain senses that we’ve started to lose body fat and are eating fewer calories than usual. The levels of fat we have in our body are known as our ‘set point’, and when we go below this level, our brain will respond. Our brain receives many hormonal signals from our body, and when it senses lower body fat levels, it will respond by slowing down our metabolism to preserve our remaining fat stores. This response from our brain is a protective evolutionary mechanism. It’s designed to prevent us from dying of starvation and survive a famine."

Platueas are inevitable. They can last for weeks which feels like a lifetime when you are investing in a proper diet and working out at the gym with an expected outcome. Plateaus are written into our DNA to maintain our existence in hard times like famine to the best of the body's abilities. Now what? I am working so hard to get my body to its optimal condition and it wants to stay fat and at risk of disease? What!?

As Tamara states, "The weight maintenance phase, or weight loss plateau, is essential to allow our body time to adapt. If we ignore this maintenance phase, continuing to lose weight will be a monumental battle." So this is my body's phase of adapting to my new lifestyle which means the real question is how do I adapt to my body with the focus of continuing this process without self-sabotaging or choosing unhealthy practices to speed up the process?

This is where it starts getting particularly frustrating for me because when you start researching how to break through a weight loss plateau the articles by the leading health websites tell you to do more of what you are already doing. I've restricted my calories, cut my carbs, increased my protein and fiber, and actively exercise several days a week. Meanwhile, life is still lifing.

Here is my takeaway:

It is my duty to strengthen my relationship with my body, what is my body telling me? The existence of a plateau first tells me that I am in a state of active weight loss and serves as a reminder that I am on the right track and not to give up. It is important to practice patience and have realistic expectations when it comes to breaking a weight loss plateau. Overcoming a plateau takes time.

Now in order to move through this plateau and start seeing the numbers on the scale start going down again, I need to adjust my current weight loss regime and analyze my diet.

Now, this feels like I am regurgitating preexisting articles but the truth is in the science.

1. Lower calorie intake, more.

   1. It is recommended not to drop below 1,200 calories

2. Cut carbs, more.

   1. Eliminate processed carbs and added sugars.

3. Increase fiber, more.

   1. For a male my age, you should have at least 30g per day, add to that.

4. Make more of your caloric intake come from protein.

   1. Chicken and rice with broccoli?

5. Increase the frequency and intensity of exercise, workouts, and physical activity.

   1. Add an additional set and increase reps. Many fitness professionals recommend pushing your sets until the point of failure.

6. Eliminate stress.

7. Get plenty of sleep.

8. Lower or eliminate alcohol intake.

9. Stay hydrated.

10. Adjust your intermittent fasting window.

Seek out nutritionists and fitness coaches to learn more ways to make healthy modifications to your current lifestyle and continue the journey of optimizing your health. Many health care plans offer these services free of charge.

Now it's time for Phase II of this journey. See you on the other side.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice. Seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional to determine your limitations and health risks.

References:

Cnp, K. H. (2023, June 21). How to Successfully Overcome a Weight-Loss plateau | LifeMD. https://lifemd.com/learn/how-to-successfully-overcome-a-weight-loss-plateau

Rd, F. S. (2022, October 28). 15 tips for breaking a weight loss plateau. Diet Doctor. https://www.dietdoctor.com/weight-loss/plateau

BSc, K. G. (2018, May 11). 7 Proven ways to lose weight on autopilot (Without counting Calories). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-ways-to-lose-weight-without-counting-calories#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9

Rd, H. W. (2019, April 23). 35 Simple ways to cut lots of calories. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/35-ways-to-cut-calories#TOC_TITLE_HDR_37

BSc, K. G. (2018b, May 11). 7 Proven ways to lose weight on autopilot (Without counting Calories). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-ways-to-lose-weight-without-counting-calories#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9