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Weight Loss Plateau: 5 Questions You Need to Answer
Posted on July 16th, 2011
Losing those last 10 pounds can be a challenge. Ask most women over 40 and they’ll say “It takes a long time!” I don’t care how easy programs claim to be or what the infomercials promise, weight loss as you age gets hard. You feel like your body is stuck. For some women you’ve gone as far as having tests done to rule out thyroid imbalances, hormonal upheavals (e.g. menopause), and even determined your RMR (resting metabolic rate). You eat pretty well and exercise regularly so it seems logical that the weight comes off quickly right? Although weight loss can happen as you age, the time factor may be our greatest challenge. So what’s the deal? Should you resign yourself to being a few pounds overweight? What’s really going on and are you missing some key contributors to your weight being in the “stuck” position?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you throw in the towel. Remember, be completely honest with yourself. Are you ready? Here we go.
- How many years has it been since you were at your healthy weight? (Note: this is not your high school weight; it’s a weight that is best for your height and body type).
- Do you nibble a lot?
- Are you stressed about your slow weight loss?
- Do you notice changes in your eating around your cycle? (Note: If you’re menopausal, there may be certain triggers that change your eating).
- Do you workout as hard as you used to?
I suggest answering these questions in a journal and dating it. This is extremely important. You need a baseline for understanding why your plateau exists in order to solve the problem. Writing down your observations and even frustrations with weight loss plateaus can help you process and reflect better. Don’t rush the process, take your time to make the most of this exercise. In my next post, I’ll address the first question in more detail as well as give you helpful solutions to to use right away.
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1 nikki of los angeles ~ July 26, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Leave it to you to be in my head! Yes, I am frustrated by the slow weight loss, especially after keeping it off and watching it slowly creep back on. I don’t exercise like I used to cause my joints hurt more, so I try to walk more instead of run… and yes, I am a grazer. I eat fruits and veggies most of the day. I try to eat breakfast, but don’t as regularly as I once did. I heard a regular sleep cycle with consistent good nights’ rest also helps with weight loss. Can’t wait to read your next post!
2 valerie ~ July 27, 2011 at 9:49 pm
I hear your frustration Nikki! Whenever the weight starts creeping back on it’s time to re-group and get an action plan. The top 3 action steps I suggest you take is getting good night’s sleep (at least 7 hours), eat breakfast before 9:00 a.m. and exercise at least 5 times per week. Make sure you include strength training 2 days per week - that is the “secret” to getting your body composition back to where it needs to be. Keep me posted on how things go!