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Weight Loss Program Reviews
Filed under Weight Loss TipsApr 15Why Do So Many Weight Loss Programs Stall?
It’s a common experience for those who have been following their chosen weight loss programs. They lose some weight and things seem to be going well. Then, they find themselves stuck. No matter what they do, they just can’t seem to make any more progress–or they find that any additional weight loss comes slowly and only with extraordinary efforts.
This everyday event brings up two interesting questions.
First, why do so many weight loss programs seem to stall out?
Second, how can you break through those weight loss plateaus to reach your target weight?
Let’s answer both of them.
Why Weight Loss Programs Lose Momentum
Weight loss programs can lose effectiveness for a number of reasons.
Here are a handful of the common reasons for plateaus.
First, when someone starts a program, they tend to follow it very closely. In many cases, they begin to deviate from the system over time. That kind of cheating, tweaking and adjusting may undermine a strategy to the point of reducing its effectiveness.
Second, when you lose weight, your body needs less fuel to operate. If your diet plan has maintained a consistent level of caloric intake and exercise, plateaus may be a reflection of the fact that you’ve reached a point of stasis based on the elements of the plan. Unless you work out more, or eat less, you’ll simply maintain.
Third, most dieters experience a metabolic slow down while following weight loss plans. They cut calories and the body reacts by slowing down the rate at which it burns them. As such, the dieters don’t lose weight even though they may be eating less than ever before.
When you understand the reasons for a plateau, fixing them becomes much easier.
First, those who’ve been cheating or who may have accidentally changed their weight loss programs over time need to go back to the source material and follow the plans to the letter. Sometimes, that will do the trick. In many cases, however, it won’t be enough and the dieters will want to consider the next two recommendations.
Second, take action to make sure you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming. You may not need as many calories at a certain point and you’ll need to adjust based on that fact.
Third, jumpstart your metabolism. You can only decrease calories so much. At some point, you need to increase the speed with which you burn them if you want to get past a weight loss plateau.
One way of establishing a fat-burning caloric deficit and of boosting metabolism in the face of a plateau involves calorie shifting. By intentionally varying your caloric intake, you can trigger the metabolism and consume fewer net calories over time. This approach is based on an understanding of how the body reacts to food and dieting. It’s produced great results for many who have stalled out with other weight loss programs.
Don’t let a slowdown in weight loss stop you before you reach your target weight. Isolate the potential causes of your plateau and find a way to properly address them.