Pushing past weight-loss plateaus

Friday, 04 February 2011 14:51

LAP-BAND patients sometimes find that their weight plateaus several months after surgery. These periods of stagnation can be extremely frustrating: you may be doing everything you can to follow your doctor's and nutritionist's advice, but the numbers on the scale still aren't budging. Getting past these rough spots may require switching up your routine and re-examining some of your habits.

• Eat regular meals. You may be tempted to skip breakfast if you aren't feeling hungry or are in a hurry to get to work, but maintaining a regular eating schedule will help keep up your metabolism. Skipping meals only puts your body into starvation mode, causing it to slow down your metabolism and burn fewer calories. Eat three meals a day. Try to avoid snacking, but if you do need to snack, make it something healthy like a piece of fruit or some veggies.
• Make sure you are drinking enough water. Fluids are necessary to flush fat and waste out of your system.
• Try tracking your calories for a couple of weeks. Losing weight is a simple matter of calories in versus calories out.  If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Try using an online calorie tracker to gauge how many calories you are actually eating each day; it may be more than you realize.
• Exercise at least 5 days a week, or every day if possible, and switch up your routine. Your body gets used to workouts if you do them repeatedly, and you won't see the same results after a while. Changing your routine will confuse your body so that it starts responding differently, and will also help keep you from getting bored with your workout. If your exercise routine usually consists of walking or using the elliptical, try swimming or cycling instead.
• Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are doing a lot of strength training, the numbers on the scale may not move, but that doesn't mean you body isn't changing. Try focusing on your body composition instead of focusing on your weight. Taking regular pictures can help you see changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.
• Be patient. Achieving results take time and perseverance. Maintain your healthy diet and lifestyle habits, and your plateau will break itself eventually.