Category: Health

Since i seem to have hit a Plateau…

Why Does a Weight Loss Plateau Occur?

A plateau may occur because (1) your body simply wants a “rest” to cope with your calorie-reduction; or (2) your calorie-intake is in balance with your calorie expenditure; or (3) you have reduced your calorie-intake too low. If your calorie-intake is too low, your body thinks there is a “famine” and slows down your metabolism (how fast you burn calories) in order to conserve calories.

How Do You Start Losing Weight Again?

(1) Raise your metabolism (and calorie expenditure) by increasing your activity level. This boosts your metabolic rate and usually re-starts weight loss. For example, if you exercise for 20 minutes each day, increase this to 25-30 minutes each day, and weight loss should resume. If you are already exercising quite hard, try varying your workout routine. For example, if you do 20 minutes cardio and 30 minutes strength-training, switch them around.

(2) Avoid going too long without food. Going without food for long periods can also trigger a weight loss plateau. Ideally eat something (e.g. piece of fruit) every 3 hours (women) or about every 5 hours (men). This reassures your body that food is plentiful and facilitates calorie-burning.

(3) Try to be patient. Your weight loss plateau will disappear, I promise. But it typically takes anything between 1-4 weeks.

this is according to ediets:

50 mistakes made by dieters

1. Going on a diet that is NOT a manner of eating that can’t be adhered to for life.

2. Believing they can eat cabbage soup every day.

3. Obsessing over counting calories.

4. Weighing in more than once a week.

5. Not drinking enough water.

6. Drinking sugar-laden drinks, such as lemonade, sodas, gourmet coffees, fruity blends, etc.

7. Eating more bread, pasta and potatoes than proteins, lean meats, fruits and vegetables.

8. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods.

9. Taking the benefits away from vegetables and fruits by overcooking them.

10. Having a negative, defeatist attitude.

11. Blaming others for their shortcomings.

12. Being quick to judge.

13. Not having a plan.

14. Not being aware of the nutritional benefits or harm of what they consume.

15. Finishing every last bite even after they are full.

16. Going back for seconds.

17. Eating at all-you-can-eat buffets and getting their money’s worth.

18. Skipping breakfast.

19. Starving all day, thinking it’s the only way to lose weight.

20. Bingeing after falling off the wagon and then waiting until tomorrow to get back on track.

21. Thinking they are genetically destined to be fat.

22. Not believing they have the ability to change.

23. Confusing fat with a personality trait.

24. Thinking they are unattractive.

25. Not living each day to the fullest. Thinking that will come when they are thinner.

26. Wasting time.

27. Not finishing tasks they start.

28. Postponing tasks that need attention.

29. Rationalizing.

30. Thinking pills, powders or potions are more powerful than they really are in realizing weight loss.

31. Thinking of exercise as a must do or chore.

32. Not scheduling exercise as a vital part of their day or week.

33. Indulging in alcohol often.

34. Watching sports rather than participating in sports.

35. Watching television more than one hour a day.

36. Not giving much attention to personal hygiene or appearance.

37. Refusing to read self-improvement materials on a regular basis.

38. Giving up and resigning to being fat.

39. Finishing the food off others’ plates while doing dishes.

40. Tasting and nibbling on the food while cooking.

41. Baking cookies, pies and cakes more often than at holidays.

42. Always having candy in dishes for guests, but eating more of it themselves.

43. Buying unhealthy snack items for the kids but eating it themselves.

44. Not having vegetables and/or fruit with each meal.

45. Serving more carbohydrates than any other food group for meals.

46. Thinking dieting — not total lifestyle change — will lead to lasting weight loss.

47. Not visualizing themselves actually living a healthy lifestyle.

48. Not taking vitamins and proper supplements.

49. Consuming fast food on a regular basis.

50. Waiting for tomorrow to get started rather than RIGHT NOW!

If you see yourself in any of these mistakes, then it is time to change. After all, what do you have to lose?!

A 5’2″ 19 year old female weighing 100 pounds (which is WAY too small anyways but this is the example given)… needs 1,200 calories to just sit around all day and do nothing. This is how it’s broken down (scientifically)

-The heart needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The kidney needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The Liver needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The brain needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The skeletal muscle needs 30% of the calories (360 cals)

You should also think about calorie cycling. You see the human body adapts to our environment and to our lifestyle. So if you eat the same caloric intake each and every day, the body adapts. So you need to stay one step ahead of the body. On a cardio day, decrease your calories by 200, and the next day increase it by 200. Do this a couple of times per week, and hopefully you will avoid the dreaded plateau. Besides you are moving away from needing to focus on fat loss, now you should focus on keeping the muscle mass and growing it. At 5’5 and 17% body fat, your “weight” includes alot of lean muscle. So your BMI may not be accurate.

Muscle is called “active tissue” because it requires a lot of energy to maintain itself. In fact, every pound of new muscle you add to your body will burn about 60 calories per day. That can really add up. Look at the chart below:

The Fat Burning Effect of Muscle

Pounds of New Muscle	Pounds of fat burned per month	Pounds of fat burned per year
1	0.5	6
3	1.5	19
5	2.6	31
10	5.1	62
12	6.2	74
15	7.7	93
20	10.3	123

By adding just 10 pounds of muscle to your body, it will burn off 62 pounds of fat over the next year! And it will keep burning those extra calories year after year. That means that when you’ve lost the fat, you can eat a lot more and not gain back the fat. Also, with less fat and more muscle, your body will have the lean, toned, fit look that every man aspires to.

So by combining aerobics with strength training, you can transform your body in the shortest possible time, and keep it lean and muscular year round without starving yourself on a low-calorie diet.