| You are on a diet, but you reach a period of time (two | | | | will start stockpiling fat because it thinks you are |
| or more weeks) where you can't seem to lose any | | | | starving. |
| weight. Your weight may actually fluctuate 3lbs up or | | | | 2. You may try to break a plateau by decreasing the |
| down, but you can't seem to break below this range. | | | | percentage of carbohydrates and increasing the |
| You can experience a weight loss plateau for different | | | | percentage of protein that you intake each day. |
| reasons: | | | | 3. Another common recommendation is not to mix |
| 1. You are consuming too many calories for the | | | | your protein and carbohydrates. If you have a protein |
| amount of calories that you are burning off. 2. You are | | | | breakfast, wait 2-3 hours before resuming your |
| not consuming enough calories; your body defends | | | | balanced meals. |
| itself by slowing down your metabolism. | | | | 4. Generally speaking, you should be exercising no |
| First, you need to determine if you are experiencing a | | | | more than 1 hour per day. However, ask yourself if |
| plateau or if your weight is in a state of normal | | | | your fitness routine is intense enough? Simply walking |
| fluctuation. Weigh yourself once per week. If you have | | | | around the block for 15 minutes a day may not be |
| not lost any weight after 3 weeks, you've hit a plateau. | | | | enough for you. Each person is different. Also, walking |
| Remember, people lose weight at different rates. If | | | | around the block may have been an excellent |
| you've lost even one pound after three weeks, you | | | | exercise when you first started to lose weight, but it |
| are still losing weight and probably don't need to | | | | may not be enough now that you've hit a plateau. |
| change anything. The closer you get to your goal | | | | 5. If you have recently added a fitness regimen to help |
| weight, the harder it will be to lose weight. | | | | you lose weight, you may experience a slight weight |
| Second, if you are experiencing a plateau, look at your | | | | gain for the first few weeks, especially if part of that |
| current diet and exercise patterns. The NutriCounter | | | | routine involves weight lifting. This can be a very |
| can function as a measurement tool to see how many | | | | frustrating experience. If you are engaged in an intense |
| calories you are consuming each day. ( It will also help | | | | workout regimen, it may help to measure yourself with |
| you determine if you are eating the appropriate | | | | a measuring tape, rather than the scale. You will be |
| amount of carbohydrates and protein each day. You | | | | putting on muscle and muscle will burn more calories |
| should also keep an exercise journal that will help you | | | | than fat, but it's also heavier. |
| determine how much exercise you are getting each | | | | 6. If you are already on a low calorie diet and you are |
| day. | | | | sticking to it, then it is not recommended that you cut |
| Here are some patterns that you may need to break. | | | | out any more calories. Increasing your activity is really |
| (Note: before trying any of the methods below, get | | | | the key to breaking out of a plateau. However, if you |
| your doctor's advice. This is especially important if you | | | | are "supposed" to be on a low calorie diet but you are |
| have special dieting needs.) | | | | not sticking to it, well, the answer is obvious: you need |
| 1. You should be eating at least 1200 calories a day if | | | | to stick to it. |
| you are a woman and 1500 calories per day if you are | | | | For tips on pictures of smoking and smoking statistics, |
| a man. If you restrict your calories too much your body | | | | visit the Health And Nutrition website. |