Diet Plateau: A Sign of Success?

If you started a diet in January, you are probably hitting a diet plateau right about now.  Ugh, right?!  In my 6 Weeks to a Better Body program, we address diet plateaus and how to get past them.  Here's the most important thing you need to know: diet plateaus are a sign of success, not an indication of failure.  So don't get discouraged and quit your weight loss program when you hit one.

Why Do I Hit a Diet Plateau?
If you have successfully followed a weight loss plan, you'll hit a plateau. Everyone does.  It is your body's way of fighting back to stay at your pre-diet weight.  Your metabolism acknowledges your new normal - the new eating plan and the new exercise regime - and makes adjustments to keep your weight steady.  Wear it as a badge of honor that you stuck to your plan and use it to boost your self-efficacy so that you can reach you goal.

How to Bust Through the Weight Loss Plateau
Your best strategy is to stick to your plan and hold steady through the plateau.  But there are also 10 things you can do to bust past the plateau more quickly and see greater weight loss results.  Check my list and see if any of the little things you do might be leading to a longer plateau stage.

1. Have your portion sizes increased? 
2. Are you counting calories correctly? 
3. Should you re-evaluate the number of calories you need to eat? 
4. Has your fitness level improved?
5. Are you active during the day?
6. Am I building muscle?
7. Am I eating enough protein? 
8. Should you re-evaluate your goal? 
9. Am I still motivated? 
10. Are there medical factors at play?  

 Articles by Malia Frey at :

http://weightloss.about.com/b/2013/02/05/diet-plateau-a-sign-of-success.htm
and
http://weightloss.about.com/od/DietPlateau/a/Weight-Loss-Plateau-10-Quick-Fixes-To-Get-Past-The-Hump.htm