| ||
| ||
|
|
|
| |
|
Weight Loss Plateaus -- 7 Easy Steps to Overcome It
Have you ever experienced this scenario before? "I have successfully lost 15 of the 25 pounds that I want to lose, but now I am stuck at the same weight even though I am faithfully controlling my food intake and doing my exercises. What happened? Is the diet not working anymore?" Yes, many women over 40 start off their weight loss programs full of excitement and determination, and indeed you do see the pounds dropping off over the first few weeks. That's great, of course. However, the next thing you know is that your progress has come to a dead stop... ...and you have just hit the dreaded weight loss "plateau." But don't despair -- you are _not_ the only one experiencing this. Hitting a plateau is a common experience for most women over 40 on a weight loss program. And it can be one of the most de-motivating things to happen. Thankfully, overcoming it is easy... IF you know the simple steps you can take. Today, I'm going to show you some very simple and specific steps you can take to overcome your plateaus: 1. Be careful of the little things: It's easy to lapse into complacency over time, so I suggest that you keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat each day can help you to spot those times when you might be taking in more food than you realize. A little snack here and there can (and will) add up to a lot of extra calories. 2. It may not be the food: Sometimes, it's not the food per se that is the cause of the plateau. For example, work or family stress may be the culprit instead. Stress can cause you to want to go dig into that tub of chocolate ice cream. If you are feeling stressed, it's important to acknowledge it right now, and go find some other forms of relief other than reaching out for more (typically unhealthy) food. Go take a walk, listen to music or play with your dog instead! 3. Start off on the right foot: You got to eat something for breakfast every day. Not only will you start the day with your stomach feeling satisfied, eating breakfast actually kick starts your metabolism so that you'll burn more calories throughout the day. 4. Eat more often: Instead of eating 3 big regular meals each day, opt to have 5 smaller meals. After you eat, your body releases the hormone insulin, which causes your body to store fat. The larger the meal, the more insulin your body releases. But smaller, more frequent meals keep insulin levels lower and more stable. The less insulin you have in your blood, the more fat you burn, and the less you store. 5. Try water first: If you're feeling "hungry," try drinking a glass of water first before you go grab something to much on. Sometimes we confuse thirst for hunger, and end up eating more food unnecessarily. If the water doesn't make that hunger pang go away, you can always grab something to eat later. And the bonus is that the water would have helped you to feel fuller, so you don't have to eat as much! 6. Avoid snacks at night: After you've had your dinner, do not snack or eat supper. And never ever eat just before you go to bed. Take it from Oprah -- she says that one of her secrets to her successful weight loss is that she does not eat anything after 7:30pm... not even a grape. 7. Try a weekly one-day "cleanse": Choose 1 day in the week to cleanse your system by taking only vegetable juices. And please use fresh vegetable juices if you can, and avoid the canned stuff that are chock-full of sodium or added sugars! Apply these 7 simple steps and you too will be able to overcome those plateaus easily. Copyright 2005 Tracy Lee Tracy Lee is the owner of the "Weight Loss for Women Over 40" site. Get the latest news, tips & tricks that can help women over 40 to lose weight safely and permanently, and your complimentary copy of our Special Report "9 Little-Known Insider Weight Loss Secrets To Help Women Over 40 Make Those Extra Pounds Disappear" instantly here: http://www.weight-loss-for-women-over-40.com/insidersecrets/ This article is available for reprint in your ezine, website or e-book. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and the RESOURCE BOX MUST be included WITH A LIVE LINK back to our website. Otherwise reprint is prohibited.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Tired Of Struggling To Lose Weight? There are many factors that cause us to increase body weight, yet three stand out from the rest. Our genetic make: Every cell in our body has a central control panel, that is a nucleus that contains our genes and chromosomes. Save on the Latest Top Sellers at Wal-Mart Is Natural Weight Loss Really Possible? Natural Weight Loss Is Permanent Only natural weight loss can be permanent. Going on diets and taking weight loss pills to eliminate food cravings is only temporary and leads to obesity. Weight Loss the Easy Way! With weight loss comes a lot of dedication and change of lifestyle. We can start with exercise, which is vital to all weight loss programs. Nutrition Bars Struggling with Weight? ? Get a Dog Just about every one of us struggles with our weight on some sort of level. There are usually two basic factors in weight control. An Introduction to Tummy Tucks Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the stomach and tightens the abdominal muscles. Many people who are unable to achieve desired results with traditional diet and exercise seek a plastic surgery tummy tuck. How to Lose Weight: Food for Thought When it comes to weight loss, most of us would like to engage in what psychologists call 'magical thinking.' We'd like to believe that some easy trick or ritual would allow us to shed pounds while eating anything we liked. Holiday Gifts Low-carb Diets: Fad, Fallacy, or Fact? The most common and popular diet fad over the past two years has undoubtedly been the low-carb diet. It has many followers, both in the U. The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number of calories your body needs to survive if you sleep in bed all day. Your body needs energy for hundreds of bodily functions such as breathing, keeping the brain functioning and any movement your body makes. Free Samsung u340 Camera Phone! (Online Exclusive) Rapid Weight Loss Tips - Lose Weight with the South Beach Diet It's the American Dream: 'If I could just lose a little bit of weight...
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
