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Why and How does a weight loss plateau occur?
A halt in weight loss results occurs because our body must restore an energy balance in order to survive, learn how and why!
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A weight loss plateau often occurs because the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure gradually balances. Our body has physiological mechanisms in place which help maintain energy balance fairly quickly. The body simply needs to restore energy balance to survive, imagine the consequences if during primitive times a human kept losing weight because he couldn't find enough food!
How a Weight Loss Plateau Occurs
When a person starts a new diet and cuts calorie intake by about 500 per day it should develop what is needed to lose weight, a negative energy balance, that is less energy consumed than the body requires. The body must now start using up energy stores to make up for that 500 calorie deficit. However very often the body has adapted to suit an habitual lifestyle plus the energy system is unconditioned for any change thus cells continue to use carbohydrates and protein to supply the majority of energy, stored fat is used but this often continues to be a small percentage.
Metabolic Rate Decline
As protein and carbohydrates are used from the cells it causes a reduction in the amount of lean mass forcing the metabolism to decrease, this now results in an individual requiring less energy to maintain their new weight. In other words, the body has gradually adapted to match the new energy intake!
We Burn Less Calories
There is a second effect, as the body becomes progressively lighter less calories are burned during movements so the overall energy expenditure also reduces.
Both the reduction in lean mass and the lowered energy expenditure both help restore a balance of energy from any initial reduction in calorie intake and can even slow progress from the extra exercise sessions often undertaken when people attempt to lose weight.
The bottom line is the initial 500 calorie per day reduction no longer continues to be effective in losing further weight because the body no longer recognises that there is a calorie deficit. There will always be an adaption to match any lower calorie intake simply because the body needs to conserve energy for survival!
Limit the effects of the Weight Loss Plateau!
The facts above mean it is vital that dieters begin by reducing calorie intake slowly, this limits the loss of lean weight and helps keep metabolism high during dieting. Also exercise for the first 10 - 15 workouts should be light and for longer durations to enable the energy system to adapt to the change by "switching its gear" into fat burning mode!
If calories are cut too much too soon the body is forced to burn more and more protein especially when glycogen (carbohydrate) stores run low. This seriously lowers metabolism and dieters hit a period where they just cannot lose no more weight "the weight loss plateau", then when they give up and go back to old eating habits the body shoots back into a positive energy balance and they GAIN MORE WEIGHT!
Boost Metabolic Rate before lowering calories!
Its a physiological fact that while losing weight we all tend to lose some lean muscle which lowers the metabolism. The idea is to lose the least amount of muscle by boosting the metabolism then reduce calorie intake gradually to maintain a fast energy expenditure.
Boosting metabolism works because when you do lose some lean mass the metabolism will still be high enough to effectively burn extra calories from the fat stores, which also means you don't need to be as strict when dieting!
Boosting the metabolism is the fastest and most natural way to overcome any weight loss plateau!
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