Weight Loss Information

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:

What's the equation for weight loss?
Independent Online, South Africa - 51 minutes ago
The equation for weight loss is simple - fewer treats, longer walks around the block and don't turn those big brown eyes on your owners at supper time. ...


Oneindia

Box Your Way To Weight Loss Like Meera Syal
Oneindia, India - 1 hour ago
Syal, who has never been a fitness freak, was asked on the new BBC series about her secret weight-loss weapon after her baby's birth at the age of 45. ...


FIT seeks contestants for weight-loss contest
Sandusky Register,  USA - 2 hours ago
Losing weight isn't a game, but it can be easier when it's a contest. FIT magazine is kicking off its own version of "The Biggest Loser," although our ...


Weight-loss products popular, but experts sound warnings
TCPalm, FL - 12 hours ago
Products like a weight-loss patch can appeal to people, like Pollack, who may need a jump-start to lose weight. However, that doesn’t erase the need to ...


Examiner.com

Weight Loss Motivation: A Bonus on Your Quest for Fitness
Examiner.com - 19 hours ago
by Elizabeth Renter, Weight Loss Examiner Weight loss motivation is certainly something we would all like. Many interviews with huge weight loss success ...


Weight-loss drug combination associated with 15% weight loss in ...
Endocrine Today, NJ - 17 hours ago
These individuals experienced a mean weight loss of 14%, and 37 individuals (66.2%) achieved weight loss of 10% or more. Of 45 individuals randomly assigned ...


My journey to weight loss
Hagerstown Morning Herald, MD - 18 hours ago
I am about to have gastric bypass surgery, and I want to write this for people considering weight-loss surgery. I was never large when I was growing up. ...


The Secret Weight Loss Diet
WebWire (press release), GA - Oct 12, 2008
An on-line diet generator now makes weight loss easy and fun. You simply choose the foods you want to eat, and the menu is automatically created for you. ...


Natrol(R) Carb Intercept(R) Wins "Best of Supplements" Award in ...
MarketWatch - 15 hours ago
A natural product, Natrol(R) Carb Intercept(R), used in conjunction with a healthy calorie reduction and exercise program, can support weight loss and a ...


A creamy weight-loss aid
Times of India, India - Oct 10, 2008
If you think it’s too yummy to have any place in a real weight-loss diet, think again. Yoghurt – that rich and creamy stuff that’s full of calcium and ...

Weight-Loss - Google News


Your Ad Here

| Home | Site Map | Free weightloss information | Free Diet Information | weight loss | Free exercise information | Learn to lose weight | way to lose weight | body fat | healthy | weight loss program | weight loss diet | loss weight |
Ratings Health Supplement  Stair Lifts  Womens Story and Pregnanc  Quit smoking  DignityMedical.com  
Free Backlinks
exercise program | Ab exercise | exercise equipment | fitness exercise | exercise for | exercise | body fat | heathly | weight loss program | weight loss diet | workout |
© 2007