Stalls and
Plateaus - Are you Stuck?
What
is a Stall? What is a Plateau?
A stall is an
extended period of time without weight loss. Usually 3 or more months.
A plateau is a shorter period of time without weight loss
usually 3 or less weeks. This includes lack of progress on a scale and
by a tape measure.
NOTE: Sometimes it is possible to lose
inches while not losing pounds. This is especially true if you do any
type of weight training or heavy exercise. Muscle and fat weigh the
same so you can be losing fat while building muscle and not lose any
poundage. Yet if you measure yourself you will see there is a decrease
in inches and your clothes feel looser. So take accurate measurements
before you begin a diet so that you have a frame of reference. Also I
recommend keeping a set of tight clothes to try on regularly to see if
they are fitting better. This will help give you a better reference
than just using a weight scale.
You can count on hitting 4 to 8
plateaus during your weight loss depending on how much you have to
lose. These plateaus are just your body's way of adjusting to the new
composition of fat to fluids etc.. As you lose fat, water rushes in to
redistribute itself and to prevent your body from going into shock,
your system will compensate for this to help ease the transition. Some
plateaus of this type can last a month so don't be alarmed. Just stick
with your diet plan and don't panic. If you begin to gain weight (more
than a few pounds) then you need to reevaluate things.
Many people believe that there are
such things a metabolic setpoints. These are like memories your body
holds onto of where you maintained a weight in the past. For example,
if you once spent a few years around 180 pounds, then your body
retains a memory of this weight and will create a setpoint at this
weight. It's theorized that when you are losing weight and hit one of
these metabolic setpoints, your weight loss may plateau or even stall
at the setpoint in an attempt to maintain this weight again. But there
is no concrete evidence to support this theory. So if there is any
truth to it, you might use this info to prepare in advance for these
points and up your diet regime at these setpoints to prevent a stall
from happening.
Since Low Carb eating tends to
preserve more lean muscle mass than low-fat low-cal dieting does, you
may find that your ideal weight is a tad higher than you previously
held when your muscle mass was less. For example, someone who's ideal
weight was 140 on a regular high carb diet may find they can wear the
same clothes as they did previously at 140 at a higher weight such as
145 or 150. So if you are within 5 to 10 pounds of your goal weight
reexamine your goal weight in light of this. You may be surprise to
find out that you are already where you need to be.
Since dieting affects the thyroid's
ability to create sufficient hormone to support your metabolic needs
you should have your thyroid function checked regularly. It's just a
simple blood test. As many as 25 million Americans have hypothyroidism
and of that number only half know they have it! That half usually
finds out about it when they try to go on a diet. No one really knows
why Americans have hypothyroidism, some suspect food additives which
attack the thyroid, others blame environmental toxins. The bottom line
is that most doctors know little about the symptoms and even fewer
diagnose it. In any event, it's a good idea to take a Thyroid
Health Supplement of natural vitamins and herbs which are well
known for supporting proper thyroid function. The thyroid controls
your metabolism, regulates your sex drive and stabilizes your moods. If
you are having problems with weight (despite good diet and exercise),
problems with sex and or depression you may have a thyroid problem.
The Source of the Stall
Once you have determined that this
isn't just a regular pause in your weight loss and are sure you are
indeed stalled. You need to discern the cause of the problem and
address it. You may find there are multiple sources contributing to
your stall. Here is a list of the most likely culprits.
1. Overeating - This in my
opinion is the number one cause of stalls on Low Carb. This is because
most people are only counting carbs without regard for calories. Many
folks consume way too many calories for their activity level and end
up with either an excess (resulting in weight gain) or they are just
breaking even. Some of the "Low Carb" treats and snacks on
the market have considerable calories because they are also high fat.
So try counting up your calories and see if you are just eating too
much of a good thing.
Eat 6 to 8 Mini-Meals a day instead
of 3 big meals. By Mini-meal I mean 200 calories and 3 to 5 carbs per
meal. You can redistribute the carbs as you want among the mini-meals.
The advantage of this method of eating is that you never get ravenous
thus you don't want to binge and it helps maintain a steady insulin
level which promotes appetite control instead of cravings. Your body
also doesn't feel like you are starving it and thus your metabolism
remains higher than it would if you skipped meals or went prolonged
periods without eating. Then you do the latter, your metabolism shuts
down to preserve your weight. It's a very inconvenient primal defense
mechanism that evolved to prevent people from dying from starvation
too quickly.
2. Too Many Carbs -
The second most likely source is the ingestion of too many
carbohydrates. People ask me all the time how many carbs they need to
eat to lose weight. This number is not written in stone anywhere.
There is no carb-limit commandment in a Low Carb Bible anywhere. The
number of carbs you consume has to be individualized for YOU. Every
person has a different level of insulin resistance and so you have to
do a little trial and error on your own to find your personal
"Critical Carb Level" (also called CCL). Some folks can
increase their carbs as suggested on Ongoing Weight Loss and continue
to lose just fine. Others can not. You may be one of the metabolically
challenged people who find they must remain at Induction Level for the
entire diet.
There are also things called Hidden
Carbs. These are usually in the form of Sugar Alcohols. If you have
looked at Low Carb products at all you will have noticed terms like
"Net Carbs" or "Effective Carbs" on labels and
packaging. These are the number of carbs left after deducting the
number of carbs coming from sugar alcohols like Glycerine and Malitol
as well as Insoluble Fiber. Some people react to the hidden carbs as
they would to regular carbs. If you are stalled and sure your regular
carbs are within normal dietary limits, look for hidden carbs. It's
usually the Atkins Bars and other Low Carb Candies which sneak up and
bite you in the butt. Try cutting these out.
You also have to make sure you are
really counting carbs correctly. You'd be surprised at how many folks
don't do this right. Many mistakes are in fact due to incorrect
labeling thanks to the FDA's liberal policy that allows food
manufacturers to "round down" their numbers to the nearest
whole number. For example: Whipped Cream in a can says it has ZERO
carbs per serving. The serving size is so ridiculously small as to be
absurd. Who eats just a teaspoon of this stuff? If they can get a
teaspoon to contain .9 carbs (that's 9/10ths of 1 gram) then they can
legally claim a teaspoon has 0 carbs. What this means is that every
teaspoon has nearly 1 gram in it so if you eat 10 teaspoons of whipped
cream on your sugar-free jello then you are consuming nearly 10 carbs!
This is just one of many examples. So the best rule of thumb is to
count all products that are labeled 0 carb as 1 carb instead. The only
exception to this would be most meats. You really need an exhaustive
carb counter. I personally use Corrine Netzer's Complete
Book of Carb Counts. It's the best.
3. Not Eating Enough - Believe
it or not, starving yourself is counterproductive to weight loss. By
depriving your body of food you signal a very basic response which
tells the body to conserve energy. This lowers your metabolism and
increases your fat storage capacity. You will actually lose weight
slower when your intake is insufficient.
4. Dehydration - Water is the
key to good health. Water is essential to lypolysis (the breaking up
of fat molecules for energy). If you don't have an adequate water
intake your body has a harder time burning fat. Most people do not
drink enough water. The average person needs to consume 64 ounces of
water per day and an obese person needs to consume that PLUS an extra
8 ounces for each 25 pounds they are overweight. Not only does water facilitate
fat burning but it also helps move ketones out of your body. If you
are in ketosis from eating low carb foods then you need to flush your
system regularly.
5. Too Little Exercise -
Exercise is crucial to keeping your metabolism going. It also builds
up muscles which in turn will burn more fat. Many studies have also
proven that exercise and light weight resistance training increases
insulin sensitivity and thyroid hormone production. Both these will
result in a healthier metabolism and increase your chances of
long-term weight maintenance. Cross-training is a good way to keep
your body happy. If you have been doing only one type of exercise, try
adding some new twists like swimming, cycling or weight training.
6. Food Allergies or Candida
Overgrowth - If you are sensitive to foods like Dairy, Wheat
Gluten, Corn, Soy and Egg Whites then you may find it stalling your
weight loss. Food sensitivities such as the common ones listed above
can trigger water retention, bloating, allergies and a host of other
unpleasant symptoms. Some people feel that these foods aggravate a
condition known as a Candida Overgrowth. It is believed that a diet
rich in high carbohydrate foods combined with years of occasional
antibiotic usage have allowed yeast to build up in our digestive
tracts leading to an overgrowth. Yeast product glucose as a by-product
of carbohydrate metabolism. So obesity is the biggest symptom of this
condition. A low carb diet is just part of the anti-candida treatment.
If you feel that this might be your problem you might want to try
adding an anti-candida supplement such as CandidaClear
to your diet.
For more information on reducing and eliminating yeast in your system
you should visit these other informational sites:
7. Medications
- Some medications are known to slow or prevent weight loss. Of these
medications the most notorious ones are Hormones (such as The Pill and
Estrogen supplementation such as HRT for menopause), Antidepressants
(such as Paxil, Welbutrin, Zoloft and Celexa), Diuretics (water-pills
for blood pressure control and over-the-counter brands as well),
cholesterol-lowering medications (they prevent the liver from
converting fat to glycogen), insulin and oral diabetic medications
(but you shouldn't stop taking these or any prescription medication
without a doctor's supervision). Some medications are available to
help assist weight loss and can be ordered online without a
prescription. Most insurance policies exclude anti-obesity drugs so
finding the cheapest price for these is usually the best idea. Local
pharmacies can charge a lot for these drugs. One of the most popular
and successful medications is
Meridia (Sibutramine).
Recommended Strategies for
Breaking a Stall
1. Don't cut your caloric intake to
less than 1200 calories per day. Increase the amount of protein in
your meals. Eat small to moderate amounts of cheese or nuts for
snacks. Use olive or flax oil for cooking and cream or eggs to make sauces for
meat and vegetables. Keep your carb level down by avoiding white
flour, sugar, fruits and starchy vegetables like corn or potatoes.
2. Don't starve yourself. Cutting
calories to an extreme will not help you. Try cutting excess fat and
calories to a reasonable level (usually 1200 to 1600 calories a day)
and divide these up into frequent small meals (of about 200 to 300
calories each) every few hours. Eat a decent amount of protein with
each meal to help you feel satisfied longer. Try to keep your carbs
under 20 a day.
3. Try to increase your activity level.
Increase the duration or intensity of your exercise schedules. If you
have been only walking or cycling, try doing some weight lifts and
vice versa. If you are not yet exercising try to add some sort of
activity to your regular schedule. At least 20 minutes a day is recommended
for beginners.
4. Increase your water consumption to
stimulate lipolysis and clean your system of excess ketones.
5. Avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime.
Especially avoid any foods that are higher in carbs as this can trigger
insulin production which in turn will inhibit fat-burning while you
are asleep.
6. Start a food diary and record what
you are eating and when you are eating. Purchase a good carb and food counts
book to help you with your calculations.
7.
Try one of the many "Stall Buster" fasts. They can sometimes
help get weight loss moving. These are usually just short-term diets
that only last a few days (a week at the most) Some of the better ones
are as follows:
- Atkins
Fat
Fast - This plan restricts
calories to 1,000 per day with 90% coming from FAT.
- The
Meat
Fast - This involves eating meat and not
much else. No coffee or tea just lots and lots of water.
8. You might
want to try "Stacking". This is a term that refers to the use of
thermogenic supplements in a specific ratio that enhances your metabolic
energy. The "ECA Stack" is the source of the term
"stacking. The "E" stands for Ephedra. The
"C" stands for Caffeine and the "A" stands for Aspirin.
You can learn more about stacking from these other informational
sites:
Ephedra is a
controversial substance since it stimulates the nervous system and has
been linked to some serious side effects in some individuals. If you
have a history of high blood pressure, glaucoma, thyroid disease or
are pregnant or nursing then you should avoid it's use. Note that Ma
Huang is a natural source of Ephedra and should also be avoided if you
have any of these conditions.
Aspirin should be avoided if you are allergic to salicilates, taking blood-thinners or have a history of stomach or
ulcers.
9. Consider some of
the more successful dietary supplements known to enhance fat burning
such as 5-HTP
or Green Tea
Extract. See my
Weight
Loss Supplements page for more details.
Resources on the Web
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