Hit a plateau in your wedding weight loss plan? Here’s what you should do

During the initial stages of your dieting efforts, weight loss is likely to happen fairly easily.

With the right diet and exercise regime, you’ll see the number on the scale falling steadily.

However, at some point, you’ll notice that you seem to be stuck at the same weight and that can be extremely discouraging and frustrating.

If you feel like you’re no longer seeing the results, it could be because some fine-tuning is needed to your weight loss plan.

Here are eight tweaks you can make to break out of the rut.

It might be a habit to weigh yourself as part of your daily routine when you’re trying to lose weight.

If the numbers on the scale start to freeze despite sticking to your weight loss plan, don’t be too disheartened. Hormonal changes may cause your body to retain water, adding numbers on the scale.

If you’ve been working out regularly, the additional mass could also come from muscle.

Instead of fretting over your weight, checking how your clothes fit over time may be a more reliable measure – your weight loss might not have plateaued after all!

And no, we don’t just mean signing up for more spin classes. Staying active beyond your workouts will affect the number of calories you burn each day.

Even things as trivial as typing or fidgeting at your desk could potentially improve your metabolic rate.

 And if your body starts to feel stiff after sitting at your desk for too long, why not stand? 

Researchers from the University of Chester in UK found that people who stood at work burned almost 200 more calories than those who sat.

If you still see no progress despite re-evaluating your day-to-day habits, a lack of sleep could be the culprit.

We all know that sleep is key when it comes to maintaining good mental and physical health. But a lack of sleep can also hinder weight loss.

According to a study published in PLOS medicine journal, short sleep duration is associated with reduced metabolism and increased BMI.

So if you’ve been burning the midnight oil, it’s time to turn in earlier.

See also: 5 THINGS NOT TO DO THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING

Doing long runs every day for the past few weeks to torch those calories? It’s time to switch things up and and get your body out of its comfort zone.

When you do the exact same exercises consistently, your body may become all too familiar with it, making your workouts less effective.

It’s best to do a mix of high- and low-impact exercises of different intensities.

Instead of obsessing over quick weight loss results, focus on having a balanced diet and exercising regularly.

Being too obsessed over your progress can induce stress that will slow your progress down.

Stress may increase food cravings and even induce belly fat storage.  

If you’re feeling the pressure, try engaging in meditation or yoga classes that can keep you active and relieve tension in your body at the same time.

Packing your week with HIIT classes will definitely help burn some serious calories. But such high-intensity workouts often leave you feeling hungry.

This may result in overeating when you think that you’ve worked hard for it. Incorporating strength training into your workouts can help you build lean muscle to improve your metabolism and break out of your weight loss plateau.

See also: 16 EASY WAYS TO BURN 100 CALORIES EVERY DAY IN TIME FOR YOUR WEDDING!

It’s common for your body to lose muscles and your metabolism rate to drop when you lose weight.

This might eventually put the brakes on your weight loss progress.

Having more protein-rich foods like eggs and chicken breast can give your metabolism a boost to help you shed more kilos.

If you can’t seem lose any more weight, ask yourself if it’s because your body has reached its ideal weight.

Use the Body Mass Index (BMI) to have a better gauge of your healthy weight. If you’re unsure, speak to a doctor or dietitian to find out whether your dieting plans are suitable for you.

This article was first published in Shape Singapore.