It’s happened to just about everyone who has ever tried to lose weight. Things are going great, you’re eating healthy, you’re exercising regularly, and you’re experiencing results. So you keep with it and continue to work hard in hopes of more improvement. However, you eventually hit a point where you’re no longer being rewarded with a lower number on the scale.
You’ve hit a plateau.
This is a frustrating experience that, sadly, many of us can relate to. It’s discouraging when we feel like our hard work isn’t being rewarded. Unfortunately, countless people have given up on their weight loss goals entirely because they’ve gotten so discouraged by stagnant results. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Plateaus are totally normal, and you can get past them with the right changes and proper guidance. At Forum Health, we specialize in helping patients across Michigan improve their long-term health. With our proven methods for weight loss, we can help you beat those short-term barriers to your success. Read on to find out methods for overcoming plateaus in your weight loss!
Track Your Nutrition Intake
When it comes to weight loss, roughly 80 percent of the game is nutrition. If you’re experiencing a plateau, it might be beneficial to take a look at what you’re doing in the kitchen. There are a lot of deceptively unhealthy foods out there, and it’s important to know what you’re putting into your body.
That’s why if you’re not seeing the results you want, our experts recommend tracking your calorie and protein intake. Tracking the number of calories you consume helps you to be more mindful of your food choices and portion sizes.
For those actively trying to lose weight, it’s important to read the nutrition labels when you’re buying food and drinks. A lot of items that seem healthy can actually have high caloric content.
As an example, that cup of yogurt or fruit smoothie you’re buying might have healthy-sounding ingredients. However, either could be loaded with added sugar that skyrockets the calorie content. Alcohol is another area where calories sneak up on people. All it takes is a few beers or sugary cocktails to send your calorie count skyrocketing.
Not only that, but plenty of food products can be deceptive when it comes to portion size. If you go to your local grocery store, chances are you’ll see an example of this. There will be items that list a low-calorie figure on its packaging, but have “per serving” in small letters next to that number. Now that healthy snack has turned into a calorie bomb without you realizing it.
Additionally, it’s also important to track the amount of protein and water you’re ingesting as well. Protein is critical for supporting weight loss with its ability to help build lean muscle, curb appetite, and boost metabolism. Meanwhile, water is essential to our daily lives and it’s important to supplement your weight loss goals—and avoid dehydration— by drinking the recommended amount each day.
When you work with Forum Health, you’ll benefit from professional nutritional support and an individualized intake plan. This plan helps you select the right meals for your unique needs. Your calories, protein, and water intake will all be taken into account to create a plan that’s specialized for your goals.
Change Your Exercise Habits
Getting your heart rate up signals your body to burn more calories. Though the kitchen is your ultimate weapon for weight loss, regular exercise also plays a crucial role in achieving a healthy lifestyle. If you’ve hit a plateau with your weight loss, it might be time to adjust your workout routine.
Weight loss really comes down to this: you need to burn more calories than you consume. If you’ve plateaued or put on weight, that may be a signal to work out more often, for longer periods, or at higher intensities.
There’s also the possibility that your metabolism slowed down as you’ve lost weight. This is because people tend to lose muscle mass as they lose pounds on the scale. In this case, you may be eating the same number of calories as you normally do. However, because of your slower metabolism, you would also be burning fewer calories than normal. Thus, the plateau.
If you don’t already, one way to boost your metabolism while adding intensity to your workouts is through strength training. Strength training with weights gets your heart rate pumping, builds muscle mass, and kick-starts your metabolism all at once! Mixing in weights along with cardio is a great way to provide variety to your workouts and burn additional calories.
You can also do things outside of the gym to burn extra calories throughout the day. Small substitutes like taking the stairs, riding a bike to work, and cleaning up around the house are all great ways to increase your activity levels.
Additionally, your comprehensive weight loss program in Michigan will include customized exercise recommendations that you can incorporate into your routine. Along with a healthy diet, following this program and changing up your routine as needed can do wonders for overcoming your health journey plateau.
Check Bloodwork for Hormone Imbalances
Changing your eating habits or exercise routine is simple enough on the surface. However, what if something more complex is causing your weight loss plateau? Hormone imbalances not only can cause issues with weight loss, but they can also even be a leading factor in obesity.
This makes things tough, because you can’t just change your hormones like you change other aspects of your daily life. Fortunately, Forum Health offers hormone replacement therapy (HRT for short) that helps patients overcome hormone deficiencies.
There are a number of different causes for hormone imbalances. Aging is one primary factor, as testosterone, growth hormones, vitamins, and minerals all start to decrease as we get older. Stress, poor sleeping habits, and other aspects of an unhealthy lifestyle can all contribute as well.
The goal of HRT is to help get all of your hormones to an optimal level. Not just a “normal” level, but an optimal level that helps you achieve better overall health.
During this process, our licensed professional staff will draw your blood and submit it to a lab for testing. Once we get the results, we’ll work with you to discuss your past medical history and what your goals are. If your goal is to get over that hump and overcome your weight loss plateau, we can develop a customized treatment plan specifically for your needs.
Add In Supplements & Injections
Finally, our offices in Eastern Michigan also offer a number of additional supplements and injections designed to help kickstart your weight loss.
For injections specifically, we’ve seen numerous patients attain high-quality results with LipoDen Plus injections twice per week. This injection is made up of fat-burning lipotropics, which combine several different active ingredients into a safe weight loss solution.
We also offer additional L-Carnitine, Vitamin B-12, and Vitamin-D injections for patients. L-Carnitine, specifically, is known for its ability to help with fat loss, particularly when you reach a plateau.
For supplements, we offer products from a variety of different categories. Our licensed staff of professionals can help you find the supplements that will best complement your individual goals. Supplements we offer include:
- Appetite controls and suppressants
- Vitamins
- Colon health
- Protein and meal replacement shakes
- Protein bars
- Fiber supplements
- Metabolism boosters
- And more!
Though all of these injections and supplements are scientifically backed and proven to be effective, they aren’t a cure-all for your weight issues. You’ll still need to follow your nutritional plan and workout routine in order to obtain the best possible results.
When used in conjunction with other plans and treatments, however, they can be an invaluable boost to your comprehensive weight loss plan.
Remember, weight loss isn’t just about the number on the scale.
We’ve suggested numerous ways to overcome your weight loss plateau. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not the end of the world if you’re stuck in place on the scale. Nearly everyone who has ever tried to lose weight has faced this issue at some point in their journey.
Unfortunately, that first plateau is when many people quit altogether. The important thing is to keep going and to continue sticking with your plan. Even if you aren’t losing weight, there may not even be an issue with what you’re doing at all. Take a moment to step away from the scale and think: do my clothes fit better? Am I feeling stronger and more energetic? If you find yourself saying yes to these types of questions, it shows that you are making legitimate progress!
If you do find yourself needing a boost to get you over that weight loss plateau, our team is here to help. Whether it’s a physician-developed plan, HRT treatments, or supplements and injections, Forum Health will help you achieve your long-term goals and live an all-around healthier lifestyle.
Schedule your consultation with Forum Health!
At Forum Health, we’re passionate about helping you reach your goals and attaining long-term success. We’re invested in helping you gain a healthier lifestyle than you ever thought possible by creating plans specifically designed for you.
Schedule a consultation today and see the difference that an experienced, professional weight loss staff can provide!
