Everyone that loses weight will inevitably hit a weight loss plateau as some time or another.  It is very difficult to maintain your motivation through a plateau so it is very important to minimize their impact and the duration. 

If you aren’t familiar with the weight loss plateau concept, the best way to describe it is a point where weight loss slows dramatically, stops, or you even gain a pound or two back.  You aren’t doing anything different…you’re eating the same foods and working out like you have to get to this point.

Why does this happen?  There can be a number of reasons so here are a few tips to bust through them and kick start your progress once again:

1.)  Re-calculate your BMR

In June, I wrote an article on how to determine your BMR.   As you drop weight your BMR changes.  If you determine your daily caloric needs based on your BMR and your activity level and have lost weight based on eliminating 500 to 1000 calories from that number, you will, at some point, have to re-analyze your BMR to determine a new calorie level. 

Using the example from the BMR post, for a 300 lb, 6 foot, 39 year-old male living a sedentary lifestyle, the calculated BMR is 3159 calories per day.  What if he loses 50 lbs?  Now, the calculation changes.  His BMR drops to about 2765 calories!  That’s almost 40o fewer calories per day to maintain his weight.  If he dropped his weight by eating at a 500 calorie deficit, that deficit is really only at 100 calories now.  Guess what happens?  The weight loss slows.

2. ) Analyze your eating patterns

A funny thing happens when weight loss slows.  We tend to get desperate.  You’re hopefully already eating at a caloric deficit and it may seem logical to cut even more calories from your daily intake.  Here’s the rub.  If you cut too many, your metabolism will slow down.  If you don’t cut enough, your weight loss will continue to slow. 

Instead of cutting more calories out, it could be that your body has adapted to your current intake.  It can and will happen at some point.  My recommendation is to shock your body back into submission.  Keep it guessing.  It may be time to indulge in a cheat meal or a cheat day where you eat whatever you want.  The next day, you’re back in your routine but now your body is saying, “what the heck?!”  Keep your body guessing.  Ever here the saying, “I am my own worst enemy?”  Well, in this case, it happens to be true.

3. ) Change up your workout routine

As with your diet, your body also adapts to your workout routine.  That’s why you don’t get sore every time you work out.  Your muscles become efficient at the movements and progress will slow.  If you look at any professional routine, you will notice they never run more than 8-12 weeks.  Any longer than that and you start running into the law of diminishing returns.

If you are a beginner and you aren’t on a pre-made routine created by a professional, then you should be.  These routines change set/rep schemes regularly along with the exercises you will be performing.  It keeps your muscles guessing which is the goal.

4.)  Take a Break

How long has it been since you took a break from the gym?  If you’ve hit a plateau, maybe its time to take a week off and let your body recover.   This should actually be something you do every 8-12 weeks or so.  Notice the length of time is the same as with the length of a professionally designed routine?  That isn’t a coincidence. 

5.)  Go Low Carb

Ok, so I’m throwing this one in because it is what I’m about to do.  If you follow the first four tips above and you’re still stuck, there are a number of very good low carb plans out there that may be just what your body needs for a jump start.  Your body first burns carbohydrates for energy before it ever begins to burn fat.  If you minimize your carbs, your body will be primarily burning fat for energy which, in turn, leads to weight loss.  I’m giving the Men’s Health TNT (Targeted Nutrition Tactics) Diet a go and plan to post my findings in the Diet Review section so stay tuned!

So, there you have it.  5 tips that may help you get past those pesky weight loss and muscle building plateaus.  Do you have some you would like to share?  Post them below in the comments!