1. Get clear on your ultimate weight-loss goal.
Be sure that your weight-loss goal is realistic and that your expected rate of weight loss is reasonable. If you are on a heath enhancing, nutritionally rich weight loss program you can expect to loss one to two pounds a week. Each body has its own ideal weight and size. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, but listen to your body and notice what feels best for you.
2. Add resistance training to your program.
A wonderful way to boost your metabolism and break through to the next level of weight loss is by incorporating cardio exercise into your program, such as 30 minutes of walking three to four times a week. (If you are 35 years or older, or haven’t exercised regularly, begin with 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week.)
In addition, resistance training (weight training with free weights or machines) several times a week can help increase muscle strength and density, which in turn allows you to burn more calories faster. Studies show that weight training can increase the rate at which your metabolism burns calories almost overnight by five to 10 percent. Working out can increase your metabolism for up to 21 hours after an intense workout.
3. Look out for hidden sugars.
If your weight loss progress seems slow, look out for carbohydrates that might be sneaking their way unnoticed into your diet. Sugar can lurk in the most unexpected places such as ketchup, salad dressings, teriyaki and barbecue sauces. Watch out too for cornstarch, sugar or milk solids in many processed foods such as gravies, or sauces on frozen vegetables.
Be careful of “low-fat” foods where flavor is enhanced by sugar and other carbohydrates. Try keeping a diet journal for a couple of days of EVERYTHING you eat and drink. You may quickly discover the hidden sugars that are keeping your weight-loss progress stuck and be able to eliminate them and move past your plateau.
4. Take the “refinement” out of your diet.
Try eliminating all refined sugar and refined grains (like white flour products) from your diet. This includes processed foods like: white bread, pastries, pasta, white flour crackers, sugar-coated breakfast cereals, cookies, and cake. This simple step can encourage a huge weight-loss breakthrough and leave you feeling more healthy and energized in the process.
5. Don’t go hungry.
Cutting back on how often you eat can have a negative impact on your diet plateau. Many studies show that small, frequent meals are more satisfying and produce better weight-loss results than the same number of calories consumed in three large meals. Take advantage of healthy snacking and crunch on fresh slices of raw vegetables (with a protein source) like celery, peppers, and cucumber when you’re hungry.
6. Drink water to burn fat more efficiently.
It’s vitally important to replenish your fluids by drinking plenty of water on your weight loss program. An inadequate supply of water in itself can slow down your weight-loss. Carry water with you wherever you go throughout the day. Keeping well hydrated not only helps you burn fat efficiently, it also helps control hunger.
7. Keep your incentive strong.
Remember the determination you felt when you first began your weight-loss program? Remember the excitement of watching the pounds drop one by one? Go back to whatever your initial motivation was and see whether it still works for you. It may have been the desire to lose weight for a particular event or to regain your figure after pregnancy.
You may have been motivated by poor health or by the shock of just how much weight you had gained. See whether the same motivation still has juice for you. If not, choose a new one. Keep pictures of yourself looking great (or bad!) on your refrigerator as a daily reminder of where you are heading.
