Many people face the frustrating experience of a plateau in their weight loss journey. What seemed to be working so well at first suddenly stops, and you feel like you’re no longer making progress. There are, however, various reasons why an individual may be dieting but no longer losing weight.
One reason is due to a concept known as metabolic adaptation. When we consume less than normal, our body recognizes it is receiving less energy. It responds to this by “adapting” and burning less energy at rest. People find they need to keep restricting more and more in order to lose any weight. It is therefore important to increase muscle mass, as this will increase basal metabolic rate, or the amount of energy burned for basic functions at rest.
Another reason people may be dieting but not losing weight is that they tend to eat more than usual after exercising. People often give themselves permission to overindulge after exercising, overestimating the calories they burned while working out. While consuming a proper post-exercise meal is important for recovery, this overconsumption often takes people out of the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.
A third reason people may be dieting but not losing weight is a common situation that occurs among those trying out low-carb diets. A popular snack of choice among those focusing on reducing their carbohydrate consumption is nuts. While nuts and nut butter are extremely nutritious, they are rich in calories, which can prevent people from being in a calorie deficit.
Further potential challenges may be seen among those on the keto diet in which high-fat foods are eaten while carbohydrate consumption is kept to a minimum. The initial weight loss is typically water weight, as glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrates) binds water in the muscles and liver. This makes people feel like they are losing weight at first despite being in a calorie surplus, and can result in weight stagnation.
In order to avoid this plateau, consider what your personal challenge might be. Getting at the root cause will always be better than a restrictive cycle that leaves you feeling depleted, helpless, and unhappy!
