The “plateau” effect in action: why weight stays the same when losing weight
The first reason why strange weight loss occurs after numerous attempts to get rid of extra pounds is hormonal changes that occur in the second phase of the cycle. It is at this time that progesterone levels increase, accompanied by fluid retention in the body. We often “accumulate” up to 3 liters of water in ourselves.
Should you panic in this case? No, because after completing the cycle, the weight will begin to decrease - provided that you adhere to the correct method, which involves following the advice of a nutritionist, regular meals, a balanced and healthy diet. Otherwise, the extra pounds will not be slow to return - however, already in double the volume.
I'm waiting for results too quickly
Don't expect results in a week. Losing weight is a long, complex and thoughtful process. Just set a goal and go towards it. Don’t torment yourself with the question “Why am I not losing weight?” daily. Stick to your diet, exercise, tune in. Then you are guaranteed a beautiful body.
IMPORTANT! If you get enough sleep, drink at least 2.5 liters of water daily, train under the supervision of a trainer and watch your diet, but your weight has remained the same for the last two months, then consult your doctor! An examination of the body will help you understand the reason.
Why doesn't weight loss occur during fasting and dieting?
For those who deny themselves breakfast and dinner and eat selectively, crossing out healthy foods along with unprofitable ones, the news is disappointing - losing weight cannot be effective when restrictions and prohibitions are used. And that's why.
Imagine that you will eat several apples a day and wash them down with kefir, cut down on morning portions, and most importantly, completely refuse to eat after six. How will the body respond to this? He will perceive such a “hunger strike” as stress and a challenge, and will begin to produce much less energy - therefore, he will burn calories more slowly. And this is fraught with metabolic disorders.
When does our body begin to process incoming food into energy? That's right - in the early hours. Alas, most of us say “no” to him and forget about breakfast. As a result, he gets everything he needs and even more at lunch, and it is at this time that excess calories are not burned, but are deposited straight into the “fat depot”.
I eat little, but I’m not losing weight
Often people say that they eat almost nothing, but still do not lose weight. Or they eat a lot, but their muscles don't grow. And all this with the aim of proving that not everything is so simple in these calories, and the human body is an extremely complex thing, and in general everything is individual. But in fact, people are simply bad at assessing their daily calorie intake and how much they eat and spend.
For those who say, “I can’t lose weight/gain muscle,” it would be helpful to watch the calories coming in and going out in the metabolic chamber, where every meal is carefully weighed and measured. Then create a fairly large calorie deficit (or surplus if the goal is weight gain). Under these strictly controlled conditions, body changes are inevitable.
An honest estimate of calories will differ significantly from what people counted on their own. Research shows that people can underestimate or overestimate their actual caloric intake by up to 50%. The same is true for activity: people greatly overestimate calorie expenditure both during the day and during training.
The problems with many of the studies showing that energy balance does not apply to people and that they are increasingly more difficult are based on self-reports. The number of calories was measured through a survey based on people's memories. And memory is often selective: we can easily forget about cake or alcohol on the weekend.
It gets to the point where people may not report a trip to McDonald's for a cheeseburger to make their calories look decent to a stranger. This is why it is very difficult to get accurate figures on how much people actually eat. Even the process of recording what you eat every day can be misleading.
That's why it's worth carefully tracking your calorie intake over a period of several days. And although it is difficult, especially in the beginning, this approach will be very informative. When people who swear they eat very little sit down and track their calories, they always find that they are eating two to three times their normal amount. Accurately.
If there were an exception to this simple thermodynamic law, man would be a living fusion reactor, capable of literally making calories out of thin air or burning them to an unlimited extent.
Why does dieting cause weight gain?
There are several reasons why extra pounds are in no hurry to leave us despite strict prohibitions and a meager diet:
- Activation of austerity mode - the less you give to the body, the less it spends and stores more. You feel dizzy, lose strength, your stomach is empty, but the weight is not decreasing - which means it’s time to change tactics and stop torturing yourself.
- Breakdowns under strict restrictions - if you forbid yourself something without finding a worthy replacement, later this forbidden fruit will be picked by you at the first opportunity - you will simply get tired of systematically depriving yourself of what brought joy and pleasure.
- With a lack of protein foods and sources of unsaturated fats, your appetite increases - the feeling of hunger will drive you crazy until you drown it out with something sweet. However, the way out of this situation is fundamentally different - a transition to a balanced diet, expanding the diet and including in it what is vital for the proper functioning of the body and normalization of metabolism.
The less we feed ourselves, the slower our metabolism. It turns out to be a dead end: if I eat, I gain weight; if I don’t eat, I also quickly gain extra pounds. Why, while on a diet, do we watch with despair as the weight does not go away, but increases? The point is the wrong strategy - you won't get far on fasting. And less than 600 kcal per day for women and 800 for men, monotonous, meager and irregular nutrition (for example, once a day) is a deliberate harm to one’s health, threatening hospitalization. Draw conclusions and switch to a balanced diet and safe methods - for your own good.
Poor sleep quality
If a person does not sleep well, hormonal imbalance may occur. This situation often occurs in women who breastfeed. Due to the fact that the baby often wakes up at night, the mother cannot enter the deep sleep phase and does not receive the necessary hormones: melatonin, which helps burn fat, and ghrelin and leptin, which are responsible for satiety and appetite. The result is uncontrollable hunger and fatigue.
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In this situation, there is only one way out - to restore sleep and rest patterns.
Why does weight stay the same when dieting and doesn’t go down: workout until you break a sweat
For some, the situation is a little different - they add a visit to a fitness club or other intense physical activity to their mononutrition. The mistake of those who hope to lose excess weight through training and long sessions in the gym is the inadequacy of the efforts made. Think about it: sweatshops only allow you to get rid of water, but not the weight of extra pounds. Even with grueling exercises performed daily, calorie consumption per day does not exceed 900 per hour. And this is only 100 g of fat.
And the state after a workout does not contribute to weight loss - you are tired, physical activity slows down sharply, but your appetite increases. So it’s not far from a breakdown.
Everything is good in moderation. Do you want to keep yourself in good shape? Then choose options that are safe for your health and gentle - swimming or yoga. If you decide to go all the way and every day, barely breathing, you return from training in the gym, do not be surprised that the weight does not go away - it stands still or inexorably grows.
Weight gain with stops or “plateau” on the contrary
So, we have already dealt with the problem that poisons the lives of many who are losing weight - when the number on the scale does not change and does not even think about decreasing. However, there is also a completely opposite phenomenon - such stops can occur not only while getting rid of extra pounds, but also when gaining them.
How does this happen? The fact is that fat deposits are formed gradually. And the increase scheme is as follows: weight gain (even if insignificant) – pause – increase again.
What happens during stops? The person slowly gets used to his “new” body, considers it absolutely normal and natural for himself. In this way, you can unnoticed gain excess weight and only then feel that your figure is far from ideal and your health has deteriorated.
How to avoid such an epiphany? There are several simple but effective tips:
- Be sure to weigh yourself - you need to do this at least once a month. It is especially important to follow this rule if you know that you are prone to obesity. It is good to set a limit for yourself - a certain number, overcoming which (in the direction of increasing body weight) will be considered critical. It’s even better if you get help from a nutritionist who can find a way to change your diet and help you stay on track to avoid disappointing consequences.
- Pay attention to those alarm bells that indicate you are gaining extra pounds - listen to your body more often. The simplest thing is that if your clothes become too small, you need to do something. You can buy a T-shirt and trousers of the size that you consider ideal for yourself (without fanaticism, be sure to discuss what is considered normal with a professional), and check monthly whether such new clothes fit you well.
We have given you 2 rules that everyone can follow. Is it really dangerous to stop in the process of getting rid of extra pounds? Let’s find out further.
Because I feel sorry for myself
Find a trainer to push you and show you how to do the exercises. Losing weight requires regularity. Train 3-4 times a week. Remember that cardio begins to work on fat burning after an hour of exercise - it is unlikely that you spend an entire hour on the treadmill.
We need a beautiful butt - we take heavy weights. Let there be not many approaches, but high quality. Weight is added gradually, under the supervision of a trainer. Losing weight - take a small weight, but do a lot of approaches.
For the results to be visible, remember: a burning sensation in the muscles began - we did it 1-2 more times through “I can’t”.
Should you be afraid of a plateau?
Experts advise not to panic: it turns out that this phenomenon is not as scary as it is described. It also has its positive sides. For example, recording the achieved result that occurs during a sudden break in weight loss. There may be several such pauses, but you should be wary of them only if they were caused by an incorrect diet, insufficient water consumption, or excessively active physical activity.
Some nutritionists seriously say that you can and even need to stay in such a “frozen” state for a week or two. As an argument, they cite the following statement: the longer you keep the weight at one level, the more difficult it will be to cross this line and return to your previous body weight. Even if you recover, it will be easier to get rid of extra pounds - for those who lead a healthy lifestyle, do not overeat, follow a healthy diet and do not exhaust themselves with strength training.
Therefore, if you are confident that you are acting in accordance with the advice of a nutrition specialist, you should not be upset at such a stop. We'll tell you what to do with the rest.
