You've probably been on dozens of diets and tried a bunch of different weight loss plans, and they all worked...for a while. But then you hit the wall, right? Find out why this happens,how to avoid the "plateau" and how to eat your way to weight loss.
In order to lose weight you have to burn off more calories than you take in. It really is that simple. The trouble happens because when you reduce your calories to lose weight, your body figures out what's going on and starts burning fewer calories to conserve energy. You've probably heard the term "starvation mode". That's exactly what this is. Your body recognizes that you're taking in fewer calories, it thinks you're starving and slows down your metabolism to save those calories for later. So how to you get around it?
1. Eat more often.
One of the best things you can do is never let your body think you're starving and the best way to do that is to eat regularly. Figure out what your daily calorie intake should be to lose weight and divide that amount by 5 or 6 meals. Try to eat every 3 to 4 hours and your body will never think it's starving.
2. Eat good food.
To get the biggest boost from your food you need quality calories from complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Don't be afraid to eat carbohydrates, complex carbs like whole grains and vegetables and even simple carbs from fruits will keep your metabolism running at peak efficiency. Avoid refined sugars and enriched grains such as white breads and rice. You also need to include some protein with each meal. Get your protein from lean meats like turkey or chicken, or from soy, nuts or fish. Protein provides the biggest boost to your metabolism and is essential for maintaining lean muscle. You also need healthy fats like those found in fish or olive oil. Avoid saturated fats and trans-fats (just check the nutrition information label to be sure).
3. Change it up.
Your body adapts quickly to what you feed it, so to keep your metabolism fired up you need to switch things around. Every 3 or 4 days add 200 or 300 calories to your daily intake. It will shake things up enough to keep your metabolism running on all cylinders.
Combine a sensible fitness plan with a metabolism boosting eating plan and you'll be on your way to real weight loss.
