Crossing
the Bridge to Weight Loss Success
Pit
Stop at the Old Weight Loss Plateau
Getting from Point A to Point B
isn't always a direct route. Such is the case
for many dieters who have a few pounds to lose. The
more pounds there are to lose, the more Weight Loss
Plateaus along the Old Diet Trail.
How many
Weight Loss Plateaus? I can only fall back on
my personal experience. Weight Loss Plateaus appear
to occur about every ten pounds. Ten pounds come
off swiftly; the next ten come off like they are loaded
onto the backs of snails.
When a Weight
Loss Plateau seems to settle into your diet plan, think
of it as a place where you can stop and allow your body
to catch up with your weight loss progress.
Take a look
at the picture above. There are two bridges, but
they can only be reached by first passing through the
gazebo. The bridges represent the Old Diet Trail.
The gazebo represents a Weight Loss Plateau.
No matter
how frustrating a Weight Loss Plateau is, our bodies
require time to reach a balance during the weight loss
phase.
During this
time, it's very difficult to be patient. Many
dieters give up on their diet, believing that it isn't
working rather than sticking it out.
A Weight
Loss Plateau may only last a few days; other times -
particularly in individuals who have a lot of weight
to lose - the Weight Loss Plateau may last much longer.
And as mentioned above, there may be several Weight
Loss Plateaus before the dieter reaches their final
Weight Loss Goal.
How long
does the Weight Loss Plateau last? Every dieter
is different, making guesswork impossible.
If you find
that you are harbored on a Weight Loss Plateau, try
to keep in mind that you aren't stranded. It's
just your body's way of catching up and balancing out
before moving forward. So listen to your body
talk.
Take advantage of this Diet Down Time to review your
weight loss goals. Are you where you want to be?
This is a great time to go out and purchase a couple
of sets of clothing that are a size SMALLER than you
are currently wearing. The new clothing makes
a great weight loss motivator, and you'll need them
after the Weight Loss Plateau subsides and you cross
over for the next leg of your Diet Journey.
If you find that the Weight Loss Plateau is hanging
around too long, examine your daily calorie intake.
You may need to adjust to get the Weight Loss
Plateau to budge.
What is a Weight Loss Plateau?
A simple defining answer to that age-old
throbbing question - and why plateaus are actually a very good thing. |