20 Ways to Break Your Weight Loss Plateau

Have you successfully lost weight but are now wondering why it’s still not dropping off, even though you’ve not changed a thing? Fear not and as long as you pick some of these tricks and combine a few of my methods, you should find your weight loss battery is recharged and you’ll be well back on track!

Our bodies are bizarre aren’t they? They react well to one method, not so well to others and it causes our emotional state to go up and down like the latest roller-coaster ride; one time spiralling into an emotional darkness, another beaming with energy and life into the sunlight. Don’t worry, I’ve been on this path most of my life and having been a personal trainer for some years, I’ve learned what it’s like for lots of people. But we’re all different, so not one approach will work for everyone. Fortunately when I created The Lunch Box Diet, I managed to hit on something that worked for a high-percentage of people who have used it, and continue to benefit from easy optimum nutrition out of a box! But there does come a time when the weight loss can grind to a halt and we need a way to shift that bit extra, whether it’s to fit into a nice bit clothing for a party, prepare for the beach or just feel that more slightly tight around the waist line.

What do I mean by a “weight loss plateau?” Well, for a number of reasons, you stopped losing weight using the exact same methods that previously were allowing you to lose weight. One of the chief reasons is that your body is designed to maintain. It would be fantastic if our bodies could sense that we were overweight and force us to lose weight, but that’s just not so. Everything the body does is about regulation. Our bodies attempt to replace damaged or dead cells to maintain tissue integrity. If one chemical or hormone is too high, your body releases other chemicals or hormones to lower the one that is too high. When your blood glucose levels drop, your brain sends out signals which will in turn let you know that you are hungry. If blood glucose is too high, insulin is triggered to help transport blood glucose into the cells. When we run a fever, our bodies shiver to lower the body temperature. When we are cold, our body reserves heat for the core and our extremities may even be a bit pale because of it. We sweat to cool the skin and release the excessive waste that is being formed from the demands placed on our bodies.

Literally every function is a form of maintenance because our bodies require certain conditions for optimum health. This relates to a weight loss plateau because your body becomes used to your weight loss efforts and adjusts accordingly whether this has to do with exercise or eating. I have plenty of suggestions that will help you shake up your body a bit and get back on the weight loss path.

There are other reasons for a weight loss plateau as well. There are reasons you gained weight, and not all of them have to do with merely consuming too much or exercising too little. Remember, MIND/BODY/SPIRIT! There are reasons you overate that had little to do with physical needs and more to do with emotional needs or issues. Sometimes, it’s all about modifying your mindset and refocusing your energies. Let’s conquer those demons once and for all because these barriers to weight loss may be what’s holding you back from achieving your dream body.

Speaking of “modifying,” have you done all you can to modify your lifestyle and offer yourself the appropriate environment for weight loss? Are you still encountering folks that drive you bananas and thwart your weight loss efforts? Do you need solutions for continuing to lose weight even though you have to travel frequently or have difficulty finding affordable veggies?

As well, I say “We’re never, ever done learning and trying to improve our lives!” Not only does conventional medicine and science uncover new things about health and weight loss on a regular basis, but sometimes, it’s about “discovering” ancient practices that have benefited different cultures for centuries. Keep an open mind and not only will new avenues of weight loss come to you, but you may just find that your health, quality and richness of life will improve as well! Truly, it’s a win/win situation when you gain knowledge!
All of us have certain obstacles that we need to overcome in order to obtain the body of our dreams. For some of us, it’s an emotional issue. For others, it may be an innocent lack of knowledge in the exercise arena. Perhaps your weight loss plateau stems from a lifetime of habits that you’ve not realised. Whatever it is, the following 20 ways to break the weight loss plateau will offer some insight on how you can finally drop those last pounds.

It’s my advice that you read each of the 20 tips in full but then concentrate on each one for one week. Try and set up each one as a habit or and implement the particular strategy in that week. Put a sticky note on your fridge with the topic of the week. By the time you’ve completed even 10 of the 20 tips, I think you’ll have a massive smile on your face. Let’s get started….

1: Exercise Virgin? Lose it!

Simon Says: “Feel the burn, and feel it drop off”
It seems like a simple place to start doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised how many people opt to avoid this very simple approach to losing that extra chunk of weight. If you don’t currently take part in exercise whatsoever then you’re in for a treat. Just by getting active, your body will react like a spark does to a firework; explosive results are on the way. A simple 20 minute jog around your block three times a week could help you to shift that tummy weight that’s been crying out to be lost. How about a regular swim with the kids? Maybe it’s time for
you and your friend to ditch the mid-day coffee and cake meeting and have a game of badminton, walk instead of using the bus or just getting down to the gym, facing those fears and going for it like the first time you set eyes on the love of your life. Embrace exercise like you would a new born child into the world, because it can and probably will become a dedicated passion once you really start. If you’re ‘not so sure’, then let’s look at it like this: If you’re not currently exercising, aren’t you running the risk of not really knowing and feeling the benefits! It can be that addictive once you find the right exercise style and there are so many variants, you’re bound to find a real passion! I’m excited for you!

2: Reduce Your Box Size

Simon Says: “Drop it and drop a dress size”
On the basis that you’ve been using The Lunch Diet, this trick is one that has been overlooked by quite a few people. Are you still using the same size lunch box that you had when you started the diet? If so then it’s time to go down a size. So if you’re currently using a 2 ½ litre box, drop down to a 2 litre box and so on. Now I don’t want you to be hungry, but ask yourself the question, if you put less in your box, would you really still be hungry? Really? Try it tomorrow, either reduce the size or your box or put less in. If you’re currently eating a whole chicken breast then half it. Where super-sizing in Mcdonalds will help you to pile on the pounds, doing the opposite will do just that.

3: Drink Green Tea

Simon Says: “Go green and your body environment may change”
It was only recently that I changed my regular fluid intake and I feel a lot better for it. If I’m honest, I was gulping down about 10 cups of tea a day. With a sugar in each and with milk, this can equate to quite a lot of tea and calories. I made the switch to green tea which sprouts bucket loads of health benefits. First,
it’s rich in antioxidants, so it fights off those nasty free radicals which affect aging and potential nasty diseases. Green tea boosts metabolism, so that’s where the weight loss benefits come in. Green tea helps to promote oral health by destroying the bacteria that forms plaque, lowers blood sugar levels and prevents Type 2 diabetes. There are many variants of green tea and it’s more and more common in the big supermarkets. In fact, you’ll not have trouble finding it these days. There are all kinds of flavours to pick from so don’t think that it’s going to taste bad! So try swapping your regular brew for the green type and those few extra pounds may just fall off. Beware though; keep up your healthy eating in addition to drinking green tea!

4: Write Everything Down

Simon Says: “The food diary is the essential free tool”
I’ve been using food diaries with my clients of years and it works wonders. People come to me and I ask them how healthy they think they eat. Normally the reply is “pretty well”. Then I ask them to fill in a food diary for seven days and when they return it they’re normally really surprised at what I can pick up on. It’s also great for the client to understand how eating frequently can really change the way our bodies convert food into energy and burn it, this is normally where I recommend my diet. Plus they have to tell me about all alcohol intake and this is another sign where extra pounds can be shifted, but then it comes down to how much they really want it. Can you knock your regular glass of wine on the head, or maybe it’s a regular weekly drinking session? Write down everything you eat for a week, including the times you eat. Look back at it and mark out the areas you think can be improved and maybe find alternatives for those unhealthy bits and bobs.

5: Get Social

Simon Says: “Get a group together to chat”
There’s nothing like a good chat, and especially if you’re around people who have similar goals, it’s a great place to share tips, boost each other’s confidence and come up with new ways to reach your goals together. Don’t wait for the advert to spring up in your local paper. Why not set something up yourself. Of course, there’s always my online community at http://community.lunchboxdiet.co.uk if you get stuck – there’s loads of people in there with exactly the same goals of you and you can search through their profiles. Maybe YOU could place a small advert in your local shop or start something at your local gym – speak to them and see if there’s anything running already. Community centres and social clubs are also great places to start looking. Be inventive and get a bunch of you together. It could just be what you’ve been looking for and you could make some great friends along the way.

6: Ditch ‘Eater’ Friends

Simon Says: “Are you being fed by someone else but yourself?”
Picture the scene. You’ve been doing really well on your goal to lose those niggling pounds, but then, you remember you’re meeting (cue shock horror music), Mrs so and so who keeps on pressuring you to have just one more cream cake. Maybe this person is someone at work who always wants to tell you you’ll never lose weight and you might as well delve into the cookie box anyway. Maybe it’s a friend of a friend who has got another selection of horrid comments up her sleeve and you rebel every time by reaching for the comfort of an ice-topped bun. Whatever the story, it’s time to eliminate these niggling people who are seriously putting you off track. Think about how best to (nicely does it), avoid bumping into them. Maybe you just need to stand up for yourself more and put a few choice words in the direction of the person who’s just been winding you up all year long. Go on, you can do it!

7: Do the ‘All Green’ Lunch Box

“All green vegetables and only fish for 1-2 weeks”
Okay, another Lunch Box Diet tip for all of you out there who have been grazing your way to more energy, a better figure and general all round goodness. I want you to try for 1-2 weeks; each of your lunch boxes has to contain only green vegetables. This is because green veggies are less starchy and have a lower glycemic index than most other vegetables, which means they’ll keep you fuller for longer. You can also try having a fish only week on-top of this to help you break that plateau. This little trick has worked for quite a few clients of mine. So, your box could consist of Group A) Spinach, Sugar Snaps, Steamed Brussels, Avocado and Green Beans. Group B) Peppered Mackerel. Group C) Chopped Garlic & Coriander.

8: Modelling Yourself, On You!

Simon Says: “Model yourself on your successful days and weeks”
It’s track back time. Can you remember when you felt your best? When your clothes felt the slimmest and you were really happy and had the most energy? If you can, then great, try to model your days ahead based on those experiences. But if you can’t then the trick from here is to keep a track of when you’re are feeling great and write down what you have eaten on this day, at what times, how much exercise you’ve had and how much sleep and even what time you went to bed. You can then start modelling yourself on you! It’s hard to model on other people when it comes down to this stuff because we’re all individual, so how one person reacts to one type of food will be slightly different to the other.

9: No Carbs After 6pm

Simon says: “Watch it late at night…”
If you’ve not already tried this one, it can be quite effective. Remembering that we need carbohydrates as a source of energy, most of us are very non active in the evening, so we don’t have
the requirement of large amounts of pasta, rice, a side dish of garlic bread. Do you get the picture? By eliminating carbs after around 6pm this will allow you to burn off the carbs you may have had earlier in the day and force the not to be replenished in your evening meal. It’s not so much whether you eat at night which is a common weight loss myth; it’s about what you eat. We tend to snack on fattening foods in the evening and far too many of them. So, choose wisely and you can enjoy a little snack such as a bowl of berries with nonfat, sugar-free whipped topping or a handful of spicy almonds.

10: Set Targets & Beat Them!

“A weight loss plateau is most likely an exercise plateau”
Ok, back to the exercise. It’s very important that in order to battle against your weight loss plateau, you take extra steps to put your body beyond its normal demands. It’s easy to do this. Rather than moving from one machine to the other, working on each one of 10 minutes here and there, you should start setting mini targets which you can achieve to beat over time. For example, do you already use the bike and work at your own pace? Why not setup a time challenge and try and get even further on your next trial. Or maybe you’re currently rowing for 2000 meters. Why not up that by 500 meters each time you go, or maybe see how fast you can do 2000 meters. You can normally setup the machines for this easily. If you can’t work it out, just ask one of the fitness team if you go to a gym, or read the instructions in your manual if you have a machine at home. If you’re using a normal bicycle, then you could make checkpoints in your head and use a watch to try and get there faster each time. You can also do this when jogging. So the general rule here is beat your cardiovascular times, distances and intensities and you’re likely to break the weight loss barrier as well as the exercise one too. Oh, and every time you beat a personal favourite, it will put a big smile on your face.

11: Eat Breakfast

Simon says: “…then get up earlier!”
Yeah yeah, I’ve heard it all before. “I don’t have enough time”. “I don’t like to eat that early”. Well if you want to shed that extra weight, I’d seriously advise you ditch watching the late-night movie or get up when the alarm goes off! Missing breakfast is a common mistake for a large amount of people. We need breakfast to give ourselves that morning boost and it kick-starts our metabolic rate. Also if you miss breakfast, you’re likely to snack on bad foods early in the morning and make uninformed choices at lunch. But what’s a good breakfast? Try a banana if you’re new to eating breakfast, maybe with some natural yogurt. Muesli will provide you with sustained energy though the morning, as well as porridge and other oat based cereal. Stay well clear from the ones aimed at children with loads of added sugar. Why not try some rye based crackers with ham and cheese. Wholemeal bagels and spreads are another good choice or poach an egg and have that on top. With your breakfasts, try cutting down portion sizes and see whether you’re actually still hungry. A large glass of water after may help too, or combine your breakfast with a mug of hot green tea.

12: Eat More

Simon says: “By eating too little your metabolism could be slowing down”
If you’re restricting your calories by too much then you could put your body into starvation mode, which means that your metabolic rate could be shuddering to a halt. When this happens the body can start to play tricks and you may find that when you do eat the right number of calories again then the body will store those calories. So the real answer is to eat a regular amount of quality calories regularly to keep the body running at its optimum rate. It’s easy to get into the mind-set of starvation to lose weight, but the ultimate long term result is that we get hungry and binging because of previous diet restrictions is the ultimate outcome. Getting into a regular routine of healthy
eating, snacking on protein, vegetable and good sources of good fats will enable you to break a weight loss plateau if your current eating patterns are not healthy and within a sensible routine.

13: Read Labels Properly

Simon says: “You probably think it’s okay when it’s not!”
Food companies are clever you know. They know that people are looking for healthier options these days and as a result it’s not uncommon for foods that are unhealthy to be labelled as healthy. Examples of these are ‘health bars’ and ‘low fat yogurts’. We see the packing which shows fruits and we instantly make the connection with healthy but often these types of foods where they are low in fat, are rammed with sugar to satisfy our taste buds. Remember that if we’re not burning off sugar, it will be stored as fat, so where a health bar can be a good pre-exercise snack to get your energy levels up, if you’re being non active these are simply not healthy options. Always look on packaging properly and ensure that you also read the sugar content, salt content and other additives. A good way to start is by looking on the ingredients. If for example ‘Sugar’ is the first listed item then this is ingredient that features most heavily in the product so therefore should be avoided. Stick away from saturated fats more than 5.0g per serving.

14: Lift Heavy Weights

Simon says: “And I’ll even promise you won’t look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or ‘that big man over there’…”
The more muscle in the body, the higher the metabolic rate, so this makes sense that lifting weights can really boost your chances of breaking that plateau. However, it’s a very common problem that women tend to not lift light weights for the fear of building up big muscles. Women don’t have the same testosterone levels as men, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll generate the same build as a man. However, your shape may change once you start lifting weight and in 9/10 cases, women love their new muscles, especially in their arms, both biceps (front of the arm) and triceps (back of the arm). It’s important when you lift weight to work hard so that the muscle is put under enough strain that the muscle fibres are broken down and need to recover. You may feel some discomfort for some days after a training session and this is normal especially if you’re starting out. If you’re not feeling anything after your sessions then chances are you have not worked to the correct intensity. My advice would be to get a personal trainer to teach you how to lift weights properly in a 1-1 scenario as this is by far the safest way to perform strength training.

15: Drink More Water

Simon says: “Hydration could be holding you back”
It’s simple. We need water for our bodies to function properly. A way for you to get over that weight loss plateau that’s been bugging you for month is to ask yourself, are you really drinking enough? My simple rule is to try and get through at least a couple of litres per day. You can do this by buying a large bottle and ensure that you take sips regularly until it’s completely gone. If you’ve still got quite a bit left at the end of the day then make sure you neck the rest before bed time! Instead of reaching for the crisps and chocolate bars, try an extra large glass of water, give it a few minutes and then see if you’re still hungry, it could actually be because you’re in need of hydration, not food. By filling you stomach with water, they’ll be less room for food, so it works as the perfect appetite suppressant. Where fizzy drinks do contain water, unfortunately they’re packed full of sugar, so get a taste for the original stuff and leave Mr Cola in the supermarket fridge where other people can take them. If you’re heavily drinking these kinds of drinks then you need to wean your way off them gradually instead of cutting them out completely, unless you’re super motivated!

16: Drink Less Alcohol

Simon says: “Calories with no weight loss kick”
It seems simple, but this is where those calories really hit the stomach, leave us feeling bloated and force us to eat unhealthy foods which then pack on even more around the stomach. If you’re drinking most evenings then you need to ask yourself why. Is it habit? If you’re saying “I just like a drink”. Do you really just “like a drink?” Find the underlying cause of why that is, tackle this and you could tackle those calories that are leaving you with the need to fight that weight loss plateau. Why not try cutting down on your weekly intake or swapping those high calorie and sugar laden drinks for more healthy spirits with soda instead of lemonade and cola. Why not try sticking to alcohol free for a while and see whether you’re happier with your new slender body rather than a night and a sore head the next day. Which is more important to you? If you know the answer already then you know the route to take!

17: Good Fats Essential for Weight Loss

Simon says: “Know the right from wrong” When we talk about healthy fats or good fats, we usually refer to unsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocados, salmon or flaxseed, but probably the most talked-about good fats are the long-chain omega-3s found in fish oil. Studies show that the omega- 3 fatty acids in fish help your body function well in many areas that are vital to health and fat loss. Deep-coloured cold-water fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines are especially rich in omega-3s. Although some prefer to use flax instead of fish, studies show that the long-chain omega-3s (EPA/DHA) such as those found products like Maxi EFA are superior to the short-chain omega-3s found in flaxseed oil and various other ‘essential oil blends’. To add more healthy fats to your diet, drizzle olive oil over your favourite salad… lightly grill a salmon fillet and have it for dinner along with some mixed vegetables and new potatoes… or sprinkle some freshly ground flaxseed on your breakfast cereal.

18: Smaller Packs & The Healthy Option

imon says: “Let your healthy little voice get a look in you when you’re on a downer” Let’s picture the scene. You’ve eaten your healthy meal. Eight o‘clock arrives and you suddenly get ‘that craving again’. You’ve used my tip to drink some water, but the little voice says ‘nip to the shop for a bag of crisps and chocolate’. Yummy! You’re in store, almost skating with joy down the isles as you pre-decide whether it will be the cookies tonight, the bumper 12 pack of crisps or even both. Been there? Well here’s a thought. Your little healthy voice is there somewhere and you’re listening, but you’re thinking ‘well if I’m going to do it I may as well go all out’. Well how about this. Instead of picking the 5 pack of chocolate bars which you know will be gone by mid-day tomorrow. Pick the small bar and also a healthy snack too. This could be a packet of nuts or some veggies to nibble on. You’re now going 50/50. You’re going to get your 50% naughty fix and fill the rest of yourself up on something good. Add all this up over a month and I bet that plateau will soon become a thing of the past!

19: Take the Mind-Set of Someone Healthy!

Simon says: “Become a fit and healthy person in your head, not someone who is struggling to lose weight”.
If you’re current world of thinking is ‘I need to lose weight’, ‘I feel fat’, then your mind-set could do with a bit of altering for the better. By placing your head in the ‘I’m a health person’ and ‘Can’t wait for my exercise session’, then your subconscious mind will come into play which means that all the unhealthy decisions you make will be less likely. Imagine yourself after you’ve exercised and how you will feel as you go ‘yes’ I did it. Imagine when you’ve overcome your plateau and you’re going out to buy those new clothes. Keep your mind healthy and your
actions will be healthy too. Drop the negative stuff and become mind-fit and you quite simply, will become fit!

20: Your and Your Partner’s Portions

Simon says: “He doesn’t need what you need, so portion control to your requirements”.
Sitting down with the family is great. The family meal is a social occasion and it’s a time to embrace and enjoy. But if your plates are all the same then chances are you’re probably portion matching incorrectly. A man’s requirements of food are generally a lot higher than a women’s, especially if she’s trying to break the weight loss plateau. So dish up accordingly and remember not to eat until you’re full. As soon as you eat until you’re full then you’ll bloat, then feel tired, down and more likely to snack later on in the evening when your dip ends and you need your fix again. Maybe it’s time to get different sized plates. And remember that the kids need different portions too. If your children have weight issues, be sure to look into their portion sizes, when they last ate before their evening meal and how many snacks are in the house ready to be invaded!

Did you find these tips useful? These tips were taken from 50 Ways To Overcome Your Weight Loss Plateau which is available on this page from the ‘product’ link, or you can get it with 19 other products for a silly £47 for a limited time, including my Lunch Box Diet. It’s a bit of no brainer. Click here for my Rapid Weight Loss E-Product Course‘