How to Lose 10 Pounds: Overcome the Plateau

Are you wondering how to lose 10 pounds in 3 weeks, a month, or even 10 days? Consider a sensible weight-loss rate of about 1-2 pounds a week and read on to find out how to break through the plateau.

It is quite common to plateau during a weight loss program. You are headed toward your goal, yet cannot seem to lose that last 10 lbs. There are several strategies to get you back on track. First, re-assess your goals: are they still realistic and attainable? If you are already at a healthy weight (based upon your body mass index – BMI) you might be ready for maintenance. If not, shake up your routine.

Change your exercise routine

Keep the intensity of your exercise program high and participate in one hour of exercise most days of the week. If you are not already participating in regular resistance training sessions, do it! Talk to a fitness professional about adding a weight and/or resistance exercise program to your routine. Aerobics burns calories (and fat) but resistance training builds and retains lean muscle mass, increasing your metabolism or BMR. Change your routine regularly and try interval training. You can do this on any cardiovascular exercise machine. Interval training burns more calories in less time and quickly builds muscular endurance. Any workout begins with a 5-minute warm up at a moderate pace (and ends with a cool down). During the workout, you repeat “cycles” or periods of varying intensity for 20 to 30 minutes. You alternate short periods of high-intensity exercise with shorter active rest periods. Change the settings on your cardio machine throughout the workout, as frequently as every minute. Adjust speed and resistance level to increase intensity to work your heart and muscles in different ways. If you are new to interval training, begin with short high intensity cycles and longer active rest periods, such as 15 seconds of a high intensity followed by one full minute of a lower intensity or recovery.

Make sure you are eating ‘enough’ but not too much – and balance your meals

Your calorie intake must be adequate and appropriate. Many dieters fail to eat enough or, on the opposite end, underestimate how much food they are consuming. Keep a food journal with what you eat, the portions, time of day and your level of hunger. Both under- and overeating can trigger a weight loss plateau. Re-calculate your calorie needs as they have likely changed based upon your new body weight. When you lose weight, your BMR naturally declines. At a lower weight, you require fewer calories to continue losing weight.

To keep your metabolism revved, eat something every 3-4 hours and never skip breakfast. Breakfast eaters have advantages over those that skip this important meal, such as successful weight loss and weight maintenance. Strive to consume a healthy balance of protein and carbohydrates. A healthy breakfast might be a 6 oz. container of non-fat Greek yogurt with ¾ cup of raspberries, one hard-boiled egg, a slice or two of whole wheat toast with ½ tsp. of trans fat-free spread and a cup of green tea.

Consider slightly increasing your protein intake. The Dietary Reference Intakes Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) for protein is 10-35% of calories. Keep it at about 20% of total calories. On a 1,800 calorie diet, this would be about 90 grams (g) per day.

Even during periods of weight loss, many nutrition experts recommend eating 3 meals and 2 snacks daily to keep your metabolism elevated. While this isn’t always practical for everyone, due to time constraints, scheduling conflicts, etc., you are much less likely to overeat if you are not ravenous by the time you sit down for your next meal. Keep in mind that your body tends to function at its best when you nourish it regularly and well, combining lean protein, whole grains and other healthy complex carbohydrates. It is equally important to keep your meals balanced and about the same size. In general, women need fewer calories than men. They have less muscle and burn fewer calories throughout the day. In general, women can aim for 300-500 calories/meal and men, 400-600 calories/meal with 100 to 200 calorie snacks.

Finally, don’t skimp on sleep! There are many research studies proving that even one night of sleep deprivation disturbs your body’s optimal endocrine regulation of energy balance, leading to weight gain. Sleep deprivation decreases blood leptin levels (hormone that regulates appetite and metabolism) and to increases blood ghrelin levels (hormone that stimulates hunger), as well as self-reported hunger.

REFERENCES

• Mayo Clinic: Getting past a weight loss plateau
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight
• Taheri S, Lin L, Austin D, Young T, Mignot E (December 2004). "Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index". PLoS Med. 1 (3): e62.

Your Opinion Counts

Have any questions or comments? Participate in the discussions today. Use the "Post new comment" form at the bottom of the page to ask your questions and share your ideas. Use the correct spelling and grammar.