You've been dieting and exercising and losing consistent weight then all of a sudden that number on the scale is not going down anymore and you are stuck in a rut. This happens quite often, so here are some suggestions from me and a little help from an article I read in the April 2009 Runner's World Magazine.
1. Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Research has linked sleep loss to obesity and suggests people who don't sleep enough do weigh more. If you don't get enough sleep you tend to eat and snack more in your day. This doesn't mean you have to cut out your morning workout. Just try getting to sleep an hour earlier or if possible take a nap in the middle of the day.
2. You Eat Energy Dense Foods. OK I'm not a dietitian so this is coming straight from the magazine. A hamburger is an energy dense food which means it packs more calories than less dense foods like vegetable soup and a turkey sandwich. Less dense foods have a higher water content than fats and carbs. People who lower their dense food intake, lower their weight.
3. Change Your Routine. If you only run then add in some biking or lift weights. Changing up what your body does gives it a boost and you will notice the weight coming off again.
4. Make It More Intense. If you only walk on the treadmill at a 3.0 speed over and over again your body gets adjusted. You need to increase your speed every so often or bring up the incline and burn more calories. Even if you just increase it for a minute or two and then go back down, the amount of extra calories you burn will make a HUGE difference.
5. Get Colorful. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Many of us don't get our five servings in a day and that is just the minimum. Strive for seven servings and get colorful with your fruits and vegetables. A bowl of green, red and yellow cut up peppers with tomatoes and cucumbers sprinkled with a little light dressing is a great way to get in some vegetables and different colors.
I know it's frustrating when you are really trying to lose weight, you're doing it the healthy way and the number on the scale goes no where. Try these tips and see if it can give your body the boost it needs to get back on track.