Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Day 24 - Plateau

Yesterday I mentioned the dreaded weight loss plateau and my very real fear that I've reach it. So I did a little research (thank you http://www.mayoclinic.com/):

What is a weight-loss plateau?
A weight-loss plateau occurs when you no longer lose weight despite continuing with your exercise and healthy-eating habits.

What causes a weight-loss plateau?
The progression from initial weight loss to a weight-loss plateau follows a typical pattern. During the first few weeks of losing weight, a rapid drop in pounds is normal. When calories from food are reduced, the body gets needed energy by releasing its stores of glycogen, a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver. Glycogen holds onto water, so when glycogen is burned for energy, it also releases the water — about 4 grams of water for every gram of glycogen — resulting in substantial weight loss that's mostly water.

A plateau occurs because your metabolism — the process of burning calories for energy — slows as you lose lean tissue (muscle). When you lose weight, you lose both fat and lean tissue. (The notion that overweight people have a slower metabolism is a myth. In general, the higher a person's weight, the higher the body's metabolic rate.) Your weight-loss efforts result in a new equilibrium with your now slower metabolism. This means that in order to lose more weight, you need to increase activity or decrease the calories you eat. Using the same approach that worked initially will maintain your weight loss, but it won't lead to more weight loss.

How can you overcome a weight-loss plateau?
  • Reassess your habits. Look back at your food and activity records. Make sure you haven't loosened the rules, letting yourself get by with larger portions or less exercise.
  • Cut more calories. Reduce your daily calorie intake by 200 calories — provided this doesn't put you below 1,200 calories. Fewer than 1,200 calories a day may not be enough to keep you from feeling hungry all of the time, which increases your risk of overeating.
  • Rev up your workout. Increase the amount of time you exercise by an additional 15 to 30 minutes. You might also try increasing the intensity of your exercise, if you feel that's possible. Additional exercise will cause you to burn more calories.
  • Pack more activity into your day. Think outside the gym. Increase your general physical activity throughout the day by walking more and using your car less, or try doing more yardwork or vigorous spring cleaning.

I have a consultation scheduled with a personal trainer tonight so I'm hoping that he can give me some tips on getting past this plateau. Of course he'll only be able to give me tips after he consoles me from my BMI blow. Yes, I'm getting my BMI measured this evening, among other things. BMI = body mass index, which is measured in relation to your height, weight, and age. I remember measuring my BMI once in college during a GenEd P.E. class (yes there is PE in college)....and it wasn't pretty. And I was happy with my weight in college! Check out this skinny minny in 2006:

Holy Motivation!

Which just goes to prove that you can be skinny and still have an unhealthy amount of body fat.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the results....(kicking myself for that honesty thing I mentioned in blog post #1)

Yesterday's Recap:
2/7
Breakfast: Banana
Snack: Mandarin orange
Lunch: Salad with tuna - btw I made the mistake of putting an entire packet of Ken's Fat Free Italian dressing on my salad...I could hardly eat it. Bleck!
Snack: Apple
Dinner: (thanks Seth!) Tilapia, couscous, and zucchini
Water: five 24 oz. bottles
Exercise: 1 hour in gym - 40 minutes on the treadmill and 20 minutes strength

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