Former client Karen Kryzanowski followed the formula and never let these obstacles stand in her way. Photo 2009.
You were out of the gates really strong on your fat loss.
You had lost a few pounds and even an inch and a bit came off of some of your trouble areas.
You were feeling pretty good and then suddenly your progress just stopped. No change for weeks.
You’ve stopped eating junk food. You’ve been exercising. You’ve been following a healthy eating plan that you thought for sure would work. You feel like you’ve been doing everything right.
So what the heck happened?
Here are 5 hidden culprits that can completely halt your fat loss progress. They are not always so obvious so hopefully you will be able to take one or even a few of these to get the ball rolling back in the right direction.
1. Not drinking enough water.
Water is very important to fat loss. A decline in hydration levels of only 1 or 2% is enough to slow down metabolism, lower energy, lower immune function and more. In fact…by the time your brain registers that you are thirsty…you are already at that 1-2% point. Many people have actually thrown off their thirst mechanisms by not listening to their body’s cues. They can be worse off than even that 1 or 2%. They may be perpetually dehydrated and may even mistake thirst cues for hunger cues and eat. It is important to work on mechanical drinking to maximize your thirst cue accuracy and ensure proper hydration. Bring a water bottle with you every where you go and sip regularly. If you are seeking fat loss and muscle building then you should shoot for no less than three litres or 12 glasses of water per day. You may be able to get away with 8 glasses if you are sedentary but you need more if you are active.
A few other things that increase the need for water:
1. Extra protein in the diet
2. Lower carbohydrate intake
3. High caffeine intake
4. Hard exercise
5. Heavy sweating in exercise or heat.
6. A high metabolic rate
If you hydrate yourself properly then your body and brain will thank you for it.
2. Not focusing on your workouts.
I see this all the time. In fact…I observed it just this morning. A woman was working out on a piece of exercise equipment. She was doing her reps but as she was doing so, she was either watching people in the gym or talking away to someone beside her.
I am sure she is thinking she is working out but what she doesn’t realize is her lack of focus on what she is doing is significantly impacting the results she can obtain from her workout.
If she actually kept her attention on her exercises, her body movements, and her working muscles then I can guarantee you she would burn far more calories and see better results.
Going through the motions will not get her there.
I mentioned this in earlier posts and I will mention it again. The mind has to be present to maximize the results that can be achieved by the body.
3. Not accounting for extras.
You have your plan laid out and you know exactly what you need to have. It was working well. You were seeing results as long as you stayed where you needed to with your foods.
However, in recent weeks you have been a little more liberal with your condiments. You have been adding ketchup, sweet and sour sauce and barbecue sauce without much thought.
I know you’re looking at me and saying “what..they’re fat free!” That maybe so but they are not calorie free and most are not sugar free. You still need to be aware that these extras account for a calorie load. This calorie load may be enough to move you in a direction that will lead you to hitting a solid wall in your fat loss. You will have the best results when you can account for everything that goes into your mouth.
Keep a food journal and be honest to yourself.
4. Lack of dietary protein.
It will not take long to hit a fat loss wall if your diet is too low in protein. I have helped many people break through fat loss plateaus by simply readjusting their meal plans to reflect more dietary protein. We need healthy fats and nutrient rich carbs but you will never build a hard body without protein.
Protein is a vital building block of many structures, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters in the body. Muscle is one of the most important structures when it comes to fat loss. If you can increase your lean muscle then you will increase your body’s calorie burning ability. 1lb of added muscle can allow your body to burn an extra 50 calories per day. Weight training with a proper diet is critical to this process.
Your body has to work harder to digest proteins so more calories are burned as part of the digestive process as well.
Protein also helps to keep blood sugar levels in balance when carbohydrates are eaten. It will increase energy and the balance that it provides reduces food cravings and appetite.
I suggest shooting for at least one gram per lb of total body weight per day. You can also base it on your fat free body weight if you know what that is. If you hit that 1 gram per lb of body weight then you know you are covering the bases.
5. Lack of sleep.
If you didn’t think that burning the midnight oil would halt your fat loss then it may be time to think again.
There have been many studies linking increased obesity rates with lack of sleep. In fact…there has been some research showing that the greatest metabolic damage seems to come in those who do not go to bed before midnight.
Staying up late triggers alterations in growth hormone levels, cortisol levels and leptin levels. Lack of sleep seems to throw these hormones out of balance which increases muscle loss, fat accumulation and appetite. Individuals who are sleep deprived are also at higher risk for insulin resistance which not only ties directly into fat accumulation but also heart disease and stroke.
You should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep in a dark room every night. Get to bed before midnight. You may have to gradually condition your body to earlier bedtimes but your body will adjust to it and will likely welcome the added rest.
Take a good look at your lifestyle. If you have been at a fat loss plateau for more than 4 weeks then one of these may be part of the problem.
Be sure to check in for Thursday’s post. I will be discussing the power of persistence, consistency and determination in body transformation and sharing a few of my clients recent accomplishments as great examples of this.
Yours in health,
Tammy Strome
