The weight loss plateau prevents the body from losing the last few pounds needed when dieting. A better understanding of this concept makes it possible to remedy it effectively.
- Overweight and obesity are defined as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that can harm health, says the WHO.
- Overweight and obesity are recognized as the fifth cause of death by the WHO, indicates Inserm.
It’s well known that the last five pounds are the hardest to lose when dieting. This frustrating reality has an explanation and a name: the weight loss plateau, explains Nick Fuller, head of the Charles Perkins Center research program at the University of Sydney, in The Conversation.
Weight loss: the body perceives diet as a threat
Researches showed how it happens: the plateau begins to settle after three to six months of weight loss, then a resumption of the pounds usually occurs. Indeed, when the body perceives that its survival could be jeopardized – for example by eating less and losing weight – it triggers a series of physiological reactions to protect itself.
It adapts to this “threatens” notably by reducing his metabolic rate and burning less energy, which slows the rate at which weight loss takes place. It also secretes higher levels of an appetite hormone, ghrelin, which is known to increase hunger and promote the conservation of fat stores, explains the expert.
The waist circumference is indicative of the need or not to go on a diet
It is nevertheless possible to live this stage serenely. First, make sure weight loss is realistic, healthy, and necessary. Unlike the BMI calculation, which misses two significant measurements: the percentage and the distribution of body fat in relation to the muscles, Nick Fuller advises to rely on a simple measurement.
Indeed, to be healthy, the waist circumference should not exceed about 80 cm for women and about 90-94 cm for men. Exercising notably reduces the amount of unhealthy fat stored around the stomach, near the organs, which reduces the risk of obesity-related disease.
Eating more at breakfast is beneficial for weight loss
It is also recommended to focus on the volume of meals throughout the day and to eat more in the morning than in the evening. Studies have in fact demonstrated that the morning is the time when your body uses the calories ingested best – it burns the calories of a meal two and a half times more efficiently than in the evening.
When you lose weight, your body needs less fuel, so it’s essential to review and adjust calorie intake at the time of the weight loss plateau: “As a rule of thumb, you need to eat 10% fewer calories when you reduce your weight by 10%, just to maintain that new weight.”explains the expert.
Exercising breaks the weight loss plateau
Additionally, relying on diet alone to break the weight loss plateau can reduce muscle along with body fat. However, this slows down the metabolism and makes it more difficult to maintain weight over the long term, says Nick Fuller. Even if the weight on the scale actually increases because the muscles weigh more, any physical activity that helps preserve muscle mass is essential.
Physical exercise also makes it possible to better manage stress, which is harmful to health. This is because stress increases cortisol production in the body, which promotes fat storage and triggers cravings for unhealthy foods. “But be sure to vary the pleasures, because doing the same thing every day is a sure way to get bored and avoid activity, and can also make it difficult to achieve your goals.”, advises Nick Fuller.