It can be frustrating to feel successful on your weight loss journey, consistently seeing the scale going in the right direction when it suddenly comes to a screeching halt. You’ve hit the dreaded weight loss plateau. The good news is that, not only is it normal — even expected — but the team at your Medical Weight Loss Clinic has the tools and expertise to help you push through and get the scale moving again.
Overcome your weight loss plateau by following our tips at Medical Weight Loss Clinic.
What is a Weight Loss Plateau and Why Does It Happen?
MWLC Regional Manager Kami LaPerna says a weight loss plateau is when you have stuck to your MWLC program but haven't seen movement on the scale in two weeks.
“It’s not a matter of if, it’s more a matter of when,” she says. “It’s different for everybody. A lot of times after you lose your first 10-12 pounds, you’ll hit a plateau. It could last a year or month at other programs. But at MWLC, if within two weeks there hasn’t been a movement, we will implement one of our meal plan changes because we don't want someone to be stuck with that.”
This is one of the times that journaling proves key because Kami says she can skim a patient’s food journal and quickly know whether they’ve truly hit a plateau or have fallen off track a bit with their program. She notes that some patients think they hit a plateau, but journaling shows that they may actually be eating off plan, or thrown off their healthy habits by vacations and special events.
“By tracking what you eat and when, we can at a glance make quick changes if we need to,” she says.
If your MWLC team does establish that you’ve been following your program and have truly hit a weight loss plateau, don’t panic.
“A weight loss plateau is frustrating but common as well,” Kami says. “That’s what patients need to understand. It’s not something they’re doing wrong; it’s that they’re doing all the right things and that’s how they got to the plateau.”
She says that you will likely see significant weight loss in the first weeks of your program, but as your body gets used to your new behaviors and habits, including eating a healthier, lower calorie diet, it will stop giving you results. This can happen more than once over the course of your weight loss journey.
“That’s when I always say we need to shock your system again.” Kami says.
How to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau
MWLC programs are custom built around a patient’s unique circumstances and goals. Kami says this means they are created to allow room for change when those plateaus occur. Depending on which program you’re on, there are meal plan changes and modifications to jumpstart your metabolism and break through the weight loss plateaus. This might mean cutting your calorie intake for a couple days, adjusting your program overall or suggesting workout changes, among other options.
“During a plateau, we focus on whether we can increase your activity, if you drink enough water, and if you are getting enough sleep at night. Tracking and journals are such essential tools when it comes to weight loss because it paints a picture. We can tell when and what you’re consuming and what changes we can make.
Sometimes, all it takes are simple changes.
“People often eat the same thing over and over. That might be convenient for weight loss, but that can cause a weight loss plateau as well because your body is used to eating the same thing,” Kami says. “Something as simple as changing up the types of food you’re eating can break the plateau.”
She adds that if you are someone who goes for walks regularly, even changing your route can make a difference.
“It’s like tricking your brain into knowing you’re doing new things.”
Kami says it’s crucial to stay positive when you hit a plateau.
“We can be so negative and hard on ourselves,” she says. “But your body truly responds to what you’re saying and how you’re thinking about yourself, so use positive words and affirmations. I don’t want people to give up on their long-term goals.”
She also cautions against getting discouraged by a weight loss plateau and thinking that’s just the weight your body wants to be.
“I don’t want people to do that,” she says. “We remind them that your body has gotten comfortable and that’s where we need to help.”
Kami and the rest of the MWLC clinic staff are ready to help with motivation and solutions that will work best for you. And while checking in on the scale is an important part of your program, she stresses that it’s not the only component to weight loss success.
“You will not walk around with a scale. You will walk around in your skin and clothing. Focus on things like how much better you feel, how much better your clothes are fitting, how you’re sleeping at night. Don’t narrow your weight loss success to a number on a scale because that can be very defeating.”
If you are ready to jumpstart your weight loss journey with a knowledgeable team that will help you achieve your goals and break through any challenges, schedule your free consultation with Medical Weight Loss Clinic now at MWLC.com.
