"Britt I eat mindfully, plenty of fruits and veggies, counting my steps and kicking booty in my workouts. The scale was going down at first, but now it hasn't budged for weeks?!?! What is up??!"
I hear this all the time! Let’s not forget that weight loss is not linear either. You can lose weight initially and quite easily at first, then it slows down to a more sustainable rate. OR, sometimes you don’t see any changes for the first couple weeks, then once your body feels safe and knows what you want it to do- it starts responding.
PAUSE!! It is SO important for you to know that daily fluctuations are completely normal! Weight will go up and down almost daily because of normal factors like stress, sleep, hormonal fluctuations, water retention, digestion and dehydration. These small fluctuations do not damage progress, just stay focused and you will see that they are minuscule.
Continuing on– I do have some good news though! By focusing on these small but very important factors, we can get you back to making some serious progress and avoiding “plateaus” in no time!
STRENGTH TRAINING
Do more strength training! the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest, the less body fat you carry and the more of a fat burning machine you will become!
TRACKING YOUR FOOD
Now I know you are having little bites here and there, thinking they won’t make a difference because it’s “just a bite”- but I’ve been there too! THEY DO ADD UP BABE! You need to accurately track your portions and be aware of how much you are eating before you take away more food or complain that your current regime isn’t working….When we cut out those little bites and unaccounted for drinks that’s when the real progress happens! It’s hard at first but it gets easier! And trust me, self control tastes a lot better. NO, that doesn’t mean you can’t have your favorite treats, just make them fit and account for it.
TRY EATING MORE! (undereating is just as detrimental as overeating!!)
Trust me on this one. Your body burns fat best, when it feels safe, and if it doesn’t feel safe it won’t do anything at all. You could be burning more than you think and need the fuel! It’s not about eating less ,it’s about eating more of the right things.
PROTEIN FOR THE WIN
While fruits and veggies are SO awesome for a healthy body, it’s protein that will keep you fuller longer and help in building/preserving muscle tissue!
Did you really plateau??
Many times people like to blame hitting a “plateau” because they don’t want to own up to the fact that training doesn’t have the same intensity, they’re feeling less motivated so they aren’t working out as hard, and they are cutting corners with nutrition. Don’t be lazy and blame a plateau. Refocus, up the intensity and get back to work!
Why are you chasing a goal weight? What does that number mean to you??
Do you think once you see those numbers you will automatically be happy and feel confident? The number means nothing but your gravitational pull on earth! The number you see also reflects the weight of your bodily fluids, organs, bones and muscle mass! Try to shift your focus away from the number. Rather, focus on how you feel, how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror, your energy, strength and mindset. Don’t let a number on a scale determine your confidence and self worth! You could be losing body fat while gaining lean muscle at the same time and not be able to see that based on the scale but see a huge difference when you look in the mirror! If you want to measure progress, track your measurements for an accurate reflection of body fat loss.
Wishing you a fantastic week babe,
Britt xox
Thanks for the pepper talk (article). I needed it. It helps me focus on particular points and, moving forward, fix one thing at a time. I have a hard time eating the full daily meal plan you provide in the challenge; I typically skip a meal or the snacks. This helps me focus on key points. Wish me luck. 🍱