If you’re on a journey to lose weight or to improve your overall health in general, then like many, you’ve probably hit a plateau along the way. Whether it’s in your workout, or the things you eat, sometimes you feel like no matter what you do the number on the scale won’t move or you just feel unmotivated. Well, here are 5 things you can do to shatter that weight-loss plateau:

1. Switch up your cardio moves and include strength training in your workout. Lifting weights help boosts your metabolism and burns fat faster. Also, make sure to take rest days so your body can recover. Perhaps workout 3-4 times a week.

2. Count calories. Some say you shouldn’t worry about measuring what you eat, but if you want to lose weight you definitely have to watch what you put inside your body. Cut back on high calorie food that do nothing but cause bloat or pack on pounds, and instead focus on eating clean. Weight loss starts in the kitchen, and you can’t work off a crappy diet. So eat whole foods, which are unprocessed and have good nutrients that will benefit your overall health. 

3. Change up what you eat. If you’re eating the same thing everyday for months, try changing things up but definitely still keep it clean and healthy. And don’t worry, you can have a little sweet now and then. Don’t deprive yourself because that doesn’t work out in the long run.

4. Sleep more. Not resting enough slows your metabolism, makes you feel sluggish and stressed, and often leads to overeating throughout the day. Here’s something interesting, you actually burn calories while sleeping too. So get at least 8 hours of sleep in. 

5. Drink lots of water. At least 2 liters or 8 cups per day. Not only is water calorie-free, it suppresses your appetite, helps you burn calories, and also helps you digest better. So have a glass before and with your meals, and cut back from sugary beverages and alcohol. You can have a glass of wine every so often, but not too often. 

Hopefully, these 5 tips will help in some way. But please also note, that sometimes we think we’ve hit a plateau but really our bodies have only slowed down the fat loss process. The heavier we are, the faster we lose. Then it becomes even harder and slower. So retract and examine your progress. If you feel you’ve seriously hit a plateau and nothing helps, then consult a physician. There could be another underlining issue. 

 

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