2988: Breaking Through a Weight Loss Plateau and What To Do When You Can't Lose Weight

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[00:00:55] It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily and I'm Dr. Neil Malek. Hey there, happy Friday and welcome to another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily where I answer your health questions related to fitness, diet and nutrition and lots more. You send in the questions and I answer them for you. Alright, I'm sure you're eager to hear today's question so let's get right to it as we optimize your life. Today's question came to me via email. Laura writes,

[00:01:26] I'm struggling with making progress. I have written down goals, meditated, taken action steps and for some reason I am not making any progress on my lose 50 pounds goal. Thank you so much for your question Laura. I can completely understand your frustration. First, I want to be sure to mention that you are off to a good start. Writing down your goals is actually a perfect first step. In my experience, many don't even get that far. Second, know that you are not alone.

[00:01:55] In my experience, having helped hundreds of individuals lose weight, seeing the results from their efforts can seem like that proverbial carrot dangling in front of them. Close, but not within reach. It's so frustrating, especially when you've been doing everything right and your body simply isn't responding. Now there could be a couple of things going on. Now Laura, I'm going to assume that you have lost maybe a little bit of weight. Maybe not a lot, but even a few pounds.

[00:02:21] Now when that happens, the body often adjusts to this weight loss by doing something that surprises most people. When you lose weight, even a little bit of weight, your metabolism slows down. I repeat, when you lose weight, your body's metabolism slows down. Remember, the word metabolism is referring to the number of calories you burn in a day. A large portion of the calories you burn every day is due to keeping your organs functioning,

[00:02:48] you breathing, powering your brain, digesting and absorbing nutrients, and so on. So how is it possible that someone that carries more weight has a higher metabolism? Well this is because when our bodies are forced to carry more weight, we burn more calories as a result of that. So here's what happens when you plateau. Your metabolism has gradually slowed down as the weight was coming off. So you'll be following the same meal plan and exercise routine and nothing happens.

[00:03:16] If your metabolism has slowed down and yet you're consuming about the same number of calories and doing the same exercises, you'll plateau. Still confused? Okay, I hope this helps. If you're not driving right now, do this with me. Now imagine you're going to perform a shoulder raise with your left arm. So gradually, raise your left arm so that it's above your head. Now, raise your right arm directly in front of you, but keep it at shoulder height.

[00:03:45] Don't lift it all the way above your head. Okay, so right now, your left arm should be higher than your right. Now, slowly start to lower your left arm, but keeping your right hand still. The left arm, the one that should be coming down, represents your metabolism slowing as you lose weight. Your right hand, which isn't moving, represents the diet and exercise routine you've been following.

[00:04:13] So eventually, as you continue lowering your left arm, it's going to line up with your right. That represents the plateau when they line up. So how can you break through the plateau? If I was successful with this demonstration, you already know the answer. You need to find ways to move your right arm. That means you have to change either your diet or your exercise routine.

[00:04:39] In my experience, individuals usually find it a bit nicer to modify their exercise routine. This is because they often feel very comfortable with the meal plan they've created. They found their rhythm. Also, sometimes folks are following a low-calorie diet as it is, so having them cut back even more on their calories could be dangerous. Now, Laura, if you haven't been sticking to a specific meal plan, that is the best place to start. But if you have been controlling your portions and watching your calorie intake,

[00:05:08] then we can look to mixing up your exercise routine. So here are some tips. First of all, check with your healthcare provider to be sure that there's not an underlying condition or an underlying reason why you may not be losing weight. We just want to make sure that there's no underlying condition that could be stopping your progress and that needs to be diagnosed. But if everything looks clear, then we can move on to this step. If you haven't been doing this already, again, start now.

[00:05:36] You can use good old-fashioned paper and pencil, or there are lots of free phone apps available. Basically, every time you consume a meal, a snack, or even a drink, write it down. Write down the day and the time you consumed that food or drink, what you ate or drank, and how much of it you consumed. Or, if you prefer to use a free phone app, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics likes one called Chronometer,

[00:06:01] spelled C-R-O-N-O-M-E-T-E-R, Chronometer. I've used it and have had my students use it for projects, and it's really user-friendly. The reason tracking your food and drink intake is so powerful is because it, first, forces you to become aware of what you're eating and drinking, as well as your portions. Second, by bringing you this awareness, it makes the eating behavior less automatic. You have to start to think about whether the food or drink you're about to consume

[00:06:30] is going to help you with your weight loss goals. And it's for these reasons researchers have repeatedly found that simply tracking your food intake can help jumpstart weight loss. Now, if you're wondering, well, then how many calories should I be eating each day? Most health professionals recommend you consume between 1,500 and 1,700 calories each day if you want to lose weight. But do not go below 1,500 calories each day because that could place unnecessary stress on the body.

[00:06:58] And as always, be sure your healthcare provider is aware of your diet and weight loss goals. Next, exercise. The National Weight Control Registry has studied 60,000 people for over 10 years. Now, all of these folks have lost at least 30 pounds and have successfully kept it off. Want to know what they had in common? Exercise. They exercised regularly. But just saying exercise isn't enough. We need to be more specific about the types of exercises that will help trigger weight loss.

[00:07:28] Now, according to the National Weight Control Registry, most of their participants participated in walking, about 60 minutes each day. So let's say that that's your preferred method for cardio. Sometimes, just walking isn't enough. We can still plateau with our weight loss. So to mix things up, consider adding in some resistance training. It could be bodyweight exercises, lifting actual dumbbells and barbells, using resistance bands, whatever suits you. Why would this help?

[00:07:56] Resistance training is one of the best ways to build muscle quickly. Muscle is very active tissue and helps increase our metabolisms by burning calories for us. So again, we're moving that right arm. Now, when it comes to cardio, change the intensity. So if you normally walk for 30 minutes, jog instead. Now, I don't expect you to jog for 30 minutes straight. Even if you end up jogging for only 5 or 10 minutes, or maybe even 2 minutes, and then walk for the other 28 minutes, that's fine.

[00:08:26] Why would this help? Well, by increasing the intensity, you will burn more calories during that 2, 5, or 10 minute jog, more than you would if you just walked. We're finding that by incorporating high-intensity activity like this, you not only burn more calories during the workout, but we find there's also something called an afterburn effect, which means the body continues to burn more calories after you finish the workout. What a nice added bonus.

[00:08:54] So, if you try and follow these steps as closely as possible after checking with your doctor for medical clearance, you should start to see some of those pounds melt off. I wish you all the best, Laura, as you smash through your weight loss plateau. Oikos presents 15 Seconds of Strength. Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him. Oh, that's tough, Jim. Looks like a five-trip load at least. He grabs the first bag, the second.

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[00:09:52] Each one-ounce serving has six grams of protein. Giving you over 10% of your daily value. That means Wonderful Pistachios is a good source of protein with zero guilt. Plus, pistachios are known for their protein power, fiber, and better-for-you unsaturated fats for a combination that may help keep you feeling fuller longer. And on top of all of that, Wonderful Pistachios is a complete protein, providing all nine essential amino acids.

[00:10:20] Whether you love the satisfying crack of the in-shell varieties, or the pure convenience of no-shells, maybe their new unsalted no-shells that holds the salt but not the flavor, there's a pick for you. They're perfect for that protein pick-me-up or just a tasty treat. So, get snackin' and get crackin' with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more. Thank you so much again for the question, Laura.

[00:10:48] If you want to submit a question to be answered right here on the show, you can email your question to health at oldpodcast.com. And don't forget, you can also call in your question. The number is 61-ILOVE-OHD. Or you can submit your audio question at oldpodcast.com slash ask. Thank you again so much for listening every day. Thank you for listening all the way through. Thank you for sharing this show with someone. And I'll see you back here over the weekend,

[00:11:18] and where your optimal life awaits.