3388: How to Lose That Last Bit of Weight - Weight Loss When You Hit a Plateau on Overcoming Plateaus

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[00:01:00] It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, and I'm Dr. Neal Malik. Hey there, welcome back to another Friday show where I answer your questions. On all the other days, I read health and fitness blogs to you like an audiobook, with permission from the authors, of course. Now, I'll let you know how you can send in your own question at the end of the show and get rewarded for it. But for now, let's hear today's question and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:31] Today's question came via email. Mitch writes,

[00:02:03] I don't count calories, but almost always start with protein, stay away from gluten, sugar, and dairy, except whole fat, plain Greek yogurt. All that said, I have been the exact same weight for two years, within one to two pounds. My body fat has remained at 18%. I still feel I could lose 15 pounds or so to be healthier, and most of my weight is right around my center in the love handles. It is so frustrating.

[00:02:28] Any suggestions you have for losing a few pounds and getting rid of my love handles would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much. Thank you for taking the time to send in your question, Mitch, and thank you for being such a dedicated listener. Losing those last few pounds, especially fat pounds, can be really frustrating. It seems as though the first few pounds come off no problem, then those last few pounds seem particularly stubborn.

[00:02:55] In fact, there was a group of researchers that tried to answer a very similar question. The title of their published article was, get this, After reviewing lots of published studies, here's what these researchers discovered. There are lots of possible reasons why many of us stop losing weight, even when it seems like we're doing everything right.

[00:03:24] Here are some of the reasons the researchers mentioned in their article specifically. Genetics. Something called metabolic adaptation. Consistency or lack thereof. Sleep deprivation. Circadian rhythms. Hydration. Stress. And social support. Some of the reasons I just mentioned may be ones we've already heard about, like sleep and stress, for example.

[00:03:49] It seems that when we don't get the recommended 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, the body produces more hunger-related hormones. Plus, the longer we're awake, the more likely we are to eat. Now, like lack of sleep, stress also tends to increase production of hunger hormones. And stress makes us more likely to seek out those ultra-processed comfort foods to help us feel better. Then there's that metabolic adaptation thing.

[00:04:18] Metabolic adaptation is basically saying that as we lose weight, there's less of us to move around. Basically, there's less mass and therefore less energy needed to move the body around. That means we burn fewer calories. And not just fewer calories when we move, but all the time. So, to put this in fancy-sounding nutrition terms, the body's metabolism slows down. Hence, metabolic adaptation.

[00:04:47] Where the adaptation is the metabolism slowing down. Okay, what are we supposed to do then with all of this information? Well, one of the key conclusions the researchers of this article made was this. They said that, based on the studies they've seen, staying consistent with a lower-calorie diet will help us reach our goals. So, given this, here's what I'd recommend. Mitch, you mentioned you don't track your food intake, like your daily calories.

[00:05:15] To lose those last few pounds, this is something I highly recommend. You can use the old-fashioned pencil and paper method, or there are quite a few free phone apps you can use too. One that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has endorsed is an app called Chronometer. There is a free version of this app available, or you can pay for the gold membership. Now, I have no financial interest in this app, Chronometer. Just recommending it because this one seems to be pretty accurate.

[00:05:45] Now, when we track our food intake, there are a couple of things I would pay close attention to. First, total calories consumed each day. Now, if you do the pencil and paper method, you're going to have to manually calculate your calories. But, if you use an app, it will calculate all of this for you. So, for weight loss, males should aim to consume between 1,500 and 1,800 calories each day.

[00:06:11] It's really not a good idea to go below 1,500 calories each day if you're male. Now, getting less than 1,500 calories each day can lead to mineral imbalances throughout the body, and in turn, this can negatively affect the heart. Now, for those that are female and hoping to lose weight, they should aim to consume 1,200 to 1,500 calories each day. And the same issue here. Getting less than 1,200 calories each day isn't a good idea because it can place stress on the heart.

[00:06:40] Next, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics published some weight management guidelines. And, in addition to these calorie ranges, it's recommended we aim to consume 4 to 5 small meals per day. And since we're limiting our calorie intake, it's important that those small meals are packed with nutrients. So, my second point about tracking your food intake beyond just calories is we want to make sure we prioritize red and green vegetables

[00:07:10] for at least half of those meals along with lean proteins. And Mitch, it already sounds like you're prioritizing proteins in your diet. And that's great. Keep doing that. But now just be sure that you're adding red and green vegetables as a second priority. Now, how do we address that metabolic adaptation problem? Well, if the body's metabolism is slowing down as we lose weight, one way to increase our metabolisms,

[00:07:37] or, said another way, to increase the number of calories we burn each day, is to move more. So, changing your current physical activity routine can help. And finally, just as the researchers of the article mentioned, staying consistent is key. The weight will come off. And those love handles will go away. If you keep tracking your calories, continue following a lower calorie diet, and you're patient, and you stick with it,

[00:08:06] you will get the results you want. If you've been optimizing your diet, your protein intake, your sleep, you're already ahead of most people. But here's one thing most of us completely miss. The quality of the water we're drinking every single day. That's why I started using CovePure at home. It's a water purifier that sits right on your counter and plugs straight in. No plumber or drilling required. CovePure's ClearWave Reverse Osmosis technology

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[00:09:05] slash OHD. And because you're a listener of the show, if you use that link, you can get $250 off. That's C-O-V-E-P-U-R-E dot com slash OHD. Good sleep is everything. That's why Oli's Sleep Solutions is made with a blend of melatonin and L-theanine for both kiddos and grown-ups. So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help. Erasing thoughts

[00:09:33] and restless nights won't stand a chance. Find Oli's Sleep Solutions for the whole family at Oli.com That's O-L-L-Y dot com Thank you again for taking the time to send in your question, Mitch. Now if you want to send your questions in and get a copy of our Optimal Living Daily Workbook for doing so, you can email your questions to health at O-L-D podcast dot com That's health at O-L-D podcast dot com Or

[00:10:03] if you want your voice played on the show, come by O-L-D podcast dot com slash ask Lastly, you can do it the old-fashioned way and call in your question. The number is 1-61 I love O-H-D That's 1-614- 5-6-8-3-6-4-3 Thank you again so much for sending in your questions. Answering them is my favorite part of the show. But that'll do it for another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily.

[00:10:30] Thank you so much for listening every day and all the way through. And I hope you have a great start to your weekend. And don't forget, I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.