By Jose Axel
Last Updated Mar 26, 2024Losing fat and getting in shape is a journey full of ups and downs. Some days you’ll feel amazing and other days you’ll lose all hope because you have hit a frustrating plateau where the scale stops moving and progress grinds to a halt.
Breaking through these plateaus is critical for achieving your fitness goals. Here are 6 proven strategies to help you overcome fat loss plateaus and make steady progress.
One of the most common reasons for fat loss plateaus is an insufficient calorie deficit. When you first start a fat loss program, you may see rapid results as your body adjusts to the calorie deficit. However, over time your metabolism adapts and you may need to further reduce your calorie intake to continue losing fat.
Carefully track your calories and macros, and consider reducing your daily calorie intake by 200-300 calories if progress has stalled. Just be sure not to cut calories too aggressively, as that can backfire and cause your metabolism to slow down even more. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s miserable if you’re hungry all the time.
In addition to adjusting your diet, you can also bust through plateaus by increasing your activity levels. This could mean adding an extra cardio session per week, increasing the duration or intensity of your workouts, or simply moving more throughout the day. Switch things up to keep your workouts interesting.
Even small increases in activity can make a big difference. For example, going for a 30-minute walk on your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. These "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" (NEAT) activities can help burn extra calories and reignite fat loss.
Another effective strategy is to periodize your training by cycling between different types of workouts. This prevents your body from adapting and keeps it guessing. For example, you could alternate between:
Changing up the rep ranges, loads, and training styles every 4-8 weeks can help you bust through plateaus and maintain muscle mass while losing fat.
Sleep and effective stress management are often dismissed but they are critical components of successful fat loss. Lack of sleep and high stress levels can disrupt your hormones and sabotage your progress. When combined with a significant calorie deficit, you won’t be feeling very happy at all.
Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and find healthy ways to manage stress, such as meditation, yoga, or leisure activities. Even reading a good book for 30 minutes can help! This will help keep your cortisol levels in check and support healthy testosterone production, both of which are key for fat loss.
In addition to optimizing your diet and training, supplements to help overcome fat loss plateaus might be helpful. Try using a try using a thermogenic fat burner to promote fat loss. Supplements like this contain ingredients such as Acetyl L-Carnitine and Green Tea Extract, which have been clinically shown to support weight loss.
Finally, it's important to remember that fat loss is a gradual process. Even if you're doing everything right, you may still hit plateaus from time to time. The key is to stick with it, trust the process, and make adjustments as needed.
Celebrate the small victories, focus on how you feel rather than just the numbers on the scale, and don't get discouraged. With consistency, persistence, and the right strategies, you can overcome any fat loss plateau and achieve your goals.
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