{"id":18411,"date":"2016-11-30T11:15:18","date_gmt":"2016-11-30T16:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=18411"},"modified":"2021-11-18T10:26:31","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T15:26:31","slug":"expert-weight-loss-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/expert-weight-loss-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Weight Loss Tips You Can Do When the Scale Won\u2019t Budge"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"7
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether the scale hasn\u2019t budged for one week or six, it\u2019s always a frustrating experience \u2014 especially when you feel you\u2019re doing everything \u201cright\u201d to get the weight off. But before you start beating yourself up or throw in the towel on your healthy eating plan, know that you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/b>The first thing our research shows is that everything hits a plateau,\u201d says Bob Sullivan, co-author of The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success<\/a><\/i>. \u201cEvery good idea, diet program, marriage and professional athlete eventually stops working,\u201d says Sullivan. \u201cThis is the most confusing thing about any endeavor, and it\u2019s particularly frustrating for people trying to lose weight.\u201d Luckily, there are ways to turn things around \u2014 though some methods aren’t as obvious as others.<\/p>\n

For instance, eating way less might get the scale moving. But cutting calories<\/a> has its limitations, and in fact, seems to stop working after a while, says Sullivan. The same goes for the same old workout routine \u2014 eventually you\u2019ll need to mix things up, add some high-intensity intervals <\/a>and challenge the body in new ways<\/a>. Pairing proper nutrition and <\/i>a challenging workout routine is, of course, a winning combination. But there are a few more ways to help you bust through that weight loss plateau. Here are seven expert-backed tips on how to reach your goal weight, the healthy way.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Real Talk: How Often Should You Actually Weigh Yourself?<\/a><\/p>\n

7 Things You Can Do When the Scale Won’t Budge<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easier to form a new habit instead of breaking an old one you struggle with.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

1. De-emphasize the scale.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Most physicians would readily agree that the scale alone is a very incomplete metric, says Sullivan. So is your BMI number, or any other metric number on its own. Being healthy involves dozens of measurements, and utilizing more of them will help you realize how far you\u2019ve come and help you set new goals, he says. Perhaps you aren\u2019t moving the scale but you\u2019re lowering your heart rate, reducing belly fat<\/a>, or improving your cholesterol numbers. Start taking measurements so you can see how your body composition is changing by shedding fat and building lean muscle<\/a> when your weight stays the same. Being able to fit into a smaller size? Now that\u2019s a milestone worth celebrating!<\/p>\n

2. Enlist an honest buddy.<\/b><\/h3>\n

A solid support system is a must when you need that extra push to reach your goals. Whether that\u2019s a friend with similar goals or a significant other who just knows how you\u2019re wired, find someone you can be completely honest with about how you\u2019re doing, says Dr. Susan Albers, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center and author of Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence<\/i>. Having someone to check in with daily or at least a few times a week will keep you accountable and may help you stay on track when faced with temptation. Knowing you\u2019ll have to tell your weight loss buddy you went back for second helpings may help you put the kibosh on that habit. And when it comes time to hit the gym, sweating as a duo is just way<\/em> more fun<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>5 Tips for Setting a Totally Doable Weight Loss Goal<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Don\u2019t break old habits \u2014 start new ones.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Instead of trying to break old eating habits, form new healthy habits<\/a> to crowd out the old ones, says Dr. Albers. \u201cIt\u2019s easier to form a new habit instead of breaking an old one you struggle with.\u201d So if your old tendency is to have ice cream every night, try swapping the ice cream<\/a> for non-fat yogurt with granola<\/a> and factor that into your daily calorie intake, Dr. Albers suggests. Taking control with a positive mindset can help you stay motivated to stick to your healthy eating plan. Just keep in mind that diet boredom<\/a> and eating the same old foods could also be a factor in your plateau.<\/p>\n

To keep from falling off the wagon, have \u201ctoday-only goals.” Go for a quick run, split that cookie with a friend, skip the sugary cocktail at dinner.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. \u00a0Give yourself a hand.<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s common to overeat because you\u2019re bored or upset about something (aka \u201cemotional eating\u201d). The next time you find yourself diving in for seconds, try tensing your fists to stop yourself from noshing, suggests Dr. Albers. \u201cClenching your fist while thinking \u2018no\u2019 helps you stay true to that behavior. You\u2019re seeing an action and feeling it.\u201d For more helpful strategies, try these nine mindful eating tips<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. Clean up your environment.<\/b><\/h3>\n

It might seem like an odd way to kick-start weight loss, but getting your home and kitchen organized can help you feel like you\u2019ve got a handle on your weight. \u201cThe more in control you feel in your external environment, the more you feel in control internally,\u201d says Dr. Albers. Get rid of the junk (and junk food<\/a>!), and get your kitchen, home and office in tip-top shape to start inspiring calm and clarity from the inside out.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>7 Easy Kitchen Hacks for Clean Eating<\/a><\/p>\n

6. Stop dwelling on your diet.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cThe time you spend away<\/i> from a problem is just as important as the time you spend trying to solve that problem,\u201d says Sullivan. Since you\u2019re not going to be able to eat and exercise perfectly every day, it\u2019s important to avoid stressing over it 24\/7. Spending too much time \u201cfixing\u201d a problem limits how far you\u2019ll actually get. \u201cMost people don\u2019t know this, so they keep banging their head against a wall. That\u2019s the very epitome of a mental plateau<\/a> becoming a physical plateau.\u201d Keep tabs of your daily food intake and workouts, but remember there\u2019s more to life outside the confines of your diet. Keep your interests varied and social life active!<\/p>\n

7. Start with today.<\/b><\/h3>\n

The disappointment you feel when you don\u2019t see the number you want on the scale can lead to a dangerous cycle of negative thinking. People don\u2019t really get depressed because the scale reads 152 instead of 150, they get depressed because they feel fat, says Sullivan. This can lead to feelings of fatalism (i.e. \u201cI might as well just eat that quart of ice cream anyway\u201d), which can lead to binge eating, research shows<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To keep from falling off the wagon, have \u201ctoday-only goals,\u201d suggests Sullivan. Go for a quick run, split that cookie with a friend, skip the sugary cocktail at dinner. Celebrate these small victories <\/a>to get back a sense of control, power and achievement. \u201cTake care of the little things and the big things will follow.”<\/p>\n

Originally posted on September 16, 2013. Updated November 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The scale won’t budge? It’s normal to hit a plateau, but here are expert-backed weight loss tips you can follow to rev up your metabolism and shed pounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":54380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11,18],"tags":[41,51,71,325,341,343,285],"class_list":["post-18411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-nutrition","tag-scale","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18411\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}