When to Slow Your Roll

The journey of weight loss is not a steady, straight line towards your goal. The road is curvy, bumpy, and unpredictable.  Sometimes you will feel like you are crushing it, and sometimes you will stall, or seem to slide backwards in your progress. It’s important for you to know that this is part of the process!  Plateauing, and even temporarily gaining some weight back throughout the process is a necessary part of your body’s adaption to a new normal.  Most people give up when forward motion stops because they consider this to be a failure. It’s not! When you plateau, you have created change deep inside of your body, and your body is recalibrating.  Just use the time to pause and readjust.

Did you know that only 17% of adults sustain a 10% weight loss after 1 year? When the body experiences a decrease in energy expenditure due to weight loss, it seeks to conserve energy and regain lost calories. Ugh!! Sounds like climbing a vertical mountain, right? If you are truly committed to losing weight, you must also commit to the time it will take to reach your goal.

The truth is: if you are trying to lose weight, the process can be difficult and frustrating. If you find yourself suffering from “weight loss fatigue,” OR “veggie vision,” take a break from weight loss. Just hit “pause” on the entire process for a day or two, then jump back in when you are rested and ready to continue.  This doesn’t mean that you go off the rails for two days, but you might go out and enjoy a treat or two.  WHA?? WAIT! Trade the kale for a cookie?? Swap that salmon for a slice?? Sounds like a total contradiction! It’s not. If you need to pause the process, allow yourself to enjoy something you love. This is simply part of the journey of true and lasting weight loss.  

So, go ahead and slow your roll: increase your daily caloric intake by 300-ish calories. While your weight loss might not be as fast, it will be more achievable and sustainable. Higher calorie deficits can result in greater hunger levels and less adherence to the plan.  Actual weight loss is sometimes greater with smaller deficits.

As always, reach out if you need a coach on your weight loss journey….I’m here for you.

In Good Health,

Lori Z.