Don’t let a weight-loss plateau scare you. Sometimes we remain the same weight regardless of our best efforts. It’s a definite “thing;” check out the information in WebMd or Mayo Clinic websites. Before you become discouraged, know that it's normal for weight loss to slow down or stall.
Why does this happen? During the first few weeks of losing weight, there can be a rapid drop, partly because when we start cutting calories, our body gets protective and releases glycogen, a carbohydrate that’s found in our muscles and liver. Glycogen contains water, so when it’s burned, it releases that water. After that, our weight change slows down.
Our brain chemistry also plays a large part. According to “weight set point theory,” every time we drop pounds, our brain releases a flood of hormones to prevent more weight loss so that we don’t starve ourselves. Some of these hormones decrease our feeling of fullness and others make us feel hungry. Other parts of the brain will tell our bodies to store fat. These powerful neurohormones are beyond our control.
So what can we do if our weight hasn’t changed for a while in spite of our best efforts? If we find our weight is getting in the way of living the life we want to live, a medical professional could suggest further changes. For instance, the pills we take for our health might be causing weight gain. Maybe the doctor can find a better one for us. Or we could call a dietician who might suggest changes to our meal planning that we hadn’t considered.
We could also look at our reasons for wanting to change our weight. Do we have a weight bias? A person’s weight doesn’t indicate their intelligence, work habits, self-discipline, or self-control. These are just stereotypes, not based on science. Throughout history, curves and full bodies have been celebrated, both in art and in everyday life. At other times we have celebrated thinness. Is that magic number we're striving for unrealistic for us? Because we've already improved our diet and our exercise, we've already improved our health. We might want to revisit our goal and give ourselves a gold star for how far we’ve come.
There are some excellent reasons for changing our weight and there are intelligent ways of doing it. But it isn’t as simple as eating and exercising correctly, though that is most certainly a major part of it. Slow and steady is the way to go, so let’s not revert to old, unhealthy habits if we’ve reached a plateau. That is not a good choice even if it all seems frustrating and impossible. Instead, let’s celebrate our success and continue our efforts to reach or maintain a healthy weight, not for society’s approval but because we care about ourselves.
We’d love to see you at TOPS. Do you need a ride? Let Karen or one of our group know or call MI Assisted Living Society. Our non-judgmental, encouraging members meet every Wednesday morning at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. We’re a low-cost, international self-help program that gladly welcomes everyone. Check out our website at www.tops.org. (Our first visit is free.) If you want to join us, please call
Submitted by Amber Harvey
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