What are Plateaus?

Have you ever heard or experienced this scenario before?

"I have successfully lost 15 of the 25 pounds that I want to lose, but now I am stuck at the same weight even though I am faithfully sticking to my diet. What has happened to me? Is the diet not working anymore?"

Yes, many women over 40 start off their weight loss programs full of excitement and determination, and indeed you do see the pounds dropping off over the first few weeks.

That's great, of course.

However, the next thing you know is that your progress has come to a dead stop...

... and you have just hit the dreaded weight loss "plateau".

But don't despair -- you are not the only one experiencing this.

Hitting a plateau is a common experience for most women over 40 on a weight loss program.

And it can be one of the most de-motivating things to happen.

Thankfully, overcoming it is easy... IF you know the simple steps you can take.

But first you need to know why plateaus happen.

You see, when you decide to go on a weight loss program you'll usually end up doing one or both of the following:

- consume fewer calories; and,

- increase the amount of exercise so that you burn more calories.

And if you do it correctly, you'll use up more energy (calories) than you are taking in, and you will lose some weight from the resulting calorie deficit.

But your body is an amazing machine -- over time it gets used to your new eating habits and exercise routine, and will adapt itself to this new calorie intake and expenditure.

In simple terms, your body adjusts itself to burn less calories, so that it will prevent itself from going into "famine" because it senses you are using more calories than you are taking in.

As a result, your body lowers your metabolism in an attempt to slow the use of your fatty energy reserves.

And then it happens.

That's when you find that the weighing scale needle stops moving, and your weight loss slows down or comes to a complete stop.

At this point, you will notice that your eating and exercise efforts are not producing your desired results i.e. little or no weight loss.

Well, the good news is that it's real easy to get over the plateaus which you'll inevitably hit.

In a nutshell, you have to do two things:

1. Alter your eating habits; and,
2. Change your exercise program in a way that challenges your body.

If you want to learn more, this other article will teach you some simple ways to overcome your plateaus now.

 

 

Why Face More Problems
It's not just plain coincidence that women over 40 face more problems than younger women when it comes to weight loss.  Before you learn the weight loss methods that work for you, find out what makes you different and why you face more problems when you're trying to lose weight...  

Slower Metabolism
Your body's metabolism rate naturally slows down as you age. This means your body is less efficient at "burning" fat now than it was when you were younger, causing you to put on the pounds as a result. Learn why this is so, and what you can do to increase metabolism...

Food Cravings
You've just had a decent lunch not too long ago, and you know you shouldn't be eating too much sweet stuff... but why is it that all you can think of is that plate of pasta and another slice of the delicious chocolate cake? Here's why you keep getting those food cravings, and how you can get rid of the cravings and feel full throughout the day...

Hormone Imbalance, Hormonal Changes and Mood Swings
You tell yourself that you're going to start on a weight loss routine, but find that throughout the entire process your body seems to have a mind of its own -- it just doesn't listen to you and the body fat keeps increasing! For many women over 40, it may be that you're suffering from hormone imbalance or estrogen dominance. Find out how estrogen dominance causes weight gain, and learn some safe and simple solutions you can use immediately...

Plateaus
If you managed to lose some weight but then found yourself stuck at the same weight for some time, you've hit the dreaded "weight loss plateau". Find out what causes this, and what you can do to overcome weight loss plateaus easily.

Why Diets Don't Work
Did you know that instead of helping you to lose weight, diets can in fact make you put on even more weight?  Before you go on your next diet, read this to learn how diets can actually do you more harm than good!

Progesterone
What is progesterone? Why is there so much interest in natural progesterone now? But more importantly, find out how natural progesterone can help you in weight loss...

Fiber
You probably know that fiber helps to regulate bowel movements, but do you know that fiber also helps with weight loss?

L-Carnitine
If you aren't burning fat effectively, the fat will build up and get stored in your body. L-Carnitine helps in your body's fat burning activities, and it makes exercise less of a pain...

Chromium Picolinate
Chromium reduces insulin insensitivity, so it helps to prevent excess glucose being converted into fat. Learn how chromium picolinate can help you gain more lean body mass and decrease your amount of body fat...

Garcinia Cambogia
When you consume too much carbohydrates, the extra carbohydrates are then converted into body fat. Discover how garcinia cambogia can help you to suppress your appetite and inhibit fat production so that less fat gets stored in your body...

Sleep and Lose Weight?
Have you ever dreamt of losing weight while you sleep?  I've got good news for you...  Sleeping can help you in your weight loss program!

Weight Loss Articles
Here are some other useful articles that can help you attain your weight loss success...

Weight Loss for Women Over 40 Blog
Want to know how the latest happenings in the weight loss industry can affect you?  Is there something new in the market that can speed up your fat loss program?  If I find out anything worth reporting to you, it'll be in my blog.  Go check it out!

 

Got a question on weight loss for women over 40? Email us at and we'll do our best to answer any questions you have... We're here to help!