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When you’re working hard to lose weight, there’s nothing more motivating than watching the scale move in the right direction. So when the numbers suddenly stop changing, it can feel confusing and frustrating. This stall is often called a weight loss plateau, and learning how to stop weight loss plateaus can help you stay on track, feel more confident, and keep making progress.
A plateau doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. In most cases, your body is simply adjusting to the changes you’ve made. As you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories to function, and your metabolism may slow down a bit to conserve energy. Hormones that affect hunger and fullness can shift too, which may make you feel hungrier or a little less satisfied after meals. These changes are completely normal, but they can make continued weight loss more challenging.
Anyone can experience a weight loss plateau, no matter how long they’ve been on their journey or what eating plan they follow. Plateaus happen whether you count calories, eat low carb, try intermittent fasting, or use GLP-1 medications. That’s why knowing how to how to get out of a plateau in weight loss is so important.
The good news is that there are practical steps you can take to help restart weight loss. If you’re feeling stuck, try a few of these strategies from the Health eCooks team:
- Recheck what and how much you’re eating. Portion sizes can creep up without you realizing it, especially when you eat familiar foods. Make sure your servings match what you intended, and check that you’re getting enough protein. Most people do best with about 25–30 grams per meal, which helps support muscle and a healthy metabolism (check out our high protein recipes for delicious ways to up your protein intake). Watch for extra snacking, late-night nibbling, or skipped meals, especially breakfast. Tracking your intake for a few days can reveal small habits that are easy to adjust.
- Refresh your workout routine. Your body gets more efficient when you do the same exercises over and over, which means you burn fewer calories. Adding strength training can help boost your metabolism because muscle burns more calories at rest. Try increasing your pace, adding short bursts of higher-intensity movement, or trying something new like cycling, rowing, or a beginner strength program. Small changes can challenge your body in a healthy way.
- Make sleep a real priority. Not getting enough sleep can affect hormones that guide appetite and fullness. When you’re tired, hunger can increase and cravings may feel harder to manage. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night for energy, metabolism, and mood. Improving sleep habits can make a big difference when you’re trying to move past a plateau.
- Manage everyday stress. High stress levels can raise cortisol, a hormone that may increase cravings and encourage your body to store fat. Simple stress relievers like deep breathing, relaxing hobbies, stretching, or taking a short walk can help your body feel more balanced and make healthy choices easier.
- Check in with a healthcare provider. If several weeks go by with no changes on the scale, consider talking with a doctor or registered dietitian. They can help identify whether a medical condition, medication, or habit change is affecting your progress. This support is especially helpful if you are using weight-loss medications or have a chronic health condition.
Hitting a weight loss plateau can be frustrating, but it’s temporary. Stay patient, focus on the habits you can control, and remember that progress often shows up in other ways, like feeling stronger, having more energy, or noticing your clothes fit differently. With the right tools and mindset, you’ll move past the stall and continue your journey. And as you keep practicing healthy habits, you’ll understand exactly how to stop weight loss plateaus whenever they happen again.