The New Year’s Weight Loss Resolution Plateau
It’s just a few weeks since the start of the New Year, and already many people who jumped into their 2009 weight loss plan on January first have hit a plateau or even a wall. What’s the difference and how do you get your weight loss efforts back on track?
Did Your Diet Hit a Plateau or a Wall?
If you lost a couple of pounds each week during January but find your weight loss has slowed to a crawl, you have hit a plateau. This may signal that you did not have too much excess weight to lose in the first place, or you cut back enough to lose the easy to shed pounds but now need to retool your approach to get your body to give up additional weight.
If, on the other hand, you thought you cut back on your eating and were moving more but the number on your scale barely budged, your weight loss program has hit a wall.
With the holidays and Super Bowl behind us and Valentine’s Day soon to be a memory, late-February is a great time to rethink your 2008 weight loss plan.
How Many Calories Do You Need?
Use the calorie-estimating grid below to determine your daily energy needs. If your doctor says it is safe for you to do so, decreasing your calorie intake by 500 calories per day below your estimated calorie requirement will help you lose about a pound a week. Many people find this level of weight loss too slow for their needs. You can speed your results by cutting additional calories from your diet and/or increasing your activity level*.
| Gender | Age | Sedentary | Moderately Active | Active |
| Female | 19-30 | 2,000 | 2,000-2,200 | 2,400 |
| 31-50 | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,200 | |
| 51+ | 1,600 | 1,800 | 2,000-2,200 | |
| Male | 19-30 | 2,400 | 2,600-2,800 | 3,000 |
| 31-50 | 2,200 | 2,400-2,600 | 2,800-3,000 | |
| 51+ | 2,000 | 2,200-2,400 | 2,400-2,800 |
Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
Moderately active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day to-day life
Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
The Role of Activity in Weight Loss
Being active will help you lose weight, but it can be tough to get enough exercise to shed a significant amount of weight. This is because your body is more fuel-efficient than you may think. You will not burn enough calories to justify even a small cookie walking across your living room. In fact, every mile of ground you cover burns only 100 calories. At this rate, you would need to walk or run about 5 miles every day of the week to lose a pound through activity alone. Still, it’s important to your overall success that you commit to being as active as possible.
If you are already involved in an exercise program, perform your favorite activity at a faster pace for 2 minutes at a time, several times during your typical workout sessions. Doing so is a proven way to help push your metabolism off a plateau.
If you are not yet active, it’s important that you gradually but steadily get off the couch and get moving.
Tune Up Your Calorie Control System
It can be tough to cut calories by serving yourself less from a typical family meal. Switching to prepackaged diet foods, particularity meal replacement formulas for some or all of your daily meals, can help you achieve the calorie control you need. It will also help you learn firsthand how to better estimate serving sizes.
If you are cutting your calorie intake below 1200 calories per day, it is essential to use meal replacement formulas instead of whole foods to ensure you get the nutrients your body needs in fewer calories. Researchers have found that even with careful planning, it’s impossible to meet your nutrient requirements from whole foods if you consume fewer than 1200 calories.
Don’t be discouraged if your weight loss efforts have slowed or stopped. Adjusting your intake and activity a little may be all that is required to get you back on track.