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So you're hitting the gym every day [3], tracking your food [4], and getting plenty of sleep [5], but the scale still won't budge — what gives? If you have been losing weight steadily but suddenly find the scale stuck at a standstill, you could be in a weight-loss plateau [6].
As personal trainer and fitness coach Sam Frohlich (@sam_xceedfit [8]) explained in an Instagram post, there could be several reasons you are stuck:
- You dropped calories too quickly or by too much: Although eating in a calorie deficit is important, if you eat too few calories or drop too quickly, it could slow down your metabolism and backfire.
- You haven't changed your training plan: It's important to find activity you like, but if you don't mix it up, your body will become complacent.
- You don't count sneaky calories: Every handful of M&M's, teaspoon of nut butter, and bite of your partner's food adds up.
- You've become content: If you started your weight-loss journey with tons of energy and enthusiasm but find yourself slacking off, it could impede your progress.
Sam said to "basically do the opposite of the things in this infographic." Be mindful of everything you eat, and track every single bite. You should still be within your daily calorie target (to find out what that should be for weight loss, use this formula [9]). If you mostly do cardio for workouts, incorporate strength training. And if you have lost your weight-loss mojo, here are some tips to stay motivated [10].