Breaking Plateau's

This advice is using South Beach Program.  Their Phase 1 is like limiting your carbs.  Although we don't do South Beach, basically you can still follow the advice and alter it to suit your dietary needs.  Your Body needs a break from your regular routine, change things up often and you'll see results. 

Daily Dish

Plateau Problems?

While it may be frustrating, it is not uncommon to reach a plateau in Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, especially as you get closer to your target weight. Weight loss in this Phase of the South Beach Diet is much slower than in Phase 1, but that's fine in the long run since slow and steady weight loss is best for long-term success. That said, if you'd like to jump-start your weight loss, here are some strategies to try:

1. Try eating different foods. Sometimes people get into a food rut, eating the same things day in and day out, which may lead to overeating as a result of feeling unsatisfied with your routine. Add more variety and different veggies to your meal plan to combat boredom. This may be just what you need to get over a weight-loss stall.

    

2. Get adequate exercise. Enjoy a fitness program based on interval training, where you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and easier recovery periods. When you work at a higher intensity for part of the time, you end up burning far more calories and fat in less time than you would if you were working out at a steady pace. This type of exercise will help you develop more lean muscle mass, which helps boost metabolism, in turn allowing you to shed unwanted pounds.

    

3. Keep track of what you eat. In general, the South Beach Diet does not require you to count calories or portion sizes. But you may be eating too much of certain foods to keep losing weight at the same pace. SouthBeachDiet.com's registered dietitians recommend taking a close look at the amount of nuts and low-fat cheese you're consuming and cutting back on these items if you're eating too much.

   Our nutritionists are available for personalized weight-loss advice, so if you have specific questions about your progress on the South Beach Diet, foods to avoid and enjoy, your individual health, or weight-loss goals, then one-on-one counseling and support is for you! Click here to join SouthBeachDiet.com today and take advantage of all our great offers!

4. Return to Phase 1. If you have plateaued for several weeks and still have a fair amount of weight to lose, it's fine to return to Phase 1 for a kick-start.

Finally, it's possible that your weight loss has stalled because you've already reached your healthiest weight — even if it's not your desired weight. If your cholesterol and blood-sugar levels have normalized, your desire to lose weight may be a matter of cosmetics. In this case, rather than focusing on the number on your scale, focus on how much better you feel and how much healthier you are.

Your post is very timely for me, Nan - I'm at my first stall and its frustrating as h*ll - I think a lot is due to the sameness of the foods I'm eating and letting too many carbs sneak back into my routine. I don't eat breads or pasta, but I can eat crunchy things like crackers and pretzels. And I think the protein bars I've been using have a lot of carbs as well, so today I'm really making an effort to change that - get back to more shakes and proteins and really watch the carbs. I have been exercising 5-6 times per week and feel good about that because I know I've lost inches, but the scale isn't moving like it should.

I hope you're feeling a little better - I can't imagine how difficult things are for you right now but you seem to be making an effort to have some normalcy back in your life. You're still (and always will be) in my thoughts and prayers to give you strength to help you deal with everything. You know we're all here for you.

Thanks - Kathy

You guys keep me sane, Lord knows if it wasn't for you guys, my Mom would have put me under by now.