10:30:10 Hey friend, welcome back to the podcast. Today we're talking about something that frustrates literally everyone trying to lose weight.
10:30:17 Plateaus. You're doing all the things. You're eating differently. You're moving more. You're managing your emotions instead of eating them.
10:30:25 And then boom, nothing. The scale won't budge. So let's talk about why that happens, what it actually means and what to do about it.
10:30:33 Without falling into the usual, I must be doing something wrong spiral. Sound good?
10:30:39 All right, what is a plateau really? A plateau is when your weight stays the same, even though you're still doing the work.
10:30:46 It's not failure. It's not a sign to give up. It's actually a sign that your body is adjusting.
10:30:51 Sometimes people won't even call it a plateau until you've had zero change, not up and not down.
10:30:58 For two months. Everybody that I've ever worked with has a different opinion of this. Every mentor I've worked with has a different opinion.
10:31:04 But let's just for the sake of argument say it's just not moving. Nothing's happening.
10:31:11 Your body is just adjusting. It's a sign of adjustment. Think of it like this. When you first make changes, your body responds quickly. Over time, your body gets more efficient.
10:31:22 That efficiency equals fewer calories burned for the same activity. And that equals slower or stalled weight loss.
10:31:29 And your body, it's smart. It's trying to keep you alive, not make sure your genes fit better.
10:31:36 Plateaus are your body saying, hey, I notice things are changing. Let me stabilize for a second.
10:31:42 So why do plateaus happen? You know, the science-y stuff. Let's break it down in some simple terms.
10:31:47 Your metabolism adapts. As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories to function. That's called adaptive thermogenesis. Basically, your body, it's efficient.
10:31:58 You're losing fat and muscle. Unless you're strength training, some muscle loss happens. That's why we're supposed to strength train and eat protein. Less muscle is going to equal less Slower, sorry, less muscle equals slower metabolism.
10:32:15 So fluctuations in water weight, they're happening. Your body holds on to water for all kinds of reasons, stress, hormones, soreness, lack of sleep.
10:32:25 You're eating just a little more than you think. Not because you're cheating.
10:32:29 Or doing it wrong, but because small changes add up over time, all these things. And then sometimes there's this thing called the set point theory.
10:32:36 Your body has a preferred weight range it wants to hang out in. It'll fight to stay there, even if you're trying to lose weight. So let me recap.
10:32:46 Thermogemis, adaptive thermogenesis, your metabolism's changing, it's adapting. You're losing fat and muscle.
10:32:54 Fluctuations in your water weight. You're eating just a little more than you think.
10:32:59 And the set point theory. Those are all some possibilities for that sciency why the plateau might be happening.
10:33:06 So what plateaus actually mean, they're not bad, they're just neutral data.
10:33:11 Plateaus mean your body is adjusting. You're likely still making progress in other areas.
10:33:17 It's just time to reassess, not restrict harder. Plateaus are like rest stops on a long drive. Don't panic.
10:33:25 We just take a breath, we stretch our legs, maybe grab a bottle of water and get back on the road. Not a big deal.
10:33:31 All right, what do you do when you hit a plateau? Here's what I coach my clients to look at.
10:33:35 Check in without panicking. Are you still doing the basics consistently? Sleep, water. Maybe it's time to look at our meals, like what we're having or if we're paying attention to hunger cues, eating only when we're hungry.
10:33:49 And then movement. Going to measure your other progress. This is that non-scale wins kind of thing. What progress are you making? Are you less obsessed about food?
10:33:59 Are you having fewer binges or urges? Maybe you have more energy or confidence. Your clothes, are they fitting differently? That's always a favorite, right?
10:34:09 So adjust slowly. So check in without panicking, measure your progress, other progresses besides just the scale.
10:34:17 Adjust slowly. Maybe it's time to eat more veggies or get in a bit more movement. Gentle, not drastic.
10:34:25 Four, let's say consider strength training. You heard me say something about that. It helps build muscle and that burns more calories even at rest. And then next, be patient. This is the part where most people quit.
10:34:39 But the real progress happens right after a plateau if you hang in there.
10:35:23 So next time you hit a plateau, I want you to remember this. You didn't mess up.
10:35:28 You are not broken and you're not stuck there forever. This is a normal expected part of the process. And if you can learn to stay calm.
10:35:39 And curious during a plateau, you'll actually be way ahead of the game. You're becoming someone who doesn't give up.
10:35:46 You're learning how to trust yourself, not the scale. And that's how lasting weight loss happens.
10:35:56 If you've hit a plateau. Or you're just worried one's coming.
10:36:01 Come to my free webinar, Doctor Secrets, How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off.
10:36:06 It's a full of simple, doable strategies that your doctor wishes they had time to explain.
10:36:11 You'll leave with a clear picture of why this time can be different and why you don't have to obsess over the scale to see progress.
10:36:19 Save your spot at coachingara.com forward slash sign up. After the webinar, if you're ready to personalize your plan or talk through what's keeping you stuck, I'll offer options. But the best place to start is in that webinar.
10:36:35 So plateaus, not the enemy, just part of the process. Stay steady, be patient, and trust that your effort is doing more than the scale can show.
