Breaking Through a Weight Loss Plateau

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

There are few things more frustrating than hitting a weight loss plateau, especially if you’ve been consistently losing weight for a while. If you feel like you’re hitting a roadblock after successfully dropping pounds, you may be wondering what to do to get back on track. 

This post highlights 10 tips for breaking through a weight loss plateau. Read on to learn specific techniques to try in addition to healthy eating and exercise.    

1 - Keep a food journal 

Sometimes a weight loss plateau results from unknowingly eating more calories than you burn. This can occur even when you think you’re hitting your energy goals. For example, you may be consuming a couple hundred extra calories a day from foods that you incorrectly assumed are low-calorie. Over time, this excess energy can add up and contribute to a stall in weight loss.  

To assess if you’re eating more calories thank you think, start keeping a food journal and double check calorie amounts of every food you log. Soon enough, you will be able to identify which foods are higher in energy than you thought and can be replaced with lower calorie swaps. For example, subbing nonfat for full-fat cottage cheese at breakfast or crispy chickpeas for nuts at snack time are simple ways to reduce calorie intake.  

2 - Eat enough protein  

In addition to being aware of how many calories you eat, consuming adequate amounts of protein is also important for weight loss. Eating protein at meals increases satiety and can help keep you full. As a result, you may eat fewer calories throughout the day. Getting enough protein also helps preserve muscle mass, which in turn may lead to burning more calories at rest. 

Since protein can play an important role in losing weight, pay close attention to your protein intake if you’re struggling with a weight loss plateau. Aim for at least 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal as part of your weight loss meal plan. Some of the best protein-rich foods include eggs, meat, Greek yogurt, beans, tofu, cottage cheese, fish, and nuts and seeds. 

3 - Incorporate resistance training 

If you don’t already engage in resistance training, consider including it in your exercise routine to get over a weight loss plateau. Resistance training helps build muscle by working against weight. Having more muscle mass means you will burn more calories at rest than you would without as much muscle. Plus, resistance training may also help burn fat. 

Examples of resistance training include lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing exercises like push-ups or squats with your own weight. Start by adding some of these exercises to your workout routine twice a week and build from there. 

4 - Add more activity wherever you can 

Structured exercise is great for staying healthy and losing weight, but increasing the activity you incorporate into your daily routine is another way to burn more calories without adding more time at the gym. Figuring out ways to include activity that doesn’t require much advance planning, such as parking far away to walk five extra minutes to the store, may be just what you need to overcome a stall in weight loss. 

You can also incorporate activity via taking the stairs instead of the elevator, giving the dog an extra walk, walking around a store a few times before shopping, or doing squats and push-ups while you wait for dinner to cook. There are so many opportunities to be active while you go about your daily routine. 

5 - Focus on healthy recovery after exercise 

In some cases, what you do after exercise may be influencing a weight loss plateau more than you think. For one, it’s easy to overeat after working out, especially if you wait a while to have a meal and get to a point of feeling overly hungry. In addition, exercising too much without proper recovery can make future workouts less effective. Both of these scenarios may make it harder to keep losing weight. 

If you finish exercising and still have a few hours until your next meal, grab a small snack with protein and carbohydrates to hold you over, prevent overeating, and promote recovery. Choose something nourishing like smashed hard boiled eggs on crackers or Greek yogurt and fruit instead of a candy bar or sugary sports drink. 

6 - Keep stress under control 

Uncontrolled stress is often overlooked as a contributing factor to stalled weight loss. Even if you’re eating well and exercising regularly, having a lot of stress in your life can prevent you from dropping extra pounds. This is because stress hormones may inhibit fat loss, contribute to overeating, worsen sleep, and more. 

Fortunately, there are many strategies you can try to reduce stress. Examples include exercise, meditation, journaling, therapy, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and deep breathing. 

7 - Prioritize sleep 

Adequate shuteye is important for many aspects of health, including losing weight. Like uncontrolled stress, poor sleep may be what’s causing a weight loss plateau. Hormonal changes from lack of sleep can lead to overeating and at the same time, you may crave high-calorie comfort foods or sugary snacks for a quick energy boost when you’re tired. 

To get better sleep, limit screen time before bed, make sure your room is set to a comfortable temperature, and avoid sugary foods, large meals, alcohol, or caffeine too close to bedtime. For more tips, check out our post on sleep hygiene.  

8 - Consider other ways of tracking weight 

Stepping onto the scale can be useful for tracking progress in your weight loss journey. However, it doesn’t always tell the whole story. It’s best to use the scale only once or twice a week and at the same time of day every time you weigh yourself. 

If you feel like you’re making progress but are seeing the same number on the scale week after week, consider using another tracking method. The number on the scale may not budge even though your body composition may show improvements from incorporating strength training and building muscle. Getting dressed in the same piece of clothing, such as a favorite dress or pair of jeans, every week or two is one way of tracking progress without using a scale. Some people also like to take photographs of their progress from month to month. 

9 - Forego alcohol 

Overconsuming alcohol is another factor that may contribute to a stall in weight loss, even if you eat a healthy diet and exercise often. Calories in alcohol can add up, and having too much to drink negatively affects sleep and stress levels. Plus, it’s easy to overeat after a drink or two. 

If you drink a few nights a week, consider cutting down to one or two nights to start and go from there. If you don’t drink often but tend to have a few drinks at a time, try having mocktails instead or choose lower calorie options when possible. Foregoing alcohol entirely is another option that can have positive results for weight loss. 

10 - Keep celebrating wins 

While weight loss plateaus can be frustrating, it’s important to keep a positive outlook and celebrate your progress. Even though you may not be at your goal weight, you’re still making good choices for your health. Take pride in what you have accomplished so far, and keep in mind that plateaus are usually temporary. Incorporating some of the strategies in this list can help, but in the meantime, keep celebrating small wins on your journey! 

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