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I have been on eDiets Weight Loss Plan since Jan. 1 and have only lost 5 pounds. This seems to be the problem I always have with diets: Once I get to the 140-pound mark, I can’t get any lower. I’d like to get to between 125-130 pounds, but I’m not sure my body will let me; I chose your diet because it allows me to eat the foods that I like to eat. At this point with my schedule, I have no time to exercise as I am working seven days a week until 9:30 at night. Is there any tweaking I can do with the diet to break this 140 mark? – Karen
Karen,
Congratulations on your 5-pound weight loss! Five pounds isn’t something to shrug off — that is a major step toward your weight-loss goals. You’re doing excellent, so acknowledge your accomplishment. Now let’s help you reach your next milestone!
Your question is a good one and probably hits home to a lot of people. Most of us struggle with losing that last bit of weight as we get closer to our goal. So let’s see if we can give some pointers on how to reach that goal weight once you have hit that wall.
There are a couple of questions you should ask yourself to help get you over that hump. The first one you already answered: Are you on the right plan? I always ask this because if you’re on a plan that doesn’t fit you, then it may give way to temptations, such as giving in to cravings or foods off that plan. The answer here for you is yes; this is very important. It sounds like the plan you are on works for you because you enjoy what you are eating. So many people tell me they’re doing a diet plan that they don’t enjoy.
Are you eating enough, too little or on the right calorie level? Sounds like a pretty big question to me. Many times we aren’t eating often enough. The less you eat, the better? Not always!
If you starve your body, it thinks it will be deprived of energy and store fat. I am a big proponent on eating every 2-3 hours a day to help stimulate your metabolism – it’s all about the right foods at the right calorie level. This is exactly where our nutrition experts come in; they help make sure you have enough calories (so you aren’t starving your body) to spread throughout the day.
The key here is to fully assess what calorie level you are on, and depending on your level of activity, help you get the right amount of calories to achieve your weight loss goals. The amount is different for everyone, but many times it can be something simple like a little tweak in the calories or spreading out meals and snacks.
No time to exercise? This is a tricky one. Activity counts, but sometimes it doesn’t account for our lack of time. Would I recommend you to exercise if you had more time? Of course, but sometimes our schedules get demanding that there is little time. Doing a combination of strength and cardio training will help you lose more weight and stimulate your metabolism.
If you don’t have time now, look toward the future and see if you can figure a way to get something in there: a walk during a break or lunch, taking the stairs or even office exercises (such as stretches to get the body moving). Instead of television while at home, put on the stereo and dance while reading the mail or doing those chores. Just get moving!
Don’t get de-motivated; remember you can do this. If your calories are figured for weight loss and you can’t exercise, it may take a little longer. But with your calories figured out for weight loss, eating more often and sticking to the plan (a food diary for a day or so can help you keep track), it will happen!
Eat those high-quality foods (whole grains, vegetables, whole fruits, lean proteins, low fat dairy) in the right portions and try to get movement in there somewhere. That little additional activity could be what you need to jump-start that metabolism right into gear. Be proud of yourself!
Thanks Karen for writing in!
Pamela Ofstein, eDiets Director of Nutrition, is a registered and licensed dietitian responsible for the development, design and implementation of eDiets nutritional components, including product offerings, nutrition programs and media publicity. She received her B.S. in Food and Nutrition from Florida State University and M.S. in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University. Leading a team of nutrition professionals, she continues to widen and enhance eDiets.com personalized services setting the standards to provide credible information to consumers.
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