Changes in the body when dieting: how to overcome plateaus

You have chosen a suitable diet and started to actively work on weight loss. Saying goodbye to old eating habits and giving up your favorite foods led to the first visible results. Your body responded to your efforts, and the weight began to go away. You have almost reached the cherished goal, there are only a few kilograms left. But suddenly the process slows down, and the weight stops coming off.

Why does the weight stop decreasing?
Initially, the body loses not only fat, but also water. In addition, the first weeks of dieting are accompanied by enthusiasm, which over time can fade, leading to less strict adherence to the plan. This phenomenon is called the "diet plateau". During this period, despite the continuation of dieting and exercise, the weight remains in place. This condition is much more common than is commonly believed.

Causes of "dietary plateau"
In the first weeks of the diet, the body is actively adapting to the new diet regime. Reducing the caloric content of the diet and accelerating metabolism lead to rapid weight loss. However, over time, the body gets used to the changes, and the metabolism slows down to conserve energy. This is what causes the weight loss to stop. Neither diet nor exercise brings the same results, and it becomes more difficult to shed the remaining pounds.

How to overcome the plateau
If the weight does not decrease for a week or longer, you should not despair and quit the diet. Stopping the diet will lead to a quick regain of the lost weight. Instead, you should make changes to your diet and exercise program to reactivate the weight loss process. Remember that plateaus are temporary and many people experience them.

Factors affecting plateaus
Decrease in activity: Doing the usual exercises with less intensity can be one of the causes of plateau. You need to increase the intensity of your workouts to burn calories and speed up your metabolism.

Malnutrition: Constant malnutrition leads to apathy and irritability. The body, deprived of essential nutrients, slows down metabolism to conserve energy. It is important to consume enough calories to maintain an optimal weight.

Additional factors
In women, hormonal changes, medications and menstrual cycle patterns can affect the results of diets and weight loss programs. Other causes of plateaus include slow metabolism, insulin dependence, toxic overload, endocrine disorders, food allergies and stress.

Conclusion
Experiencing a plateau phase is a normal step in the weight loss process. It is important not to give up and continue to work on achieving the goal, making the necessary adjustments to diet and physical activity. Overcoming the plateau is possible, and it will lead to further weight loss and health maintenance.