While it can be discouraging, hitting a plateau in your weight-loss journey is not uncommon. The plateau is easy to blame on ourselves, but our bodies can adapt to our new lifestyle changes which causes us to reach a plateau. We want to discuss different ways that may help you to stay motivated with your weight-loss journey.

Start a food journal

Track your food intake to track your eating habits, protein intake, and caloric intake. Stay honest with yourself and know that no one else will see this journal except for you. Understanding the caloric value that certain foods have, as well as how often you are consuming these foods, is key in your weight-loss journey.

Change your diet

After starting your food journal, you will be able to pinpoint “trigger” foods and foods that are necessarily healthy for you. Consider decreasing these trigger foods or cutting them from your diet completely. Ensure that you are getting plenty of protein each day (1 gram of protein per pound of your goal weight). These diet changes can help boost your metabolism and drive your weight-loss journey further.

Change your exercise routine

Maybe you haven’t been exercising at all, or you haven’t been exercising consistently. Adding new exercises that you enjoy or even extending your workouts an additional 15 minutes can add so much benefit to your journey. If you only do cardio for exercise, consider adding strength training a few times a week. Strength training will preserve and build muscle, while potentially boosting your metabolism.