Why do I get weight plateaus, and what should I do?

Losing weight is a journey – and every journey has its ups and down. Here at Slim & Save, we frequently have members whose weight plateaus whilst doing the plan. We often hear reports from people who plateau particularly in weeks two or three, and again whilst nearing the end of their plan, when trying to lose their final stone or so. The latter is often experienced by members who have been on the plan for more than 13 weeks. In this article will aim to explain why these plateaus can happen, and give advice on how to overcome these to enable you to reach your target weight.

Firstly it’s important to recognise that weight plateaus are a feature of every diet or weight loss approach - weight loss is very rarely linear and it’s completely normal to have a more stepped approach to weight loss. Just because you will see periods of rapid weight loss on a VLCD, doesn’t mean you will not also see periods of plateau.

It’s also important to remember that it’s actually a good thing to have periods when weight plateaus or stabilises. Research studies show that if you have regular plateaus in between periods of faster weight loss, you’re more likely to keep the weight off long-term into the future.

Why does my weight plateau whilst on the plan?

When following a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) like Slim & Save, it’s very common to experience a plateau a couple of weeks into the diet. Weight loss is often much faster in the first couple of weeks due to the associated water loss that occurs. During the first few days of ketosis, your body will break down existing stores of muscle and liver glycogen (the body’s short time energy source). Each gram of glycogen is associated with 3-4 grams of water, so as your body breaks down glycogen, it loses the associated water as well, resulting in the initial fast weight loss.

Plateaus further into the plan or towards the end are extremely common and should be expected as part of the journey. Everyone is different and it is challenging to understand why these occur for some people more than others. As you lose weight, you will need fewer calories to sustain your new weight, so it is common for weight loss to slow down towards the end. The number of calories you get from the Slim & Save plans will still be low enough to stimulate continued weight loss, but this may well slow down the closer you get to your target weight.

Plateaus may also occur due to factors such as reduced exercise levels, hormonal changes (normal hormonal fluctuations as part of a monthly cycle, but also those related to stress) and sleep problems (getting good quality sleep is associated with more successful weight loss).

If my weight does plateau on the plan, what should I do?

If you experience this, try not to panic and definitely don’t give up. You have to stay motivated and keep going to see continued results. Try following these tips to see you through:

• Focus on the positives in terms of how far you’ve come on your journey
• As weight fluctuates throughout the day, week and month, consider switching to fortnightly weighing rather than weekly.
• Make use of monitoring other body measurements (like waist circumference) - this will help to see you how far you’ve come and keep you motivated, without focussing on unchanging numbers on the scales
• Set yourself a non-weight-related challenge or goal, to give you something to focus on; not just what the scales say.
• If you hit a weight plateau, it’s a great time to think about your exercise routine – switching up your workouts or increasing the number of times you exercise in a week may help to kick-start your weight loss again. In particular, you could try doing more cardio exercise, e.g. aerobics, jogging, cycling or swimming.
• Keep a careful track of what you’re eating using our meal tracker, to ensure you’re staying in ketosis (especially when following the lifestyle plan). If extra carbohydrate creeps into your diet, this can significantly affect your progress.
• If you’ve tried all the above tips and are still struggling, take a short break from the plan (see our section on re-feeding) for a week before heading back onto your plan and getting back into ketosis.

Support and advice are always available from our website and customer service advisers, so please feel free to contact us by telephone or our Live Chat facility if you need more information or support.

Written by Annemarie Aburrow RD BSc (Hons) PGDip, Slim & Save Dietitian.

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