What should I do when I encounter a plateau in my weight loss? 5 tips to increase your basal metabolic rate

When losing weight, no matter whether you "eat less and exercise more", you will face a weight loss plateau. Doctors say that weight loss stagnation is a normal physiological self-protection mechanism. Generally speaking, when losing 10% of your body weight, most people will encounter a stagnation period. However, if your weight stagnates for more than 2 months, it is recommended to review your weight loss plan and use these 4 tips to break through the weight stagnation.

Liu Bowen, executive director of the Taiwan Obesity Education and Prevention Association and an obesity specialist, pointed out that the weight loss plateau period is a "physiological feedback" phenomenon and also a physiological self-protection mechanism. The outpatient clinic found that once people who are trying to lose weight stagnate, they often become discouraged and confused all day long, which leads to them giving up the will to lose weight.

2 myths of weight loss stagnation: Reduce food intake by half and increase exercise time

It is worth noting that when encountering a period of weight loss stagnation, dieters often have two major wrong myths, namely: "reducing food intake by half" and "extending exercise time", which not only have a negative impact on the body, but may even increase the risk of regaining weight. The key to getting rid of weight loss stagnation is to increase muscle mass, improve basal metabolism, and increase exercise intensity.

Myth 1: Reduce your food intake by half

As the calorie intake decreases, the body will activate its self-protection mechanism, which will cause the basal metabolic rate to decrease. This is not conducive to weight loss, and it is easy to become tired and lack of energy. Even if the weight is lost, the complexion will still be bad. It is recommended to eat protein and starchy foods to enhance muscle repair.

Myth 2: Extend your exercise time

The intensity of exercise should be increased rather than the duration, because muscles can quickly consume fat and help increase the basal metabolic rate. Weight training is the best way to increase muscle mass. At the same time, after exercise, calories should be effectively controlled to break through the weight loss stagnation.

5 Tips to Improve Your Basic Metabolism

Dr. Liu Boen emphasized that weight loss is not about counting calories, but about eating the right foods, exercising regularly and having a good work and rest schedule. Using these 5 tips can effectively increase your basal metabolic rate and resolve the problem of weight loss stagnation.

Tip 1: Eat breakfast

When losing weight, many people only focus on reducing calories but ignore whether the nutrients are taken in in a balanced manner. However, when the nutrients and calories needed by the body are insufficient, the body's self-protection mechanism will reduce the basal metabolism to adapt to the situation. Therefore, improper fasting and dieting will definitely reduce the basal metabolic rate, especially if you skip breakfast. The body will feel hungry and will tend to accumulate fat.

Tip 2: Drink plenty of water

Adequate water intake can help the body eliminate waste and maintain metabolism! It is recommended to consume more than 2000cc of water every day, and consume it evenly in the morning, afternoon and evening, which will help increase the basal metabolic rate.

Tip 3: Eat more protein

Consuming enough protein can improve the body's metabolism and make the body burn 150 to 200 kcal more calories per day. Protein is mainly composed of amino acids, and it takes longer for the body to digest this type of food than fats and carbohydrates. So, to break them down you need to burn more calories.

Tip 4: Strengthen muscle training

Increasing muscle mass and reducing body fat can increase the basal metabolic rate. Every 1 kilogram of fat cells can consume 5 to 10 calories per hour, but every 1 kilogram of muscle can consume up to 100 calories; therefore, the more muscle the body has, the higher the basal metabolic calorie rate. In terms of exercise selection, aerobic exercise can burn fat, but it should be combined with muscle training to increase the body's muscle content in order to improve the basal metabolic rate.

Tip 5: Get enough sleep

Studies have found that long-term excessive mental stress can make people fat. When facing a weight loss stagnation, you should relax; at the same time, lack of sleep will cause the body's organs to not function properly and your metabolism will also be low. Therefore, it is recommended to have at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day to have better metabolic capacity.