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How Weight Loss Plateaus May Be Overcome: a Reddit User's Journey

Read how a Reddit user overcame her weight plateau through healthy eating, cardio, weightlifting, and water drinking. Science-backed tips included.

Article by Madeleine Smith

A photo of a 5'5" woman showing a weight cut from 168 pounds to 143 pounds. A total loss of 25 pounds.
F/24/5'5" [168-143 = 25lbs] (5 months) I've reached my plateau. Help.
Originally posted on /r/progresspics

Introduction

Losing weight comes with numerous challenges. One of the most dreaded is plateauing, when one stops shedding the excess pounds despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In a viral Reddit post shared by Noble_Panda, she complains of reaching her weight plateau after losing 25 pounds in 5 months. She sought advice from the Reddit community and got a deluge of science-backed tips. This article summarizes her journey and remedies to get past any weight loss plateau.

Her Journey: The Goals and Strategies That Worked

Noble_Panda shares that her routine was a combination of clean eating, cardio, and weightlifting. Her weightlifting frequency, however, was not consistent. A user, Realblackjesus, opined that constant lifting strengthens muscles, which could sabotage weight loss. He also notes that in the long haul, weightlifting may help maintain weight loss. HectorHorseHands suggested that Noble_Panda should drink more water, which he says has helped him in plateau-busting. Noble_Panda also received tips for a low-carb breakfast from cha614, such as eggs and sausage, as well as a banana and nuts protein shake.

Getting Help: Advice from Reddit Users

One user, adskfl, recommended for Noble_Panda to use a calorie calculator to determine her total daily energy expenditure and calorie consumption. Another user, buffalog, advised against overdoing it with weightlifting to avoid injury. If one does not have gym equipment, antariusz suggested using dumbbells and incorporating them into home routines. Finally, HellhoundsOnMyTrail recommended the keto diet to Noble_Panda.

Science-Backed Tips to Break the Plateau

Regularly measuring food and calorie intake coupled with healthy weightlifting frequencies are top tips for beating the plateau. Metabolic adaptation can also cause a weight loss plateau, especially among people who have already lost a significant amount of weight. To break this plateau, one needs to increase physical activity, reduce calorie intake, or take a break from dieting. Drinking enough water to keep the body hydrated, as HectorHorseHands suggested, can boost metabolism and reduce calorie intake.

Conclusion

Weight loss entails the formation of sustainable lifestyle changes. The plateau is a common barrier to achieving one's physical goals. Noble_Panda's weight loss journey underscores the importance of seeking counsel from other people's experiences to bust the plateau. Combining the common remedies and suggestions found on Reddit with scientific evidence can establish a fitting strategy to break through the plateau. Drinking water, counting calories, regulating weights, and healthy breakfast are some of the techniques that can help bust through a weight loss plateau. Always remember that people's bodies are different, so find what works best for yours.

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Madeleine Smith

Content Lead at MyProgressPics.com

Madeleine is passionate about empowering individuals with the information and tools they need to transform their bodies and lives.