Is my body in a state of war against me?

Do you get distressed and discouraged every time you step on the scale to check your weight? Have you tried your best only to find out that your weight is still the same as it was a week ago?

You’re sticking to your diet program, and you’ve lost some weight during the first month, but what’s going wrong now? If you’ve asked yourself these questions before, here are the answers that will help set your mind at ease.

Why is my body not responding to the diet anymore?

What is happening is that the rate at which your body burns calories (your metabolic rate) has slowed down and you need to boost it in order to move on from this plateau. Let’s consider a few points, to make sure you are on the right track.

Are you being cruel to your body?

The more you limit your food intake or abstain from it by skipping meals, the more your body holds on to its fat reserves, thinking that starvation is at the door. Be gentle to your body, and realize that a smaller food intake doesn’t mean faster weight loss.

Did you reach your healthy desirable body weight?

Perhaps you’ve already reached your desirable weight, so be realistic in determining your weight loss goals.

Are you really sticking to your diet program?

Double check to make sure the portions of food you eat don’t exceed your nutritional needs – it’s easy to underestimate what you eat. Your caloric intake is determined according to your body size, so consult a nutritionist to guide and assist you in reaching your goal.

And most importantly, are you being active and helping your body burn calories?

Diet and exercise go hand in hand and one doesn’t work without the other. So make sure to:

• Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily life
• Take your exercises to a higher level, and follow a program that is more intense, like jogging or brisk-walking instead of slow walking
• Add some weight training to your program to help build muscle mass, which in turn will increase your metabolism.

Quite simply, reaching a point where your weight becomes stable means that your body is used to the number of calories that you are taking in and this is a sign that you need a change in lifestyle. The most important thing is to keep on with your efforts and never give up. It’s always a good idea to get back to your dietitian, to regulate your diet accordingly and stick to your daily physical activity until you reach your desired goal. Good luck and keep at it!