Diet Plateau Myth

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Since January 1 you’ve been eating healthy and exercising for a couples months and you’re seeing great results. But then your weight loss slows to a trickle, and then to a full stop. You’ve plateaued. Or have you? The widely held assumption is that the body adjusts to a caloric reduction fairly quickly, making it harder for dieters to maintain a steady weight loss, ultimately resulting in the dreaded plateau — the several-week-stretch when the needle on your scale refuses to move and you question whether or not it’s broken. This is typically when you start to blame your body for adjusting to your new weight loss routine and either throw in the proverbial towel or double your efforts. According to research, the scale’s stall has less to do with your body composition and more to do with slipping into old eating and exercise habits. The researchers say it would take the body three years to reach a metabolic plateau. In other words, if you stick to a diet exactly, you should expect your weight loss to continue for years, albeit not at the same rate.