What Is Stalled Weight Loss?

Many factors can impact your ability to lose weight, such as calorie intake, stress levels, metabolic rate, activity levels and health habits in general. If you've been diligent about your diet, yet haven't seen results reflected on the scale for several weeks, you may be experiencing stalled weight loss.

Caloric Needs Change

Calorie needs are highest when we're young and growing, which is why infants and teens need more food. Our metabolism and caloric needs are slowly reduced as we age, though for most of us, our appetites show no corresponding decline. Eating as few as 100 extra calories per day could mean an extra 36,500 calories over a year's time and a gain of 10 pounds of body fat. If you've lost 10% or more of your original weight, your body may need fewer calories than it did at the start of your weight reduction program.

Food Log and Calorie Counter

Writing down what you eat helps many people stay on track calorie-wise and keep a balance of vital macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Many free online applications make keeping track of your daily calorie intake easy. Popular favorites are the iGoogle home page and IPhone application, The Daily Plate, FitDay, MyNetDiary, and SparkPeople.

Stress Levels

Stress has both a direct and indirect impact on your health, and correspondingly, your ability to lose pounds. Living under stress for prolonged periods can lead to insomnia, too much smoking or drinking, and poor eating habits. Cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands into the kidneys when our bodies are under stress, has been associated with weight gain and fat storage in the abdominal region of the body. Deep breathing exercises, biofeedback, meditation, massage and Yoga are excellent ways to manage and reduce stress.

Increase Exercise

Physical activity is not only a great stress management tool; it helps burn calories and reduce body fat. Get the scale moving again by increasing exercise intensity and/or duration. A workout that consists of a 30-minute walk is great, but increasing that to 45 minutes or adding 1 minute jogging sprints is better. Burn more calories by adding body weight resistance exercises (squats, lunges, push ups and pull ups) or weight training with machines or free weights to your cardio-only workout program.

Know Your Ideal Weight

Occasionally our idea of what we want to weigh is unrealistic, and our body lets know that by simply refusing to drop weight. The medically recommended healthy weight range for you may be higher than your perceived "ideal" weight. A dietician can provide you with a recommended weight range based on your gender, age and height, and provide guidance on nutrition to make sure your weight loss goals are achieved in a safe and healthy manner.