Five ways to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau

By Mark Wood, Training and Education Manager at British Military Fitness

There’s nothing more irritating than being close to your goal weight but finding it impossible to shift those last few stubborn pounds. It’s a well-known fact that the last 5-10 pounds can be harder and take longer to lose than the first 20, so how do you ensure you keep the momentum going and get to your target weight? Here are my top tips for avoiding the dreaded weight-loss plateau.

Mix it up
The reason why people often find they lose weight quite rapidly at the start of a new exercise regime is that they’re going ‘all in’ and it’s a huge shock to the body compared to how little they were doing before. However, the longer you undertake the same regime, the more accustomed your body gets to the extra exercise. That’s why it’s vital to keep mixing up your exercise plan and to keep challenging yourself. Try something new every couple of weeks to keep things fresh and to ensure your exercise plan doesn’t get stale. This could be anything from a run, a swim, an outdoor fitness classor even a game of rounders! The beauty of BMF is, of course, that every session is different - and all  you have to do is turn up! 

Build in more protein to your diet
Experts are always hailing protein as a key part of a healthy diet, and for good reason. For sporty individuals, a daily dose of around 1g of protein per 1kg of body weight is recommended[1]. As well as having numerous benefits including helping muscle repair and fuelling fat burning, protein helps to keep you fuller for longer, which will stop you reaching for an unhealthy snack when 11am hits. Try a protein based breakfast, such as scrambled eggs, and lunch to curb cravings and keep you going without the need for sugary or fatty snacks. Other protein-rich food includes chicken, turkey, fish and seafood, as well as soya.

Strive for longer and harder
The longer we undertake an exercise plan, the more we get used to it and the easier it gets to rest on your laurels instead of pushing yourself to the next level. However ensuring you continually push yourself to strive longer and harder in your workouts is vital to beating the weight loss plateau. Once a weight setting gets too easy, move it up 5kg and once that 10-minute run feels comfortable, push yourself to try 15 minutes. People can always push themselves more than they think they can! Keep making progress in your workouts and you will see the results.

Track your food intake
Once you’ve become used to a new way of eating, it can be easy to stop keeping track of what you’re consuming and assume you are doing a good job. However, when we stop tracking our food intake, it can be very easy to fall back into old habits. Continue to track calories and keep a food diary to ensure your nutrition isn’t slipping. And try not to eat really unhealthily after a workout, however tempting it may be – don’t lose out on all the good work you have put in!

Build in HIIT to your workouts
Love it or loath it, High Intensity Interval Training is the fastest way to blast fat and boost your metabolism. If you’ve not built this in to your workout routine or you haven't managed to get to your BMF classes, a couple of sessions a week will help kick start your weight loss, and the best part is a HIIT workout can be completed in as little as 15 minutes – perfect if you’re short on time. Try running as fast as you can for one minute and then walking for two minutes, repeating ten times as a starter.

Why not speed up results with a free BMF session? Simply fill out this form and turn up to a venue and class of your choice.

Don't think you are up to the challenge? Fear not, as we are hosting Beginner Saturday Sessions at all our parks on Saturday 11th June. Our friendly, expert instructors will be there to welcome you to your first session (which is free!) and ease you into your BMF experience alongside your fellow beginners. Check out your nearest venue here and simply turn up to the Saturday class to get started.