Ep: #18 - Weight Loss is Not Linear: The Difference Between a Gain, Stall and a Plateau

Faye Casement Author

Mar 22, 2023 |

Listen to The Episode the Wellness 4 Women Show Here:

or catch the video replay HERE.

If you are working on weight loss you will have looked at the scale at some point and said "Why is not moving"!

You will have looked at the scale and your heart will have sunk as it has not moved?

We just can't help it, when we embark on a weight-loss journey, we have an inbuilt hope that this time it will be different. That the weight will just fall off.

Unfortunately, weight loss is not linear. Sometimes you will gain, sometimes you may stall or even plateau for weeks or months at a time.

You wish it was easy. You wish it would just happen.

You are doing all the things the scales should be moving. It is just not fair!

You can rationally tell yourself this is what happens but it still sucks!

The sheer frustration that comes when your dreams and expectations are not met is unreal. We have all been there.

When it comes to weight loss, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person may not work for another, and what works today may not work tomorrow. That's because weight loss is not linear: it doesn't always happen in a straight line, but instead can be more like a roller coaster ride.

Here's the thing: these ups and downs are all part of the process and are completely normal.

One of the main reasons people give up on their weight loss journey is because they get frustrated when the scales don't move.

They think "What's the point? I'm never going to lose this weight."

When you first start out on your weight loss journey, you may find that the weight seems to fall off quite easily.

This is due to a few different factors, such as your body shedding water weight, or you may be eating less than you normally would.

But after a while, the weight loss will start to slow down and that's when people get frustrated.

They think "Why isn't this working anymore?"

The thing is, it is working, you just have to be patient.

Today I want to talk about the difference between a gain, a stall and a plateau.

So why do we gain, stall and plateau?

There are so many factors that could be at play and dieting only looks at some of them.

Traditional diets do not factor in stress, hormones, how much water you're drinking, sleep, lifestyle choices, habits, outside life influences or whether you just need a poop!

Gains

You might be thinking right now... erm Faye I know what a gain is...duh!

Well of course you do. A gain is of course when the scale goes up.

But it is the why and what you do with it that I want to talk about.

What do you think, feel, and do when you see that gain on the scale!

Even if you are expecting it as you think you have had a 'bad' week your first thought whatever that is will likely lead to you feeling disappointed.

When you see a 'gain' on the scale, it can be really frustrating. You may feel like you're not making any progress and that you're back at square one. It's important to remember that a 'gain' is not a failure, it's just a sign that you need to get curious.

There are a few different reasons why you may have had a gain, such as:

• You may have been eating more than you normally would. This could be due to stress, hormones, or simply because you're hungry.
• You may be retaining water. Possibly from hormone fluctuations, salt intake, or dehydration.
• You may have been eating more processed foods. This could be because you're stressed, busy, or simply because they're convenient.
• You may not be getting enough sleep. This can affect your weight and your hormones.
• You have some inflammation in your body and or have taken medication that is impacting the balance.
• You may have had a big loss the week before and your body is just adjusting.

The key here is to not let one number on the scale determine your worth or how you feel about yourself.

The trick is to let go of the emotion and get curious. Why might your weight have gone up? Is there something you can learn from? Something you can try differently next week?

Stalls

For me, a weight loss stall is where you have stopped doing the do. You have lost your mojo and maybe have started half-assing your program. This happens.

You may likely feel you are still doing everything.

You will likely feel that weight loss is hard and sucks.

This is where you have to really dig deep and get accountable for your actions.

What is going on? Are you really on plan as much as you think you are or are you having little slips.

I like to call these "diet blinkers".

Slips are normal, we are human after all but they can really impact weight loss if you don't realise you are having the slip.

Our brains like to make us comfortable so it will start to slowly but surely bring down the blinkers. You will conveniently forget you ate that extra biscuit, you will start to think eating over your hunger level doesn't really matter.

But it does.

It all adds up and weight loss stalls.

Maybe you need a bit more support to get back on track? Maybe you need a different plan as the one you are doing is no longer serving you? May you need to check in on your thoughts/emotions? Get in touch with your why or future you?

I have exercises on all of these in the membership but you could get hold of my free resource to help you tap into your "future you" HERE.

Plateaus

A weight loss plateau is when you have been doing all the things you set out to but the weight just won't budge. You are eating the foods you planned and love, moving your body, drinking enough water, managing stress, and getting enough sleep but weight loss has come to a screeching halt.

I would also only classify it as a true plateau if it goes on for over 4 weeks in a row. Anything less could just be a normal fluctuation.

There are a few different reasons why this can happen:

• You may have reached your set point weight. This is the weight your body is comfortable at and wants to stay at. You may need to reassess your weight loss goals.
• The type of exercise could be impacting you so try mixing it up a bit.
• You may be eating too little. If you are undereating, your body could go into survival mode and hold onto weight.
• You may have an underlying health condition. It's a good idea to speak to your doctor if needs be.
• You may be retaining water. This can be due to hormones, stress, or dehydration. Try adding in some extra water and see if that helps.
• You may need to work on getting extra sleep.

The key here is to not give up

I am a great believer that your brain has all the power in your weight loss. Its one job in life is to keep you in equilibrium. It doesn't know you are trying to lose weight? It does not know that it is causing you a problem.

My recommendation to get over a plateau - shock therapy! Not the real kind you will be pleased to know.

You want to make your brain have to think differently.

I was talking to a member this week about this technique.

So let's say, for example, you have a routine of eating similar foods day in and day out. Not that I count calories or points etc but let's say you are and according to the books and your app whatever it is you are following you "should" be losing weight but you are not you need to give your brain and body a jolt.

It has got a bit comfy there and it has gone into autopilot and we want to unleash it.

So you could try eating dramatically more or a different type of food for a couple of days or without starving yourself or feeling restricted eat less say cutting all your food in half and seeing how you get on. This is all in the interest of seeing what happens.

RECAP TIME

Weight loss is not linear - sometimes you will have a weight-loss gain, sometimes a weight-loss stall and sometimes you may even reach a plateau.

If you are experiencing any of these, it's important to understand the difference between them so that you can move forward.

If you need help busting through your stalls and plateaus and want to lose weight in a way that fits your life with the support of a coach at your back then drop me a DM. Let's book in a free chat.

Want to get started on losing weight for the last time? 

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Categories: : Weight loss