Anyone on a weight-loss journey will agree that one of the most demoralising things that can happen is for the scales to stall. No matter the calories counted or time put in at the gym, there are times that weight and inch loss can stagnate. And no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get the number on the scales moving in a downward direction again.
We ask seven experts in the fields of medicine, nutrition and fitness what causes a weight loss plateau and what you can do to get past it and back on track to achieve your goals.
What is a weight loss plateau?
“It’s a common phenomenon that occurs when a person experiences a temporary halt or significant slowdown in weight loss after an initial period of progress,” says Dr Grace Fabrizia Graziani, specialist family medicine, Aster Royal Clinic, Arabian Ranches. “The underlying medical factors contributing to a plateau include metabolic adaptation, changes in body composition and adjustments in energy expenditure.”
A weight loss plateau can mean different things to different people. For some, a lack of continued results after two or three weeks can feel like a stall. For others, it may be a matter of months.
“The process of weight loss is not always linear,” says Katherine Zeratsky, a dietitian with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “It is not uncommon for weight loss to occur, pause, then resume eventually to an endpoint. Weight loss plateaus can vary in when they occur and in duration. A plateau generally occurs around six months, but it could happen after a year. It may last two to six weeks or longer.”
What causes weight loss to slow or stall?
Because all bodies are different, experts say the way an individual reacts to exercise and calorie deficit needs to be considered on a person-by-person basis. However, certain common factors can cause a stall.
“Factors that may be causing weight loss to slow down include metabolic adaptation, loss of muscle mass, hormonal changes, exercise routine adaptation, stress and sleep,” says Dr Nasr Al Jafari, co-founder and group medical director of DNA Health & Wellness. “As you lose weight, your body’s calorie needs decrease because your body now has less mass to support and your metabolism may slow down in response to lower body weight. What you were once doing to lose weight may no longer create a calorie deficit as your metabolism adjusts.”
As muscle burns more calories than fat, losing muscle, which can occur when weight loss is rapid, can lower the metabolic rate causing a stall or stop.
“The human body likes to adapt,” says Suzan Terzian, a clinical nutritionist and holistic lifestyle coach. “As you lose weight, your basal metabolic rate decreases, which basically means you burn fewer calories at rest. This is why constantly cutting calories and eating less is counterproductive. There is also the theory that our bodies have a natural ‘set point’, a weight that it’s comfortable at and will always try to revert to.”
Do weight loss plateaus affect men and women differently?
Men and women store fat differently. According to the 2001 report, Gender Differences in Fat Metabolism: “Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men. Also, women store more fat in the gluteal-femoral region, whereas men store more fat in the visceral [abdominal] depot.”
Munawara Yahaya, clinical dietitian at Nabta Health, says: “Weight loss plateaus certainly affect both men and women differently, especially due to physiological and hormonal variations which becomes more complex and challenging for women compared to men. Women-specific challenges include hormonal fluctuations, whereby the menstrual cycle directly affects metabolism and causes water retention; oestrogen levels, which can influence fat storage and weight reduction; hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause; and thyroid function.”
Additionally, women tend to have a lower muscle mass compared to men, as well as a slower metabolic rate. “Several studies support that men generally have a greater amount of weight loss than women under the same dietary and/or exercise conditions,” says Zeratsky. “Certain hormones have roles in appetite regulation. It has been shown that women’s food intake during the different phases of the menstrual cycle varies. If concurrent with a time of lower calorie intake for weight loss, hunger may be amplified by the presence of higher levels of progesterone.”
What is the effect of exercise on a weight loss stall?
According to experts, those combining calorie deficit with an exercise routine may see faster results than those who choose to only change their eating habits. However, the body can quickly adapt to exercise if the same routine is followed each day.
“Changing your routine is very effective and the key is to keep your body guessing,” says Ethan Matthews, chief executive of Reset Fitness. “The body is highly adaptive, so if the exercise or diet regimen remains the same for a prolonged period, it becomes more efficient and weight loss can slow down. Switching between different types of exercise – strength training, cardio and mobility – can shock the system, encourage muscle growth and increase calorie expenditure.”
How to move past a weight loss plateau
An honest evaluation of calories in versus calories out is a good place to start if your stall has lasted a few weeks, experts say. “When my clients hit a plateau, I always encourage them to relook at diet and see where they can they make small changes to their daily routine, particularly with their food,” says Cyrus Rustom, coach and co-founder of Boxica in Studio City. “Eating the right quality and quantity of food is what people struggle with the most and are not honest with themselves about.”
Along with looking at diet and exercise, experts recommend considering sleep, hydration, stress levels and mindset for a more rounded look at the plateau. “Not getting enough sleep can lead to less insulin sensitivity, more cravings, less energy to exercise and lower motivation,” says Dr Al Jafari. “Additionally, not handling stress can lead to fat storage and difficulty building muscle.”
Terzian adds: “It’s so important to understand that plateaus are a normal and natural part of the fat loss journey. Remember to be kind and compassionate with yourself, and reframe these plateaus as a normal part of the process. These adaptations can be viewed as milestones and overcome.”
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m, Winner: Zalman, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hisham Al Khalediah II, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Qader, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
8pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nayslayer, Bernardo Pinheiro, Jaber Ramadhan
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATHC INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rosario%20Dawson%2C%20Natasha%20Liu%20Bordizzo%2C%20Lars%20Mikkelsen%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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HAJJAN
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
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Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Makerah, Adrie de Vries, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Hazeme, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap | Dh85,000 | 2,200m
Winner: AF Yatroq, Brett Doyle, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Shadwell Farm for Private Owners Handicap | Dh70,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Nawwaf KB, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Treasured Times, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The five pillars of Islam
The finalists
Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho
Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson
Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid
Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')
Man of the Match Allan (Everton)
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Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
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FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE%20SQUAD
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The struggle is on for active managers
David Einhorn closed out 2018 with his biggest annual loss ever for the 22-year-old Greenlight Capital.
The firm’s main hedge fund fell 9 per cent in December, extending this year’s decline to 34 percent, according to an investor update viewed by Bloomberg.
Greenlight posted some of the industry’s best returns in its early years, but has stumbled since losing more than 20 per cent in 2015.
Other value-investing managers have also struggled, as a decade of historically low interest rates and the rise of passive investing and quant trading pushed growth stocks past their inexpensive brethren. Three Bays Capital and SPO Partners & Co., which sought to make wagers on undervalued stocks, closed in 2018. Mr Einhorn has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the poor performance this year, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to value investing.
Greenlight, which posted gains only in May and October, underperformed both the broader market and its peers in 2018. The S&P 500 Index dropped 4.4 per cent, including dividends, while the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, an early indicator of industry performance, fell 7 per cent through December. 28.
At the start of the year, Greenlight managed $6.3 billion in assets, according to a regulatory filing. By May, the firm was down to $5.5bn.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
