If your weight stays the same for more than three weeks, you’ve reached a plateau. Don’t fret! Plateaus are a good thing. At this point, your body is efficiently burning all the food you’re eating based on your normal activity level. You’re making progress! Now it’s time to evaluate where you are, where you want to go, and what to do about it. If you’re happy with your size, then you have reached your optimum weight. Keep eating the same, keep your activity level the same, and your size will stay the same. If you’re unhappy with your size, then it’s time to tweak. You have three choices:
1- Keep your food intake the same and increase your activity level.
2- Change your food intake and leave your activity level the same.
3- Change your food intake and increase your activity level.
You already know how to increase your activity level, so let’s talk about your food. The first thing to look at is what you’re eating. Start by removing ALL SUGAR alcohols and artificial sweeteners from your intake. Remove ALL packaged foods, such as pancake mixes and tortillas. Stick only to protein and a measured amount of veggies from the veggie list. The second thing to look at is the amount of food you’re eating. Are your portions too large? Your body is changing as your FAT is burning; it’s adjusting to your new low-SUGAR eating plan and is different from what it was when we did our first “what is hungry?” experiment. It’s time to do our experiment again. Use the next three days to get to know your new metabolism. Eat only when you are certain you’re eating for the right reasons, and only eat as much food as you need to satisfy that natural hunger. In most cases, men and woman find their answer is in their food. SUGAR in condiments, portion control, and eating for the wrong reasons are usually the culprits. Adding additional activity without recognizing the other factors will only bring temporary relief, so start with the food.
