Are you trying to shed a few pounds but the numbers on the scale refuse to budge? You’ve hit a weight loss plateau.
Plateaus are incredibly frustrating. But even worse, they’re one of the biggest reasons people give up on losing weight.
Don’t let that be your story. Falling back into your old habits now will undo all the hard work you’ve already put in.
Blow through your weight loss plateau effortlessly
Instead of feeling frustrated try one…or all four… of the following wacky ways to lose weight that really work. Each of these strange, but true, weight loss tricks could help you get over the plateau hump.
1. Turn the thermostat down:
Researchers say sleeping in a room that’s on the chilly side can literally help us burn more calories while we sleep. When a group of folks slept in a room that was 66 degrees, they plowed through seven percent more calories than a group sleeping in warmer room did.1
Experts say the extra calorie burn is likely because the body has to work a bit harder to maintain your optimal core temperature of 98.6 degrees. Which it does by creating and burning more energy producing brown fat.
In other words, opting for a room on the cool side (66 degrees or cooler) could help you finally get over that weight loss plateau, and start losing again with zero extra effort.
2. Chew more and eat less:
According to experts, how you choose to chew could help you lose weight. In a fascinating study out of China, researchers compared the chewing habits of a group of obese young men versus a group of normal weight guys.
The average bite size was essentially the same between the two groups. But it turns out the normal weight young men chewed each bite significantly longer. The obese men chewed about 15 times before swallowing a bite of food. But the normal weight guys chewed 40 times!2
In the end, the guys who chewed more ate 12 percent less food. But it turns out the chewing didn’t just give them less time to eat. The researchers measured the guy’s hormone levels after they ate too.
The normal weight guys had lower levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Plus their levels of a hormone that lowers appetite, and one that makes you feel satisfied, were higher.
In the real world that means chewing each bite of your food more could help you eat less food, feel more satisfied and leave that weight loss plateau in your rear view mirror.
3. Eat MORE (protein):
We’ll admit that “eating MORE to weigh LESS” sounds like a wacky idea. But experts say when that more is protein, it works.
When you’re trying to lose weight you, naturally, cut back on calories. But you can accidently slash so many that your body doesn’t have all the fuel it needs. You see, your metabolism requires plenty of protein to work effectively.
Experts say for optimal calorie burn aim for 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories to come from healthy lean proteins such as fish, chicken, legumes and dairy. In one study, dieters who ate protein rich dairy three to four times a day dropped up to 70 percent more weight than dieters who didn’t eat dairy did.3
Research has found eating enough protein can cause you to burn through an extra 200 calories a day. And that could be just enough for you to blow right past that weight loss plateau.
4. Turn up the heat:
Want to restart your weight loss? Try turning up the heat. No, not in the room, in your meals.
Research has revealed that eating spicy foods can kick your metabolism into overdrive for up to five hours after eating them. Thermogenic foods such as hot peppers boost metabolism, boost energy and support fat oxidation according to research published in the Journal of Obesity.4
Experts say the capsaicin in hot peppers doesn’t just give the veggie its fiery taste. Capsaicin also triggers your body to use more energy.5 Up to 90 extra calories could be burned per meal, according to some researchers. Which means eating more spicy foods could be the perfect solution for resolving your own weight loss plateau.
Don’t let a weight loss plateau undo all your hard work to improve your health. Try one of these wacky, but effective, ways to jumpstart your weight loss instead.
References:
1. “Temperature-acclimated brown adipose tissue modulates insulin sensitivity in humans,” Diabetes 2014 Jun; DB_140513
2. “Improvement in chewing activity reduces energy intake in one meal and modulates plasma gut hormone concentrations in obese and lean young Chinese men,” Am J Clin Nutr, September 2011, vol. 94 no. 3, 709-716
3. “Calcium and Dairy Acceleration of Weight and Fat Loss during Energy Restriction in Obese Adults,” Obesity Research. 2004 12: 582-590
4. “Thermogenic ingredients and body weight regulation,” International Journal of Obesity, 2010;34:659-669
5. “Acute Effects of Capsaicin on Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation in Negative Energy Balance,” PLoS One. 2013; 8(7): e67786
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