If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably experienced a weight loss plateau. During this phase, you’ll find it harder to lose weight, and you may not see progress for days or weeks. The good news is weight loss plateaus are normal. The bad news is they can be tricky to deal with alone.

So why exactly do weight loss plateaus happen and how do you overcome them?

The Basics of Weight Loss Plateaus

The concept of a weight loss plateau is relatively simple. As you begin a journey to lose weight, you’ll probably see rapid declines in the early weeks. You may lose several pounds a week, every week, during this first initial run. But eventually, you may hit a wall. There may be a week where you don’t lose weight at all, or a week where you actually gain weight. If this persists for a few weeks, you’ll find yourself square in the middle of a plateau.

According to Dr. Michael Snyder at FuturHealth, there are a few reasons why this happens. When you first start, you’ll likely decrease the amount of food you eat and increase the amount of exercise you do to try and achieve your goals. Your body will naturally respond, dropping weight because of these lifestyle changes. But eventually, you’ll reach a set point that matches your current nutritional intake and exercise. Unless you make changes, you might be stuck at this level.

There are other explanations for weight loss plateaus as well. It could be that your body chemistry and metabolism simply don’t support further weight loss with this combination of strategies. It could also be that your increased exercise in general lifestyle changes are supporting fat loss and muscle gain, ultimately equalizing your weight. Experienced registered dietitians at JM Nutrition warn that hitting a plateau is a natural part of the weight loss process and should be approached with patience. They recommend assessing your current routine and making small adjustments to help overcome the plateau without compromising your health.

In any case, if you want to continue losing weight, you’ll need to do something about these plateaus.

The Rise of Weight Loss Medications

For decades, people have wanted weight loss drugs that can simply make it easier for a person to lose weight. Until recently, these have been borderline mythological in nature. But now, we have medically approved, tentatively safe medications that can support further weight loss and help you break through those plateaus.

Weight loss medications like Tirzepatide (Zepbound) and Semaglutide (Ozempic) have completely changed the game. By facilitating the flow of natural hormones in the body, these medications can trigger the release of insulin, satiate your appetite, and ultimately help you feel fuller so you have fewer food cravings. Not only can these drugs help you eat less and feel more satiated after a meal, but they can also tinker with your body’s chemistry in unique ways that can help you lose weight faster.

For many people, these medications are the best way to break through a weight loss plateau – but there are other strategies to consider as well.

How to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

These are some of the best and most reliable ways to overcome a weight loss plateau:

  • Take an honest assessment. In many cases, weight loss plateaus simply arise because your body now matches your lifestyle. Take a step back and give yourself an honest assessment. Are you eating and exercising in a way that matches your desired body type? Are you still succumbing to tempting junk foods and skipping days at the gym? This should be your first point to address.
  • Consider medications. If you feel you’ve already mastered eating healthy and exercising regularly, your next step may be to take weight loss medications like Zepbound or Ozempic. These medications have already helped countless people achieve their weight loss goals, beyond whatever plateaus were limiting them.
  • Adjust your eating habits. You can also adjust your eating habits. Eating slightly less each day or substituting healthier foods for unhealthy choices can make a big impact over time.
  • Exercise differently (and more intensely). Consider exercising more intensely. Intense exercise not only burns more calories but supports muscle development – and more muscle mass can increase your metabolism.
  • Get feedback from experts. If you’re still struggling with a weight loss plateau, consider getting feedback from weight loss experts. Fitness instructors, registered dietitians, and other experts in the field can help you analyze what you’re doing and guide you to new strategies so you can keep losing weight.
  • Talk to your doctor. It’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried most of the strategies on this list to no avail.

Hitting a plateau can be jarring, especially when you’ve worked very hard to lose weight. However, a weight loss plateau is not an indication that you’re doing something wrong, and it’s easier than ever to break through these plateaus thanks to the development of new weight loss medications.