"I'm not seeing results!!" You're doing everything right. So why has your progress stalled? A plateau is your body's way of acclimating to a new weight in a healthy way. Think of it as the weight loss equivalent of a climber ascending Mt. Everest, resting at different levels for a few days until her body gets used to the altitude. If you've been in a holding pattern for more than two weeks, however, here's how to take yourself to the next level. Mix things up. Learn to play tennis or any other activity that you've never tried before. Doing the same type of exercise day after day, week after week, can actually decrease the number of calories you burn. Your muscles become efficient so they don't have to work as hard. Variety will keep muscles at their calorie-burning max. Keep a diary. Now is a good time to revisit your exercise and eating habits. Once the pounds start coming off, it's easy to slip back into old habits: having dessert more often, shortening your walks-or skipping them altogether. Keeping a food and activity log may be all you need to get back on track. Throw away the scale. Instead, focus on the increased energy you now have, how easy it is to race up a flight of stairs, the way your favorite skirt no longer digs into your tummy, or the decrease in your blood pressure. The scale is not your best measure of success. In fact, if you're strength training, the scale may actually go up a bit because you're building muscle. Don't panic! While muscle may weigh a bit more than fat, it looks a heck of a lot better, and burns calories like crazy! Get a new weight loss plan. What helped you to lose the first 10, 30, or even 50 pounds may not be the right way to lose your last 10, 30, or even 50 pounds. So you may need to make some adjustments: Exercise a bit more or eat a little differently. Including more fruit, salads, vegetables, and vegetable-based soups at lunch, dinner, and snack time can help you fill up on fewer calories while dropping pounds. This infomation comes per Martha Schindler "Break the Barrier and Lose More!" 24 Solutions to 6 of the most common weight loss dilemmas [ Home ]