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When first starting a diet plan, it is not uncommon for weight to come off quickly, especially if you have a lot to lose. However, after several weeks or months, weight loss may begin to slow or stop altogether, a phenomenon known as a diet plateau. Knowing what is causing that plateau may help you to break through it sooner and start losing weight again.
Relaxing the Plan
Once you have been on a diet plan for some time, it's easy to get a little lax in your behavior. You may forget to count the calories for those few extra bites of food, or start to shave minutes from your exercise routine. Keeping a food journal and exercise log will assure you are staying true to your plan; even little "cheats" can hinder weight loss efforts.
Change in Metabolism
As you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories to function. Your body adjusts to getting by on reduced calories and increased exercise. If you have been following the same diet and exercise plan for several months, it may be time to try something new, such as reducing the number of calories you are eating, or adding more minutes to your exercise plan.
Water Weight
Part of a large initial weight loss is simply water, and not fat. According to The Universe of Women's Health as soon as caloric intake is reduced, there is an immediate loss of sodium and water from the body, leading to fast weight loss. This balances out later, creating a plateau. Since the loss rate of body fat mass is much slower than that of water, the numbers on the scale move much more slowly.
Too-fast Loss
If calories are cut too much, the body is forced to burn more protein, especially when its carbohydrate stores are too low. This puts the body into "starvation mode," severely lowering the metabolism and preventing further weight loss. When the number of calories consumed increases, even to a reasonable amount, some dieters find they actually gain weight because their metabolism has slowed. Be sure to consume enough calories for your body to function properly.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/208663-causes-of-diet-plateaus/#ixzz1vpB3kV7F
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