What to do when when your health plateaus ⚖️

You’ve got a clear health goal, you’re putting in the work, and then the results stall. It’s tempting to give up, but a plateau doesn’t mean failure.

Progress isn’t just the number on the scale. Symptoms may ease one week and flare up the next. That’s normal. In this newsletter, we’ll zoom in on weight loss plateaus (though the ideas apply to any health goal).

What’s a plateau?

A plateau is when progress pauses despite your efforts. Frustrating, yes but also very common.

Why it happens:

• Metabolic adaptation: As you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories at rest.
• Stress + mindset: Stress hormones and emotional eating can stall progress.
• Inconsistency: More snacks, extra drinks, skipped workouts, small changes really add up.

 
It’s not just the scales

• Measurements stall: Waist, hips, body shape may freeze too.
• Mood dips: Frustration, demotivation, or “stuck” feelings often creep in.
• Everyone’s different: Age, health, and genetics affect how long a plateau lasts.

 
What to check

• Where did things feel hard this week? What got skipped?
• Look at your food diary/tracker, are old habits sneaking in?
• Sleep: under 7 hours? That adds stress.
• Stress: Are you doing daily decompression (walk, meditation, journaling)?
• Water: hydration alone often shifts results.
• Exercise: Are you keeping up with regular exercise?

Quick wins 💡

Try these for one for a week:

• Skip starchy carbs in the evening
• Eat dinner an hour earlier
• Drop wheat and/or dairy
• Cut alcohol
• Change around your workout routine, try a different class at the gym, add an evening walk after dinner

 
The Bigger Picture

Plateaus happen to everyone. The most important move? Keep going. Trust the process, notice what is improving, and remember why this change matters to you.

If you can’t get past your plateau and want to talk book in for a free chat here, I’d be happy to help.

Categorised in: Digestive problems, Weight loss

This post was written by Reynolds Ruth