Calorie Cutting Food Swaps

If you’re looking to succeed on your weight loss diet plan, it’s vital that you take a look at some of the simple ways that you can go about reducing your calorie intake so that you can make fast progress without feeling like you’re on a very strict diet. If the truth is told, for many people there are some very small adjustments they could make to their normal diet intake that would have a huge impact on the fat loss results that they see. By taking the time to learn what these adjustments are and then getting them in place, you can see for yourself just how powerful they can be. Let’s give you a few quick calorie cutting food swaps to think about.

Swap: Granola For Oatmeal

The first great swap to make is to exchange out your usual bowl of granola in the morning for some oatmeal instead.  Oatmeal is very high in fiber and completely sugar free, which cannot be said for most granola cereals. By choosing oatmeal instead, you can easily save yourself 200-300 calories in the process.

Swap: Beef For Fish

The next quick swap that you may want to consider is exchanging fish for beef. While beef definitely is a good protein source in your diet, fish would be a superior option. Fish is lower in calories and completely fat free, so when you’re really trying to get the weight off quickly, it’ll help you get there faster. Allow beef once per week to help keep your iron intake up, but then have fish or chicken the remaining nights instead.

Swap: Juice For Real Fruit

Another smart swap for faster weight loss is to exchange juice for real fruit.  Juice is very high in calories and will produce a rather rapid spike in blood glucose levels due to the lack of fiber it contains, while real fruit is the opposite. Real fruit is going to be high in fiber and nutrients and will fill you up much more quickly and help to keep you satisfied.  Many people make the mistake of thinking that juice is a very healthy selection, but that’s not the case.

Swap: Pasta For Spaghetti Squash

Finally, the last swap that you should consider adding into your diet plan is spaghetti squash for pasta.  Pasta is another very high calorie food is and is very easy to overeat on.  If you want to maintain that reduced calorie intake for faster weight loss, then squash is the superior choice. This vegetable can be eaten in much the same way as normal pasta would be, but will help shave off 200 calories or more from that meal. So there you have just a few of the quick and easy swaps that you can start making today.  They won’t really change the overall meal that you’re having, just change the total calorie content and help you move closer to your end goal. Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that can make the biggest difference so always look for these first in your diet plan before making larger-scale changes.

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Body Fat And Cholesterol: What's The Connection

It's no secret that if you're overweight, you're going to suffer from a number of negative health risks.  Everything from high blood pressure to the development of diabetes to a higher incidence of stroke can be linked to being obese or overweight. But, one connection that sometimes goes overlooked is that of body fat levels to your cholesterol levels. Let's take a closer look at what this is all about.

The Diet That You're Eating

The very first thing that you need to consider regarding your body fat level and how it relates to your cholesterol is how you gained that body fat in the first place – the diet that you eat daily. Those who are quite obese and who are carrying an excess of body fat often got this way because they are eating far too much fast and convenience food.

They didn't get that way because their diet was too full of fresh fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean proteins as these foods are naturally lower in calories and you just wouldn't eat enough of them to accumulate that degree of excess body fat. Because of the types of foods they're eating, this means they will have higher intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol, therefore this will cause their overall cholesterol level to go up. While in a few very rare cases if someone was feasting on healthy fats (such as consuming high quantities of nuts, nut butters, and healthy oils) each day in addition to their usual diet that could cause them to become overweight without suffering high cholesterol, those cases are far in between.

The Lack Of Exercise

The second major reason why being overweight or obese can cause you to have high cholesterol levels is because the second thing that most of these individuals are doing is not exercising. Being overweight is attributed to too many calories coming in while too few calories are going out. This is accomplished through that higher calorie diet along with the lack of physical activity to burn those excess calories off.

Those who are exercising regularly and who are still at a slightly higher body weight may not see nearly the same degree of blood cholesterol levels as those who aren't. Exercise does help to combat high cholesterol levels so this on its own will definitely provide some benefits. Even still, if you're exercising but eating a diet high in saturated fat you're still going to be running into problems as far as your overall cholesterol profile goes. So there you have the information you need about the connection between having high body fat levels and having a high cholesterol level. It's vital that you do take your body fat level seriously so that you can gain control over it and avoid all the negative health consequences that come with high cholesterol. 

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Why Stretching Is Important For Workout Success

If there’s one thing that many people neglect when it comes to their workout plan, stretching is it. They devote a high amount of time and energy to performing their cardio and resistance training, but as soon as that’s finished, they’re getting out of the gym as quickly as possible – they have a life to lead! But, if you’re skipping the stretching component of the workout, you’re really missing out on a number of key benefits that it provides. Let’s take a quick peak at the main reasons why stretching is so important to workout success.

It Enhances Your Range Of Motion

The very first reason why stretching is a must is because it’s going to help to enhance your range of motion so that you can move throughout your exercises better. If you want to see the full benefits that any exercise has to offer, it’s important that you work the muscles through the full movement pattern. It would be like performing a squat but only going partially the way down. If you really want to see maximum benefits, you must go as low as possible as this is when the glutes will really be called into play. If you’re very inflexible though, this will be next to impossible therefore you won’t see the benefits you could be. We do tend to lose range of motion with age, so if you aren’t stretching, it’s only going to get worse from here on in.

It Keeps You Injury Free

The next important reason to add stretching to your routine is because it keeps you injury free. If you’re not stretching after a workout, your muscles are going to be tight and tense and any force that acts upon them could end up pulling or straining a ligament. Those who are more flexible often find they do suffer injuries a lot less frequently as they are quite limber and able to accommodate to forces acting on them. An injury will quickly sideline you from all workouts and really hinder your progress – in fact, it’ll put a temporary stop to all progress entirely.

It Reduces Post-Workout Muscle Soreness

Finally, the last reason why you must be sure to add some stretching to your routine is because it will help to control post-workout muscle soreness. Stretching is going to help remove the lactic acid build-up from the muscle tissues that’s responsible for that high level of pain and discomfort you often experience the next morning when getting out of bed, so by stretching at the end of the session, you can curtail this. Stretching will allow the muscle fibers to relax and lengthen so that you don’t feel quite so tense and sore later on.

So as you can see, stretching is really a must-do for success.  It only takes ten minutes total at the end of your workout but this is some of the best ten minutes you could spend if you want to see success.  Get in the habit of doing it now and you’ll never think twice about skipping it again.

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Visceral Versus Subcutaneous Fat: Understanding The Differences And Its Implications For You

As you go about your fat loss diet program, there's no question that your primary goal is to reduce that unsightly body fat that you have on your body. You know the stuff – the jiggly tissue that occurs under your arms, on your lower abdomen, as well as in the inner and back thigh region, all places that you feel are definitely your primary 'trouble zones'. But, in your quest to cure these trouble spots, one thing that you should consider for a second is the fact that often this body fat isn't really the biggest of your worries. What is more troublesome is the body fat that you don't even see. Let's go into further details on this topic so that you can gain a clear understanding of the types of body fat on your body as well as the implications of each.

Subcutaneous Body Fat

Subcutaneous body fat refers to all the body fat that you can see on your body. It's the body fat that you can pinch on the sides of your stomach, the body fat that is located on the arms, the body fat that seems to never want to budge on your lower back region, and the body fat that makes you self-aware of your legs while wearing a pair of shorts. Now, this body fat isn't healthy to have because it is excess weight and will cause there to be excess stress on the joints due to all that weight coming down. In addition to that, it will still put your health at risk as it can increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and inflammation, however it's not the most detrimental tissue that you need to be concerned about.

Visceral Body Fat

What's much more detrimental and what you really need to be concerned about is the visceral fat that you have on your body. Visceral fat refers to fat that's located within body cavities and surrounds all the main organs in the body.  This is the fat that may start to interfere with their proper function if it builds up to a high enough level and could potentially put you at risk for heart disease and stroke if it begins to crowd its way into your arteries. Visceral body fat that's found in the abdominal cavity is especially worrisome and must be taken seriously because this is the fat that will really increase your risk of diabetes, cancer, inflammation, as well as heart disease.

You can often tell if you have a high amount of visceral body fat as the stomach will appear to be fat, yet be hard to the touch. The reason for this is because all that fat is lying underneath the muscle tissue, while subcutaneous lies on top of the muscle but just under the skin. You will work to lose both types of body fat in the same manner – using a proper diet, a good workout program.  Often you may not see the reduction in visceral fat like you would with subcutaneous fat but just know that if you are following your program it is happening and it's really putting you in a much more healthy state.

So never overlook the differences between body fat types again. While both are definitely not something you want to be present on your body, you really must sit up and be concerned when visceral fat is coming into play. 

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Safe Body Fat Levels

When starting up on a fat loss diet plan, very often a great deal of energy and focus is placed right on the exact body weight that you're at.  You want to weigh a certain number of pounds or kilograms and that's all that you have on your mind: reaching that goal weight. But, one thing that you should stop and think about for a second is what level of body fat you're at both at your current weight and what you will be at when you reach your goal weight. Maintaining a safe level of body fat is incredibly important as there are negative health risks associated with being on either end of the spectrum. Let's have a look at this issue further so you can see for yourself where you should stand.

The Dangers Of Too Much Body Fat

Most people are already quite aware of some of the biggest dangers of having too much body fat, but to summarize, when you have  too high of body fat levels, you'll likely be experiencing higher overall cholesterol levels which could set you up for heart disease, you'll also be at risk for diabetes as the body tends to respond less to insulin when too much fat is present, and you'll also be putting your bones and joints at risk for health problems due to all the excess weight coming down on them. All in all, carry too much body fat and you'll really be doing a detriment to your overall health and well-being. 

The Dangers Of Too Little Body Fat

On the flip side of the coin, if you don't have enough body fat you could run the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Since many of the vitamins that the body needs are only fat soluble, if you aren't eating enough dietary fats in the first place, you likely won't be taking these nutrients in, and then since the body has such low fat stores, there won't be any place to store them.Having too low of body fat levels can put your bones at risk for osteoporosis as well, especially if you're a female. Those females who do suffer from very low body fat levels will also notice that they stop menstruating, so that's another negative health effect to be aware of. Finally, when you have very low body fat levels you're also going to notice that you feel tired on an ongoing basis, are constantly hungry, and may not even be able to focus and think as clearly as you normally would.

Your Optimal Range

So what's the safe body fat range? For females who do require more essential fat, you want to be between 21-33% if you're 20-40 years of age and be 23-35% if you're over the age of 40.  This is the recommended amount to maintain proper health and going outside of these ranges are what will bring about the problems listed above. For males, they can be quite a bit leaner and have a healthy range of body fat set to 8-19% for the age group of 20-40 years and have a healthy range set to 11-22% for those that are 41-60 years of age. 

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Quick Late Night Snacks That Fight Fat

As you go about your diet plan, one thing that you may find yourself struggling with from time to time is late night snacking. You're at home, bored, often alone, and there really isn't much to do.  Except snack, that is. But, if you want to see successful weight loss on your diet plan, you must find a way to either overcome this late night snacking habit, or choose wisely so that it doesn't cause an offset to your progress. The important thing that you should remember is the fact that you can have a late night snack as long as the calories are accounted for.

If, on the other hand that late night snack causes you to overconsume over and above your desired calorie intake for the day, then it's definitely not going to move you along the road to progress. The following late night snacks will help you see results because not only are they lower in calories, but they're loaded in nutrients that will help to calm your hunger so that you feel satisfied after eating them and don't go reaching for more. Here are some quick ideas to get you started.

Yogurt With Flaxseeds

The first late night snack to consider is yogurt with some flaxseeds added in.  This snack is great because it's going to give you a nice blend of proteins, carbohydrates, along with healthy dietary fats that will help to keep your blood sugar levels stable into the overnight fasting period. Aim for half a cup of yogurt along with 2 tbsp of flaxseeds and you'll only be taking in around 200 calories with this snack.

Cottage Cheese With Peanut Butter

Next up on our list of snacks for the late-night period is cottage cheese along with natural peanut butter. Cottage cheese is a quality source of casein protein, which means it will digest for hours in the body, delivering a steady stream of amino acids to your muscle tissues. For those who are doing hard workouts daily, this is important for good muscle building and repair. The peanut butter that you have along with the cottage cheese will help to slow the digestion even further, so you won't wake up hungry.

Egg Scramble

If you're looking for a quick late night snack that's light on the body, try and egg white scramble. Scramble up some egg whites along with a little bit of low fat cheese and then top with salsa for added flavor. This snack will only come in around 150-200 calories and will be filled with quality protein that your muscles need.

PB Celery Sticks

Finally, the last great snack to consider when getting ready to turn in for the evening is some celery sticks smeared with peanut butter.  Peanut butter is a rich source of healthy fats as well as protein and the celery hardly contains any calories at all. This late-night snack should only come in at around 150 calories as well, so it's easily added to any diet plan.

So there you have some of the best late-night snacks that you should consider adding to your diet program.  If you are really struggling with late night hunger to a large extent, then you should also consider a good appetite suppressant such as Phen 375, which will help you control this hunger so that you can stick with your diet plan and late night snacking doesn't derail your progress. 

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Making Smart Alcohol Choices

If you’re on a fat loss diet program, alcohol is something that you should be strictly limiting.  Not only is alcohol very calorie dense coming in at seven calories per gram, but it’s also going to put an immediate halt to all fat loss progress going on when you consume it. Not to mention the fact that when you indulge in a few drinks your will power to stick with your diet will also go down, therefore it could cause you to start eating foods that you shouldn’t. That said, not everyone can cut out drinking from time to time as it is something that’s heavily linked to normal socialization, so if you feel like drinking isn’t something that you can give the boot to, at the very least it’s helpful to know which drink choices you should be choosing. Let’s have a look at the top considerations. The Good

Straight Liquor With Seltzer Water

The very first choice that you should consider is one ounce of your favourite liquor with simple seltzer water or plain water. This will contain only around 70 calories per drink, so is a much lighter option. If you can alternate this with one glass of plain water, all the better.

White Wine

If wine is your thing, the good news is that this is also a relatively lower calorie choice as well.  Most wines range from 90-150 calories per glass depending on the variety, so if you keep your total number of glasses down, it doesn’t have to destroy your diet plan. Like the above, it’s always a good idea to alternate one alcohol drink with one non.

Light Beer

Light beer is another choice that you may want to consider. If you’re a big fan of beer but don’t like what it does to your weight, light beer is almost half the calories so will be much less devastating to your diet plan. Light beer is also lower in total carbohydrates, so that’s definitely a plus as well. The Bad

Creamy Liquors

Now we move on to the less than optimal choices. Creamy liquors are one drink to beware of as they contain alcohol, fat, and sugar in one, so will really be a doozy as far as sticking with your diet is concerned. Often these are mixed with milk as well, so while the milk is healthy, it will add extra calories.  Most creamy liquors will come in around 120 calories per ounce, so it will add up quickly.

Frozen Beverages

Frozen slushy beverages are also something to be very careful about. These can easily contain upwards of 400 calories once everything is added in and will do a real number on your waistline. They contain far too much sugar as well, which will be very bad if you’re trying to prevent a hangover.  The combination of so much sugar plus alcohol entering the body is a sure-fire recipe for body fat gain. The sugar will spike the insulin levels and since there is no carbohydrate oxidation taking place (as the body will be 100% focused on burning off the alcohol calories), this means that sugar will move right into body fat stores.

Cocktails

Finally, the last beverages to avoid are any fancy cocktail like drinks. These also contain higher amounts of sugar and will often contain more than one different type of alcohol as well. Most come in at around 300 calories or more, so will put a big dent in your diet if you have two or three that evening. So be sure that you keep these points in mind if you do plan to drink on your diet.  Alcohol does tend to hinder your progress so you really must make a choice as to what is most important to you – weight loss success or indulging in your favourite drinks.

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Great Cardio Strategies To Do Outdoors

As you get all set up on your fat loss program, one thing that you'll definitely want to take into consideration is the form of cardio you're doing on a daily basis. While controlling your diet is always going to be the absolute best strategy for producing rapid rates of weight loss, making sure that you're burning off calories through regular physical activity is essential as well. Taking your cardio training outdoors will make it that much more interesting and therefore you'll be more likely to stay engaged. Let's have a quick look at some of the top outdoor cardio strategies that you can start doing.

Rollerblading

The first cardio strategy to consider is rollerblading.  Rollerblading is a form of exercise that most people really enjoy and when done intensely enough, can burn off just as many calories as running would. To help maximize the results you get from your rollerblading sessions, focus on crouching as low down to the ground as possible. This will stimulate the quads to a higher degree while also calling the hamstrings into play.

Tennis

The second form of cardio that you'll want to consider adding to your workout program is tennis. Tennis is great for those who prefer not to go at their cardio alone and want to make a game out of it. Since you're constantly stopping and starting when performing a game of tennis, this is a great form of outdoor cardio to really spike up your metabolism.

Hiking

Hiking is our next type of cardio training that's great for when you want to get outdoors. If you can get away somewhere scenic on the weekend and go for a good 2 hour hike, you can easily burn up to 1000 calories doing this. If you make that your weekend goal, this will give you the flexibility to eat a few more foods over the weekend when most people are more social without suffering weight gain because of it. Hiking is also excellent for increasing your lower body strength since it targets the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Swimming

Finally, the last outdoor cardio workout that you may want to give some consideration to is swimming.  Swimming is nice since it's a full body workout and will hit both the upper and lower body muscles. Swimming can also be a very good calorie burner when you go at an intense enough pace, so is perfect for those seeking fast fat loss. To maximize the benefits you get from swimming sessions, alternate between the different strokes so that you work the muscles in a number of different ways.

So there you have some of the top outdoor cardio training activities that you should consider.  One additional great benefit from adding cardio training to your routine is that most people find it helps calm their appetite level, so if you pair that with a great appetite suppressant product such as Phen 375, you will hardly feel any hunger at all while moving along your diet plan. 

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Avoid These Foods That Will Increase Hunger

One of the biggest problems that most people encounter as they move about their fat loss diet is hunger.  You can be doing perfectly on your diet program and following it exactly as you should be but as soon as hunger creeps up, you immediately move off course. Hunger is a very difficult thing to deal with for any individual on a weight loss diet but fortunately, if you take the time to learn the foods that tend to cause the greatest amount of hunger and then be sure to stay away from them, this doesn't have to be a problem for you. Let's go over the top foods that cause hunger so you can see precisely what to avoid.

White Rice

The first food that could cause you to become very hungry shortly after eating it is white rice.  The reason why this food is very problematic is because after eating it, you're going to get a large blood sugar spike, which is then followed by a sharp decline as insulin is released and comes and sucks all that glucose out of the blood. As your blood sugar levels crash, this sets of the hunger signal in the brain that's going to prompt you to consume more food.

Sugary Cereals

The second food that can cause a high amount of hunger for much the same reason as white rice would is sugary cereals.  Remember, always read the package label when purchasing any cereal that you plan to eat on your weight loss diet. Very often you may think a cereal is a very healthy choice but upon further inspection you discover that it actually has a good amount of sugar listed on the label. For complete hunger control from your morning meal, choose a cereal that contains no added sugar such as oatmeal or bran cereal.

These will be far superior for helping boost the process of weight loss.

Snack Bars

Snack bars are also another problematic food as far as hunger is concerned. The big issue here is that these will tend to be very low in total protein and often fat content, so there's nothing to balance out the carbohydrates that you eat with them. This results in that blood sugar spike that we talked about previously and will cause you to quickly experience an energy low. As your energy level comes crashing down, you'll want to reach for more food to help bring it back up. This cycle can cause you to take in very high amounts of calories daily, moving you further away from fat loss.

Candy

Finally, it should almost go without saying, but candy is one of the worst foods as far as hunger is concerned. While you may feel like this gives you a good energy burst and quickly fills you up, that's just the sugar high talking.

Candy made from pure sugar is even worse for you from a diet perspective than snack foods that contain fat, because at least with the addition of fat you won't see quite the shoot in blood sugar levels. Avoid candy at all costs.

So there you have the main foods to note if you want to control your hunger levels and succeed at your fat loss diet. Taking a fat loss suppressant such as Phen 375 will also go a long way towards getting your hunger under control so that you aren't suffering from food cravings throughout the day. 

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Can Weight Loss Hypnosis Help You?

One of the hottest trends going around right now is that of weight loss hypnosis. People who have tried to diet before in the past and failed miserably are now giving this trend a try, hoping that it may hold the key that unlocks them to greater success. But, will it really work? Is it the answer to your prayers?

There are a few things that you must understand first before you make an informed decision. Let’s go over what you need to know.

You Must Be Suggestive

The very first thing that you must remember is the fact that in order for weight loss hypnotherapy to work, you do need to be suggestive. Those who are easily moved into a suggestive state will be able to be hypnotized fairly readily, while those who can’t, won’t. It’s really as simple as that. Some people are great with hypnosis, but for others, the effects aren’t going to have that much of an influence on them. Of course, this does in part depend on the skill of the hypnotist that you’re working with, but keep in mind that some people will just find it naturally works better for them. It may be worth your while to be hypnotized for something relatively minor (such as for entertainment purposes) first to see how suggestive you really are.

You Will Still Have To Work

Second, it’s important that you do remember that just because you are hypnotized, this does not mean you won’t have to do some work. You’re still going to have to put in effort to eat properly an exercise regularly.  It won’t take away from that so for those who hope this is some magic cure that means they will no longer have to even try and weight loss will just come right off, they are in for disappointment. You do still have to put in effort to see results. Failing to believe that is setting yourself up to fail.

You May Need Repeat Sessions

Finally, the last thing that you’ll want to keep in mind if you’re considering using hypnosis as a method of losing weight is the fact that you may need to get repeated sessions with the hypnotist. Some people view it as a one-shot cure-all. They go once and magically, they are no longer doing behaviors that prevent weight gain from occurring. While in a few cases it may be this simple, in most, it’s more complex than that. Especially if your habits have been highly ingrained in you for years, you may require multiple sessions on an ongoing basis until you finally reach your goal weight. And even then, you may still require occasional check-ups to ensure it doesn’t become a problem again.

So if you’re going to consider it, just be sure that you are open to the idea that it could be a long term endeavor. So there you have the facts to know about this rising trend in weight loss. If you’re really struggling, it may just be the thing to help you out.  

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Creating An Extreme Weight Loss Diet Plan

Looking for extreme weight loss success? Have a deadline to reach for your weight loss goals?

Whatever the case, if you are in a hurry to shed the excess weight you’re carrying around, chances are you’re on the hunt for one of the ultra low calorie diets out there. In fact, as much as you hate to admit it, you may have even typed in ‘Crash Diet’ in the Google search bar.

You aren’t messing around here – you need that weight gone yesterday!

But, before you run off on a poorly designed extreme weight loss diet plan, it’s worthwhile to take a bit of time to educate yourself on how to do this correctly. While you should never use an extreme weight loss diet plan for the long haul (as they will cause harm regardless if carried out for extended periods of time), over the short term, if done right, they can be safe to use.Let’s go over the main points that you must know if you’re going to be creating an extreme weight loss diet plan for yourself.

Focus On Protein

The first component to get in place on any extreme weight loss diet plan is protein. Protein is what will make sure that you aren’t burning up lean muscle mass as you go about the diet plan, so what will keep your metabolism running on high over the long term. If you start to lose lean muscle mass, which is quite common on extreme weight loss plans, you’re headed for long-term trouble. You do not want to miss this point. Each and every meal and snack that you consume should have protein laid out as its base.

Get Your Greens

Second, make sure that you get your greens in.  Eating enough vegetables on a fat loss diet plan is going to be incredibly important because these are the foods that are going to provide the most nourishment overall to the body and help to also keep you regular due to their fiber content.

Plus, they’re also incredibly low in calories. So for any dieter on an intense diet program, that’s really a win-win scenario. Eating more greens throughout this diet is only going to make your life that much easier.

Drink More Water

Next up, make sure that you stay well hydrated. Very low calorie diet plans do tend to have dehydrating effects on the body, so to avoid this from happening to you, make sure that you are staying as well hydrated as possible. Aim for 8-10 glasses of clear fluid each and every day – more if needed.

Keep A Calendar

Finally, last but not least, make sure that you keep a calendar of your time on the diet. Track how long it has been since you started and at two weeks, come off that diet. Doing it any longer than this period of time is only going to set you up to fail. So there you have the main points to know about extreme weight loss diets. Do these wisely and you will see fast results and meet your weight loss deadline. 

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Diet Tricks To Beat A Weight Loss Plateau

If you’re on a diet program and have recently noticed that the weight you were losing has seemed to have slowed and it seems like it’s been forever since you’ve shed a few pounds, it might be time to consider that you are stuck in a diet plateau.

Many people will face a diet plateau at some point or another as they do tend to be incredibly common along the weight loss  journey. This is especially the case if you’ve been using a lower calorie diet for an extended period of time as the body will be fighting hard to help keep you from starving to death. But, if you approach the plateau in the proper manner, you should be able to bust through it relatively easily and get back on track to maximum success. Let’s go over a few of the smart diet tricks that you can use to bust through any plateau you face.

Zig-Zag Your Calorie Intake

The very first thing that you should do is zig-zag your calorie intake.  What this does is essentially tricks your body. At first it may have thought it caught on to you and slowed its metabolic rate down to the amount of food that you were eating. But, if you then add a much higher calorie day into the mix, you confuse it. Now it’s getting more fuel, so it may start to speed up again to compensate for this. Your body does try and maintain homeostasis as best as possible, so it will speed up and slow down with just three to five days of intense dieting. By having some low and some high calorie days throughout the week, you never give it this consecutive period where receiving the same amount of fuel, day after day.

Eat More Variety

The second dietary strategy that you can use to bust through a plateau is to try and consume as much variety as you possibly can. Don’t gravitate to the same three foods over and over again. Mix it up, as long as they stay healthy. While this won’t have an incredibly huge impact on your progress, it still can make a difference and every little bit will add up.

Add A Two To Four Day Diet Break

Finally, if you’ve been dieting intensely for quite some time, it may just be time to consider a two to four day diet break. Sometimes a one day high calorie day isn’t enough to get things kick-started again and you instead need to elevate calories and keep them there for a longer period of time. A short break off your diet and eating at maintenance levels can be just the thing to get you out of the plateau and on track again. So next time you feel like your progress is moving slower than it should, consider these strategies. Using them should get you moving forward again so that you don’t end up any more frustrated than you already are.

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