Many who diet have experienced plateaus after dieting for awhile. According to research, diet plateaus happen mainly after 6 months of following a low calorie diet. And, there are differing views on why they happen. But, the main thing that most are concerned with is what to do to break their plateau and get on with their weight loss. With this in mind, it should also be mentioned that if one is taking medication or has an underlying medical condition, it is prudent to check with your physician before changing your diet.
Following are some of the very best plateau breaker “consumables from nature in their natural forms” based on scientific research:
CINNAMON
According to a recent study by the American Heart Association, cinnamon can be a powerful help to dieters by slowing the fat storing process. In the study, researchers fed rats cinnamon supplements and a high fat diet for 12 weeks. After that time, they were compared to the control group and the cinnamon supplement group rats had less belly fat.
However, while cinnamon is a great tool to break a diet plateau, too much can become harmful. So, it is wise to have in moderate amounts. How much is safe varies and experts have different opinions – there is no set safe dose. But, most adults can tolerate 1/2 to 1 tsp. powder a day.
Celery
Celery sticks and celery juice can be powerful plateau breakers by giving extra fiber, a low calorie alternative for dieters, and even reduces dangerous fat buildup that can occur in the liver (according to an Egyptian study at the Helwan University).
Suggestions for eating celery: Use celery as an ingredient in veggie and fruit salads as often as possible. Also, is delicious in nearly any chicken dish...add to casseroles, use underneath baked chicken in the oven as a natural "roasting pan rack" and serve alongside main courses as a garnish (to be eaten). Eat as a raw snack with a small amount of hummus, peanut butter, or low fat cheese. Dip into homemade fat-free sour cream dips with dill or green onion added.
Water
It is probably known by most dieters that water is helpful in weight loss. And, it is so much so that it needs to be included as one of the most powerful plateau breakers. A study called “Effect of ‘Water Induced Thermogenesis’ on Body Weight, Body Mass, and Body Composition on Overweight Subjects” found that metabolism was increased by virtue of an increase in thermogenesis as a direct result of drinking water with weight loss occurring. Another study mentioned in the report spoke of a whooping 30% increase in metabolism by consuming 500 ml of water which is a little over only 2 cups. And, this effect was seen within 10 minutes, peaking at 40 minutes.
How much water is recommended?
According to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine an adequate daily fluid intake is:
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
This daily intake consists of total fluids from all sources liquid and solid food.
Garlic
Following are some reasons that makes garlic a powerful diet plateau breaker helping those to lose weight effectively. Of course, it should be complemented with a healthy, balanced diet.
- Wanting to boost energy levels? Garlic helps to increase your metabolism and therefore, contribute to weight loss.
- If you want to keep full for longer, garlic is an excellent choice. It is a known natural appetite suppressant that will give you an edge on weight loss and control.
- A study published in the Journal of Nutrition said that compounds in garlic are known to stimulate the fat-burning process.
- It is a powerful detoxifying agent that can help to flush out toxins. This will greatly keep your digestion on track.
Lemon Juice
Some experts will say that the jury is out on whether lemons really help with weight loss, but there is scientific evidence to back it up. A study was done that examined the effects of lemon polyphenol on the development of obesity in C57BL/6J mice. They found that the feeding of lemon polyphenols is beneficial for the suppression of diet-induced obesity, and the improvement of insulin resistance and lipid metabolism. This could be a powerful game changer for some who have reached a plateau. So, add some lemon to your water. How much lemon?...some experts recommend up to 1 whole fresh lemon squeezed into your water per day.
Tea
It’s your preference as to whether black or green (or white), but tea is the last of the most powerful plateau breakers.
It is notable that in a study involving both black and green tea it was found that green tea polyphenols are recognized as more effective agents that offer more health benefits than black tea based on the bioavailability of green tea polyphenols. However, that feeding a diet containing black tea polyphenols was associated with an increase in intestinal health in several important ways provides novel insights in the health benefits of black tea.
So, if you are stuck in a diet rut, try some of these powerful diet plateau breakers to ramp up your weight loss. In combination with an increase in exercise (with doctor’s permission), de-stressing, getting proper sleep, a good work-life balance, healthy relationships, and a nutritious diet – you should be on your way once again towards your weight loss goal.
References:
Abd El-Mageed NM. Hepatoprotective effect of feeding celery leaves mixed with chicory leaves and barley grains to hypercholesterolemic rats. Pharmacogn Mag. 2011;7(26):151-156. doi:10.4103/0973-1296.80675
Fukuchi, Yoshiko et al. “Lemon Polyphenols Suppress Diet-induced Obesity by Up-Regulation of mRNA Levels of the Enzymes Involved in beta-Oxidation in Mouse White Adipose Tissue.” Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition vol. 43,3 (2008): 201-9. doi:10.3164/jcbn.2008066
Henning, S.M., Yang, J., Hsu, M. et al. Decaffeinated green and black tea polyphenols decrease weight gain and alter microbiome populations and function in diet-induced obese mice. Eur J Nutr 57, 2759–2769 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-017-1542-8
Mak-Soon Lee, In-Hwan Kim, Chong-Tai Kim, Yangha Kim, Reduction of Body Weight by Dietary Garlic Is Associated with an Increase in Uncoupling Protein mRNA Expression and Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Diet-Induced Obese Mice, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 141, Issue 11, November 2011, Pages 1947–1953, https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.146050
Vij, Vinu A, and Anjali S Joshi. “Effect of ‘water induced thermogenesis’ on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects.” Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR vol. 7,9 (2013): 1894-6. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2013/5862.3344
“Weight Loss Plateau: Why They Happen and What to Do.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326415#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20weight%20loss,diets%20after%20a%20few%20months. Gs
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