Total Health in Midlife Episode #215: Preparing for Plateau

You are doing everything right. You are eating better, you’re moving more, and then suddenly the scale won’t budge. Does that sound familiar? It’s called a plateau, and if you’re not prepared for it, it can feel like all of your hard work is for nothing.

But here’s the thing, plateaus aren’t failures, they are just part of the process. And knowing, how to handle them can mean the difference between staying the course and moving forward. and giving up too soon.

In today’s episode, I am sharing exactly what you need to do before a plateau even happens so that you’re not caught off guard. And I’ll show you how to set yourself up for success, avoid common pitfalls, and stay focused when the frustration hits.

Plus, I’ll share how one of my clients pushed through a six week plateau without making drastic changes, and how you can do the same. If you’ve ever hit a plateau and thought, ‘this isn’t working, I should just give up.’ Then, you need to listen to this episode. And trust me, you are going to thank yourself later.

Welcome to Total Health and Midlife, the podcast for women embracing the pivotal transformation from the daily grind to the dawn of a new chapter. I’m Elizabeth, your host and fellow traveler on this journey.

As a Life and Health Coach, I am intimately familiar with the changes and challenges we face during this stage. Shifting careers, changing relationships, our new bodies, and redefining goals and needs as we start to look to the future and ask, what do I want?

In this podcast, we’ll explore physical, mental, and emotional wellness, offering insights and strategies to achieve optimal health through these transformative years.

Yes, it’s totally possible.

Join me in this amazing journey of body, mind, and spirit, where we’re not just improving our health, but transforming our entire lives.

Hey everyone, welcome to the Total Health in Midlife podcast. I am Elizabeth Sherman, your host, and I am so incredibly excited that you are here with me today. So, we’ve all been there. Feeling like we are doing everything right, eating better, moving more, and expecting the scale to show our hard work, and then nothing.

It’s frustrating, right? It’s easy to think, ‘what am I doing wrong?’ But here’s the truth. Hitting a plateau isn’t a sign of failure. Honestly, it’s just part of the process. The problem is that most of us aren’t prepared for it. When we don’t see progress, the knee jerk reaction is to cut more calories, work out harder, or let’s be honest, give up altogether.

But what if instead of fighting against our bodies, we learned to work with them. Your body isn’t broken. It’s actually a pretty smart thing. Sometimes it just needs some time to adjust and find its new normal. And when you understand how your body responds to changes in food, exercise, and stress, you can meet it where it’s at without frustration or burnout.

And so, in today’s episode I will walk you through how to set yourself up for success before you even hit a plateau so that you can approach it with patience and confidence. And I’ll share insights from my client Annie who stuck it out through a six week stall and came out stronger on the other side.

So, when you set out to lose weight, it’s easy to picture steady progress. Pounds dropping week after week. But in reality, weight loss is rarely a straight line. Plateaus aren’t just possible. Quite honestly, they are a guaranteed. Your body is designed to adapt, and at some point, it’s going to hit the brakes.

Here’s why. When you start eating better and moving more, your body responds by shedding weight. But over time it adjusts to your new normal. Your metabolism slows down, hormones shift, and your body works to maintain balance. It’s a built in survival mechanism. Your body doesn’t know the difference between intentional weight loss and a potential food shortage.

So, it holds on to energy more efficiently, making further progress slower. The frustrating part is when you hit a plateau, it feels like all your efforts aren’t even working anymore. So, you might start questioning yourself. Am I doing something wrong? Should I be eating even less? Should I be exercising more or more intensely?

It’s so tempting to throw in the towel when you don’t see immediate results. And that’s exactly why so many people struggle to stay consistent. But there’s good news. A plateau doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It means your body needs time to catch up. Instead of seeing it as a problem, think of it as a signal.

Your body is adjusting, recalibrating, and sometimes it just needs a little patience. This is why it’s so important to go into your journey with the right mindset. If you expect that plateaus will happen, and you plan for them, you can stay on track without all of the stress and doubt. It’s about trusting the process and not panicking the moment things slow down.

One of the best things that you can do is to decide ahead of time, how you’ll respond when progress stalls. Will you take it as a cue to tweak your habits? Or will you allow yourself time to stay the course and focus on non-scale victories like better sleep, more energy, or feeling stronger?

Having a plan in place helps you to avoid emotional decision making and stick with what works. Plateaus aren’t setbacks, they’re a normal part of the journey. And with the right approach, you can move through them with confidence instead of frustration.

So, when it comes to making changes for weight loss, it’s easy to want to go all in. Cut all the calories, hit the gym every single day, and overhaul everything at once. But there’s a problem with that. When you do too much too soon, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. And more importantly, you’re leaving yourself barely any to zero wiggle room when you do hit a plateau.

That’s why I love the minimum effective dose approach. Instead of diving head first into drastic changes, you start with super small manageable steps. It’s about doing just enough to see progress without overwhelming yourself. This approach allows you to ease into new habits, making them feel natural rather than forced. And when progress slows down, as it inevitably will, you will still have options to make adjustments without feeling stuck.

There are two major benefits to starting small. The first is easing into change without burnout. So, when you make gradual adjustments, it’s easier to stick with them. I mean, think about it. If you suddenly, cut your calories to 1200 calories a day, and start exercising for an hour every morning. How long can you realistically maintain that?

It’s probably not very realistic. Your body and your mind need time to adjust. But if you start by making simple tweaks, like adding more vegetables to your meals, or going for a short walk after dinner. You’re more likely to build consistency without feeling deprived or exhausted.

Plus, what if you don’t ever have to go to 1, 200 calories or an hour of exercise a day? By doing these simple changes, it makes life so much easier.

But second, you leave room to adjust when your progress slows down. So, if you push too hard from the start, you’ve got nowhere to go when things start to slow down and stall. So, let’s say that you’re eating super low calories and working out intensely.

When you hit a plateau, what’s left to do? You can’t cut more food or add workouts without risking your health. But if you start with small sustainable changes, you have options. You can tweak your portion size. You can add a bit more activity. Or you can focus on stress management without feeling like you’re maxed out.

A great example of this is a client that I worked with years ago who wanted to lose weight fast. She immediately cut her intake drastically and started working out twice a day. Sure, she saw quick results at first. But within weeks, she hit a plateau. She was exhausted, she was frustrated, and she had nowhere to go when her progress stalled.

After stepping back and incorporating a more gradual approach, she was able to continue losing weight without feeling like she was constantly struggling. So, what does starting small look like? Here are a few simple ways to begin.

First, food swaps. So super easy. Replace soda with sparkling water, or add an extra serving of vegetables, or swap processed snacks for whole foods. As far as movement is concerned, you can start with 10 minute walks after meals or gentle stretching before bed. As far as water goes, drinking more water can support your digestion, energy levels, and your satiety. And start with an extra glass in the morning. That’s one of my favorite hacks.

By focusing on these small, doable steps, you create a foundation that’s sustainable and adaptable. It’s not about doing everything at once. It’s about making progress that you can actually stick with, no matter what obstacles come your way.

When you’re on a weight loss journey, it’s easy to fall into the trap of letting the scale dictate your progress. But here’s the thing, progress isn’t always measured in pounds. Plateaus happen to everyone, and the key to moving through them is knowing what they actually look like for you before they happen.

A plateau isn’t just when the scale doesn’t move. I mean, you could look at it that way, but it could mean that your measurements stay the same. Your clothes fit the same, or even that your energy levels have plateaued. That’s why it’s important to define what progress means to you beyond the number of the scale.

I’ve seen it where clients have had their scale weight not change, but their measurements have. So, maybe it’s feeling more energetic, sleeping better, or noticing that you’re stronger and more capable in your workouts.

Another crucial piece is deciding ahead of time how long you’re going to give yourself before making changes. A good rule of thumb that I suggest is giving yourself at least four weeks before you change anything. Your body needs time to adapt and making impulsive changes too soon can backfire on you.

If you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to let frustration take over. Leading to knee jerk reactions like slashing calories or adding punishing workouts in that only leave you burned out. That’s where mindset comes in. When you’re in the middle of a plateau, your emotional brain wants to panic, right?

It’s going to come up with these thoughts when you stand on the scale that says, this isn’t working. We should just give up. This is too hard. Those thoughts start creeping in. But having a plan allows you to make decisions with your logical brain, the part that knows that consistency, not drastic action, is what leads to long term success.

So, let me tell you about my client, Annie. I interviewed her in episode 20 of the podcast called Growth in Plateaus. She was stuck in a six week plateau. At first, she doubted herself. And the thought was that she wasn’t doing enough. But instead of making drastic changes, she trusted the process. She stayed the course. She focused on the foundational habits, the ‘8 Basic Habits that Healthy People Do.’ Water, balanced meals, and movement.

Eventually, her body responded, and the scale started moving again. More importantly, her mindset shifted from weight loss to overall health. And she built the confidence to listen to her body without obsessing over food logs or numbers.

The lesson here is that plateaus are just part of how your body works. Defining what a plateau looks like for you and deciding how long you’ll wait before making changes and having a plan in place can make all the difference. When you trust the process, you stop fighting your body and you start working with it.

When it comes to weight loss, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers. The scale becomes the ultimate measure of success. And when it doesn’t move, frustration sets in. But here’s the truth. Lasting health isn’t just about weight loss. It’s about building habits that support your overall well-being.

Shifting from a weight loss first to a health first mindset is the key to staying consistent and making real sustainable progress. A health first approach means looking beyond the scale and recognizing the other ways that your body is benefiting from your efforts.

Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy throughout the day? Are your clothes fitting differently? These non-scale victories are proof that your body is changing in ways that can’t be measured in pounds. Improved digestion, clearer skin, fewer cravings, and feeling more in control around food are all signs that you are on the right track. Even if the number on the scale doesn’t budge.

One of the biggest challenges during a plateau is staying motivated when you don’t see the results that you expected. This is where tracking progress beyond weight can be a game changer. Journaling your daily wins, whether it’s how you feel after a workout, or noticing you’re handling stress better, or simply sticking to your habits, keeps you focused on the bigger picture.

Taking regular progress photos, measuring inches, or even jotting down how your energy levels fluctuate throughout the day can give you a more accurate sense of how far you’ve come. It’s also important to lean into your habits and trust that they’re working, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Staying consistent with things like your water, balanced meals, and regular movement, builds a foundation that supports long term health. Think of it like planting seeds. You don’t see the growth right away, but beneath the surface, changes are happening. The roots are growing.

And here’s a powerful mindset shift. What if, this is just how your body loses weight. Some bodies lose weight in a steady decline, while others do it in stops and starts. Your body might be taking time to adjust. And that’s completely normal. Instead of focusing on the number, ask yourself, Am I taking care of myself? Am I showing up for my health consistently?

If the answer is yes, then you’re on the right path. Ultimately, trusting the process means believing that your efforts are playing off. Even if they don’t show up in the way that you expected. It’s about being kind to yourself, staying consistent, and focusing on feeling good rather than chasing a number.

Progress isn’t about what you see. It’s about how you feel. And when you focus on health first, the results you’re looking for will follow. I guarantee it. So, you’ve been consistent with your habits. But progress has slowed down. How do you know when it’s time to make changes and when you need to stay the course?

The key here is to listen to your body and look for signs that might indicate, it’s time to tweak your plan. If you’re constantly feeling low energy, struggling with persistent hunger, or noticing a decline in your workout performance. It might be a sign that your current approach needs an adjustment.

Maybe you’re not fueling your body with enough nutrients. You might be overtraining or not getting enough rest. It’s important to recognize these cues and respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally. And be aware that as your body ages, it reacts to food and exercise and rest completely differently.

When it is time to make a change, small tweaks can go a long way. Here are a few simple but effective adjustments to consider. So, first, you could try adding more protein. Protein helps with satiety, muscle repair, and metabolism. If you’re feeling hungrier than usual or not recovering well from your workouts, increasing your protein intake could help.

Try adding a little more protein at each meal, whether it’s lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, or plant based sources like beans and tofu. Second, you might want to try changing up your workouts. Your body adapts to exercise over time, so if you’ve been doing the same routine for a while, it might be time to switch things up.

This doesn’t mean that you have to push harder, but rather sometimes change in intensity, type, or duration is enough. If you’ve been focusing on cardio, consider adding strength training. And if you’ve been lifting weights, try incorporating more flexibility or mobility work.

And if you haven’t tried it before, I have a set of amazing 20 minute workouts that incorporate strength training along with cardio. You can get that at elizabethsherman.com/20-minute-workouts. And I’ll make sure that I have that in the show notes.

Third, you want to make sure that you’re managing your stress and prioritizing your sleep. Often overlooked, stress and sleep play a huge role in weight management. High stress levels can lead to increased cortisol, which makes it harder to lose weight. And poor sleep can mess with your hunger hormones, making you crave more food.

Practicing stress reducing activities like deep breathing, or gentle movement, or setting better sleep routines can have a significant impact on your progress. However, even with these adjustments, the most important thing to remember is patience. Sometimes your body just needs more time to adjust before it starts responding again.

Staying consistent with your foundational habits, your balanced eating, your regular movement, your water intake, and your stress management is often the best strategy. Before making any drastic changes, stay I want you to ask yourself, ‘am I doing the basics well? Am I being consistent?’

Now, if the answer is yes, trust that your efforts are working, even if the results aren’t immediate. Sometimes the best adjustment is simply sticking with what’s already working.

When you’re in the thick of a weight loss plateau, it’s easy to spiral into frustration and doubt. I get it. I’ve been there. Your emotions take over and suddenly every thought is about whether you’re doing enough or doing too much. You might find yourself thinking, maybe I should just eat less or maybe I should work out harder.

But here’s the thing. Those knee jerk reactions rarely lead to long term success. And so, that’s where having a coach, someone who can take the emotion out of the equation, can become invaluable. I have seen it happen so many times. When you’re caught in the moment, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. And that’s where I come in.

As your coach, I’m here to be the rational voice when your mind is telling you panic, danger, we need to do something. I can help you step back, evaluate what’s really happening, and create a plan that works with your body, not against it. Instead of jumping to drastic measures, I can help guide you through practical solutions that keep you on track without unnecessary stress.

One of the biggest benefits of working with a coach is gaining perspective. It’s easy to get stuck in your own head and feel like nothing is working. I help my clients see the progress that they are making, even when it’s not reflected on the scale. Whether it’s improved energy, better sleep, or feeling more in control around food. I remind you of the bigger picture and help you focus on what’s actually moving you forward.

Another key piece is accountability. Knowing someone is in your corner, keeping you on track, and helping you to stay consistent can make all the difference. I can help you stick to your plan, troubleshoot obstacles or resistance, and provide support when motivation dips.

Instead of feeling like you have to figure it all out on your own, you can have a clear step by step approach tailored exactly for you, your body, and your lifestyle. So, how do you know when it’s time to reach out for support?

If you find yourself constantly second guessing your choices, feeling overwhelmed, or tempted to make drastic changes, it might be a sign that you need an outside perspective. It’s not about pushing through with willpower alone. It’s about having the right strategies in place to make smart, sustainable decisions.

With the right support, you don’t have to feel stuck. I can help you navigate the tough moments, stay focused, and make choices that support your long term health goals.

So, let’s recap what we’ve covered today. First, we want to expect plateaus. We don’t want to fear them. They are a natural part of the process and knowing that they’ll happen takes the pressure off when they do. When you plan for them, you can navigate them with confidence instead of frustration.

Second, you want to start small. The minimum effective dose approach gives you room to adjust when progress slows. Making gradual, sustainable changes helps you to avoid burnout and gives your body the flexibility it needs to respond over time.

Next, define success beyond the scale. I know, this is a hard one for some of us. But progress isn’t about just the number on the scale. It’s about better sleep, more energy, feeling stronger, and building habits that support long term health. Recognizing these wins keeps you motivated and focused on what really matters.

And then, finally, stay patient and trust the process. Just because the scale isn’t moving doesn’t mean you’re not making progress. Your body is adjusting and the more you focus on building health rather than just losing weight, the more sustainable your results will be.

So, if you’re feeling stuck right now, remember, you are not stuck. Your body is adapting. Your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. It just needs some time. And if you’re struggling with what to do next, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Let’s chat.

If you’re facing a plateau and need help staying on track, book a strategy call with me today. Go to elizabethsherman.com/call. And together, we can create a plan that works for your body and your goals without the stress and overwhelm.

Thank you so much for tuning in today. I hope that you are walking away with a better understanding of plateaus. How to approach them with confidence instead of frustration. And keep in mind, that progress is not always about what you see on the scale. If I could shout that from the mountaintops, I would. Sometimes it’s about trusting your body and staying the course.

If today’s episode resonated with you, I would love to hear your thoughts. Have you experienced a plateau before? What helped you push through? Connect with me on social media and share your experience. I would love to be able to support you.

And if you’re feeling stuck and need guidance, don’t forget to book a strategy call with me. Again, go to elizabethsherman.com/call. That link will also be in the show notes. And together we can figure out your next steps and get you moving forward again.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss any episodes. And if you enjoyed today’s conversation, I would so appreciate it if you could rate and review the show. It helps other women in midlife find the support that they need as well.

That’s all I have for you today. Thank you for tuning in. And until next week, have an amazing day. Bye-bye.

Thank you for tuning in today. Now, if you enjoy the podcast and are ready to take the next step in addressing your health concerns, I would love to invite you to schedule an I Know What To Do, I’m Just Not Doing It strategy call.

In this 60 minute session, we will explore what’s holding you back and create a personalized action plan. You will gain clarity, support, and practical steps to move you forward. Visit elizabethsherman.com/call to book your call now. You can transform your health and I would love to be there to help.