Words
Lizza Gebilagin
Photography
Yianni Aspradakis and Joshua Morris
MAKING
TIME FOR ME
WW member Melinda Woollen
decided it was time to put herself
first. She found that making simple
substitutes and finding time for
daily activity paid off, helping
her lose 33kg in a year and
10 months.The recommended daily
protein intake for women is
46g – for example, the amount
found in one cup of lentils plus
80g skinless chicken – however,
McGrice says, “I find most
women actually need more
than that, particularly when
they’re losing weight.”
Great sources of protein
include eggs, grilled chicken
and legumes.BUILD MUSCLE
Another way you might be losing
muscle as you lose weight is if you
don’t incorporate any resistance
training into your schedule.
“This means that while you
might see some great results
initially, eventually your
metabolism will drop, and so
will your ability to lose weight,”
says Weight Watchers resident
fitness expert and exercise
physiologist Neil Russell.
“When you’re in a plateau,
start thinking, ‘I need more
muscle,’” Popovic adds.“More muscle means a
faster metabolism, a lower
risk of gaining abdominal fat
and less chance of developing
diabetes. And having more
muscle increases survival
rates in cancer and reduces
its recurrence.”MOVE
DIFFERENTLY
There are two things you should
consider when you’ve hit a
plateau. The first is whether
you’re moving enough.
“Re-evaluate the activity
you do every six to eight
weeks. Also try to progress
the intensity of your activity
(the effort you need to put in)
or volume (the total amount
of work done) each week,”
suggests Russell.
The second thing to consider
is on the other end of the
spectrum – are you doing
too much activity? This can
cause a spike in cortisol,
which can then stop youfrom expending energy.
“You’ll know you’re doing
too much if you’re genuinely
tired but still dragging yourself
to the gym every day. I’d suggest
backing off a bit,” Popovic says.STRESS LESS
“When you’re depriving your
body of kilojoules, some people
will start to produce more
cortisol,” Popovic says.
Studies have shown that
increased cortisol levels
are associated with more
abdominal fat. Popovic
recommends meditation, yoga
and other relaxation techniques
to help lower those cortisol
levels to help you move on from
your plateau.MAKE SLEEP
A PRIORITY
If you’ve been going really well
with your food and activity, the
missing link could be sleep.
“If you’re frequently sleep
deprived, you’ll wake up withhigher than normal levels
of cortisol and the hunger
hormone ghrelin, and lower
levels of leptin, the hormone
which regulates hunger,”
Popovic explains. “That
combination of hormones drives
you to eat more and retain fat.”
Look after your sleep hygiene
by avoiding digital devices
close to bedtime, keeping your
bedroom at a cool 18°C, and
getting up at the same time
every morning.HIT REFRESH
This might come as a surprise,
but McGrice suggests you might
need to refresh your eating plan
when you hit a plateau.
“Have a rest, take a moment
to rethink your current
behaviours, and then commence
the eating plan again,” she says.
“You want to make sure you’re
not gaining weight during this
time, but just stabilising.”
A WW Coach can help you
work out what’s best for you. #weightwatchers.com/au 39HELP ME
weightwatchers.com/au 39