According to the Mayo Clinic a plateau occurs because your metabolism slows as you lose lean tissue (muscle). When you lose weight, you lose both fat and lean tissue.  Your weight-loss efforts result in a new equilibrium with your now slower metabolism. This means that in order to lose more weight, you need to increase activity or decrease the calories you eat. Using the same approach that worked initially will maintain your weight loss, but it won’t lead to more weight loss.

There are several things you can do to overcome the plateau:

1. Take a Look Back – Look back at your Food and Exercise journal, make sure you have been progressing with your exercise like you should and that you haven’t started eating larger portions of food or snacking when you should not be.
2. Reduce Calories – Reduce your caloric intake by a couple hundred calories. Just make sure that does not put you below 1200 calories.
3. Intensify Your Workout - Increase the amount of time and intensity of your workout.
4. Add More Physical Activity – Be more aware of your physical activity throughout the day and try to find more ways to work more activity into your day.

Hopefully these simple tips will help you move beyond your weight-loss plateau and continue on the road to your desired weight.

Shrinking – Losing Weight is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Here’s where we are. I have lost about 4.4% and Jason has lost 3.03%. I’m definitely in the lead at the moment, but anything can happen in the last 3 weeks. We’re both really excited with our progress and hope to see those number keep improving.

You can follow us both on Twitter and we appreciate any encouragement you can give us. Our Twitter accounts are @jimlast and @i_am_hardy.

1. Contest starts today, May 25, and ends on July 31.
2. Highest percentage weight-lost between the dates is the winner.
3. Winner receives an awesome prize (to be determined).

We will post progress updates every couple of weeks. We need all of the encouragement and help that we can get, and we’ll be using Shrinking to track our progress every step of the way. So feel free to contact us and give us support, ask questions, or anything else you want to talk with us about.

Please visit our new page to learn more about our new Food and Exercise Calorie Counter.

Serious weight-loss requires keeping a keen eye on what you eat and how many calories you burn throughout the day. Our new Diary feature is the perfect solution for doing that. It allows you to keep track of everything you eat and all of your activity.

Here are some screenshots of the key features in the diary. You can click on the images to see larger versions.

The new Food and Exercise Diary will allow you to keep track of the food you consume and automatically calculates how many calories and how much fat you are consuming.

Clicking on an individual food item gives you the complete nutritional details.

The Exercise tab in the Diary allows you to enter your daily activities and will calculated an estimated number of calories burned, based on your weight.

The Calendar tab will show you the overall picture. It tells you the calories consumed and burned and gives you the all important Net calorie calculation, which is critical in a serious weight-loss plan.

The Food and Exercise Diary is a Premium plan feature and will be available to all Premium account holders immediately. If you are not a Premium account holder then you can easily upgrade by clicking on the Food Diary tab and following the instructions for upgrading. The Shrinking Premium plan is $3/month and gives you access to the Food & Exercise Diary, Notes, and the BMI Analyzer.

The Food and Exercise Diary is powered by the application that the cool kids over at FatSecret have created. They have one of the best API’s that we’ve ever worked with. Well done FatSecret team.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Since many factors can affect your metabolism (e.g. age, overall health), it can actually slow down without you making any lifestyle changes. The good news is that aerobic exercise is an ideal way to increase your metabolism and combat weight gain.

Aging in particular has a noticeable impact on your metabolism, due to changes in hormone balance. That doesn’t mean aging makes weight gain inevitable. A 2001 study by the USDA Agricultural Research Service showed that older people can significantly improve their metabolism and fend of weight gain by participating in strength training (using weights or other resistance) exercise. The reason both exercise and strength training can improve your metabolism? Muscle burns calories more efficiently than fat; the more muscle you have in relation to your body fat, the higher your metabolism will be.

Metabolism is an important part of the weight-loss formula. It’s important to burn as many calories as possible when trying to lose weight, and metabolism plays right into that.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Small changes can lead to a big difference when it comes to lowering your cholesterol. According to the mayo clinic here are 5 lifestyle changes that may help to reduce your cholesterol.

1. Lose Excess Weight. This goes without saying. Even losing as little as 5 or 10 pounds will reduce your LDL levels

2. Eat Heart Healthy Foods. Making smart choices for your regular diet, such as whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies, can help lower your cholesterol.

3. Get Some Daily Exercise. Small things such as short walks and taking the stairs can help you lose weight, which can only help the cholesterol battle.

4. Quit Smoking. Smokers tend to have higher cholesterol and overall risk of heart disease.

5. Drink Alcohol Only In Moderation. If you drink, you should only drink in moderation to control your cholesterol. If you don’t drink there isn’t enough benefit in terms of cholesterol improvement to warrant starting.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Here are just some of the soy products out there and some tips on ways to sneak them into your diet.

Edamame, more commonly known as a soybean, has become a popular snack which can be bought in the freezer section of the super market. Just heat them up and add a little salt and pepper if desired, pop them out of their shell and enjoy!

Tofu is the well-known vegetarian favorite made from soybeans. It is high in protein and calcium and well known for its ability to absorb new flavors through spices and marinades. Tofu food can be added to almost any dish as a meat substitute or right along with it.  If you have a family member unsure about tofu you might want to try mix it into a casserole or stir fry. Add the soft or silken variety to sauces, soups, smoothies, dips or spreads.

Soymilk is becoming increasingly popular and can be purchased plain or in flavors such as chocolate and vanilla. You can drink soy milk just as you would regular milk or you can use it in smoothies, cereal, coffee, oatmeal, or just about anywhere you would use milk.

Soy is quickly becoming a popular alternative food and it has definite health benefits.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Shop organic-only:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Grapes (imported)
• Pears
• Spinach
• Potatoes

Safe to buy conventional:

• Eggplant
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Bananas
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas (frozen)
• Mango
• Pineapples
• Sweet corn (frozen)
• Avocado
• Onions

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

We invite you to try out our new Facebook integration and share your Shrinking success with all of your friends.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Exercise is important because it increases the number of calories that you burn daily, while eating less and maintaining a healthy diet helps to limit your calorie intake. Understanding these basic facts let’s us start looking at weight-loss from a more methodical and mathematical standpoint. A pound is 3500 calories. So for each pound you want to lose you will need to burn 3500 calories more than you intake.

Here are a couple of examples to show you how to think about your weight-loss program mathematically.

Example #1
First, let’s say that Joe weighs about 350 pounds and wants to get down to 250. He has a Basal Metabolic Rate of 2920 calories per day. If he maintains a diet of 1800 calories per day then he will have a net loss of 1120 calories per day. And since there are 3500 calories in a pound, he can expect to lose about .32 pounds per day. So it would take him about 313 days to reach his weight-loss goals if he just maintains his diet of 1800 calories per day.

Example #2
If Joe is more aggressive and adds a daily workout to his weight-loss plan then he can accelerate the weight-loss. If he does a moderately intense workout and burns 750 calories each day, in addition to the 1800 calories diet, he can have a net loss of 1870 calories per day. With a calorie deficit of 2670 calories (.53 pounds) he can expect to reach his weight-loss goal in about 189 days.

Here is a simple formula to help you calculate your weight-loss and show you what you can realistically expect.

Ever wonder how contestants on The Biggest Loser lose so much weight? It’s simply because of the same formula. Contestants on the show spend about 6 hours per day in the gym, so they can burn 6000-7000 calories per day. Let’s look at an example.

Example #3
Jane is a contestant on the show and weighs 310 pounds. She has a BMR of 2140 and maintains a diet of 1800 calories. If she burns 6000 calories per day, then she can achieve a deficit of 6340 calories, which is about 1.81 pounds. So in a week she would be able to lose around 12.5 pounds.

It’s also important to note that your BMR will change as you lose weight. As you get smaller you will need less calories to maintain your weight, so the BMR will drop correspondingly.

All methods of weight-loss target one portion of the weight-loss equation. Diets and bariatric surgery focus on the calories consumed part, exercise increase the number of calories burned, and so on. Understanding what it actually takes to lose weight is an important part of the process and can show you the commitment that you need to make to be able to achieve your goals.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

WebMd had some great tips on how to keep your portion sizes in check. When you are at home:

• Use smaller dishes at meals.
• Serve food in the appropriate portion amounts and don’t go back for seconds.
• Put away any leftovers in separate, portion-controlled amounts. Consider freezing the portions you likely won’t eat for a while.
• Never eat out of the bag or carton.
• Don’t keep platters of food on the table; you are more likely to “pick” at it or have a second serving without even realizing it.

At restaurants

• Ask for half or smaller portions.
• Eyeball your appropriate portion, set the rest aside, and ask for a doggy bag right away. Servings at many restaurants are often big enough to provide meals for two days.
• If you have dessert, share.

Take a look at this list from the USDA and you will probably be as shocked as I was at how little an actual serving size is.

• one slice of whole-grain bread
• 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta
• 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes
• three to four small crackers
• one small pancake or waffle
• two medium-sized cookies
• 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
• 1 cup (four leaves) lettuce
• one small baked potato
• 3/4 cup vegetable juice
• one medium apple
• 1/2 grapefruit or mango
• 1/2 cup berries
• 1 cup yogurt or milk
• 1 1/2 ounces of cheddar cheese
• one chicken breast
• one medium pork chop
• 1/4 pound hamburger patty

A good guideline to help you understand portion sizes is to translate the abstract information represented by the serving size into something visual that’s easily remembered. So instead of trying to memorize lists of ounces, cups, and tablespoons, simply compare the serving sizes of particular foods to familiar physical objects. For example, a single serving of:

• Vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist.
• Pasta is about the size of one scoop of ice cream.
• Meat, fish, or poultry is the size of a deck of cards or the size of your palm (minus the fingers).
• Snacks such as pretzels and chips is about the size of a cupped handful.
• Apple is the size of a baseball.
• Potato is the size of a computer mouse.
• Bagel is the size of a hockey puck.
• Pancake is the size of a compact disc.
• Steamed rice is the size of a cupcake wrapper.
• Cheese is the size of a pair of dice or the size of your whole thumb (from the tip to the base).

Seeing portion sizes listed in black and white will hopefully make us realize just how much we overeat and help us get them back under control.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

You shouldn’t trick yourself into thinking that by skipping breakfast you will be helping yourself lose weight. Studies have shown that eating breakfast is important in maintaining a healthy weight. When you eat breakfast you are jump-starting your metabolism -  getting your body ready to burn fat and calories for the day.

Here are just some of the benefits of eating a health breakfast:

• More energy for the day
• More complete diet: you will be consuming more vitamins and minerals that your body needs
• Lower cholesterol levels
• Better productivity, especially in the morning
• Control your weight: You will be less likely to snack mid morning or eat a heavier lunch if you had eaten a healthy breakfast

Eating a healthy breakfast has benefits for yourself as well as your children. According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom and on the playground, with better concentration, problem-solving skills, and hand-eye coordination.

Stay tuned for some healthy breakfast ideas!

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

1) Oatmeal and Oat bran (Soluble Fiber). Soluble Fiber lowers the bad LDL cholesterol without lowering the good HDL cholesterol in your body.  Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes.

2) Nuts: Walnuts, Almonds, and More (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids). the FDA recognized the benefits of nuts and their role in heart disease prevention by approving a health claim for seven kinds of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts). Limit your intake to  1.5 ounces a day, as nuts are high in calories. To avoid gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts.

3) Fish (Omega-3 Fatty Acids). Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week – of which the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. Non-fish eaters can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.

4) Olive Oil (Antioxidants). Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your LDL cholesterol but leave your HDL cholesterol untouched. The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day to get its heart-healthy benefits. Some research suggests that extra-virgin olive oil has even greater cholesterol-lowering effects.

5) Foods Fortified with Plant Sterols or Stanols. Plant sterols and stanols are substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. Many foods now are being fortified with plant sterols and stanols. Fortified margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The Mayo Clinic says

The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237 milliliters) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.

Keep these cholesterol-busting foods in mind the next time your at the grocery store.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Discovery Health has our favorite BMR Calculator, so you should check it out and see your rate. You can get a more personalized and accurate BMR figure by seeing a qualified trainer or a registered dietitian; they can actually take a measurement on a device similar to a calculator that will estimate the number of calories your body burns per minute.

Understanding your BMR (at least approximately) is an important part of knowing how best to lose weight. Knowing whether your body burns 2200 calories or 2500 calories per day makes a significant difference when planning your ideal calorie intake for weight-loss.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

BMI is a feature for Shrinking premium account members only. You can upgrade to the Premium account at any time by going to your account settings and clicking on Plan.

An exercise journal can help you to increase your overall fitness. Say you start out being able to walk a mile but your goal is to be able to walk 5 miles. A journal is a great aid to help you plan your workouts so that you are slowing increasing the duration or intensity, and this helps your stay on track with your fitness improvement plans. Next, be sure you keep a record of what kind of exercise you do each day, how long you do it and the intensity. It’s important to have a balanced plan where you spend some time on strength training, some on cardiovascular fitness and on flexibility.  Keeping a daily record of this will help you keep track of where you are at and what you need to work on. It’s a great way to help you improve your workouts and reap the benefits of increasingly difficult exercise. You should review your notebook each month and see just how far you’ve come.

It is also a good idea to keep a food diary.  Keep track of what and how much you eat at each meal, as well as any snacks.  It can be very motivational to look back over the last few months and see how your eating habits have changed… hopefully for the better! Also knowing that you are keeping track of everything you eat and drink makes you think twice about your eating choices. It makes you accountable and helps to boost your self control.

In your fitness journal be sure you to keep track of any erratic sleep patterns or when you are feeling frustrated, or if you are sore after a particular workout. Basically, the more you record the better. By reviewing you journal you will see patterns of how your lifestyle is affected by each workout and be able to make necessary changes.

One of the best ways to keep a fitness journal is online.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Some seem to think that coffee, teas, and soda do not count towards your daily water intake because they contain caffeine and therefore act as diuretics which increase the dehydration process. Some even say that for every cup of caffeinated beverages you consume you should add a extra glass of water to your diet. But what if you are drinking decaffeinated coffees and teas? Because decaffeinated beverages do still contain trace amounts of caffeine they could still act as diuretic, but certainly would not be as bad as drinking their fully caffeinated counterparts. However, there are opposing views as well. An article from the Mayo Clinic states that recent research shows that caffeine only has a diuretic effect if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (or 4 to 7 cups of coffee) a day.

There are many people that rarely drink a pure glass of water and they are still alive. Is this the healthiest way to live? No. If you’re trying to maintain your weight or lose some you should not be filling yourself by consuming the empty calories that many beverages offer. So, it would seem that coffee, tea, and soda probably do count somewhat toward your water intake, but they simply cannot replace the beneficial properties of pure water.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

Creating your Shrinking Premium account is easy. If you already have a free account with us then login and click on Account, then click on Plans. If you are a new customer then just choose Paypal as your payment option during signup.

Benefits of the Shrinking Premium Account. With our Premium account you get everything that the free account holders get, plus access to our fantastic Notebook tool, which let’s you log anything that is important to you: foods you’ve consumed, exercise, etc. In addition, we are working on even more great features for the Premium account, so stay tuned.

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier

1. I Don’t Have Enough Time to Exercise: Have you ever caught yourself using not having enough time as an excuse not exercise? We’ve all been guilty of it. If it is something that is truly important to us (and let’s face it, our health should be high up there on the priority list) then we can find time to squeeze it in. You may need to rearrange your schedule a little bit. Try getting up 30 minutes earlier in the morning. Just think how good you will feel all day knowing that you have already completed your workout!  If you know that you are not going to have a chance to do a full workout that day try going for a few 10 minute walks throughout the day. You will be amazed at how refreshed  you feel after this. Give it a try when you start to feel that afternoon slump.
2. I’m Not Athletic: Being athletic is not a prerequisite to physical activity. Try something simple to get started; go for a brisk daily walk or better yet start a walking group with your peers that are in the same boat as you. Before you know it will have gained the confidence to branch out and try other things.
3. Exercise Is Not Fun: Then you must be doing the wrong kind of exercise. You should not dread your workout each day, it should be something that you look forward to doing. Try different things until you find something that excites you. Get some friends, family, or neighbors involved; you don’t have to do it alone.
4. I’m Too Tired After Working All Day: For some of us if we waited until the evening to workout it would just never happen. For me working out in the morning or at least during the first part of the day is the best way to ensure that I workout each day. So if you find that putting off your workout until the evening really means that it’s not going to happen then you might want to consider getting up a little earlier and doing it in the morning. Also, make the most of your lunch hour. Get out and go for a walk. Or if your workplace has a gym then by all means use it!  Midday exercise will also give you a burst of energy that can help you get through the rest of the afternoon a little easier.  Make sure you are getting enough rest at night. It will be harder to get up and exercise if you have stayed up too late the night before, and NO you cannot use that as an excuse!

The Shrinking Team
Weight-Loss is Hard, We’re Here to Make it Easier