Why has my weight loss slowed or stopped?

Firstly its important to recognise that there is no “normal” pattern of weight loss. Everyone loses weight at different rates and in different amounts. Sometimes the pattern of weight loss is step-wise – ie loss then plateau, then loss again. For others they lose weight only every other week. The reason we experience plateaus during any weight loss program is that our bodies are very efficient at retaining stored energy. If you find yourself in a plateau phase, you can try simply making a change to your routine, e.g. change around the meals that you are replacing (i.e. replace breakfast and dinner and have a portion controlled meal at lunchtime), try a different type of exercise, or exercise at a different time of the day.

The point is you should not give up too soon. Patience and perseverance will show you that eventually you will achieve the weight loss you are looking for because the fundamentals of weight loss are being followed. If your energy intake is truly less than your energy output then you will lose weight.

The eating plan is structured to help you achieve weight loss over the first 2 phases, while the third phase is focused on the long term maintenance of your new healthier weight. Usually the amount of weight lost in the 1st phase is greater and achieved more quickly, than the losses in the second phase as the calorie deficit is greater in the first 6 weeks due to the 2 meal replacements. So it is normal to see a slowing of the rate of weight loss as the program progresses.

One other point to make is that if you are doing more physical activity than you were previously, you will probably be building lean muscle mass. Muscle takes up less space than fat. Bearing this in mind, you may notice your waist circumference reducing and your clothes fitting better but the scales haven’t moved much – this usually means you are building lean muscle (helps improve metabolism & improves blood glucose tolerance) at the same time you are losing fat.

If you still feel that you would like to lose more weight, or you want to snap out of a plateau, you can purchase additional KicStart sachets at anytime to go back to a phase 1 or phase 2 style of eating for short while (if you and your healthcare professional decide that it is appropriate for you to do so) in order to reach your healthy weight goal before moving into the weight maintenance phase (phase 3).