Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on tv. Any health advice here is merely a suggestion. You should always consult your doctor before making any major changes to your diet or fitness routine.

Losing weight isn’t easy,  and it becomes even more difficult once you lose a certain amount and hit a weight loss plateau. But, don’t let that number on the scale coming to a halt discourage you. Weight loss plateaus are common. The important thing is that you know how to kick-start your weight loss once you reach that plateau. Here are 5 ways to kick-start your weight loss.

1. Change your breakfast habits.

You would be surprised how changing your breakfast habits can create great results. I’ve discussed the importance of what you eat/don’t eat for breakfast before when I participated in the Always Eat After 7 PM Challenge. Once I ditched my daily cereal for a protein shake or a low-calorie Greek yogurt, I saw a quick drop in my weight. Not only that, but I had sooo much more energy. Many people also swear by fasting during breakfast hours, but personally, I’ve yet to accomplish starting my day on a completely empty stomach. If you’re like me and can’t give up breakfast completely, simply making different breakfast choices can accelerate your weight loss.

2. Determine your TDEE

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure which is an estimate of how many calories you burn a day based on your weight, height, age, and activity level. Knowing your TDEE is helpful because when you want to lose a specific amount of weight, you need to eat less calories than your body typically burns off in a given day. 

While it sounds confusing, thankfully, there are websites that make finding out this information incredibly simple. This weight loss calculator makes it really easy to input your information and find out roughly how many calories you need to intake a day to reach your weight loss goals. I’d like to lose 20 pounds in three months. After putting in my information, this calculator determined that I’d have to decrease my calorie intake from 2509 to 1742.

3. Increase your fiber intake.

According to Shape.com, consuming more fiber is a good way to lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Foods rich in fiber(vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, etc) typically have fewer calories and keep you fuller longer which means you’re bound to consume fewer calories in general.

Fiber also helps keep you regular. I recently added fiber vitamins into my diet as a recommendation by my doctor, and it has greatly improved my stomach bloat and IBS. So, when you hit that weight loss plateau, make sure you’re consuming enough fiber.

4. Keep your hormones in check.

If you’re having trouble losing weight or keeping weight off, your hormones could be to blame. Hormonal imbalances can make losing weight incredibly difficult, especially for women. Gynecologist and bestselling author Dr. Sara Gottfried stresses the importance of balancing your hormones. In an interview with Goop.com, Dr. Gottfried stated that 99 percent of weight loss resistance is hormonal. However, your hormones can be balanced out through the use of testing, diet/lifestyle changes, and supplements. And, once you get your hormones in check, you will not only improve your mood, but you will be able to lose weight more easily.

5. Give your body time to adjust.

Upon hitting that plateau, don’t freak out or give up on your weight loss journey. Nutrionalist Tamara Willner reveals that weight loss plateaus are natural, and it’s your body’s way of adjusting to your new weight.

So, when that scale comes to a halt, don’t give up and go back to your old ways. Instead, keep these five things in mind, maintain your eating and exercise habits, and change things up a bit here and there. Weight loss is meant to be a journey, so keep going, and eventually, you will reach your destination.