If you are on a longer than normal weight loss journey, chances are you’ll hit a weight loss plateau. People define their weight loss plateaus differently. Some refer to a weight loss plateau as a complete standstill of weight loss. However, I’ve been doing Weight Watchers Freestyle since 1/1/18 and I’ve gotten a bit frustrated with losing 1/4 pound increments weekly. At times, I thought that the weight loss plateau would go way on it’s own, but I’m impatient. So I chose to do something about it and today I’m going to share with you my tips on how I broke my weight loss plateau and share the exact plateau breaking Weight Watchers Meal Plan that I used below.
As a side note, I am not an exerciser, I should be, but I’m just not. Personally, I plan on using exercise when I get into the end stages of my weight loss journey. Presently, I may get about 6,000 steps in a day, more on the weekends, way less on other days. I do a lot of standing – testing the Weight Watchers recipes that I post, but other than that, I’ve done nothing more in the way of intentional exercise to break this weight loss plateau.
This is what worked for me, I have a good bit of weight to lose but if you are following the Weight Watchers Freestyle meal plan, I see no reason why it wouldn’t work for you. The plateau breaking Weight Watchers Meal Plan below is a menu of 23 or under points. Feel free to substitute something out for another food/meal. But remember this – doing this has worked for my body. I am only sharing the tips and menu I used to break MY weight loss plateau because I know how frustrating it is to get on the scale every week hoping for a substantial loss that’s equal to all the dedication you put in that week. You may lose more than I did this particular week or less – it all depends on your body.
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tips to break a weight loss plateau on weight watchers
- Meal Prep. I’ve said it a thousand times over and I’ll say it again. MEAL PREP!!!! Have your snacks cut up, your salad vegetables washed, snacks in baggies ready to go, if you are going out to eat, look at the menu online (if available) and see what you can eat for the points you have available. I don’t mean you have to prepare 7 days of meals in advance, just know ahead of time, what you are going to eat daily.
- Keep track of everything you are eating. It will give you something to look back on later to see what worked and how you can further improve your food choices.
- I drank at least 1 gallon of water per day with a whole lemon squeezed in it along with a few tablespoons of Swerve Sugar Substitute. Free free to add more or less lemons or Swerve to adjust the taste to your liking.
- Cut back on complex carbs and I even reduced my intake of zero point starchy type vegetables like corn on the cob, peas, carrots to 1 time per day – if at all.
- Also, I reduced my intake of zero point higher carb fruits such as bananas to 1x per day.
- Eat a lot of fiber. I tried to eat a huge salad everyday and I made sure to use a fiber supplement daily.
- I tried to complete my eating for the day by 8:00 PM. And get as much sleep as you can. Let those digestive enzymes work to break down all that healthy food while you sleep.
Let’s get to the Plateau Breaking Weight Watchers Meal Plan.
Plateau Breaking Weight Watchers Meal Plan
Monday
Breakfast: Mexican Egg Skillet (0 Points), 2 Slices of Nature’s Own Butterbread with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (3 Points)
Snack: Bowl of Sliced Peaches, Strawberries and Blueberries (0 Points)
Lunch:Â Bag of Romaine Lettuce Mix with Tomatoes, Onions, Jalapenos, Black Beans, Radishes, Cucumber, 1 Can of Solid White Tuna Fish packed in water with 4 Tablespoons of Olive Garden Light Dressing (2 Points)
Snack: Celery and Carrots Sticks with Creamy Dreamy Hummus (0 Points)
Dinner:Â Turkey Mushroom Tetrazzini (6 Points), Broiled Cauliflower Steaks (0 Points)
Snack:Â 16 Pringles Reduced Fat Chips (5 Points)
Tuesday
Breakfast: 2.5 Cups of Puffed Kamut Cereal with 1 Cup of Skim Milk (6 Points) + 2 Teaspoons of Swerve Sugar Substitute, Strawberries (0 Points)
Snack:Â Â Container of Dannon Light & Fit Carb & Sugar Control Strawberries & Cream (2 Points)
Lunch:Â Bag of Romaine Lettuce Mix with Tomatoes, Onions, Jalapenos, Radishes, Cucumber with Roasted Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breast Strips with 4 Tablespoons of Olive Garden Light Dressing (2 Points)
Snack:Â Banana (0 Points)
Dinner: Creamy Sweet Onion & Mushroom Pie (7 Points), Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and 1 Teaspoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 Point)
Snack:Â Chocolate Chip Surprise Brownies (3 Points)
Wednesday
Breakfast: 2 Slices of Nature’s Own Butter Bread with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (3 Points), 1 Cup of Honeydew Almond Smoothie (1 Point)
Snack:Â Â Bowl of Sliced Peaches, Strawberries and Blueberries (0 Points)
Lunch:Oriental Chicken Rice Bowl (2 Points)
Snack:Â 3 Savory Stuffed Mushrooms (0 Points)
Dinner: Shrimp and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce (0 Points)
Snack: Chocolate Chip Surprise Brownies (3 Points)
RELATED:Â How I Lost Almost Ten Pounds in 2 Weeks on Weight Watchers Freestyle
Thursday
Breakfast: Cheesy Crabby Vegetable Omelet (0 Points), 1 Banana (0 Points), 1 Mini Bagel with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (3 Points)
Snack:Â Â Pineapples with Honey Vanilla Yogurt (1 Point)
Lunch: Red White & Black Chili (0 Points), Leftover Savory Stuffed Mushrooms (0 Points)
Snack: Celery and Carrots Sticks with Creamy Dreamy Hummus (0 Points)
Dinner: Skinny Enchiladas (6 Points), Roasted Green Beans with 1 Tablespoon of Land O’Lakes Whipped Butter (2 Points)
Snack:Â Sparkling Melon Lemonade (0 Points), 16 Pringles Reduced Fat Chips (5 Points)
Friday
Breakfast: Eggs in Purgatory (0 Points), Mini Bagel with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (3 Points)
Snack:Â Â Container of Dannon Light & Fit Carb & Sugar Control Strawberries & Cream (2 Points)
Lunch:Â Slow Cooker Chicken Posole (2 Points), Low Point Tortilla Chips (2 Points), 1.5 Ounces of Cubed Avocado (2 Points)
Snack: Premier Protein Vanilla Shake (2 Points) (14 oz Bottle)
Dinner: Boneless Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze (7 Points), Balsamic Roasted Carrots (0 Points)
Snack:Â Watermelon Granita (0 Points)
Saturday
Breakfast:Â 1 Cup of Cinnamon Toast Churros Cereal with 1/2 Cup of Skim Milk (8 Points)
Snack:Â Candied Grapes (0 Points)
Lunch: Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Posole (2 Points)
Snack:Â Sugar Free Jell-o Cup with 2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Reddi-Whip (0 Points)
Dinner: Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi (3 Points), Asparagus Spears (0 Points), Zucchini & Sweet Corn Souffle (3 Points)
Snack:Â Â (2) Lowfat Graham Crackers with Sugar Free Fruit Spread (2 Points)
RELATED: Weight Watchers freestyle recipe for creamy shrimp & corn casserole
Sunday
Breakfast:Â 2 Hard Boiled Eggs (0 Points), Strawberry Lassi (2 Points)
Snack:Â Watermelon, Cantaloupe & King of the West Honeydew Chunks (0 Points)
Lunch:Â Greek Chickpea Salad (2 Points), Roasted Chicken Breast Strips (0 Points)
Snack:Â Sugar Free Jell-o Cup with 2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Reddi- Whip (0 Points)
Dinner: Chicken Chow Mein (6 Points), Chinese Egg Drop Soup (1 Point)
Snack:Â Â 0 Point Mexican Layer Dip (0 Points) with Low Point Tortilla Chips (2 Points)
So, after one week of using this Plateau Breaking Weight Watchers Meal Plan, I lost 4¾ pounds! Needless to say, I was ecstatic. This meal plan was so varied, lip smackingly delicious and of course, I was never hungry. Actually, I’ve never been hungry between meals since joining Weight Watchers and doing the Freestyle plan.
The meal plan I used and a combination of the “tricks” referenced above helped break this weight loss plateau. Especially drinking all the water, since it’s something I struggled with before. Just make sure you are finished drinking the gallon of lemon water at least 3 hours before you go to bed. Or, you’ll be up all night running to the bathroom. Also, limiting the higher carbohydrate fruits and vegetables was also helpful for me.
Since using this plateau breaking meal plan, I’ve become dedicated to upping my water intake, limiting higher sugar and starchy fruit and vegetables to once daily and making sure I take a fiber supplement daily. My weight loss has increased since doing this plan and if I need to I’ll alter my meal plan again to restart weight loss.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve hit a weight loss plateau and what you did to help restart losing weight again.
RELATED:Â weight watchers freestyle recipe for instant pot jambalaya
*THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS IF YOU PURCHASE SOMETHING USING THE LINKS BELOW, I WILL RECEIVE A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE FOR RECOMMENDING THE PRODUCT TO YOU. THIS IS ALL AT NO COST TO YOU. THANK YOU IF YOU DO PURCHASE SOMETHING THAT WAS USED IN MAKING THESE RECIPES.
Puffed Kamut Cereal – This tastes just like Kellogg’s Sugar Smacks without the sugar coating. Very delicious!
Nature’s Hollow Sugar Free Honey Substitute
Sue says
Am I missing something—I’m looking for the recipes
[email protected] says
Sue, just click on the underlined recipe and you will be redirected to an alternate post that contained the recipe. Hope this helps!