Anyone who has started working out has experienced this: first, the weight just melts off, you start developing muscles you didn't know you owned and you feel like a million bucks. Then as if out of nowhere, everything just stops changing. This is because as your weight drops, so does your metabolism. Whether we like it or not, the heavier we are, the more calories we burn.  Granted, muscle mass does help to up your metabolism, as it burns more calories than fat, but with weight loss usually comes a little bit of muscle loss as well. It's an unfortunate truth, but there are ways to overcome it. Check Your Food Habits Have you gotten a little lazy when it comes to diet? Maybe because you feel awesome about your changing physique, you've allowed a few more cheats than you should. Start tracking your food intake with a mobile app or food diary. You may be surprised at what you see. Find out if tracking calories or macronutrients is right for you.

Kick Up Your Workouts a Notch

A large part of hitting a plateau and busting out of it is finding workouts that will challenge you even more. Try HIIT style training or add strength training, or increase your weights gradually if you’re already doing resistance training. In short – don’t let your body become complacent. Take things to the next level and surprise your muscles – they’ll have to adapt to your new routine.

Don’t Neglect Your Hydration

Lack of H2O is a major sabotage to your metabolism. Many of us are dehydrated due to our busy schedules. Find out what works for you and incorporate a hydration plan into your fitness routine.

Get Plenty of Protein and Fibre

These are two key components of diet and weight loss: Fibre keeps you feeling satisfied longer and helps you avoid that hungry feeling while protein enables you to build more lean muscle mass as you strength train, allowing you to burn more calories, even at rest. Your protein choices should be lean and lower in calories like chicken breast or salmon. H/T: Fit Fluencial