I seem to have hit a plateau – any advice?

First and foremost don't give up! It's really frustrating to feel that you're sticking to your targets and the scales aren't moving, but the weight WILL come off if you keep going.

Here's a few things to check that may help:

1. Are you honestly entering everything you are eating and drinking? If yes, then check that you are being accurate with the portion sizes. It's very easy to eat more than you think of certain foods unless you weigh them. Examples are potatoes, pasta, rice, cereal, bread, cheese etc. The other source of 'hidden' calories is dressings and spreads, so make sure that you count these too (initially measure them out until you get a visual idea of how much a 'serving' is).
2. Don't be too impatient. Remember losing weight happens slowly over a period of time and so it's unrealistic to expect it to drop off overnight. If you are achieving a weight loss of half to one pound per week, that's good as you are far more likely to sustain it. Remember that for every pound lost you are one nearer to your goal.
3. Are you increasing your activity level? It is really important to try and 'up' your exercise level to achieve the calorie deficit required to lose weight. To lose 1lb a week you need to create a calorie deficit of between 500-600 calories a day. The best way to do this is through a combination of eating less and increasing your exercise level. The exercise part is not just important to burn extra calories while you are doing it, but it will also help to change your body's composition over time. As you start to lose the fat and build more muscle, it has a positive effect on your metabolism because muscle is an active tissue that will burn calories just by being there – as opposed to fat which doesn't.
4. Also remember that weight loss rarely follows an exact pattern. Rather than following a steady downwards curve, it is more often a series of stops and starts. So don't expect to lose exactly the same amount every week as it may be that one week you lose 3lbs and the next 1lb – it is down to your individual body. As long as you are consistently getting a green tick in your Week View, then your overall weight loss trend will be downwards, even if the odd week has a blip!
5. When it comes to your 'weigh-in', tempting as it is to jump on the scales every day(!), try to only weigh yourself once a week. And it is important that you follow the same 'weigh-in' routine to ensure that the weight you read is more easily compared to the previous week. So weigh yourself on the same scales, at the same time of day and after the same routine.
6. The hardest part of losing weight is getting started. It seems like a hard slog BUT when the weight does start to come off– and it WILL if you stick to your calorie targets and increase your activity level – it is motivation in itself to stick with the plan! You've made the commitment to try our service, so giving up would be a real shame as you've done the hard bit just by getting started.