Those last ten pounds can be stubborn and hard to lose. Here are three major things that might help with your weight loss break through. The most important thing to remember in this process is that the less you focus on losing weight and the more you focus on increasing energy and health the faster the weight will come off. Because you are focusing on what you want (increased energy and health!) instead of what you don’t want (the weight!).

Balance your body chemicals. This can be the key to weight loss success or failure. The chemicals in your body are responsible for whether you store fat or increase energy. For example storing weight in your middle area is related to the cortisol your body. Cortisol is the stress hormone that comes from not eating and putting your body in the stress mode with starvation. Even though you might think that skipping meals may be the key to weight loss you are actually putting your body into a state of stress which will cause you to overeat later. Eating at least 3-4 small meals a day will help keep your cortisol in check.

Reset your metabolism. The thyroid is responsible for your metabolism. If you think you have metabolism issues you might want to eliminate wheat or gluten from your diet. Gluten can suppress your thyroid. You can get tested for gluten allergies by a physician if you suspect a problem.

Give your body a regular tune-up. Just like a car your body needs a regular tune-up. In no way does this mean a complete overhaul. You just might want to do a cleanse. Usually the thought of a cleanse makes people cringe because they think it means no food. There are a lot of different cleanses available that you can implement at your own pace. Some people just cut out certain things from their diets for a short period of time (caffeine, red meat, sugar) whereas others engage in more extreme measures like the “Master Cleanse”. Whatever you decide if you choose to go the more extreme route you might want to consider talking to your doctor beforehand.