Having had amazing results in our weight loss programme, we all at some point come to a stale mate when no matter what we do we just cannot achieve our goal. We seem to stagnate, becoming stuck with just 10 more pounds to go and we just cannot get the scales to move further. This can be frustrating and disheartening, but we must not give up without a fight. There are many tactics we can employ to assist in achieving our ultimate goal.

Here are a few tips to help shed those last 10 pounds:

- Hydrate and detoxify.

Water intake is a key ingredient to aid our weight loss. It not only keeps us hydrated but also helps in the fat burning process and also prevents cravings. An average daily water intake for a healthy adult should be approximately 64 ounces. Perhaps we are not drinking sufficient water, and this may be one of the reasons our weight loss has come to a stand still. If we are drinking sufficient water, we can increase the quantity on top of regular intake, which can only improve our metabolism and help with detoxifying our body.

- Try to reduce sodium within our diet.

Sodium is known to increase water retention, therefore making us keep hold of those extra pounds. We should scrutinise the foods we are eating, as many, particularly processed foods, can include excessive quantities of salt, even though it can be well disguised and does not taste particularly salty.

- Try to reduce sugar and carbohydrates.

Some of us are more susceptible to the affects of sugar and simple carbohydrates than others. If we add sugar to our tea or coffee or drink sweet sodas of fruit juices, it may be advisable to either cut back on the quantities we are drinking, or substitute with water instead, until we notice a change in the scale readings again.

- Increase vegetable consumption.

High in fibre and low in calories, vegetables are an important part of our diet. Trying to increase our daily intake of vegetables is not only beneficial to boosting our flagging weight loss but also gives that extra lift to our health and well being. We should aim to increase our intake of fresh leafy green vegetables and beans, which are all high fibre and low calorie.

- Step up our exercise regime.

Perhaps we have reached a stale mate with our exercise routine, maybe we need a change of programme or an increase in intensity. We often get rather repetitious in our workouts and quite often boredom prevents us from giving 100%. Even a few changes, such as the length of our routines or the introduction of some new exercises can add not only interest but also target the stubborn weight we are struggling to lose.

By utilising some of these small changes and monitoring our progress, we can look forward to seeing the scales showing us what we want to see, a move in the right direction. Once we have recommenced our weight loss we can look ahead to achieving our ultimate goal.