Have you hit a plateau in your weight loss? I’m working with a client now who can’t seem to get her weight to budge. Over the past four months, she’s lost 28 pounds, about 1½ to 2 pounds a week, which is considered the right amount to lose. That’s respectable in anyone’s book.

Now, though, she’s hit a wall. She started at 233 pounds in January. Now she’s down to 205 and hoping to get to 180 for her 5 foot, 3 inch frame. She consistently tracks her food on the app and portions her meals into containers.

What do you do when you hit a plateau in your weight loss journey?

First of all, review your habits. Have you slipped back into an old habit, gone back to white bread instead of fiber or eating fewer fruits and vegetables? Are your portion sizes good? Have you skipped your exercise routine because of work or some other pressing activity? Many times, we need to go back to the basics.

I always recommend choosing a protein and a carbohydrate for snacks and meals — eating them together — to help slow digestion and to make you feel “fuller.” Protein foods suppress the hormone ghrelin, which is secreted by the stomach and stimulates appetite. Foods high in fat raise the amount of ghrelin, causing increased hunger.

When you eat carbohydrates alone, you often feel hungry within an hour, while protein foods give you that “full” feeling.

With any plateau, you have the option to step up your exercise or lower your daily calories by 100. You don’t have to spend another hour in the gym — just increase your general activity during the day. Maybe park your car farther away or take the stairs instead of the elevator. It all adds up.

Our phones can track our steps so we know exactly how much activity we’re getting. There is such a thing as going too low in calories — and putting ourselves into hibernation, where our body stores our calories instead of burning them. Be mindful of that.

Finally, make sure you’re getting enough rest. It’s amazing what better decisions we make when we have a good night’s rest. Too little sleep can fog our brain, causing us to make poor food choices.

The bottom line? Go back to what worked in the beginning. Paying a little closer attention to meal prep, portions and your exercise routine can push you past that plateau.

Q&A

Q: Should I weigh myself every day, or how often?

A: I weigh myself daily. That’s because it’s a useful strategy for weight loss and maintenance. (Aren’t we always trying to lose a few pounds?)

The idea of weighing often is backed by research that shows regular self-weighing is more often associated with maintaining our weight, losing a few pounds and keeping pounds from creeping up. It’s a lot easier to do something about losing 5 pounds than to wait until the scale shows a gain of 15.

For those just maintaining their current weight, a weekly weigh-in (at the same time and with the same amount of clothing) is effective.

Arugula Salad with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken, Asparagus and Strawberries

This summer salad bursts with summer’s best flavors — asparagus, strawberries and arugula — in a sweet and tangy dressing. It’s from magazine.

Ingredients

» ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

» 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

» 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

» ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

» ½ teaspoon salt, divided

» ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

» 12 ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths

» ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

» ½ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

» ½ teaspoon dried thyme

» 2 large eggs

» 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

» 3 cups arugula

» 3 cups leaf lettuce

» 1 cup curly endive

» 1½ cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

For dressing, whisk together ⅓ cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, raspberry jam, Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart water to boiling, Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Drain asparagus and plunge into ice water to cool.

In a shallow bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, thyme and remaining salt; set aside. In a small bowl, beat eggs with fork. Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Coat chicken pieces with breadcrumb mixture and then beaten egg and once again with breadcrumb mixture.

In a nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces. Cook on all sides until well browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes, covering if needed.

Remove to cutting board to cool slightly. Cut into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange arugula, lettuce and endive on a serving platter or individual salad plates. Top with asparagus, strawberries and chicken. Serve with dressing.

Details

Serves. 4

Per serving: 480 calories; 25 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrate; 30 grams fat; 140 milligrams cholesterol; 5 grams fiber; 14 grams sugar; 710 milligrams sodium

— Charlyn Fargo Ware is a registered dietitian at in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the . Contact her at , or follow her on Twitter: , or . The opinions expressed are her own.