Four Tips to Break Through Plateaus

Let’s take a moment and talk about plateaus. If you’ve ever experienced one – and the odds are, you have – you know that it’s just about the most frustrating and dangerous thing that could happen to a fitness plan. Maybe you’ve lost a little (or a lot) of weight, but you still have more to go. Maybe you are starting to see clear definition, week by week, in your abs or arms, but then suddenly, everything seems stagnant. For weeks, the scale, tape measure, or BMI calculator doesn’t budge. It may be driving you crazy, but rest assured that this happens to everyone. Many a dieter has fallen prey to plateaus, feeling their attempts to get stronger or leaner are futile, but it is essential that you kick start your fitness routine. Here is some information from fitness experts to keep in mind the next time you find yourself on a plateau with no clear end in sight.

1. Maybe it’s not a plateau after all. It’s technically not a plateau unless you’ve been doing the same exercise and eating regimen for three weeks, and nothing – your weight, measurements, etc. – has changed. Weekly fluctuations could be responsible for the fake-out plateau. Another probable possibility is that you are losing fat, but gaining muscle, which weighs a little more. A good idea is not to rely on any one measure of your health – i.e., don’t depend on the scale alone for health checks. You may find that you haven’t lost any weight, but you are losing inches around your waist – which means you are NOT in a plateau, just gaining muscle and burning away fat.
2. You may be overdoing it. Overtraining and under-eating can lead the body into a state in which muscle building and weight loss are impossible. Make sure you are getting enough calories for your weight, and make sure you are giving your muscles time to recover. Take at least one day off per week. It might seem counterproductive to exercise less and eat more, but sometimes that’s all you need to find your way out of a plateau.
3. Your body adjusted. The body is pretty incredible; it can adapt to just about any training program. You may have to play a couple of fast tricks on your body to confuse it out of the plateau. For example, if you started jogging four days per week, for the first 4-6 weeks, you’ll probably lose a good amount of weight. After a couple of weeks, though, your body gets used to this routine, and you stop losing. Increase the frequency or intensity of your workouts – for example, add some sprints to your typical routine. If you’ve only been doing cardio, add strength training to your routine. You may see the scale creep up since muscle is heavier than fat, but soon it will creep down again, and you’ll start to notice your clothes fitting more loosely.
4. Try a different calorie balance. Some experts recommend calorie cycling, or alternating days consuming meals with high-calorie and high-carbohydrate content with days consuming meals with low-calorie and low-carbohydrate content. Others simply recommend cutting the amount of carbs and increasing the amount of protein. Most people find success with a balance of 50% carbs, 30% protein, and 20% fat, but everyone is different. Nutritionists suggest eating 5-6 smaller meals per day rather than 3 bigger meals to boost metabolism.

The next time you’re stuck in a frustrating plateau, remember these important facts and with a little patience, you’ll see progress!