One of the reasons I love working with people in Houston, TX, is that they’re tough and keep pushing until they accomplish their goals. It can be extremely difficult, especially if you’re plateauing. You may be dutifully hitting the gym or sticking closely to online workouts and not experiencing any weight loss. It may be because you’re plateauing. That occurs for many reasons. It doesn’t mean you can’t get past it. You can beat a plateau by making a few changes.
It’s easier to lose weight initially.
You change your eating and exercise patterns dramatically when you first start. You also weigh more. It takes more energy—calories—to do everything. If you were ten pounds heavier, it’s like carrying a ten-pound weight everywhere. You’re bound to burn more calories. You don’t require as many calories to maintain your new lower weight or burn as many calories. Your weight loss will slow or stop unless you readjust your diet or workout. How do you solve it? Make your workout more difficult as you get fitter.
You may not be plateauing, just experiencing normal weight loss.
If you chart the weight anyone loses, you won’t see a straight line. People will lose more weight in one week than they might in another. You may need to reset your expectations and look at fitness gains over several weeks. You may lose four pounds one week but only lose one or none the next. You still average two pounds a week. You still average two pounds a week. You may be gaining muscle mass that weighs more than fat tissue. If you’re losing inches but not weight, that’s the reason. You’re still making progress.
You may need to push yourself more when you workout.
You might experience plateauing if you’ve been doing the same workout since you started and didn’t increase the number of sets or reps. Your body becomes efficient at any movement it does repeatedly. As it becomes more efficient, it burns fewer calories. Whether you’re doing online workouts or in-person training, we always keep the sessions fresh and make frequent changes to prevent body efficiency. It also helps prevent boredom and keeps you motivated.
- Check your calorie intake. You don’t have to overeat to gain weight or hit a plateau. You might not be counting the calories you drink. If you love fancy cappuccinos or drink a few soft drinks daily, it could be the problem. Fruit juice is also high in natural sugar and calories.
- Don’t fret too much about one week of stalled weight loss. Just focus on eating healthy and exercising the next. If you don’t see any progress in two or three weeks, it’s time to change your routine.
- Track your food intake if you’re plateauing. It makes you more aware of everything you eat. You might discover you frequently grab a handful of the kids’ candies or treats. Those handfuls add up.
- Continuously pushing too hard and working out at maximum intensity can work against you. Your body needs rest. Alternate your workout between high-intensity workouts and active recovery, such as walking.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness