How to Push Through a Plateau

Have You Hit a Plateau or Stopped Getting Results?

Today, I’m going to talk to you about plateaus. Are they real?  What happens when you get stuck on one?  How can you get past them?

This is a question I get all the time. Has this happened to you?  You are doing all the right things, eating well, exercising being on top of your game.  Things are going great then all of a sudden your weight loss or strength just kind of stops?

You feel like you should move on to a new “diet” or exercise program because obviously what you are doing is just not working any more.

You start to think, is it my hormones, my age or maybe my metabolism?

Could Your Plateau Be One Of These 3 Things?

First things first lets get real and see if one of these 3 things could be the issue before we go any farther.

1. Are you giving your workouts your all or are you going through the motions?  We tend to get excited when we first start a workout program and then our enthusiasm dials down a few notches. So be honest here, are you doing the work?
2. How much food are you really eating? There is a difference between hot and healthy eating and eating just too darn much.  Maybe write down your meals for a few days. Journaling is always a great way to see what is going on.
3. Are you counting enough sheep at night?  What I really mean is are you getting enough good quality sleep?  Without the proper amount of sleep your body cannot rest and repair.  Without a good nights sleep your workouts will not be as productive.

Ok, now that we have checked all those issues lets move on.

The word PLATEAU needs to be examined a little bit more so that you truly understand what a plateau really is

The body gets very good at adjusting to doing the same thing. Especially, if you are doing the same workouts, lifting the same amount of weight and doing the same amount of cardio.

Want to make real changes and kick that plateau to the curb?

Change what you are doing.  Your body is super smart and had adapted the workouts you have been doing.  Now it is time to give it a big surprise party and change up your workout routine.

I am a big fan of balls, bands, cables, body weight exercises, gliding disks, Bosu, medicine balls, jump rope and any other “fitness toys” I can get my hands on.

This is the way to break through a plateau.  Trust me on this one!  You will be challenging your body and muscles in all sorts of new ways.

Change up your cardio routine too.  If you have been doing Zumba for the last six months then try a kick boxing class or maybe step aerobics (do they still do that?)  I think they should bring it back!

Plateaus are natural and we all hit them at one time or another.  It’s just a message that we need to do something different and step out of our comfort zone.

Seth Godin, author of THE DIP uses this graphic to explain dips in our lives, health and fitness.

When you start a new weight loss and exercise program you are all gung-ho and changes start to happen pretty quickly because you are giving it all your energy.  Then your results start to slow down.  This is when most people give up and throw in the towel.

Now that you have a new outlook on what a plateau really is you know how to get through it.  Change what you are doing!  Know that changes will be just around the corner if you keep going.

Be part of the 5% that actually keep going and not the 95% that stops and gives up.  You got this!