So, you’ve started whipping your body back into shape for
summer…
For the first few weeks everything was going great; you were looking fabulous, you could feel your muscles growing stronger and your flabby bits were finally starting to tighten. You were on top of the world… until suddenly the results just stopped!
Does this sound familiar? No matter how much we exercise, it is highly likely that at some stage we will all fall victim to an exercise plateau. As frustrating as it is, sometimes our bodies just come to a stop.
However, rest assured – there is hope! Plateaus are only temporary and can be overcome with a few simple measures. You’ll be back to losing weight and toning up in no time at all.
What is an exercise plateau?
When you first start exercising it’s a lot easier to lose weight because your body has to burn a lot of energy to keep up with the new physical demands. But after a while your body adapts to the new exercise regime and becomes better equipped to handle physical challenges and as result burns less energy and less fat. Hitting a plateau means that your body has come to a standstill. There is no way to predict when a plateau will occur. Plateaus are the most inevitable and frustrating aspect of weight loss. They are extremely common so don’t feel alone.
How can plateaus be overcome?
Plateaus are only temporary; however there is no set miracle cure. The main priority to focus on is challenging your body. It will probably take a bit of time and patience but it will be worth it once you break out of the plateau and start seeing results again.
Adapt your diet
The first thing you should do is make sure you are eating properly. Your diet should adapt to suit the needs of your body. When your fitness levels increase so too will your metabolism. It is important to make sure that you are
eating enough healthy foods to refuel and energise your body after a workout. You will probably find that you need to eat more food than usual to meet your body’s energy needs. Don’t let this worry you, it’s completely natural and healthy. Make sure you eat within half an hour to two hours after each workout to refuel your system.
Exercise more
If you have the time to spare, it wouldn’t hurt to go a little bit longer on your exercise sessions. Try adding just 10 or 15 minutes to help get an extra element of challenge into your routine.
Higher intensity
Up the intensity of your workouts to burn more calories. To keep your body from falling into a comfortable routine, alternate between long and short high intensity cardio sessions.
Vary your exercise routine
Your body should be consistently challenged in order to lose weight and increase fitness. It’s not good to stick to only one or two types of exercises, as your body adapts and sets itself to cruise control. If you always use the treadmill, mix it up and try using a combination of different machines spending 10 minutes on each. Every time you switch exercises, different muscles are used, which keeps the body from becoming lazy and will eventually help get you out of your fitness rut.
Strength training
If you haven’t already got any weight lifting in your exercise programme then you should definitely add some! Strength training helps to burn more calories and will also give you the opportunity to work each individual body part. It’s a great way to add variety into your routine; one day you can focus on your upper body, and then on your lower body the next.
Rest!
One of the easiest things you can do to get over the plateau is to make sure you get enough sleep. The right amount of sleep will allow your muscles to recover so they are in peak condition for your next exercise session.
What if I still don’t see any results?
You will eventually! However it might just take a bit longer than you would like. Your body may need to adjust to a new body weight or fitness level.
The best thing to do is to ride the plateau out and keep up with your routine along with all the extra tips. Try not to stress or worry about it, your body will break through the plateau when it’s ready!
Ramarea
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