Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you’re accelerating on your inputs for your workout but seeing little to no progress in return. Our bodies are designed for survival and we quickly adapt to changes. While this is optimal for survival, it tends to cause challenges for reaching our goals in our fitness routines.
If you’ve noticed a plateau in your workout routine, know that this is not uncommon. Whether your goals for weight loss or building muscle have reached a momentary flat-line, be assured that there are steps you can take to put your foot back on the gas pedal and continue working towards your desired results.
Rebooting your weight loss progress
When you start working out to lose weight, your body burns a significant number of calories. After around one to two months, this will naturally slow down. Your body adapts to the workouts and knows that for your survival, you obviously can’t continue burning calories at that accelerated of a rate. This is completely natural, and you shouldn’t be discouraged.
Let’s get to the bottom line: Losing weight is all about expending more calories than you consume. In order for your workouts to continue actively contributing to this deficit, you’ll need to change up your routine every so often. Shift what parts of your body you focus on and continue to increase your endurance and strength in your training. This also helps keep your workouts exciting and prevents the slowdown that comes along with workout boredom.
Next, consider if you need to alter your diet in any way. It’s typical to stay feeling hungrier when you amp up a workout routine, so you may be tempted to consume more food than you usually would. Your body also required more nutritional value when you increase your workouts, so you should be intentional with your food choices. If you aren’t getting the nutritional value you need, you may be sacrificing your metabolic functions.
Build a healthy diet that provides nutritional value by eating lots of low-calorie, high-nutrient foods. Nutrient-dense foods like kale, salmon, potatoes, blueberries, and egg yolks are great items to include in your diet. If you’re unsure how to create the best diet plan for your needs, consult with a dietitian, physical trainer, or other professional who can give you personalized advice.
Boosting your muscle building
For some people, muscle building can be more of a challenge than losing weight. Strength training can be a bit of a mystery for those who aren’t familiar with the required techniques to continue making progress.
It’s important to create a balance in your routine. Every day should not be leg day. Vary up your workouts by rotating which muscle groups you work. Develop a routine that cycles between working out your chest, arms, legs, back, and abs. There are plenty of sources online that give you schedules to follow. Find one that works best for you.
Next, evaluate if you’re maintaining quality sleep. The rest period between your workouts is vital for your progress. It’s especially important that you’re getting proper sleep at night because this is the period during which your muscles recover and build. If you have trouble sleeping at night, consider ways to improve your sleep routine by trying natural remedies like a warm bath or stretching. This can also help reduce any pain or tension in your muscles that makes it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
Keep it going
Plateauing in your weight loss or muscle building progress is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone experiences challenges in pushing past their limits and overcoming the body’s natural adaptability to our workouts. Instead of getting discouraged, take the necessary steps to break through your plateau. Remember to approach any of your goals from a holistic point of view. Before giving up on your goals, consider how they may be affected by your lifestyle habits such as your diet, level of activity, or genetic conditions which could impact you. Once you do this, you’ll be on your way to truly reaching all your goals.
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