Have you found yourself working out on a regular basis and eating right, but the needle on the scale refuses to budge? Are you no longer seeing the results you once saw when you first started your weight loss journey? More than likely, you have hit a plateau and plateaus are normal when trying to lose weight. There are several factors that contribute to a plateau, but the main reason a plateau happens is when your body has adapted to the physical stimulus you have been giving it. To continue to progress, you must keep your body guessing while making sure you are getting adequate calories to fuel your body. Here are some tips to help you push help through a plateau.
- Continue to change up your workouts every 6 to 8 weeks (about every 2 months) and add intensity. This will keep your body from adapting and keep weight loss moving.
- Focus on strength training verses cardio. Having more lean muscle mass causes your body to burn more calories throughout the day.
- Eat high quality protein with each of your meals. Eating protein will fuel your workouts and aid in weight loss.
- Watch your portion sizes. Be mindful and use the MyPlate method to make sure your portion sizes are in check.
- Track your caloric intake to make sure you are not over or under consuming your recommended daily calorie intake.
- Make you are well hydrated. Drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day will help fuel your workouts and keep you from being dehydrated.
- Make sure you are getting enough sleep, aim for 7-8 hours a night. Rest is just as important as exercise and nutrition.
Resources:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/plateau-no-more#1
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