There will come a time when you will plateau. It doesn't matter if your trying to lose weight, gain weight, add muscle, lose inches and so forth. The very last thing you want to do when you plateau or get in a rut is tuck your tail, let your disappointment get the best of you and give up! Here are some ideas to help you break through plateaus.
1) Never give up
Giving up is not the answer. Your working hard to achieve results and giving up should never be on you list of options.
2) Focus on and stay positive
Celebrate your achievements no matter how small. Maybe it is walking further today then you did yesterday, maybe you did more repetitions in the gym, maybe you hit one of your other goals whatever the case review your accomplishments often. Read your notes, take pride and reward yourself on what you have done.
3) Change up your routine
If you are constantly at the gym 4 days and doing cardio the other days every week, maybe it is time to revamp your strategies. If you don't want to change your routine you may be stuck at your plateau for a while. Incorporate some new exercises or totally mix up you routine to shock you body past the plateau. This method has proven results.
4) Take a breather
Maybe it is time you took a week off, let your body adjust and then get back at it. Sometimes rest and allowing your body to reenergize is all that is needed to bust through that sticking point. You may find when you get back to your routine you are doing more and have more energy then before you took your break!
5) Meditate
Take some time and ground yourself. Release the tensions and stresses of daily life. Meditation will sometimes help you refocus.
6) Seek help
The gym is full of people who are willing to lend advice, some of it is good! Just make sure you do your homework and the advice is healthy and solid, research it! Perhaps it is time to get a professional involved. Even professional athletes seek the advice of trainers why should you be an exception?
7) Is your fuel correct?
The human body is a fuel burning machine we better make sure we are feeding it proper fuel to burn! Your car will not run as water being a substitue for gasoline why would we think feeding your body the wrong fuels will enhance its performance? Take a look at what your feeding your machine! It may be time for an adjustment or several.
8) Are you doing enough?
People tend to get stuck in ruts. We are creatures of habit and that can sometimes keep you from busting through your plateaus. Maybe you need to step up your game. Take a look at your documentation of past workouts, if your doing the same things over and over and expecting different results it is definitely
time for a revamp.
9) Do you have a goal?
If you don't have a goal in mind with a timeframe to achieve it then why are you going through the routine? Re-assign yourself a goal. You may find with some clear definition of what you want to accomplish your focus will drive you there!
10) Document
I have spent countless hours in gyms across the nation. Out of the thousands of people I have seen working their tails off I have only caught a handfull actually taking notes or tracking their regimens. I think this one thing is the most overlooked item on the list. Being human we have the ability to forget things if we don't write them down.
If you really want to bust through a plateau document your life for a week. I'm not suggesting you write a novel but keep track of things, calories burned, calories eaten, exercises performed and with what weight, how many minutes of cardio and at what level of exertion, etc. After a week or two study your notes and ask yourself what can I do different to get me past this point? I bet the answers lie in your notes.
Thanks for visiting the blog! Until next time,
Kel
Check out my other blog Weight Loss HQ
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