When you started your weight loss or fitness journey, you knew it would be a process. After all, you didn’t gain the weight or get out of shape overnight. So you couldn’t have realistically expected improvements overnight either. Unfortunately, maybe you’ve hit a bump in the road and your motivation level is starting to wane.
How can you get past a weight loss plateau to see the results you really want?
First off, don’t give up because what your experiencing is completely normal and everyone goes through it! Consistency over a long period of time is the secret to success. In other words, it’s those who push through the plateaus, injuries, and excuses and consistently do the right things over a long period of time who will realize their true potential, both body and mind.
That’s not really a secret is it…? However, it truly defines who’s successful and who’s not. Many people who attempt a fitness or health goal give up too easily. It’s like some folks are just looking for a reason to quit and at the first sign of adversity they give up, letting just about anything stand in their way.
Being successful in fitness, and anything worth having in life, is based solely on your level of commitment. To achieve the body you have always wanted and the quality of life I’m sure you deserve, you must commit yourself and invest the time, regardless of difficulty!
There will always be road blocks standing in your way, they will come in many different forms, shapes, and sizes, but overcoming these barriers with full commitment to achieving your goals, no matter what, will be crucial to your success.
Plateaus are quite common. A person trying to lose 50 pounds, for example, might shed the first 30 with a fair amount of ease and then not see that last 20 budge an inch for some time. There are ways to get past this stumbling block successfully and mixing up your exercise routine may be the first place to start.
Here are 3 powerful proven techniques you can use to bust through any plateau!
The stalling or slowing of progress may in fact be because your current workout routine is no longer working for you. As your body starts to adapt and change you become more fit and efficient, the vigor or difficulty of a routine may now need to be increased. If you no longer feel challenged with your workouts, it’s a good sign that a time for change has come. That doesn’t necessarily mean big changes have to be made, many times just subtle changes will do the trick. Try to increase your difficulty level, add in different exercises and be sure to talk with your personal trainer for advice.
The best thing one can do to prevent this from happening is get into a functional fitness program with an experienced coach to guide you. Functional fitness program being defined as a program that changes daily to keep the body guessing and uses no machines. A program that uses kettlebells, balls, wheels, ropes, rocks, tires, sandbags and other unorthodox tools will not only keep the body from plateauing but also produces twice the results in half the time.
In fact, Kettlebells specifically have now been vindicated as the king of cardio-fat burning and in my opinion have bridged the gap between strength training and cardiovascular training making them the conditioning tool for the masses.
Scientific research has now shown us that kettlebells strip off unwanted body fat faster than any other form of exercise known today.
The research done by American Council on Exercise has shown us that after only a 20 minute kettlebell workout subjects burned an average of 272 calories. Measurements revealed off the chart readings at 6.6 calories per minute which is equivalent to running a 6 minute mile pace.
The second technique is making strength training a foundational component in your program. Strength training helps the body burn calories and sustain long term energy throughout the day. That’s just two of many benefits more muscle can provide! Bottom line, muscle increases results-so whether it’s weight loss, performance or overall health, results will come more quickly when strength training is added. In addition, if you’re over 40 years old you are losing muscle mass at a rapid pace so strength training for you is not an option if you want to maintain an active lifestyle.
There are many myths associated with strength training especially among women that are simply not true. I 
discuss some of these myths with some colleagues in the October 2011 issue of USA Today’s Your Life Magazine, scheduled to hit news stands August 30th. Pick up a copy!
The third technique is to adjust and become accountable with your nutrition. While you’ve no doubt been eating right to produce the results you’ve seen so far, you may need to make a few more changes to drop the remaining pounds or reach your ultimate goals.
It’s clear that what most people need to achieve success in nutrition is not a diet, but a proven realistic balanced nutrition that they can keep up for the rest of their lives and enjoy doing it. It is also clear that people need easy to use solutions, fast, and convenient tools like the ones we provide here at Punch Gym Dover to support their success. Lastly, you need an experienced coach or mentor to hold you accountable who will not only guide you in the right direction but also provide regular fitness or body composition testing.
Hands down nutrition is the single most important key to success and there is nothing more powerful than the food journal which can just about guarantee your success. Frankly, if you are not committed to a healthy nutrition program the chances of you accomplishing your goals are very unlikely. In fact, I have never seen anyone achieve success who was not committed and accountable to a nutrition program to help them get there.
There’s no reason to accept a plateau. Keep your eyes on your goal and apply these 3 proven tips “Little and Often Over The Long Haul”. By the way, goal setting is another critical component of a successful fitness program and when done correctly can also help you break a plateau. Read my most recent article on goal setting and how it can be a game changer here: http://www.doverpersonaltrainer.com/dover-personal-trainer-reveals-key-to-motivation/
To Your Health,
Chris Gray
Fitness Expert
Best Selling Fitness Author
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