Last week's blog featured my local client's status of her 12 week Lifestyle Challenge.  One of the issues she was plagued during the first six weeks was normal to all of us - she hit a plateau and fought with her attitude to stay focused.  She did it and prevailed.  

I decided that this would be a good time to reprint an earlier blog from this year.  
If you missed it the first time, here's what you need to know.  Even if you've read it before, read it again for a refresher course!

pla·teau:
a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress.


I tread this word lightly because, even though your body has hit a plateau, that does NOT mean it's not changing and moving in the right direction. Yes, the scale is a good measurement but not always the ACCURATE measurement of what's really going on. I rely mostly on the way my clothes fit and my waist measurement. If your waist is getting smaller yet the scale is stalled, congrats- you are WINNING!  Why? You are not losing precious muscle but you are losing body fat!

But, it's still a good idea to always evaluate and re-evaluate where you can make changes or possibly tighten up your current plan to keep results moving along.

Why does our body plateau? Simple- it's the body's natural reaction to diet and exercise. When we begin a fitness regimen, your body responds to it immediately and all those fun changes are taking place.  But, after some time has passed, the body will resist the change and do everything possible to maintain homeostasis - a constant state of internal function. Time to take a hard look at your current routine and make those changes necessary to keep progress moving along! 


1. Continue to keep your nutrition plan at the top of the list: 

This is the first part of the your program to re-examine. A few things can go a long way to keep success moving along....

-Keep a food journal. Are you sure you haven't loosened up a bit in your eating pattern? I always recommend my clients keep a food journal or use an online app to keep track of their food for one week. Once we start to see results, it's easy to rely less on food scales and labels and "think" we know what we are putting in our mouths. This is where "calorie creep" comes into play and can really slow down your progress. Honestly, most of the time the plateau can be fixed with a closer look at the daily consumption of food.

-The body is now working at a lower body weight but you are still giving it the same calories every day? Maybe it's time to shake things up with your meal plan. Consider zig zagging your calories/carbs for a couple of weeks. I've used this method for myself as well as many clients. The goal is to eat less calories one day & more on another day, in the form of carbs. Here is the plan:

Keep your calories the same for the week. But, instead of eating the same calories every day, eliminate 100 calories one day and add an extra 100 for another day. Try this for 2 weeks. The increase/decrease of calories should come from carb sources. On the days you go with lower carbs, limit your starchy carbs and fruit. Keep your vegetable intake high.

-Get your water in everyday. A hydrated body keeps the metabolism functioning properly.



2. Change the Intensity/Duration of your Cardio : 

Another possible culprit is your cardio routine. The fact is that our bodies adapt to the cardio first. So, maybe you need to change it up? If you're knocking out 30 minutes of cardio, add another 15 minutes. Or, consider adding 20-30 minutes of walking before you start your day in addition to your current cardio routine. If you're not currently using HIT (intervals) in your routine, start now. Here is a sample workout I provided to 'Maximum Fitness' magazine a few years back (Click on the pic to enlarge):



3. Don't wimp out on your strength training ! 

I cannot stress enough how important it is to maintain your routine with weights in the gym.  So many times in the quest to break a plateau or save time, I will see people ignore their strength training in order to make more time for cardio. NO- WRONG CHESS MOVE!

Building lean muscle is the backbone of a supercharged metabolism so now is not the time to slack off but changing things around can help with muscle confusion and work your muscle groups in new ways. 

-change the ORDER of the exercises
- change the TYPES of exercises used in the workout
- change the MUSCLE GROUPS that are exercised in the same workout
-change the NUMBER of sets
-change the AMOUNT of weight used Bottom line- the more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism will work. Lift to lose fat!


4. Get your ZZZZ's :  

One sure way to screw up your progress is to regress on your sleep.  If you've been working at a level above your normal routine, then your body needs the sleep to recover.   What happens to our body when we don't get enough sleep?

- Increased levels of cortisol ( the stress induced hormone that LOVES to hold on to fat! ) 
- You may still be losing weight but burn the midnight oil and you will burn muscle - which will stall your metabolism in it's track.
-Decreased sleep leads to increased hunger so be aware of triggers that lead to the wrong choices.

5. Last but not least, keep your head in the game:

As the famous quote goes: 90% mental and 10% physical.

This is the part of the game that separates the boys from the men and the girls from the women.  It's time to realize that changes are not going to take place every day.  You must be patient with the process, remember how far you've come and don't let the thought of quitting even enter your mind.

Remember that this is a lifestyle change and stay focused on the big picture.

I want to thank all of you that subscribe to this blog or follow along via other social media sites. I received incredible feedback and I'm so grateful to those who reached out with questions and comments.  

I've been fat, thin, fat, thin, chubby, pregnant twice, fat again and thin again...you get the idea.

As someone who struggled most of the early years with eating right and exercise, I have learned a thing or two about how to be successful and stay successful with my health and fitness.

I've been blessed to turn my passion into a career and help others with their fitness and nutrition goals. 

Today I want to share the top 10 things I've learned through my fitness journey and hopefully inspire someone out there to keep going!!

1) It's never ever too late.  

I didn't start my fitness journey until my mid-thirties and got into the best shape of my life by the age of 40 and never looked back. I am proud to say I've stepped on stage as a national figure competitor - something I never thought was possible and I did it at the ripe age of 42.  Before kids, I couldn't run from here to the mailbox.  A half-marathon & some 5K's later, I can now run without the feeling of throwing up all over myself.

But even more than past accomplishments, I'm happy and healthy and feel like I'm 25 - not 45!  

2) You can't out train a bad diet. 

This one doesn't need much of an explanation but WOW- if I had a dime for every minute I've spent doing extra cardio so I could go home and eat like a pig, I would be on a private island counting my money.  It doesn't work peeps.

3) Taking time for yourself is not selfish.  

Selfish is treating your body like crap so you aren't of any use to others in your life.  Make yourself the priority so you can make others a priority in your life.  And while you're busy making yourself the priority, make sure you have a good support system to surround yourself...going at it alone without anyone to cheer you on or help you stay focused is not a lot of fun.

4) Stop weighing yourself every day.  

The scale is not your friend.  The scale will lie to you. It will tell you that you're having a good day when you're really not ( i.e. I guess I can have that extra slice of pizza) or tell you that you're having a bad day when maybe it's just a little water weight...so you starve yourself.  Either way it's a bad idea.  

Rely on measurements and the good 'ol "zipper" test to give you an accurate "picture" of what's really going on with you.

5) Results don't come in a pill.  

You WILL have to bust your ass.  You will have to eat right and drink your water.  You will have to plan your food and exercise sessions.  There isn't a Fitness Fairy that does it for you nor does it come in a fancy pill. Complaining about your current situation does nothing to fight the fight.  Make up your mind to get it done.

6) Results, GOOD and LONG LASTING  results will take time.  

No, you can't lose 5 lbs before the weekend (and expect to keep it off)  and you won't suddenly have toned muscles after 1 week in the gym. Unrealistic expectations will create unrealistic results. 

Consistency is the key to long term success.  The bodies you admire in the gym or in the fitness magazines were created with patience and consistency, not gimmicks.

7) Eat to live don't live to eat.  

Exercise is only part of the equation.  We have all heard that diet is the key to fitness success - at least 70-80% depending on who you ask!  If you want to change your physique, change the way you view food.  
Don't get me wrong- I LOVE food- all kinds - I'm not even prejudice to fast food. I could throw down on some fried chicken or pizza and not blink an eye.

But, I've had to learn to view food as FUEL and treat my body to the right gas....not give it crappy food which results in bad fuel.

8) Weight training will get you further than hours on the treadmill. 

Yes- I was one of those in the beginning- spent hours doing cardio and ignored the need for weight training.   
The key to having a strong metabolism is to have muscle on the body. Muscle gives the body a more tight and lean appearance.  Do not fall victim to " I'll start with cardio- lose some weight and begin my strength routine".  Big mistake.  Do your cardio AND weight training for a balanced physique.

9) Keep track of your food/workouts. 

There is NO way I would be where I am today if I hadn't taken the time to keep a food journal ( and this was before the age of fitness apps!).  It was the number one factor that led to my success- I'm convinced of it. 

I wrote down everything I ate for years.  I educated myself on calories and macro nutrients.  I still keep track of my food on a weekly basis.  Success rates almost triple when a journal is kept for at least 4 weeks.

10) Failure to Plan is a Plan to Fail.  

I know we've all heard this one before but let's face it- it's part of the process.  Schedule your workouts, plan your meals, plan for obstacles and plan for success. That's right...plan for success.



Thanks for reading!  Is there a subject you would like for me to address in an future blog?  Email me kathy.laucius@yahoo.com