I was going to write an entire article on Plateaus and why you feel as if you’re not seeing results with your weight but then I came upon this one a few weeks ago and I actually agree with everything she says.

A lot of this post originally is from http://fitvillains.tumblr.com/, trainer Chichi.

What is a plateau?

• Your body is capable of losing weight, but you’re not. (your body does not keep losing weight indefinitely).
• You know you’re exercising and dieting correctly
• You were losing weight and seeing results and all of a sudden stopped
• That you haven’t noticed any difference in 2 weeks or more.

When it comes to plateaus, there really are only a few ways to bust them. But they involve making changes to what you are currently doing. You cannot keep doing the same thing, expecting different results.

A plateau is your body’s way of letting you know that it NEEDS to stay where it is based on what you are doing NOW.

Reasons for your plateau

1. Your body has reached starvation mode (or rather thinks it has). When we over restrict and exercise, the body goes into ‘shutdown’ to save itself from us. Fat is necessary for survival: it won’t give it up easily if it feels like there’s a need to keep it for later. It will slow down other processes to compensate for the deficit you’re making if that deficit is too large.

Solution: BOOST your calories for a few days (up to a week), and take an extra day off (or two). You need to let your body know that you’re not starving so that it kicks back into full gear again.  Boosting your calories can bring your metabolism back up again. No need to go crazy, but anywhere from 300-600 extra calories a day is sufficient. Re-examine whether or not your restricted calorie diet is enough for your body, and raise your calorie limit permanently if that’s what your body needs.

If you’ve been boot camping for a while now, then your body is going to need more calories than it did before boot camp… it’s natural physics and energy laws.

2. Are you taking care of your body? You need enough sleep, to reduce stress and to make sure you’re getting proper nutrition (it’s not all about calories – you need to make sure those calories come from healthy sources).

Solution: Make sure you’re eating a variety of fruits and veggies, that you’re consuming enough protein and enough complex carbs to give you enough energy throughout the day. Boost your water intake, and keep sodium low. Be your own parent: put yourself to bed early and make sure you’re not sacrificing sleep for sweat.

• Drink 3-4 Liters of water/day
• Breakfast should have a carb, fat and protein
• Get at least 6 hours of sleep at night

4. A plateau can occur when we OVERESTIMATE our calorie burn and UNDERESTIMATE our calorie consumption. You need to be somewhat aware of what’s going into your body either as food or drink. Don’t rely on the calorie counter on your ipod or the calorie count on the treadmill to tell you the whole story.

Solution: For 2-3 days, carefully monitor what you’re eating (in a log, or via App). See where sneaky calories may be hiding in your diet. Instead of working out longer, work smarter: use several muscle groups at a time (BIG MUSCLES), take advantage of H.I.I.T training and resistance exercises, and push yourself harder during at least 2-3 of your workouts (talking about intensity here). It’s not necessary to go full throttle for your whole workout, but even a few short spurts of high intensity can significantly boost your burn and after burn.

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