You’ve remained dedicated to a fitness and weight loss routine for a while now. You saw encouraging results on your body when you started, but progress appears to have stalled for some reason, and you can’t figure out why. If you’re experiencing this, you may have hit a weight loss plateau. While it can be very frustrating, there’s no need to feel discouraged, as it’s common for weight loss progress to slow down or even stall. Plus, there are several strategies you can use to get back on the right track. Here are four ways you can break through a weight loss plateau.
Restrategize or try something new
Experts agree that doing the same workout routines over and over can easily cause you to plateau, especially when they don’t challenge you like before. It’s easy to get bored and lose your motivation as a result. If this sounds like it’s happening to you, you need to give yourself new motivation by trying something different. It’s time to give your body new stimuli by opting for a more progressive workout routine. So, take a second look at your current weight loss or workout routines and see what you can do differently. You can pack more activities into your day for greater effect or add intensive weight loss programs to your routines. For example, you can consider joining a routine like the HOTWORX workout program combining High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions with infrared heat. And, speaking of high intensity, the next point is also important.
Intensify your current workouts
If you don’t want to try something new, at least rev up your current workout. Once your routines become less challenging, they lose their effect on your muscles. And that means you’ll fail to see any positive results. Experts advise that you get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week. You can combine that with some moderate workouts for at least 150 minutes a week. However, if that proves no longer challenging, you can increase it to 300 minutes of intense weekly workouts.
Get enough rest
Getting enough rest after an intensive workout is essential. Did you know there’s a link between poor rest quality and weight gain? Studies have shown, for example, that sleep deprivation leads to a bigger appetite, causing you to eat more. And this can stall any weight loss journey or cause it to plateau. Moreover, your muscles need sleep time to repair themselves, which is important for muscle growth. So, the less rest you get, the more difficult it becomes for your muscles to grow.
Reassess your eating habits
Take the time to reassess your recent eating habits. Have you relaxed your dieting rules? Are you consuming more calories than you burn or going back to midnight snacking? Your weight loss routines will lose effectiveness if you take in more calories than you burn. So, take the time to reassess your eating habits. If you haven’t done it yet, start noting how many calories you eat each day and find ways to cut them if they’re too many. However, as you do this, remember to eat foods rich in nutrients, such as protein, to help prevent dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and so on.
