How To Recognize & Break Fitness Plateaus

Health

4. Get a body fat test with a trainer.

You may find that you’re not in a plateau at all. It’s possible that you’ve just gained some muscle and lost weight in the process. Imagine this: You’ve gained four pounds of muscle and lost four pounds of fat. Your weight stays the same, but you’re still headed in the absolutely right direction! Keeping track of your measurements in ways beyond weight, plus your body fat percentage, will help you keep a more well-rounded and scientific eye on your progress.

5. Watch your alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is delicious, but it’s also a toxin. When consumed, your body will prioritize processing the alcohol and this could lead to wasted calories down the road. Let’s not even get into how easy it can be to “drink your calories” without getting any nutritional value. Alcohol can slow down your ability to burn fat and also slow down your ability to build muscle, too. So watch out, and make sure your goals are clear before you crack another beer.

6. Eat more protein.

Protein will help increase your muscle mass, and muscle mass can increase your metabolism. In addition to this, protein provides the most satiation when you eat, if you’re comparing carbs, fat, and protein. Adding more to your diet can make you less hungry when temptation arrives!

7. SLEEP!

Getting too little sleep can cause a chain reaction of decline in your health. It can actually be the reason for the plateau itself. Sleep deprivation can affect your self-control and ability to say no to snacks, it can cause hormonal imbalance, and make it increasingly difficult to lose weight, and it can slow down muscle recovery because your body needs to rest and rejuvenate. Read this sleep-related article for more information about how it can affect your weight and performance.

8. Consider seeking medical help.

There are many more reasons why you can be experiencing a plateau. Consider seeking medical help if you have tried and tried but can’t seem to get results. There may be more to the story.

These eight are just a handful of the many reasons that your body can be experiencing this plateau, but focus on the fact that you are doing a TON already! Keep digging, keep pushing, and most of all, keep in mind why you do this in the first place. Health itself, and all the positive effects of good health, are the ultimate win—not the weight loss. Keep your head up!