In the beginning stages of weight loss most people will find:
- a 1-2 pound loss on the scale each week
- better energy
- motivation to continue the journey
Momentum Falls Off
You have been riding on the momentum of the weight loss wave until the last few weeks hit. That damn scale hasn’t moved a fraction of an inch and you are stuck. Panic is starting to set in and you are thinking of taking drastic measures to ensure you reach your goal. Take a breath and let’s take a logical approach to dealing with the inevitable plateau.
If you have gone more than 2 weeks without the scale budging it’s time to change things up.
Bust Through That Plateau
1. Decrease Calorie intake - The easiest place to start is to cut more calories out of your daily allowance. The mistake most people make is they cut too many calories out at once. Instead take a conservative approach, decrease your calories by 100 per day. You must make sure that you are eating adequate protein and fat levels every day, so to cut calories, decrease the amount of carbs you are eating.
2. Lace up your shoes - The 2nd place to help promote fat loss is by increasing your cardio. How much cardio should you be doing and what types of cardio should you be doing - HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or LIIS (Low Intensity Steady State)?
The answer is both, but I give HIIT the advantage. 2-3 days of HIIT is more than enough to accomplish the job. An example of this would be 5-8 reps for 25-45 seconds at a 90% + effort is plenty to get the job done. You will need to rest for 1:30-2+ minutes before attempting another rep.
HIIT Workouts
- spin bike
- sprints
- sled
- tire flips
- stairs
- rowing
- running hills
LIIS workouts
For those less experienced exercisers or for those cardio haters LIIS probably is a better way to go. 3-5 times a week, 45-60 minutes.
- stroll
- easy bike ride
- recumbent bike
3. Change your goals - Maybe it is time to switch things up. Being in calorie deficit can take a toll on you psychologically and affect your social life. Let’s assume you now have healthy levels of body fat, maybe it is time to focus on another goal that is motivating and has you excited.
One of the better fitness goals that I can tell you to do is to focus on strength training, the benefits of being strong are endless. Remember skinny does not mean fit. Your strength has a direct affect on how you interact with your environment. Strength training will do the following:
- increase bone density
- improve your posture
- improve your work capacity
- build some serious self-confidence
Let It Go
Strength training is the best thing you can do when taking on father time.
Constant dieting can be a daunting task. It might be time to let go of the idea of perfection. If you have been at it for a while change things up and focus on just eating well, exercising, moving everyday, and having some fun.
Contact me if you need help getting over the weight loss hump. I can design a personalized fitness & nutrition plan for you. 310.251.7420
Image credit: Sebastian Molinares on Unsplash
