You've Hit the Plateau: Here's What to Do Next
By Genevieve Cunningham
The infamous fitness plateau. It's so frustrating. This happens to everyone who is on a fitness journey at one point or another. You're rocking along, making progress and feeling good about the direction that your health is moving. And then all of a sudden ... bam! Everything stops. While this can be incredibly frustrating, there is some hope available. If you have hit a plateau, take a look at these tips for getting back on track and moving again.
Increase the Intensity of Your Workout
Sometimes we just have to take it up a notch. We get comfortable in our workouts, and we stop making progress. If you think this may be the case in your situation, just increase the intensity of your workout. If you currently jog for one mile, add some sprints. If you currently lift weights, add more. If you can increase the intensity of your workout, you may find yourself break through the plateau and start seeing results once again.
Reevaluate Your Diet
Just like exercise, we often get complacent with our diets, especially if the healthy eating habit is fairly new. We start out with the best of intentions. We lock up the junk food, eat plenty of veggies, and sip water all day long. But as time goes by, we get lazy. If you've hit a plateau, reevaluate your diet. If it's getting a little lazy, crack down and get it under control once again.
Give Yourself a Small Break
This might feel slightly contradictory, but sometimes all you need is a quick break from the routine. Your body has simply had enough. It needs something new, something challenging, and just a little bit of rest. If you've already tried everything else, cut yourself a little bit of slack. Take a small break, perhaps a week or so, and then jump back on the fitness train with all of your focus and efforts when your break is over.
Everyone hits the plateau. Everyone has to go through the mental torture and anguish of halted progress. But just because everyone does it doesn't make it any less frustrating. If you've been stalled out for a while, use these tips to bust through and move towards better health and a fit body in no time at all.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Santa Monica, Calif.