Plateau. That dreaded word that we don’t want to hear, let alone experience. Especially if you have been diligently exercising in an attempt to get fit or lose weight. We have all experienced a plateau at some time, all of a sudden we stop losing weight or we just can’t seem to run any faster. When hitting a plateau, we can’t panic. It doesn’t necessarily means we need to work harder or spend more days at the gym.
No matter fitness training or just simply weight loss, nearly everyone has run into it at some point or another. But although the principles to fight against a plateau in a fitness routine are the same used with weight loss, i’ve decided to breakdown this article in two parts. The first part of the article dealt about how to overcome the fitness plateaus, while the second part covers everything you need to know about fighting weight-loss plateaus.
WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU
If you’ve ever tried to lose fat for any sustained period of time – you may have hit a plateau. You have changed nothing, but suddenly the fat no longer disappears. The human body is incredibly adaptive, and will do its level best to maintain equilibrium (homeostasis), you can’t avoid this since it’s in our DNA.
The plateauing effect has to be the biggest motivation-killer there is in our diets and workouts. Unfortunately many popular diet books are strangely quiet on the issue — Perhaps the concept isn’t that well accepted, or they just want to sell their diets.
Problem 1. Lowering your calories too much
Fact: It takes calories to burn calories. When you decrease your food intake, your body simply lowers its metabolic rate in response to that intake cut. This still allows the body to function properly, but ultimately your body requires fewer calories which creates hunger and prevents you from losing fat.
Solution= Keep your calories slightly below your maintenance calories so that your energy and metabolism remain high. A deficit greater than 500-700 calories makes it much more difficult to maintain your lean body mass. To determine your approximate daily caloric needs, use this formula:
- Men
kg (body weight) x 24 = kcal/day Women
kg (body weight) x 23 = kcal/day
note: kg = pounds divided by 2.2 (i.e.: 180 lbs / 2.2 = 81.8 kg)
Problem 2. Loss of lean body mass
Fact: Muscle burns fat and losing muscle means burning fewer calories. Lean body mass uses five times the calories as fat mass so, if you lose it, your metabolism drops and your weight loss stops. It is also unaesthetic for your body figure, as any weight-loss diet that eventually leads to loss of lean body mass, includes flabby or saggy skin that sometimes we may even think it’s fat, but it’s nothing more than the aftermath of something you started.
Solution= Make sure your exercise program is combined with a fully nourished body. You can accomplish this with a diet that creates a safe calorie deficit along with some type of multivitamin to help with any nutrient deficiencies.
Problem 4. The ‘Adaptation’ Phase Ends
When you start a new exercise program, your body responds because it is required to make numerous changes to adjust to different loads. So, your muscles are rebuilding themselves and this consumes all kinds of calories. But, at some point your body will stop adapting to the new workload and, as a result, you burn less calories for the same activities.
Solution= Don’t let your body get used to the exercise. Maintain your body’s adaptation period by changing the intensity, duration, frequency and/or the mode of exercise and include interval training, if necessary.
Problem 5: Exercise Efficiency
The more you do something, the better you get at it. As your body becomes better at performing your exercises, it can actually use fewer calories during the exercise. Think of it this way: trained athletes often use fewer calories than untrained athletes with similar body types and workouts.
Solution= The solution to this is the same as for the previous problem; don’t get used to the exercise. Concentrate on more dramatic changes such as trying brand new activities. For example, if you use the treadmill for two weeks, switch to something different like the rowing machine or the bike. Don’t forget to make changes in your weight training routine as well!
Problem 6: Over-training
Just like not eating enough can lower the amount calories you burn, so can over-training. When you exercise too much, there is a point of diminishing returns when an increase in exercise energy expenditure is negated by an equal decrease in non-exercise energy expenditure. In other words, when you increase your exercise intensity, your body responds by decreasing the amount of calories you burn during the rest of your day.
Solution= Take time to recover. If you reach exercise burnout, this is a great time to take a break for a few days, or try something gentle like yoga or a stretching routine. After you’ve rested, get back to exercise but lighten up your original routine and increase your intensity only as necessary.
Still, the best single word of advice is to make a change. Don’t make the mistake of repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result.
What changes can we make?
1. Zig-Zag Calorie Intake
Zig-zagging, or calorie cycling is the process of varying daily calorie intake, while maintaining the same weekly intake. Instead of consuming (for example) exactly 1800 calories each day – you can mix it up. Eat 1500 calories one day, and 2100 calories the next. This can be as simple as halving then doubling a portion size, or adding a post-workout shake into the plan. Just keep your body guessing.
2. Strength Training
If you are not doing this as part of your program or lifestyle, then it’s time to start. Working your muscles will help to strengthen bone tissue, increase lean mass, and ultimately boost metabolic rate. For more information, read the previous article about fitness workout plateaus.
3. Change Your Exercise Routine
So you go walking a lot? Then try jogging, or swimming, or cycling — anything that will change the way your body is working. If you are doing low intensity cardio work, then try some high intensity exercise (such as High Intensity Interval Training).
4. Alter Macro-nutrient Intake
Although it sounds complicated, once again, the idea is to change what you are eating. If (for example) you are eating a moderate diet that is higher in carbs – try eating less carbs and more protein. There is no need to get super-technical over the whole thing. If you have a carbohydrate snack every day at morning tea time – change it to a protein snack. Whatever you are doing consistently – try mixing it up a bit.
5. Change Meal Frequency
If you are eating three square meals a day – start adding snacks in between (which may mean reducing the portion size of the main meals). Eating often is an old and common style of eating – once again, you are trying to boost your metabolic rate.
I know all that – What else is there?
Some of us seem to have more adaptive bodies than others. Every person is unique, and we must learn how our individual body responds – and how to work with that. That’s why i don’t really believe in diets, but healthy eating. You can try an apple-diet for 2-3 weeks and lose a lot of weight, but in the process, you will eventually lose muscles and decrease the rate to which fuel ( food ) is combusted by your body. You will eventually reach the limit one day and when you start eating normally, everything will be back to the beginning. So it’s better to lose weight in the long-term.
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