Breaking Out of An Exercise Plateau

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

01 Jun 2007 10:05 AM

Are you stuck? An exercise plateau is something no one wants to be stuck in, because when you are - it doesn't matter how regularly you exercise, you aren't seeing any results. We've all gone through it at some point or another - a plateau is usually hit when you're working towards a weight loss or endurance goal. You lose a few pounds and you're feeling good about your workout. You keep working out the same way and you lose a few more pounds and then nothing - no matter how regularly you work out, you lose nothing.

This can be so phenomenally frustrating that I've seen people give up their workouts altogether and say that it doesn't matter whether they work out or not - nothing helps. So why should they bother? If this is you and this is how you feel, let's talk about breaking that plateau.

How to Break Out of Plateau

So if you want to break out of a plateau, here's what you can do to help yourself achieve the goals you've set for yourself.

• Take an active rest - in other words, take a week off your structured exercise and enjoy time with your family, ride your bike for pleasure and go for long walks. When you actively give your body a break, your muscles will rest, rebuild and prepare - then when you return to your workout - they will be ready for new challenges
• Check your nutrition - the more active you are, the more calories your body may need - it needs calories to burn fat and to build muscle, you may need to eat more frequently, stick to healthier meals and such
• Shake it up - You walk regularly? Try riding your bike. Do you do a lot of machine weight workouts? Try free weights or strength training class - sometimes changing your routine can really give your muscles a jump start
• Sleep - Check how much sleep your getting and how much rest you're getting between workouts. If you aren't sleeping regularly and giving your body the time to actively repair, more exercise won't make it better, it will actually do your body injury

Plateaus can help your body to rest and repair and to encourage and challenge you to find new ways to meet your fitness goals. So the next time you hit an exercise plateau, don't see it as a roadblock or an obstacle, but as an inspiration.

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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