How to Break Your Plateau
Today is a typical morning like any other for you. You get up, go for your workout at the gym or go for a nice run, before you start your day. Or maybe you go from work to the gym to jump on the treadmill for 40 minutes then home. No matter when you fit your workout in, you are to be commended you've stuck to it. SO why isn't the weight coming off like it did when you first started your new workout routine. Everything is the same. Cardio 3 to 5 days a week. Weight training 2 to 3 days a week. Your diet is still in tack (despite the PMS breakdown in the chocolate abyss). If you are still doing everything the same and you can't seem to drop those last 10 lbs then you can't drop those last 10 lbs because you are still doing everything the same. (I know I just reverse the sentence but read it again and you'll catch on if you didn't the first time.)
Your body is a wonderfully efficient machine. Everything from your head to your toes adapt to your environment, your activities and your lifestyle. Your exercise regimen is no different.
Here is the scenario.
Your Story...
You began the new year with a new found dedication to running. After all, you need to drop those extra pounds. So you go for a 45 minute run 5 days a week and weight train in the gym 2 times a week. In January and February the pounds fell off. You consistently left 2 even 4 lbs some weeks, chocking on your dust as you laughed your way all the way to the clothing store. But here we are in April and the scale hasn't moved since the beginning of March. What happened?
Your Body's Story?
When you began your program, your body worked hard to keep up with the new intensity and duration of your exercise regimen. As a result it burned energy (calories/fat) to keep up. Then one day as it accompanied you out the door and began picking up speed, then it said to it's self. Oh I've done this plenty of times before. In fact I am good. I am so good at this now that instead of burning 200 calories on this run, I can do the same run and only burn 150 calories. So it runs with you and indeed it proved that it could do the same activity and burn less calories doing it. Your body has succeeded in doing what it does best...become efficient.
Ah ha! Eureka! Now you know. So what to do about it. Throw your body a surprise party and call it Cross training. Cross training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines. The term cross training refers to a training routine that involves several different forms of exercise, and/or exercise intensity levels. Get up tomorrow and instead of running for 45 minutes, jump on the bike and take a spin. Instead of doing 45 minutes of a moderate intensity run. Kick it up a notch and do 20 minutes of intense interval training (fartlek run will do as well) Providing different challenges in a workout forces the body to move out of its comfort zone and the body must work harder to complete the activity? Resulting in more calorie burn. More eating the dust off from the bottom of your shoes as you leave those pound behind. But that's not the only benefit of cross training. If sports are your passion cross training can actually help you prevent injury and overuse syndrome. For most sports enthusiasts, cross-training is a beneficial training method for maintaining a high level of overall fitness and that's not all Cross Training
Reduces exercise boredom
Allows you to be flexible about you training needs and plans (if the pool is closed, you can go for a run instead).
Produces a higher level of all around conditioning
Conditions the entire body, not just specific muscle groups
Reduces the risk of injury
Work some muscles while others rest and recover
Can continue to train while injured
Improves your skill, agility and balance
Mubarakah Ibrahim is an AFAA certified personal trainer and owner of BALANCE fitness, a personal training service for women in CT that offers in-home personal training, on-line personal training, outdoor boot camps, and hiking clubs for women. She is the creator of http://www.ctwomenbootcamps.com She also lectures, promotes and conducts workshops on health and fitness through out the northeast. She can be contacted by visiting her website http://www.ctwomenbootcamps.com or e-mailed at http://www.ctwomenbootcamps.com
? BALANCE fitness
Article may be reprinted without permission only in it's entirety including author bio and contact information.
Yep, it is that time of year again! Time to... Read More
When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged... Read More
If you're trying lose weight, maintain your weight, or sculpt... Read More
For the past 20 years, the American public has been... Read More
What does it take to lose weight?When it comes to... Read More
Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of... Read More
Obesity in America is at an epidemic level. It is... Read More
The safe way to lose weight begins with a thorough... Read More
Q: "I'm wondering if you can help me. I'm not... Read More
Why have I allowed myself to get into this shape?... Read More
I am so grateful that you're taking steps to take... Read More
Twenty years ago, I did not expect to accomplish what... Read More
* Not walking on a treadmill everyday for 45 minutes... Read More
Much has been written about obesity and globesity. Obesity is... Read More
Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More
According to a new study appearing in the American Journal... Read More
If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can... Read More
Even if you're not overweight, you still could have a... Read More
I did it without starving myself or taking pills. How... Read More
Digestion is a chemical process. Our body combines different types... Read More
Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and... Read More
"Life is like a box of chocolates," drawled Forrest Gump.Metaphors... Read More
As many of us know, it's the first few days... Read More
Yes it's true- and so unfair. As we get older... Read More
Granger limo Chicago ..Are you working hard in the gym 3 times a... Read More
You have finally decided to tackle weight management and lose... Read More
What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More
Diet information is everywhere. In advertisements, on TV, in magazines;... Read More
One Reality TV show, The Swan, thrives on makeovers. Often... Read More
Going away for your holidays will also bring with it... Read More
Nice girls don't speak up. Nice girls take care of... Read More
In March 2003 our then 13 year old daughter, Helen,... Read More
I'm sick of all the fad diets I see people... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
At around ?350 pounds a treatment, Lipo-Dissolve the so called... Read More
Well we're at it again, trying to honor our promise... Read More
Good health is an invaluable bliss and you cannot simply... Read More
Motivation is a factor often overlooked when it comes to... Read More
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the... Read More
Weight loss is a hot topic among college students today,... Read More
Individuals who are interested in bariatric surgery need to be... Read More
Wow! You must be on fire by now burning and... Read More
For the past several years one subject has been coming... Read More
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can... Read More
An eating disorder is a life threatening condition that often... Read More
How many calories you consume has a big impact on... Read More
I remember back in my senior year of high school... Read More
I want to talk to you about cows and what... Read More
Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More
Weight Loss |