Help with plateau?

[JanetPinto]

Hi All! I am asking for your ideas on how to push beyond a plateau. Here's the situation: I am 49, perimenopausal and keeping the weight in check pretty effectively, but it is challenging every day! I have some of XT, some of The Low Impact series, all of RWH and ICE. So that's what I have to work with. I'm open to getting new DVDs (I have ordered Strong and Sweaty).

Does anyone have any recommendations for which workouts to do to push beyond my plateau and maintain weight more consistently? At my age, it feels like my body is less predictable than when I was young.

Oh, here's an example of my workouts: today I did a bit of jump rope (maybe 8 minutes) followed by XT Step, XT Low Impact, then more jump rope, followed by RWH UBC. ran out of time otherwise, I'd have done abs too.

Yesterday it was bit of jump rope (maybe 8 minutes) followed by RWH plyo 2, then more jump rope, then RWH LI 2, then most of LI 1. Then abs 2.

I feel like I work very hard, often, but not always, using heavier weights than Cathe - depending on the workout. But I'm stuck! Help!?

 

[[email protected]]

Assuming your plateau pertains to weight loss and not stength gains, and you are doing RWH plyo 2, RWH Li 2, then most of LI 1 along with multple jump rope sessions and bonus abs (plus lifting heavier than Cathe), then I don't think more exercise is your answer. Sad to say, but calories still count more than exercise in terms of weight. Also, consider that as you get stronger, you do get heavier! I find that I weigh quite a bit more now than I did when I wore the same size clothes two years ago. Maybe you are just stronger now!

 

[Jane Power-Grimm]

Wow, good for you Janet for all the fabulous cardio and weight work you are doing. Awesome. In terms of workouts, you sound like you are doing well. And I think the PHAT workout in Strong and Sweaty we'll be doing soon will help as we work to break through our mid-life plateaus.
http://cathe.com/boost-metabolism-break-plateaus-pha-training
I went through (and still work at) the same issue. I find that lifting heavy can be helpful as I want as much lean muscle mass as possible at this point. Perhaps STS is a program to consider? If you combine that with a couple of hiit sessions and some steady state (spin is an amazing calorie burner) each week, you'll be rockin' the rotations. Simply switching up rotations can help - keep the ol' body guessing!

I really agree with Carrie (above) - diet is sooo, sooo important! I found for myself that cutting way back on added sugar, cereal and bread helped me a lot when my body desperately wanted to put on the pounds during perimenopause, the menopausal year and post-menopause (During each phase I put on 10 lbs. within a month for apparently no reason! Unfair! Each time I had to switch up my exercise routine and recheck my eating plan and that seemed to really help.). And .... sleep can make a difference as well! Here's is a link to a great article by Cathe on this topic.
http://cathe.com/have-you-really-reached-a-weight-loss-plateau
If you go to the Fitness Tips link at the top of the cathe.com home page, you can search other related blog articles if you just write 'plateau' in the search bar. Cathe has an answer to all our troublesome health questions!

All the best.

 

[catwoman7631]

From your workout examples above, it sounds like you do a lot more cardio than straight weight lifting. As I've gotten older (I'm 50 and in menopause), I've found that the two most important things to keep my weight in check has been strength training and maintaining a clean diet. If those examples are a true picture of what you do on a daily basis, I'd say switch it up and do more weight lifting. Build more muscle mass. XTrain, RWH and the Muscle Meltdowns from ICE would be great for that.

 

[JanetPinto]

Thanks everyone! My calorie counts are good, so I bet adding more heavy weight training is worth a try. I did STS total body last week and it's a good workout, but as with all the heavy weight workouts I get bored. I'll have to work on that !

Today: x10 step and LI, then RWH UBC. Plus some jump rope, although I do need to back off on that...my Achilles are quite tight and sore.

When I do ICE workouts I usually start them with a 10 min from X10 and end with the Bonus Ab...skipping the Muscle Meltdown. But when I have done them I don't get bored like with the longer heavy weight workouts, so that sounds like a good way to slip in the heavy work.

I can't wait for Strong and Sweaty! Just switching up the routines always gives my body a kick start and learning new routines and exercises keeps me engaged.

What improvements have you seen doing the ICE MM regularly?

 

[JanetPinto]

I think I'll do RWH LBC tomorrow. It's been a while!

 

[poohpeggy]

I would try Ice-all the basic premix #6 with abs. They are long. That could be the shake up you need. Another plus, they do not make me ravenously hungry.