How to blast through a plateau!
- Thread starter pjlippert
- Start date
pjlippert
Cathlete
That's what I was wondering. The last time I had a big drop was after taking it relatively easy, doing lower intensity workouts for a couple of weeks, then hit it really hard. Problem is, I'm enjoying the higher intensity workouts so much that I don't want to back off again! Ugh!!
Pam
Pam
Bobbi-B
Cathlete
Exercise-wise, two things have helped me in the past to break past a plateau: taking a break, or just switching things up. To take a break I've spent a week or so just doing light cardio and stretching, then hit my normal routine again. To switch things up I've added in a new activity for a few weeks, like suddenly cycling a lot or doing spinning classes when I'd only been doing home dvd workouts. Also when I've found myself at a plateau with fitness gains as well as weight loss, sometimes it's been that I was not getting enough calories. I was eating too wholesome! I spend a few days eating extra treats and fats (lots of chips and guacamole for example!) then go back to my normal cleaner eating. Somehow that reassured my body that it was OK to burn fat.
Hope this helps; it's actually helpful for me to write about this, because I always seem to forget this stuff until I've spent a few weeks at a plateau and then figured out that I need to do something different.
Hope this helps; it's actually helpful for me to write about this, because I always seem to forget this stuff until I've spent a few weeks at a plateau and then figured out that I need to do something different.
kathryn
Cathlete
It's hard to give advice without more detail:
What kind of plateau: weight loss? strength gain? hypertrophy?
And what have you been doing? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
In general, it takes some kind of 'mixing it up' to break a plateau: a change in the type of workouts you are doing. If you aren't already doing so, and your plateau is weight loss, try adding one cardio interval workout per week to your schedule.
If you already are doing that, try some LSD (long, slow, distance) work, starting with walking maybe 4 miles, then increasing the distance by 10% per week. LSD work is supposed to train the body to burn fat for fuel rather than carbohydrate (though both are used to some extent).
What kind of plateau: weight loss? strength gain? hypertrophy?
And what have you been doing? What does your weekly workout routine look like?
In general, it takes some kind of 'mixing it up' to break a plateau: a change in the type of workouts you are doing. If you aren't already doing so, and your plateau is weight loss, try adding one cardio interval workout per week to your schedule.
If you already are doing that, try some LSD (long, slow, distance) work, starting with walking maybe 4 miles, then increasing the distance by 10% per week. LSD work is supposed to train the body to burn fat for fuel rather than carbohydrate (though both are used to some extent).
Last edited:
pjlippert
Cathlete
Hi Kathryn,
Weight loss plateau. The good news is that I have not gained any weight, but it's sort of stalled out. I've been doing high-intensity (Insanity, HiiT, etc.) along with weights about 5 days a week.
I'll take some of the advice here and mix it up more. I haven't delved into the MMA series and I'm also going to be getting my Jari Love DVD's this week. The high-rep, lower weights with cardio might be just what I need.
Thanks!
Pam
Weight loss plateau. The good news is that I have not gained any weight, but it's sort of stalled out. I've been doing high-intensity (Insanity, HiiT, etc.) along with weights about 5 days a week.
I'll take some of the advice here and mix it up more. I haven't delved into the MMA series and I'm also going to be getting my Jari Love DVD's this week. The high-rep, lower weights with cardio might be just what I need.
Thanks!
Pam
kathryn
Cathlete
Then I highly encourage you to try the LSD workouts.
Doing short, intense workouts most of the time will train your body to burn sugar (mostly) instead of fat (at least that's what all the training info I've seen on training for running or walking says, and I"m reading the experts on the subject).
Doing 1 longer workout (start at an easy intensity, then increase after about 15-20 minutes) a week should do the trick. You could walk, bike or run for these workouts. The mode of workout doesn't really matter. You might be able to find some info online about this kind of training.
HTH!
kathryn
Cathlete
(I just hope people are reading this message in the context of the entire thread...LOL!)
Bobbi-B
Cathlete
Hi BobbieB- I absolutely LOVE the chips and guacamole solution!!
Thanks! Pretty ingenious, eh?
dr.mel_PT
Cathlete
(I just hope people are reading this message in the context of the entire thread...LOL!)
LMAO!!
LSD (the workout
) sounds interesting. I've also hit a weight loss plateau and was not sure how to break out of it. I'm doing FitnessFreakk's "Get Ready for Summer" rotation, so I might try to throw one of these LSD workouts in on a strength day.