In six months, Stephanie lost 25 lbs. by making healthy choices with her diet and maintaining an active fitness program. She nicknamed her program "More Cardio, Less Cake" and as a successful wedding planner the second half of that mantra was a tough one! She looked and felt great and definitely wanted to keep the compliments coming by losing that last 10 lbs. to hit her goal weight. Then month seven and eight roll by, but that stubborn number on the scale won't budge. Is Stephanie stuck?
If this sounds familiar, you may have also hit what we call in the weight-loss world, a "plateau." By definition a plateau is a period of time in which little or no progress is made after a period of great activity. Stephanie loses a great deal of weight and then, for a period of time, loses little or none. Stephanie is stuck. But the good news is that anyone can overcome a weight plateau. Here are eight great tips for Stephanie or you:
1. Increase the Duration of Your Exercise
Add an extra day of training or add 15 minutes to each workout. To an extent this is a numbers game and you've got to increase the "calories out" portion of the equation.
2. Increase the Intensity of Your Workout
Try a circuit workout where you change activities every few minutes. Run on the treadmill for five minutes, then do two alternating sets of squats and modified push-ups, then finish the circuit by jumping rope for two minutes. Take a minute or so to recover and repeat. Get outside of your comfort zone and you'll be sure to see a change.
3. Split Your Workout Into Two Sessions
Thirty minutes of exercise in the morning and then 30 more minutes in the early evening is a good start. That way you'll have super-charged your metabolism twice in one day and potentially boost your calorie burn.
4. Vary Your Workout
Try something new--maybe something you're a little afraid of. Those indoor cycling classes look pretty intense but they can be a lot of fun. Or you may like boxing training way more than you thought. Have you ever punched a heavy bag? It's great. If you are a walker, get out there and find a hill or some steps to climb.
5. Don't Forget to Eat
Sounds silly, right? But, you'd be surprised how many people who are trying to lose weight skip meals and go for far too many hours without feeding their body. Your body will adapt to that starvation mode and your metabolism will slow to a crawl. Keep it burning by eating five to six small meals each day.
Don't give up. Stephanie didn't. She developed a mean right hook in her boxing class and she dropped those last 10 lbs.
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