4 Tips To Break Through Workout Plateaus

If you’ve been working out hard in the gym and saw results initially but they have slowed down, you may have hit what we call workout plateaus and these tips will help you get back on track fast.

4 Tips To Breakthrough Workout Plateaus #workout #plateaus #fitness #exercise #gainz #buildmuscle #bodybuilding

Are you finding yourself stuck in your workouts?  I mean you are putting in the work at the gym or home gym but not seeing the results like you did the first few months you began working out on the regular?  Then you hit what we call workout plateaus.

I know this can be discouraging, to say the least, but there is something probably in effect here:  ROUTINE!!!!

Yes I said it.  The very thing that helped you see your earlier weight loss success is not continuing to give you the same results.

I mean it seems to make sense:  do what it takes to reduce weight and inches to improve my overall health and fitness and I should be able to continue doing that very same thing until I reach my desired weight, size or health goal right?

But here’s the thing – your body is HIGHLY intelligent and adaptive.  It also gets used to steady state and routine.
 
So what does this mean for you?
 
You are going to have to move out of your comfort zone to continue to see the results you want to see.  Here are a few tips that have helped me in the past and that I share with my personal training and coaching clients:

Change up your routine to bust plateaus

What does this mean?  If you normally get on the treadmill and walk at 3 mph for 60 minutes, do something different like crank up the speed to 4.0 mph and incline to 5 (if you are able) to really up your sweat factor, get that heart rate going in order to burn excess fat and calories.

That will definitely shock the body and jump-start results.

Push yourself

If while exercising you can easily have conversation with friends then you are not pushing yourself hard enough.  Intensity is the key here.

Whether that means jogging at a quicker pace for further distances, increasing the cadence in which you repeat an exercise or finally leaving those 2 lb weights behind and increasing them to a heavier set like 8 lbs to 10 lbs INTENSIFY your workout.

However you change things up, begin to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable to further jump-start results again.

Check your diet

Real talk, we give ourselves A LOT of credit for eating clean.

I know I do.

There are loads of calories many are eating and drinking and are undercounting.  If you are serious about results then you need to be SERIOUS about what you are consuming on a DAILY basis.

Every little bit counts.

My Fitness Pal has a great food tracker with a lot of the common foods and restaurant menus already loaded so all you have to do is search for your food item, select it, select the portion size and it tells you the macros in the food and the amount of calories it has.

That can be an eye opener!

Control what you eat and I am confident you will begin to see results again.

Not getting enough rest

This one may not be intuitive but it is extremely important.  The magic happens when the body is at rest.

It uses that time to repair, restore and to rebuild.  When you aren’t giving your body the proper amount of rest (6 to 8 hours a night) it can halt progress.

Not getting enough rest and sleep can also cause your body to hold on to the excess fat and weight so make sure you get a good night’s rest every night to continue to see results along your fitness journey.

Let’s wrap this up

Remember, the body is highly adaptive so you will always have to continue to change up your routine like every 3 to 6 weeks to keep it guessing and to break through plateaus.

The change will do the body good.

Don’t on’t forget to rest your body.  It isn’t being lazy, it’s being smart so the body can come back and perform even stronger.

Which of these tips do you plan to incorporate into your workout routine?

 

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19 Replies to "4 Tips To Break Through Workout Plateaus"

  • comment-avatar
    Deborah
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (8:22 am)

    Yes doing periodic diet checks are always helpful- we all get lax and need a reminder
    o

    • comment-avatar
      Diatta
      Twitter:
      October 3, 2014 (11:50 am)

      Yes ma’am.

  • comment-avatar
    Heather
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (1:43 pm)

    You hit my go-to approach here – something different. new workout, new timing, new goal. Really helps me too!
    o

    • comment-avatar
      Diatta
      Twitter:
      October 3, 2014 (3:54 pm)

      Yes we have to change things up every now and again. Thanks for stopping by Heather.
      o

  • comment-avatar
    steph
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (2:38 pm)

    Excellent tips! Plateau’s are so frustrating! Busting through them is so liberating.
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Rena (An Ordinary Housewife)
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (6:12 pm)

    I’m still struggling to get into a routine in the first place. But now I know what to do when I hit a plateau.
    o

  • comment-avatar
    jill conyers
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (6:29 pm)

    Great tips! Information that many will find helpful!
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Heather
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (7:21 pm)

    I love the change up your routine. Variety is the spice of life and changing it up keeps your body guessing what comes next
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Christine
    Twitter:
    October 3, 2014 (8:31 pm)

    Plateaus are definitely frustrating. For me, it’s usually because I’ve gotten so used to and comfortable with my workout and it’s a great reminder to mix things up AND to check my diet.
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Jamie October 3, 2014 (10:24 pm)

    I needed this reminder cause I’ve gotten lax a bit…thank you!

  • comment-avatar
    Rachel October 3, 2014 (10:42 pm)

    Great tips… I don’t have any to share as my plateau seems to be turning more into an UPhill than a downhill 😉
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Janice - Fitness Cheerleader
    Twitter:
    October 4, 2014 (7:42 am)

    Great tips! I hit a fitness plateau last year and hired a personal trainer to help break through it. I learned how much harder I’m capable of working out at, how to change up my routine and a ton of exercises I can do on my own. I also ended up becoming good friends with my trainer.
    o

    • comment-avatar
      Diatta
      Twitter:
      October 4, 2014 (11:04 am)

      That is an excellent idea – get a trainer to push you.

  • comment-avatar
    Amanda H
    Twitter:
    October 8, 2014 (10:48 am)

    Great tips Diatta! So important to remember to switch things up! #wowlinkup
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Cassi
    Twitter:
    October 9, 2014 (11:18 am)

    I get bored easily so I can tell that way or by my HRM not reflecting as much of a burn. I then know it’s time to move on to the next level or a new program.
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Catherine
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2014 (11:09 pm)

    Thanks for being real with these tips! I’m definitely guilty of thinking that I’ve been eating super healthy and running a lot more than I really am. Logging things helps me just as much as it helps my clients 🙂 #wowlinkup
    o

  • comment-avatar
    Markita
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2014 (11:15 pm)

    So that’s an online routine that you trainer put together? Look like a good way to switch things up!
    o

    • comment-avatar
      Diatta
      Twitter:
      October 13, 2014 (4:59 am)

      That’s his online boot camp for those of us who can’t get there in person. It’s good.