Beat the plateau

5 tips to beat the plateau and start seeing results.

Read these five tips to beat the plateau and re vamp your fitness journey. 

Hitting a plateau is a common problem when you are working hard to achieve your health and fitness goals. Reaching a plateau is like hitting a brick wall and can effect you mentally, physically or even both. Warning signs that you’ve hit a plateau can be that you’ve stopped dropping body fat, the number on the scales is at a stand still, your motivation is low or a combination of all of these factors. The important thing to remember is that, it is totally normal. Everybody reaches a plateau some point, we’re only human after all!

The reasons for plateauing can vary. You might not be pushing yourself hard enough in the gym, your body could be adapting to your regular routine, you might be bored of following the same old plan, your body may need more rest and recovery time, or you may need to find some fresh inspiration. 

Change your training plan

Change you exercise regime every four to six weeks to keep your body guessing. Challenge yourself to try new movements, rep ranges, sets, rest periods or training splits. This will force your body to work harder to adapt to ever-changing demands and prevent you from plateauing in the gym. If you have got to the point where you’re just ‘going through the motions’, it really is time to re think your training.

Adjust your macros

If you’re tracking your macros (that’s carbs/protein/fat) and have stopped dropping body fat or weight, it may be that you need to shift things around slightly. Everyone’s body responds differently to eating in this way and once your body adapts to a new regime, it may need shaking up again. Once your body composition improves it will also need to be fuelled differently to when you first started. You need to be in a calorie deficit for fat loss and a calorie surplus to build muscle. Read and research to find the best fit for you and your goals.

Try a new class

If you are feeling uninspired by your usual routine or are running out of ideas, try attending one of the hundreds of fitness classes available throughout the UK. Even if it is just once a month, you could walk away from it with new movements to include in your own workouts, new friends, more energy and more motivation.

Progression

Keep a log of the reps, weights and sets you’re hitting during your sessions. That way you can see how you are progressing, where your weak areas are and make sure that each time you hit a certain body part you are upping the intensity. A written note of numbers can help you to be accountable for pushing yourself in the gym and allow you to reflect on where you might have become a little bit lazy.

Rest and re focus

Take a good three to four days out of the gym and rest your body properly, a plateau might be down to mental and physical fatigue. Taking a break from your usual routine can help you to re assess why you started out on your journey, focus your mind on what you want to achieve and make a plan around how to move forward. Make sure you are sleeping well and recovering properly from training sessions when you get back to it, too.

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