Ah the dreaded weight loss plateau. It can be so frustrating.

Should I exercise more? Should I eat less? I didn’t change anything, why did my weight loss stop?

Chance Pearson of Mountainside Fitness

Immediately most of us think that we need to exercise more and eat less. Believe it or not, this may not be the answer!

There are two different solutions to breaking thru the plateau. The key is to troubleshoot YOUR condition (exercise and nutrition level) to determine the best solution for you!

Condition 1
You have been doing the same workouts for well over a month and have been eating the same foods.

Your body is designed to adapt to everything, including your workouts! After approximately 6 exposures to a workout, the effectiveness of the workout begins to diminish. Think back… did you notice that the first day of the workout was a bit more difficult than now? It’s because your body has adapted to the current workout!

Here’s a few tips to jumpstart your weight loss again:

Nutrition:
Nutrition ultimately controls 60-70% of weight loss and weight gain, so this is my main focus when troubleshooting a plateau. The first step to troubleshooting your plateau is to reduce your current calorie intake by just 100-200 calories. This can be as simple as eliminating a glass of orange juice from your daily regimen. I use a three phase approach to nutrition so that once a plateau is reached; we can simply transition to the next phase. For more information on my three phases of nutrition, consult your Core Concepts trainer and ask about the Elements/STAX program.

Intensity:
For cardio, increase the intensity/resistance by just one number. For example, if you have been using an elliptical machine on level 8, move it up to level 9.

For resistance training, increase the weights you are lifting by 2.5-5 lbs for upper body exercises, and 5-10 lbs for lower body exercises

Duration:
For cardio, increase your duration 5 minutes. For example, if you are running for 25 minutes, bump it up to 30 minutes.

For resistance training, increase your number of sets by 1. For example, if you are doing 3 sets of lunges, increase to 4 sets.

Frequency:
For cardio, increase the number of times you train per week. For example, if you are doing cardio three days a week, increase to 4 days.

For resistance training, increase the number of times you train per week. For example, if you are training 3 days per week, increase to 4 days. This will require a slight change in your ‘training split’ – the muscles you train each session – so please check with a Core Concepts trainer for guidance.

Type:
For cardio, select a different machine or activity. For example, if you have been training on the treadmill, switch to the stair mill or any other activity you will enjoy.

For resistance training, select different exercises for your workouts. For example, if you have been bench pressing with the Olympic Barbell, switch to a Dumbbell Incline Press.

Condition 2:
You have been training at high intensities several times a week and have reduced your calorie intake significantly, maybe eating only a couple times a day.

This is one of the most common reasons for the plateau in most fitness fanatics. It is a very simple solution: Take a break. In the strength & conditioning industry we call this ‘unloading’. Every 6 or so weeks, the athletes reduce their exercise levels significantly for a week, sometimes just WALKING for their training sessions! This is because the body has adapted to the workouts and needs to rest and recover to break thru their plateau.

On the nutrition side, we do the same thing… relax and indulge! Increase your calorie intake significantly (especially carbohydrate consumption), sometimes almost doubling your current intake. If you can, enjoy some good cheat meals this week. This solution can be a tough one to swallow (no pun intended) and it requires a leap of faith. We have been taught that we need to eat less and exercise more, so it is unorthodox to do just the opposite – eat more and exercise less!

The combination of the reduced exercise and increased calorie consumption allows your body to relax and recover, boosting and resetting your metabolism for continued weight loss. This method is the secret to the amazing transformations I have been able to accomplish. Now the secret is yours, so take the leap of faith and break thru that plateau!

Be NOW,
Chris Powell, CSCS

Read more Plateau articles from Chris Powell:
> Breaking thru that weight loss plateau
> Slingshot past that plateau