Q&A Tuesday:
How do I Break Through a Weight Loss Plateau?

Welcome back to our “Q&A Tuesday” series, where each week we take a question that we get asked all the time and share our expertise.  This week we are talking about what to do when you hit a weight loss plateau when it comes to training.

Believe it or not, plateaus are inevitable when it comes to weight loss.  It’s truly not a matter of if but more so…when. The good news is that there are many ways to bust through a sticking point and get the scale moving again.

The human body is very, very smart.  In fact, it will naturally find a way to become more efficient at just about everything it does, exercise included.  While this can be a huge positive in most aspects of life, it can become a small drawback when it comes to weight loss.

With exercise, the better you become at doing something, the less energy your body needs to expend in order to perform the task.  The less energy that is expended, the less overall calorie burn. This is why it is common to lose a bunch of weight at the beginning of an exercise program and then flatten out significantly, otherwise known as plateau.

In order to keep the physical results coming, you simply need to challenge your body in a different way.  By doing so, your body will ultimately work harder to become efficient once again. And by doing so, you should see the scale begin to move once again.

There are many ways to challenge your body and push through a plateau.  To keep things simple, below are five great ways. If you’ve hit a plateau, choose one way and try it out for a minimum of two weeks to see how it works for you.

.
1) Add more weight to your exercises.  If you need to go down in reps to accommodate the increase in weight, that is expected and is totally fine.
.
.
2) Increase your overall volume.  This can mean adding another set to each exercise or adding more reps to each exercise.
..

3) Add in some HITT (high intensity) training.  This can be 5 mins at the end of a workout or a single, shorter session dedicated to HITT.
..

4) Add in some cardio intervals.  If you’re used to doing similar cardio on most days, it’s definitely time to mix it up.  Interval work can be a great way to further challenge your body.
..

5) Shorten your rest periods between exercises.  This can be a great way to challenge your body further and make it work a little harder.
..

6) BONUS!  While we could spend an entire article talking about diet…if the above tips fail, then it’s a good time to take a look at what you’re eating (and drinking!).  HERE and HERE can be a great starting place if you’re looking for tips with your diet.
..

⇒ Do you have more questions about how to bust through a weight loss plateau? If so, drop us a line and let us know! And make sure to tune in next week as we will be answering our next question…

Written by Sophie DeHenzel
How do I Break Through a Weight Loss Plateau?

Photos courtesy of (top to bottom): Bigstock (iqoncept), Google Images, Bigstock (JacobLund)

About DeHenzel Training Systems: DeHenzel Training Systems offers In Home Personal Training services throughout Northern Virginia and Washington DC.  Aside from in home, we also offer Virtual Personal Training, regardless of your location. Our nutrition services are complimentary for all training clients.

Within Northern Virginia, we service Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties including: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Falls Church, Gainesville, Great Falls, Haymarket, Herndon, Lansdowne, Leesburg, Lorton, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Tyson’s Corner, Vienna and Woodbridge. Don’t see your city listed? Contact us today to find out if we service your area!

Sophie

See Full Bio