Ask the Trainers: Work past your fitness plateau
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The Trainers |
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Manni and Kelly-Jo Balignasay are local trainers looking to share their expertise. E-mail your fitness questions to them at info@dmJuice.com. And go to dmJuice.com to read Manni's fitness blog. |
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10/07/2008 email this print this
QUESTION: I've hit a plateau in my exercise training. Seems like I lost a bunch of weight running, toned up from doing some free weights, but I haven't seen any changes in weeks. Should I do something different? I still have room to improve.
ANSWER: It sounds like your goals are to lose weight and increase your lean body mass. It is common for any body type to hit a plateau while losing weight. Your body adapts to the exercises you've been repeating and becomes more efficient at utilizing less energy to perform.
Try changing your cardio routine at least every four weeks and add other exercises to your cardio and strength training regimens. By doing this, you will shock your system and burn more calories. For example, instead of running long distances at a steady pace and incline, try interval training by sprinting for a minute then jogging for 2-5 minutes and repeat. Change things up by adding in different cardio machines or a group exercise class.
You may also want to look at your diet. The number of calories you need changes as you lose weight. As you get smaller, it takes fewer calories to maintain your weight. To continue losing at the same rate, you'll need to gradually adjust your caloric intake downward. To lose one pound a week, you'll need to create a deficit of approximately 500 calories per day. Try tracking your calories with one of the many free online journals like fitday.com.
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