You were taking major steps to make a change. You were making amazing progress – until you weren’t. Now, the dreaded plateau is your new reality, and you’re feeling stuck. What do you do next?
Plateaus happen to everyone, and boy are they frustrating! What’s more, it can take a toll on your body, motivation, and mindset.
Why Plateaus Happen
Our bodies are super smart and adaptable.
When you keep doing the same exercises or movements, your body learns how to do those things while burning less energy and essentially doing less work. So whether you’re walking, running or you’re doing one of my YouTube workouts, your body is going to get used to doing those things in a certain way.
This is when plateaus happen. This is also why it’s so important to mix things up and have a program that keeps you progressing and keeps your body “guessing” like my Strong At Home for Women Program!
How to Stop Feeling Stuck and Break Through Plateaus
Now that you know why plateaus happen, you should anticipate them happening to you. And when you start noticing that flat line, take it as a sign it’s time to do something different.
Maybe you always do 30 squats in your workout: it might be time to do 40 instead or simply add some weight or progressing to jump squats. If you’ve just been walking, maybe it’s time to run. Maybe you’re modifying your pushups, so try getting up on your toes. Do four sets instead of three sets. Whatever you’ve been doing…let’s make progress.
Sometimes, fitness plateaus have nothing to do with our workout routines. Are you drinking less water? Are you staying up later at night? Does work have you more stressed than usual? Go back to the basics to make sure other areas of your life are balanced. Remember, health is holistic!
Last but not least, if you’re struggling to restart your progress, I suggest getting a coach. This could be a personal trainer at your gym or even online group coaching and accountability that we have for VIPs in Strong At Home for Women. Coaches can help you work through many things and can see things that you may have missed.
Final Thoughts
I’m a huge proponent of reframing our thoughts and sentiments to put a positive spin on them. And as much as I loathe plateaus, I also believe that they can do us some good. Imagine climbing a huge mountain of a goal, and then reaching a plateau before you hit the summit.
You’re not climbing any higher, and that’s okay. Take it as a moment of rest and pause, where you can collect your thoughts and appreciate how far you’ve come. Keep being proactive, and eventually you’ll stop feeling stuck and you’ll find the path that will help you keep making progress.