Shatter Your Weight Loss Plateaus!

Question: I have been training and eating well over the last few months and have lost 30 pounds. For the last three weeks though, the scale hasn't moved. What do I need to do to stimulate the weight loss? Summer is coming and I would like to feel better at the beach.

Answer: Wow! 30 pounds is great. Your frustration has come as the weight loss seemed to end. Plateaus can be difficult to accept, especially when you feel like you are doing all you can to get the weight to continue to peel off. Most of the time it does not require more effort or discipline, it simply requires redirection of the same effort you are putting out. Your cardio, so far, has been more conventional, meaning it has been at a certain intensity level for a set time period. You can increase the intensity of what you are doing or increase the time. You can split the time into two training periods if your schedule allows it. You are training in the morning with your cardio, so add an extra cardio session later in the day.

If you are interested in taking your cardio to the next level, then add in a CrossFit/bootcamp style workout a coupe of days instead of your conventional cardio. Using tractor tires, heavy drag sled and logs we can ramp things up a bit. See how many rounds of the following you can complete in 20 minutes. You will flip the tire and then jump into the center and out again, then flip the tire again. Repeat that 10 times. After the tire flips, head to the drag sled and pull backwards 40 yards. Run back that same 40 yards to clean that log 5 times. Finish the round with your feet on the curb and your hands on the pavement to do 10 elevated push-ups. Rollover and knock out 50 bicycle crunches. Rest as needed but remember the idea is to complete as many rounds of this as possible within the 20 minutes.

It's going to be torture but this one will kickstart your metabolism like nothing else you could do. You have done the hard part already getting off the first 30 pounds Keep your food clean, drink your water, train with weights 2 to 3 times a week and maintain your standard cardio. Use this routine to kick things up a three to four times a month.

Daryl Laws

Personal Training and Sports Performance Excellence Blog

Shatter Your Weight Loss Plateaus!