So you’re doing your training and you think you have your nutrition sorted, but you still seem to have an issue getting the fat loss moving? Hit a road block? The declining graph of fat loss has plateaued?
Here are 11 Tips to Break that Plateau!
TIP 1: Make sure you're not eating more than you think you are. Check your portion sizes – maybe they are a little big? Make a small reduction is required. If you think they are ok, maybe write down everything that you eat for a week – then review the data and analyse where you can improve.
TIP 2: Swap out high calorie foods, and increase vegetable intake at each meal (including breakfast) - especially cruciferous vegetables. This helps you feel satisfied while you cut calories.
TIP 3: How much cardio (especially I.C.E. sessions!) are you doing? Get the balance right. Add cardio in if you aren't doing any – get to I.C.E classes. If you do 2 sessions a week, get to 3! If you get to 3 maybe add another, or even make sure your working time within the I.C.E. session is at a higher intensity.
TIP 4: Incidental exercise – how much are you active in your normal day? Can you change your routine so you walk to public transport or to an appointment or to pick the kids up from school or to watch them at sport? Walk up the stairs at work or at the train station. Go for a walk at lunch time?
TIP 5: Are you stoking the F.I.R.E.? Are you doing resistance training? How often? How is your muscle mass? As it never stays still, are you increasing it, or is it decreasing? Make sure your weight training is planned and structured over 10-12 Week blocks to increase muscle mass.
TIP 6: Drink 500ml of ice water upon waking – your body has to burn calories to warm it up. Over time, these calories add up, and you also are getting a good hit of hydration to kick the day off.
TIP 7: Add in some EXTRA PLANNED EXERCISE in your day – 10 burpee’s or 30 push or 30 squats ups on the hour? If you work, get off that chair and get moving through the day. Do a 30 Day Challenge - 30 Squats every day for 30 Days!
TIP 8: Get into the habit of EXTRA PLANNED EXERCISE before bed each day – do 3 sets of 30 of something! i.e. 30 squats or 30 lunges for example. Do it each day. Change the exercise each month.
TIP 9: 2:1:2 – get your meal make up correct in every meal, especially breakfast – 2 cups vegetables, 1 lean protein source, 2 sources of good fats.
TIP 10: Plan your week of nutrition – make sure you have the right ingredients in the fridge/pantry. And DO NOT have any cheat foods there.
TIP 11: Don’t go OVERBOARD with fruit – change it up and add in more vegetables! Put frozen veggies into your smoothie to replace some of the fruit!
Hope these might help you break through a plateau!
