How to BUST through a Plateau!

Busting a plateau, losing fat and weight is simple, but IT AINT EASY!   Accomplishing FAT LOSS - weight-loss goals takes effort, discipline, and consistency with EXERCISE  and NUTRITION.

It is simple, you need to exercise and eat right, BUT….It’s NOT EASY. It takes hard work and consistency to achieve the results you want. Depending on your goals, if they are lofty, it may take double the effort you are putting in with exercise, but especially NUTRITION.

Here are a few suggestions to get you dialed into your goals to seriously BURN FAT in the next month or two and bust through any plateaus.

If you are wanting more results or have hit a plateau, here you go:

NUTRITION:·

Nutrient timing. You need to be eating every 3 hours.  Breakfast. Snack. Lunch. Snack. Dinner.   If you want great choices, refer to the AllyFitness Food Guide where I provide some great options).  SIDE BAR NOTE - the only way to control weight is to control your blood sugar and insulin and the best way to do that is by eliminating processed foods, sugar and refined carbs).

EAT MORE frequently, and LESS - smaller portions. Focus on making sure you are getting enough protein and include it in every meal and snack.  I advocate between .5 and 1g per pound of bodyweight. Mix a scoop of whey protein isolate into 8-12 ounces of water or almond milk.  It’s yummy.  Be sure to include other sources of lean, high quality protein (chicken, tuna, salmon, steak, Greek yogurt, etc.).  If you need two servings of protein powder, you can also mix some into your yogurt for a snack.

Double your vegetable intake. Include veggies in your omelets, have peppers and /or carrots as a snack, have a salad with some protein for lunch, and be sure to include green veggies with dinner. Vegetables are NECESSARY for great health!  Try the green monster smoothie by filling a blender with spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, parsley, lemon, and coconut water.  This is loaded with anti-oxidants.  There are dozens of “great” greens drinks recipes.

ELIMINATE the Great White Hazards! No white bread (this includes biscuits!!!).  No sugar. No white pasta or rice. It is really bad for you and more than likely the main reason you aren’t progressing. Focus on complex carbs like Basmati brown rice, black rice, couscous, quinoa, lentils, etc.

Ditch the alcohol if you are serious about losing the fat.  A glass of wine is OK one to two nights per week. If you are serious about fat-loss, you can’t afford the extra calories.

Eat breakfast EVERY DAY!!!! Eggs and oatmeal, Greek yogurt and fruit, Ezekiel toast with almond butter, almond milk with a scoop or two of whey protein powder. No excuses on this.

Drink one-half your bodyweight in fluid ounces of water per day. DRINK MORE WATER! It satiates your appetite, helps your joints, and allows all of your organs and systems to function optimally.

Write down everything you eat for 5 days.  Write it down or log it in vitabot if you want to share with me!  Make sure you keep a really good journal and then you can analyze trends and see where extra / empty calories may be coming from and what triggers you may have.

 
EXERCISE  - To seriously change your body, the 3x per week exercise program needs to have some cardio mixed in on the off days. Here are a few suggestions to amp up your current routine:

Get in an extra 2 days a week of cardio. Walk, bike, hike, run, spin, swim, dance - whatever, but get a good 20 – 40 minutes in.  You all know I recommend intervals for intensity and do not recommend long cardion sessions.  The long cardio sessions will jeopardize your efforts.  Another sidebar: In 2012, research published in the British journal "Heart" stated: Running 20-25 miles or more per week eliminates the benefit of the exercise as you grow older and causes excessive wear and tear on the heart.  Dr Kenneth Cooper, the father of 'aerobics' has said, "If you are running more than 15 miles a week, you are doing it for some reason other than health."

When you come to AllyFitness for the workouts, SHOW UP!  The purpose of strength and conditioning training is to overload the body with a resistance greater than what it’s accustomed to. It is strength training that allows for maximum lean muscle tissue growth and the re-distribution of body composition. That means inches lost, fat lost, and BAM!  Your body is looking good.

Congratulations if you are getting the three workouts in per week.  That combined with clean eating will get results.  If you are stuck or need to kick it up a notch, Now you know what you need to do.

See you at the workout!