Hitting The Wall (Plateaus)

Nothing is more frustrating than hitting the wall (plateau) when you are trying to lose weight. There could be several reasons this happens, Your body get use to your exercise and eating routine, You have been sick, or your not drinking enough water which can cause water retention. Wake up gentlemen, water retention is not only a female’s problem.

According to the mayo clinic, plateaus are caused by the drop in your metabolism. Its normal for someone starting out on a diet and exercise routine to drop significant numbers in the first few weeks to a month. But, after that, as your body compensates for the lean muscle tissue lost during exercise, your metabolism may begin to slow. Metabolism is how your body burns up excess fat and helps you lose weight.

Once you know why your body has slowed down, it's time to readjust. You can recalculate how many calories your body needs based on your new weight using an online calorie calculator. Reducing your calorie intake, combined with regular exercise, can help boost your metabolism.

Building lean muscle can help because the more lean muscle you have the more fat will be burned, even in sleep.

Here are some idea’s that may help if you are stalling out.

1. Cleaning up your food intake. I hope you have been keeping a food journal. Go back and look at it. What are you doing differently? Are you grazing, eatting late at night watching TV, cooking and sampling what your cooking, you would be supprised how many calories you can consume this way.
2. If you drink alchol STOP. Alchol is empty calories plus it is not good for your brain. Alcohol will actually slow you metabolism down.
3. Go with low glycemic at least for a while. If you have refined carbs in your diet get rid of them, especially before a workout.
4. Very your workouts. Mix it up, do cardio one day, strengthing anoter, and maybe swimming the next day. Try one of those group water exercise groups.
5. Make sure you are drinking enough water. You should be drinking in oz about half of what you weigh. But I think about how much I way, that would be over 250 oz a day, yea right; I don’t think I could drink that even if I was drowning! But if you are even up to 300 I might see 150 but that is still pushing it, so same rule applies do what your body is telling you. NOT the brain but the BODY!
6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. You say “I can’t exercise? I now because that was what I was saying. But if you start slow and work your way up, I started walking to the mail box which is about 80 steps. Now I am up to almost 1,500 steps a day. It is your brain telling you NO stop that but you can, If there are reasons you can’t walk do upper body stuff. Get a can of veggies and start lifting that. You can do leg movment from a setting position. You can get creative and figure something out, from that small start a mighty oak will grow.
7. Get some support from somewhere. Family, friend, even a personal trainer just as you have someone to be accountable to, which the number one person should be YOU!

Stress Reducers:

Walking

Exercise

EXERCISE

Words of Wisdom:

A wise man once said, "The only person stopping you is YOU."

May you find the Lord always at your side.

Tom

Sorry about the mix match but couln't get it to cooperate this morning.