Q: I’ve been consistently working out while sticking to a great eating plan and was doing great in my weight-loss goals, but suddenly I don’t seem to be making any more progress. Any advice?
I change my workout every time I go to the gym. Your body grows when it’s forced to adapt to new situations it’s not ready for. When it is adapting, it gets stronger to overcome the changes, which ultimately leads to growth. Changing your workout is as simple as switching the routine, or doing dumbbells instead of barbells, or Hammer Strength and machines instead of free weight, or taking a day and doing only bodyweight. You could also do the same routine but go heavy (reps around 6-8) and then do the next workout with the same routine but go light (reps around 18-20). You don’t have to reinvent the wheel— it’s easy. And to be honest, it keeps you from getting bored in the gym.
Plateaus are created outside the gym, for the most part, in your recovery habits and diet. If you are seeing a plateau in your gym time and you are constantly changing up your workout routine, check your sleeping patterns, stress levels in your life or your meal timing (time you take your post-workout meals, for example). The demand for your body to grow is created in the gym, but only the rest and nutrition that occurs outside the gym turns your hard work into a reality. Life is a four-dimensional war that is physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Far too often I hear about plateaus and one cannot figure out why, and then I find out the person is stressed at work, financially hurting, just went through breakup, hasn’t been sleeping due to traveling, etc. Be a four-dimensional champion.