Two Ways to Beat a Plateau

So maybe you decided to get a head start on your New Year’s Resolution. You’ve been eating (mostly) clean and working out several times a week. The pounds are just dropping off and wow, are those muscles creeping their way in? You feel like you're on top of the world: being healthy wasn’t so hard after all!

And then it all stops. Despite the clean eating and consistent gym routine... The scale is stuck. You’ve hit a plateau. Don’t lose hope though! Here are two tips to break free from the dreaded plateau and get back to making gains!

1) Intermittent Fasting
When you go to bed at night, the period when you’re fast asleep is technically considered fasting. Intermittent fasting simply involves extending that window of time, limiting the time you spend eating. One problem you could be experiencing is insulin resistance: The diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle and other tissues. Basically, your body has gotten so used to sugars and carbs that it stores them more easily as fat. The more insulin it takes to store carbs, the harder it is to lose fat. Increasing your fasting window by practicing intermittent fasting can help increase insulin sensitivity!

2) Caloric Intake
So we all know that cutting down on calories usually results in weight loss. What people fail to realize is that not having ENOUGH calories can also lead to a plateau. You might initially lose weight, but if your body is not getting the proper macronutrients it needs (especially if you aren’t factoring in calories lost through exercise) your metabolism will slow down and you’ll eventually stop seeing results! I recommend using a macro calculator that you can find for free online!

Don’t lose hope! Healthy living is a journey with many bumps in the road. It takes time, but if you’re willing to go through trial and error, you WILL find what works for you.

- Sabreen Y.