Diet long enough and you’re bound to reach a stage where the losses level off and the scale is stuck on the same three digits for weeks. What causes the stall? Routine does.
"If you do the same workout over and over again (and eat the same foods), your body adapts and becomes more efficient," says Jason Parsons, Fitness Manager, Columbia Tech 24 Hour Fitness in Vancouver, Wash. "The trouble with that is that now it requires less energy to do the same activity." Here are four ways to nudge the scale back to its downward trend:
Create Diet Drama: Busting through a plateau requires change. If you eat the same "healthy" foods every day, your body will eventually use less energy to metabolize them. Load up on different fruits and vegetables -- those you’ve never tried before -- and seek out new seasonings, dressings and condiments.
Move It: Park your car at the opposite end of the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk around the building during your lunch break, says Parsons. Even just five minutes burns an additional 24 calories. Eventually all of those extra calories add up.
Crank It Up: When the workout that used to leave you huffing, puffing and sore for days barely makes you break a sweat, it’s time to add intensity. Instead of logging in your regular half hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or take your workout on the road and use the terrain to act as intervals. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace.
Get Uncomfortable: To continue losing weight, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Someone who has never tried yoga will exert more energy and burn more calories during a class than an experienced yogi. Find something you don’t know how to do and give it a go.
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