Last week I wrote about weight loss plateaus. That is where a person is losing weight, hits the wall, and can’t lose any more weight.
Plateaus can be caused by any number of reasons, but we will focus on one that I didn't mention. One of the main factors can be your hormones.
Estrogen (pear shape), insulin resistance (muffin top), and cortisol (beer belly) all cause body fat to be stored in different trouble areas that make it hard to lose. To overcome high estrogen and cortisol levels, try doing short, intense workouts. Cortisol levels can increase when you do long exercise sessions (more than 1 hour of weightlifting or cardiovascular exercise).
A great way to fight insulin resistance is to cut down on the junk carbohydrates (cookies, sodas, alcohol, breads) you are consuming.
Another reason I talked about last week (particularly when you are performing long cardiovascular training sessions) is that your body adapts. You become more efficient at running, biking, swimming, etc… which is great for distance, but it means you are burning fewer calories.
That is why you need to vary your workouts, as well as your intensities. Learn to be well rounded and try different workouts.
If all you have been doing is jogging at the same pace and same duration, you have to switch it up to change your body. Mix in sprints or intervals, and then look to add a strength training component to your workouts. When you begin strength training, perform a variety of exercises, intensities, and equipment used to always keep your body challenged.
Just like you change up your workouts, you need to change up your caloric intake. Don’t eat exactly the same thing in the same amounts every day. You have heard the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results right?
If you really want to nail down the eating part, make an appointment with a dietitian or health coach. Health coaches are excellent if you have trouble with emotional eating.
The bottom line is that you must “trick” your body into making changes by changing your training and eating methods. Doing the same old thing will get you the same old results.
