Some people conscientiously carry out a regular exercise program but become frustrated when after a while they stop losing weight. If that happens to you, don’t give up! You may just have hit an exercise plateau.
Your body gets used to your exercise routine
If you haven’t been exercising much, when you first start, your body has to burn a lot of energy to meet the new challenges. Burning all that energy makes you lose weight. So far, so good!
But after a while, your body adapts to the new demands. If you walk the same route every day, you will develop leg muscles that are adequate to handle the length of your walk and the elevation changes you encounter. With that new muscle, your body just glides along. Your body doesn’t have to burn as much energy as it did before you developed all those nice calf muscles!
You have to change things around
If you’ve hit an exercise plateau, you need to change your routine. You can do this in one of three ways:
Do it more
Do it with more intensity
Do something different
Exercise more
If you have the time, this is an easy way to revitalize your exercise routine. If you walk half an hour a day, walk for forty five minutes instead. If you swim twice a week, go three times instead.
Exercise with more intensity
If you take a daily stroll, walk more vigorously. If you already walk vigorously, consider jogging. If you do aerobic or dance, make your movements larger.
Do something different
If you walk every day but don’t get any other kind of exercise, you probably have great calf muscles, but weak arms. A couple of times a week, instead of taking your usual walk, try some exercise that involves using your arms. Go swimming, play tennis or handball.