Are you doing everything you can to see results and things aren’t budging? I know how frustrating this can feel so I thought a little pep talk/strategy session could help.
First of all, be proud of yourself for sticking with it! Even if you are not losing the weight or gaining the muscle as fast or as “perfectly” as you think it should happen, feel good about the fact that you are creating good habits and you are on your way. Stay focused on the prize! Remember these things take time. I know that is not what you want to hear but please be patient and try to enjoy the ride.
Take a good long look at your diet. Are you eating enough protein? Getting your non-starchy vegetables in? Are you managing your portion sizes and eating ever 3-4 hours? How many calories are creeping in? It may be time to track your calories and double check yourself to make sure you are not overeating or undereating on calories and to make sure you are eating a day balanced with protein, fat and carbohydrates.
How intense are your workouts? Be honest. While the first step is to simply show up for a workout, eventually you have to step up the intensity. Consider increasing frequency of workouts (more days per week), duration of workouts (go for longer) or change up the resistance or speed (go faster, lift heavier). Any or all of these things will increase the intensity of exercise and create a change.
How stressed are you? Check in with your stress level at work and home. How is your sleep? How much alcohol are you drinking? What about water? All of these things affect your overall energy and stress levels. If your body is stressed it wont budge. It is that simple. How can you get your stress levels down? What is one change in your life that you can do to feel a bit better?
Still think you are doing everything right? It may be time to check in with your doctor. So many of my clients get stuck in a plateau and it does turn out that something is off with their hormones or metabolism. Working with a MD that you trust and feel comfortable talking to is a necessity. Be a proactive patient and figure out how to reach your goals.
Still feel stuck? Lets talk…we will figure it out!