Well, that was a surprise!

After a difficult four days when life interfered with my diet and exercise program, I stepped on the scale with a feeling of trepidation. How much ground had I lost — er, gained — with this set back?

I was shocked to see the numbers that appeared on the digital display.  I had LOST two pounds. I grabbed the tape measure and, sure enough, about 1/4 in. was gone from waist, hips, arms, and thighs since my last measurement.

I’ve been on a plateau with no changes at all for weeks, so why am I losing fat after some semi-disastrous days?

A check with the fitness trainer at my gym and some online research revealed that  what I experienced is not uncommon.  It’s called an overtraining plateau.  When folks start a workout regime, there are some initial encouraging results.  We begin to see muscles where only flab lived before.

Our bodies are so miraculously made, though.  They can get used to and adapt to almost anything — including daily gym workouts. Too much of a good thing and too much of a routine can lead to a long plateau where nothing appears to happen at all.

Besides, when you work out your muscles, you are tearing your muscle fibers.  Then, as you rest, they knit back stronger and tighter.  That’s why your muscles are harder and more compact and your measurements smaller (for women, anyway).  What happens when you don’t give your muscles time to knit back together?  They stay flabby and are swollen.

So to get off the plateau, change up your workouts. Instead of doing both cardio and weights, do either cardio OR weights.  Don’t try to work out all muscle groups, but do upper body for one workout and do lower body weights another day.  Vary your cardio workouts, too, if possible.

You have to keep your body guessing so it doesn’t adapt and plateau.  And give yourself time to rest and heal.  Sometimes a little break and a change in routine can work wonders.

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown