7 Ways To Jump Off Your Fitness, Weight Loss Plateau

(CARLSBAD, CA) - You’re eight to 10 weeks into your New Year’s resolution fitness program and you’ve hit a snag. The weight loss and fitness gains you’ve experienced seem to have come to a screeching halt, and you’re afraid your motivation will do likewise.

Not to worry, says Jazzercise CEO Judi Sheppard Missett. You can jump off that plateau with the following strategies:

—  Get adequate recovery time between workouts. On the surface, this may sound counterproductive, but you’ll feel more energized – and exercise more intensely – if your body has adequate time to recuperate. Alternate tough workouts, such as running or spinning, with gentler ones like a stretch class or a mild yoga session.

 —  Shift your focus from the scale to your consistency and willingness to try new challenges in the gym. Make that the measure of your success.

—  Don’t cut calories too severely to get the scale to budge. You risk pushing your body into a starvation state that will actually slow your metabolism.

—  Switch from three regular meals a day to six small ones. Spreading your calories throughout the day helps prevent overeating and keeps your blood sugar level. It’s also a great way to grow accustomed to smaller portion sizes. Shoot for 300 to 400 calories per meal and a mixture of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and 30 to 35 percent fat (primarily mono and polyunsaturated fats).

—  Eat low-fat dairy products!  Recent research from the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee indicates that calcium helps burn fat, and dairy products are a great source of calcium. Women in the study who were dieting and had three to four servings of one-percent milk and low-fat yogurt and cheese reduced body fat up to 70 percent.

—  Get plenty of sleep. Skimping on sleep may be hampering your weight loss efforts. At the 2004 annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, researchers from Columbia University in New York reported a correlation between obesity and lack of sleep. While there is no proof of cause and effect, researchers theorize that lack of sleep may affect several hormones related to appetite and food consumption.

—  Change up your exercise program. Our bodies actually adapt quite well to the stresses we place on them. Over time, you’ll experience diminishing returns for the same daily workout. So try an activity that challenges your muscles in a new way, or increase the duration or intensity of your current workout.

The following triceps dip, which strengthens your arms and shoulders, is a great way to add strength training to your program.  If you don’t have a fitness step (as shown) you can use a weight bench, bottom step, sturdy footstool, or other raised, stable surface. 

Begin by sitting on the step with your feet extended in front of you.  Place your hands on the edge of the step, next to your hips, fingers facing forward.  Sit up tall, tighten your abdominal muscles, and carefully lift your hips off the step.  Keep your back straight and your hips close to your step as you slowly bend your elbows and lower your hips toward the floor.  Squeeze your arms in toward your body to make your elbows point back – not to the side – as they bend.  As you straighten your arms and lift your body back up, press your shoulders down away from your ears.  Repeat as many times as possible, building to 10 to 15 repetitions. 

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,000 instructors teaching 20,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call 1(800) FIT-IS-IT or (760) 476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com