One of the most frustrating parts of trying to get fit is when you hit a plateau and it seems like you aren’t noticing any improvements in strength, speed, endurance or weight loss. One of the reasons for this is our body’s amazing ability to adapt. Some of these adaptations help our performance. In the case of a distance runner, when they first started training maybe they could barely run one mile without stopping to walk, and within 6 months of training their body adapts and can easily run 5 miles without stopping or feeling tired at all. When we exercise, our body becomes more efficient at utilizing oxygen and making it available to the large muscles, the lungs become more efficient and obviously the continued use of the large muscles in the legs help them develop more strength over time.
Maybe you have just started a fitness program, or maybe you’ve been a gym rat for years but you are feeling like you aren’t seeing any results. I have a few suggestions to help you find ways to challenge your body to avoid staying stuck in the fitness plateau.
One big tip is to try to be active even on your rest days. So if you normally train with weights one day and the next is your rest day, try to spend 30 minutes walking your dog or riding your bike. Maybe you can do a 15-minute yoga video. Over time, these moments spent being active add up and can help burn more calories as well as help with recovery after hard workouts by promoting blood flow to the muscles, helping clear up lactic acid after those hard effort days without prolonging your recovery.
What we eat makes a big impact on our recovery and ability to improve performance. Obviously taking in too many calories will not help with weight loss goals but making sure the quality of the foods we eat are nutrient-dense and help to sustain energy and keep our blood sugar well-regulated throughout our day and before and after our workouts is key. Trying to eat only minimally processed whole foods is a great step in the right direction. In my opinion, a calorie is a calorie is not a true statement in terms of the nutrition that is being delivered to your body. The calories in a donut and a huge bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts butter may be equal, but the nutritional profile of these two meals is completely different. One will keep you satisfied for hours and help your digestion while giving you lots of minerals and micronutrients. The other will leave you feeling a quick sugar rush followed by hunger because of the insulin spike it created in the blood. It’s ok to indulge every once in a while but it is good to try not to see unhealthy foods as rewards for hard workouts.
Making sure we get adequate protein, fat and quality carbs will make our bodies respond better to our efforts in gym!
My other piece of advice is not to get stuck in a rut. If you have a certain workout planned but you are dreading it, maybe try something different, or something you’ve never done before. It will not only challenge new muscle groups and target your heart rate in a different zone, but maybe mixing it up will be more fun. Spontaneously dropping in on a fitness class rather than going to the gym to do the same old routine you always do on Wednesday might keep you inspired to keep moving for the joy of being able to move your body! It’s a privilege to be able to walk, run, dance and swim! Take advantage of what your body can do, enjoy your life and love yourself.
- This blog is written by Michelle, RDH, hygienist in Lincoln, NE
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