1ST MAY 2019
When the Gain Train Stops
When the gain train stops!
So, you’ve joined the gym, got some new gym kit and bought some supplements and made improvements on your health and fitness journey. You’re energised in the morning and sleeping better at night; your friends and family notice the changes in your body and they are all asking how you did it? But … you are not happy. The gain train has come to a halt and you don’t know where your next fitness destination is? Your gym routine is not pushing you anymore and the scales are staying the same. You’ve hit a plateau. Here’s what you need to do to keep the gain train full steam ahead! Chooo chooo!
Change your workout routine
Your body has a sudden spike in improvements during the first few weeks of your routine. Now it’s stumbled and you’re not seeing the gains. If you’re doing the same routine your body will adapt to the same exercises you put it under time and time again. It’s time to change your routine even a simple change like doing your exercises in reverse order will your force your body into new challenges and will work harder to improve. The DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) will return. The motivation to complete your workout and not skip exercises will also come back. Most of all the gain train starts again.
Change your diet
The shock of exercise to your body will force it to change in the early stages of your health and fitness journey. This will happen regardless of your diet and later it will stop. If you’re not providing your body with the right nutrition for your goal you will slow the gain train down. Consider keeping a food diary for one full week. Be completely honest with yourself otherwise it won’t work. If you eat the whole cake, write it down! Then you can assess where and how you can make changes. Simply skipping breakfast in the morning can cause you to hit that fitness plateau.
Find a workout buddy
If you’re working out on your own and struggle to complete your workout, consider training with a partner. You will encourage each other and could even break that personal best. Your workouts will become more fun with some friendly competition and who knows maybe a little more rest in between your workout sets. Think of your training buddy as the ultimate wing man or, wing woman.
Hire a Personal Trainer
By hiring a personal trainer you’ll get professional tailored workouts to complete your goals. A personal trainer will push you out of your comfort zone like you can’t do yourself. They will introduce you to new exercises that you wouldn’t think of trying and set you step-by-step realistic. A personal trainer will teach you the correct technique of exercises. All of these are vital to help get out of your plateau.
Set yourself monthly challenges
If you haven’t set yourself a target you will hit that plateau sooner. You’ll lose motivation and that’s when your improvements slow down. By setting yourself a monthly challenge your workout sessions will have greater significance. Your challenge could be as simple as running 1km without stopping or, to squat with barbell for the first time.
Just by making changes and improvements to your health and fitness you’ll avoid a plateau, start enjoying your workouts again and get back on that gain train!
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