Have you ever felt on top of the universe, crushing your workouts, and watching the scale move to your favor, but then hit a brick-wall where progress just stopped? You may have been there. You sweated it out at the gym, you tracked every calorie and then, crickets. You’re wondering if something is wrong, or if your hard work was for nothing. The scale doesn’t move. You’re not the only one. This is the story about Chris, also known by the nickname Sparta. He turned a frustrating plateau in to incredible progress. You can do the same.
Sparta’s goal was to lose weight and get fit before his wedding. He went all-in, working out hard at the gym and meticulously recording his food. It was all going well until it wasn’t. The scale did not move for nearly six weeks. Does this sound familiar? It’s normal to hit plateaus in your fitness journey. However, they can be frustrating. Set point theory states that your body may need time to adjust to a change. When you stare at that unyielding figure, it’s easy for you to lose motivation. What did Sparta achieve differently?
Sparta first learned to stop relying solely on activity trackers. These gadgets are great motivators, but they are also inaccurate when it comes time to measure calories burned. Even the most accurate gadgets can overestimate calories burned by up to 30%. Imagine thinking that you burned 650 cals during a workout only to discover that it was closer 435. If you use that information to decide how much food to eat, it could lead to weight gain instead of loss. Sparta began using his tracker to compare daily activity levels, ensuring he was active outside of the gym. This simple change helped him to stay consistent and not be misled by faulty information.
Sparta’s mental change was the game changer. With the help from his coach Natalie, he looked at his habits and realized that he wasn’t honest with himself. He was justifying his overeating by claiming that it was for “special occasions” and “rare treats.” Truthfully, we eat more out of boredom and convenience than genuine hunger. Sparta and her fiancee decided they would hold each other accountable. They limited eating out to only once a week, and redesigned their meal preparation routines to suit their new reality of working from home. These small changes led to big results.
What happened? Sparta did not just break through the plateau, he shattered that as well. He lost weight and gained energy. His strength and confidence improved. He noticed that his clothes fit better and he felt healthier in general. He felt proud of himself and regained his “sexy”.
You’re not alone if you find yourself on a plateau. It doesn’t mean that your progress is over. You can turn a plateau into progress by making small, strategic adjustments and being honest with your self. Are you ready to take the next steps?
