Have you ever noticed that some people look the same no matter how much they work out? We all know individuals in our daily lives that talk about working out but have physically looked the same for years. Sometimes you can’t tell that they work out regularly even though they say they eat healthy and spend several days a week exercising. So why don’t they have noticeable changes?
If this is you, then keep reading. I used to be in a similar situation before I started on my healthy habits journey. Below is a list of factors that may be sabotaging your fitness goals. It’s important to work on pinpointing what may be causing your plateau so that you can make the necessary changes to get back on track.
Not changing up your workouts
We all have our favorite strength training exercises but performing the same ones over and over isn’t doing us any favors in the long run. Your muscles get used to these movements and eventually don’t get the same results as before. There are some exercises I do weekly like push-ups, squats, lunges, and deadlifts but everything else gets rotated. If I’m in a pinch and don’t plan well enough, then I might duplicate exercises which is ok once in a while.
Remember that any amount of time that you work out is still better than doing nothing! It’s also a great idea to mix up your other activities. I walk daily but I try to add in biking and various sports in the yard with my kids.
Not lifting heavy enough
Every now and then I catch myself not lifting heavy enough. If you can reach 12+ reps easily, then you probably need to increase the weight. You’re still getting a decent workout, but you won’t gain strength if the weight is too light. We are capable of a lot more and we need to push ourselves to get to the next level. My goal is to lift heavier and do at least 6 reps.
High cortisol levels
According to the Cleveland Clinic, cortisol is a stress hormone that plays an important role in helping your body respond to stress, and regulate blood sugar, metabolism, and blood pressure. The pituitary gland regulates the production of cortisol in the adrenal glands. A sign of high cortisol levels is weight gain in the abdomen and face. If you have considerable belly fat, look for ways to reduce your daily stress. Exercise is a great stress-reducer so make every effort to incorporate it into your daily routine.
Poor nutrition
Eating processed food and fast food is probably the biggest culprit for railroading fitness progress. Meals lacking variety can be counterproductive. Your body needs vitamins and minerals from various food groups to function properly and run on all cylinders. It’s also a great idea to eat a variety of colors. There are Apps that track protein, fat, and carbohydrates. You can’t go wrong eating real food and you will likely have more energy throughout the day.
Lack of intensity
Saying you’re just going to do a “light workout” isn’t benefiting you much. If you’re taking time out of your day to exercise, you might as well put in 100% effort. The return on your investment will be much greater mentally and physically. You’ll feel better about yourself knowing you gave your all.
Not eating enough protein
I am not a fan of counting anything, especially calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. I tracked my food on an App for about a week and that was it. I do find macros fascinating, and I would recommend you try it out to see where you stand with your nutrition plan. If I had to guess, many people don’t get enough protein and probably eat too many carbohydrates.
Based on the App I used for a week, I was over the limit on fat grams, but I eat quality food so I’m not planning on changing anything at the moment. The brain loves fat and I’ll be writing about that in the near future. Protein is essential for building muscle. It is broken down into amino acids and supports tissue growth and repair (Medical News Today.) There needs to be enough protein in your diet to support building muscle from your strength training routine. A good rule of thumb is to eat protein with every meal. Cleveland Clinic discusses how much protein a person should eat per day.
No rest days
Rest days help your muscles recover and grow. These days off aid in the prevention of injury. You can still be active but go ahead and skip the weights one or two days per week (UCLA Health.) Periodically, I would go a few months without taking any breaks. After doing some research, I realized I wasn’t benefiting from this. Lifting weights is my absolute favorite, but there are plenty of other activities to do on rest days.
Lack of sleep
The Sleep Foundation states that “poor sleep can lower your metabolism making it harder to burn calories.” I’ve gotten the best sleep of my life in the last two years. After implementing a healthy habits routine, I sleep 7-8 hours per night. Occasionally I’ll have an off night, but it’s rare. Once your sleep routine improves, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.
Inconsistent workouts
If you’re only working out occasionally, then you won’t have a very good outcome. Consistent fitness habits compound over time and offer real results. Sporadic exercising is better than nothing, but it will be difficult to see changes in your body. You’ll be more likely to quit altogether since you won’t see a noticeable transformation.
Alcohol
When alcohol is consumed, the body panics and quickly processes it instead of the food you’ve eaten, and this can lead to weight gain. Women’s Health states that alcohol has no caloric value (energy) and hinders muscle repair and hydration. The Covid pandemic drove individuals to drink several days per week. Many didn’t have an issue prior to 2020 but found themselves drinking more than ever. Liver disease is on the rise, especially in women. Since there’s been an increase in the sales of non-alcoholic beverages, maybe people are finally making changes for the better. It might be a good time to be mindful of your consumption and track your alcohol intake. Email me at [email protected] if you’d like an alcohol tracker. (Excel Format)
Too much cardio
Cardio could be affecting your muscle gains in a negative way. Built With Science explains that cardio should be done after your strength training workout for maximum benefits. It goes on to say that too much cardio can burn muscle at a certain threshold. I used to run several days per week until I was diagnosed with piriformis syndrome, which is tension between the glute and the quad. I finished a few half marathons in under two hours. Sometimes I miss the comradery of running at parks and trails, but I’ve gotten amazing results from walking. Walking uphill or on a treadmill with an incline is a bonus. Check out my article about the benefits of walking and how to add intensity.
Genetics
Let’s face it; no matter how hard we try we’ll never be able to change certain aspects of our physique. According to Shape Magazine, bodies with long muscles and short tendons show definition much better. The article goes on to say that body fat distribution is somewhat genetic, but you can work towards losing body fat if you really want to show your muscle definition. Slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers also play a role in muscle development. We need to be grateful for the healthy body we were born with.
As you see, there are many factors that determine whether or not you look fit. For me personally, I want to look the part since I’m putting in the time and effort. If I’m lifting weights five days a week and walking every day, then I want my appearance to reflect this. This builds momentum and keeps me looking forward to the next session.
You can experiment with the major points made in this article and see where you’ve been falling short. Consistency and discipline are the best methods to get you there! Good luck!
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