Women's Fitness Q & A: Weight Loss Plateau and Knee Weakness

On Facebook and Twitter over the last few weeks, I asked you to ask me any questions you might have about women's health and fitness. Today, I am going to tackle a few of those questions in the next overdue installment of...

Q: Why when you are losing weight do you plateau? I have lost 10lbs and now I have been holding at the same weight for 2 weeks.  What can I do to break this? - Shannon

Fast Fitness Q & A: Back Fat and the Plateau

It has been a long time since I have done a Fitness Q&A and I want to thank everyone for their great emails. Keep them coming!

And without further ado...


Q: I have "Back Fat". What can I do to target that area?

A: Unfortunately you cannot “spot reduce”. When you exercise, your body with burn the fat from the area where it is most readily available.

By adding some type of cardiovascular exercise to your routine (such as running, dancing and group fitness classes) to tap into fat stores AND some strength training exercises (including some for your back and abdominals) to tone and build muscle, you will rev up your metabolism and lose overall fat (including that area on your back!).

Diet is also a very important in overall health so consult a dietitian if you need help with your meals planning.



Q: I have been exercising regularly for many years. I usually do a combination of cycling and weight training at my local gym. I have noticed that my body hasn't really been changing over the last few months and I was wondering why. Is there anything you can suggest?

A: First, let me congratulate you on maintaining an exercise program and staying active. It sounds like you have hit an exercise plateau. What does this mean? If you keep doing the same routine from month to month, your body will get used to these demands and no longer respond by changing. You will simply maintain the same level.

If you want to see changes in your body, you need make some changes to your routine. A few of my previous post have some ideas about what to do when you hit a plateau adding intensity and mixing up your workouts.

Got more questions? I am all ears!

Stay Healthy,
Tracy

What Fuels Your Fire?

When your hit a plateau (mental or physical) sometimes finding reasons to continue with your diet and exercise program can be difficult. But never fear, there are ways to ignite your passion for staying fit and living healthy so read on!

1. Re-assess Your Reasons

Think about the reasons why you decided to get fit in the first place. Were your clothes too tight? Did you dislike the way you looked? Then, think if these reasons are able to help you sustain a lifelong commitment to health. Once you fit into you new jeans will you still be motivated to exercise? If the answer is no, you may want to re-think your priorities. What is going to keep you moving?

2. Set Mini Goals

Long term goals (like losing 60 lbs) are much more difficult to achieve. Set some smaller goals as well so you can celebrate immediate successes (such as adding more fibre into your diet or going to the gym 3 times a week) to help you stay motivated to reach your long term goals.

3. Track Your Steps

Keep an exercise journal and food diary. This will help you measure your progress and recognize your strengths and weaknesses.

4. Say Goodbye To Failure

Remove that word from your vocabulary. There is no such thing as failure. When you hit a plateau, look at what is happening in your life around you and consider it feedback - something that you can learn from.

5. Talk About It

Sometimes it helps to talk to a close friend or family member to express your frustration and get their support and feedback. Maybe they might even join you on your journey.

So, what fuels your fire?