Eat more- Eat right -you are unique.

Listening in on what some of my clients have been doing according to their diet, I recently found some clients motivation dropping and training sessions becoming inconsistent. Upon poking some more, I was shocked to find out the frustration that was coming from some weight loss plateaus.
For some of us, its not as simple as this numerical truth-- If you burn more calories than that which you consume then you will lose weight. Adding weight training will speed up the calorie burn and help burn fat faster than just cardio. That clock hanging above the finish line tells you exactly how your race went. Just like the numbers on your scale tell you precisely where you stand in the battle of the bulge. But be careful and don't get obsessed with playing the numbers game. Its not for everyone, Some can simply eat right & workout and lose those 15 lbs they have been working towards. Others plateau, their bodies go into starvation mode and hold on to fat. From the time you begin your voyage on losing weight and rediscovering a healthier you -- there will be ups and downs. The key is to stay strong. Take that time to build your inner self, and see what you are really made of.

Running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories. For every mile you log, you burn about 100 calories. (If you weigh more than 150 pounds, you'll burn a bit more per mile, and if you weigh less, you'll burn slightly less). So what happens when you are on a weight lifting program and cardio schedule while eating consciously and you hit a plateau? You just cant understand why you are not losing anymore weight. You stay patient and then cant help but get discouraged after a few months. You start to give in to infomercials, begin to stray from healthy diet and some even start to cut back on their food intake?!

ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

If you have plateaued for 3 months or so, look once again into your diet and training routine. Burning 3500-4000 per week may mean you are not getting enough food. I know that sounds weird, but as a trainer I have done simple things like adding 200-300 calories to my clients meal plans and they almost instantly drop weight and continue dropping.
Sometimes you need to fool your body into believing you are not starving it. I would try increasing 200 calories each day for a week...try and make the increase in protein and fruits and veggies rather than dry carbs and see if that helps.

If you feel like you are tired of spending so much time in gym then cut back from 90 minutes to an hour and increase calories burned in your everyday activities. Park a mile from work and walk to and from your car (200 calories), instead of running with your dog, go for your run, then take the dog for a 30-minute walk (175), play Frisbee with the kids for 30 minutes instead of watching a sitcom (150), add 15 minutes of floor exercises (crunches, leg lifts, back exercises) to a workout (130), after an easy run, jump rope for 10 minutes (100), and if you use public transportation get off a few stops before your destination and walk more--- its nice out now so no excuses. Get creative, stop those negative limitations.

Remember we have to work hard at tricking your body into letting go of that unnecessary bulge and add loads of variety in how you workout those muscles and what you eat. Begin to save calories rather than starve yourself. Drink diet coke rather than regular coke, if you can switch to water! Don't drink your calories-- eat them. Use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwich-- thats 90 calories right there. And are you eating breakfast? cause thats just like kick starting your metabolism not just your day.

Keep in mind its all about the choices we make and what may work for our friends may not work for us.