Hanging Out On a Plateau

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have just been hanging out here on a plateau.

In my last post I shared that I had gained a few pounds and unfortunately, I'm still holding on to them. Thankfully, I haven't gained more.

It's very frustrating to be hanging out here in this place, stuck! I keep reminding myself of how far I've come to keep from giving up. I don't want to go back to where I was before.

So, I thought I would share some research I've done on how to break through a plateau with you all. I plan to incorporate these steps into my routine to hopefully perk things up.

1. Adjust your calorie intake: You need to revise you calorie goal about every 10 pounds. You metabolism may drop as you lose weight as your body will require fewer calories. MyFitnessPal is a good tool to use to help you with your weight loss goals.  
2. Quality: It's not just about calories in and calories out. Processed foods just won’t do anymore. Stick to quality whole foods like vegetables, beans, high-fiber fruits and lean proteins.
3. Change up your routine: If you've been doing to same exercise routine for the past several months, it’s time to change it up. Muscles will get familiar with the same workout, making the same old routine less effective. To see a change, try getting outside of your comfort zone.  Do something different with a little more intensity. 
4. Watch the extras:  An extra bite here, a little nibble there. Those calories count and will add up. 
5. Sleep:  A full night’s sleep is important to losing weight because it resets your hormones. Even just a small amount of sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevation in cortisol levels can lead to fat accumulation around your midsection.
6. Stay hydrated:  Even if you are mildly dehydrated your body will often crave food. Aim to drink 80-100 fluid ounces (2.35 liters) of water per day plus additional fluids lost during activity.
7. Add protein:  Protein burns more calories during digestion because it has the highest thermic effect of food. Protein contains amino acid and leucine, which studies have identified as a effective agent for burning body fat.

Hopefully adding these things to my routine will spice things up and get the scales moving again. I will let you know how it goes.

As always, feel free to share your tips, struggles or success in the comments!

Till next time, God bless! :)

Exercise

We all know that exercise is important if we want to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off.  Regular exercise is also a great source of energy, produces feel good chemicals and relieves stress.

One major issue I have with exercise is that I get bored very quickly, so I need variety to keep me motivated.  The following are a few I plan to give a whirl.

With the exception of the jogging, these are simple, easy to do exercises that don't require a gym or any equipment.

1. Jogging in Place  - Jogging in place is a great high impact aerobic exercise that can raise your heart rate quite high.  A 150 pound person burns 544 calories jogging in place for one hour.  You can jog in one place or around the room, kicking your feet really high and raising your arms to increase your heart rate.  
2. Leg Lifts - Leg lifts are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs.  If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.  I am currently doing these.  I do 60 reps per leg in 10 set intervals.  I vary the position of my leg and I alternate flexing my foot for 10 reps and relaxing my foot for 10 reps.  I also vary lying on my side and on my back.
3. Dancing - Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart.  Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well.  This is a no-brainer for me.  I love music and I love to dance.  Furthermore, dancing doesn't feel like exercise; it's just fun!
4. Walk in Place - Walking in place requires no special equipment and it won’t put a strain on your body while you do it.  Just march your legs up and down.  I'm gonna try doing this while watching television.  

I look forward to reporting on my progress.  In the meantime, if you have any exercises, tips or advice you would like to share; please feel free to comment.