Author: C. Small
Effective cardiovascular and strength training are crucial factors in many fitness related goals including athletic goals, weigh/fat loss and overall good health.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, overall fitness requires you to combine cardio and strengthening exercises with a well-balanced diet. (To see why, click here.)
But even a well thought out fitness plan requires periodic adjustments.
How many times have you heard people say (or maybe you’ve even said it yourself) that they were reaching their fitness goals but all of a sudden it was as though they had hit a wall. They couldn’t lose any more weight. The inches were no longer melting away. They couldn’t understand why. They started to get frustrated.
So what did they do?
Some may have fallen off the healthy food diet because some people overeat or eat junk food out of frustration.
Some may have designed a new fitness plan…not bad.
Some may go out and buy new DVD workout programs…good but a bit expensive to buy new DVDs every time you hit a plateau.
Worst of all, some may have quit their diet and exercise plan altogether.
As you can see this problem can be approached in many different ways.
However, most of the time all that’s required is a simple adjustment or “tweak” to your current plan.
Our bodies tend to adapt to the same routine day in and day out. That’s why it’s important to have a large variety of healthy foods on our diet plan…so we won’t good bored and our bodies don’t adjust to a set caloric intake.
As with your diet plan, you also need to periodically adjust your workout routine. If you already have a good workout plan, considering making the following changes.
- Duration: Length of time spent for each individual cardio/strengthening session – increase the number of repetitions or sets in each session.
- Intensity: Level of difficulty achieved during each cardio/strengthening session – take it to the next level. For example if it’s easy lifting 10-pound weights, switch to 15-pound weights.
- Variance: Varying the type of cardio/strength exercises performed each session – include a variety of exercises performed on different days.
If you don’t already have a good workout program and you’re ready AND capable of doing a high-impact program, you may want to consider purchasing either p90x or Shaun T’s Insanity program. Both programs are designed to enable you to blast right through that wall, in other words avoid that plateau and reach your desired targets. (For an overview of each program click here.)
Remember, you hold the key to your weight/fat loss – healthier you success. Don’t get frustrated. Keep your eyes on your target and keep moving forward.
Until next time,
Carolyn
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato
FINE PRINT
This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.
