Plateaus

This morning I stepped on the scale and thought wow - same weight as yesterday and the day before yesterday. Immediately my mind began to race and think back to what I’d eaten the day before. And thoughts of how effective has my exercise routine been over the last couple of weeks. I felt a pang of frustration because I know I’m eating right. And my mom is about to offer me rent as much as I’ve stopped by her home to use her treadmill.

As I began to prepare for the day, I thought about hitting a plateau and what that means in my life. For anyone in the middle of a weight loss program; a plateau is not the word you want to hear. It means your body has become too familiar with your current regimen or business as usual. It means it’s time to make a shift in how you’re currently operating in your program.

I began to reflect on how often we hit a wall in life. And how we murmur, complain and bicker with ourselves over our situations. When I stepped on the scale to weigh myself, I felt frustration after seeing the same number as the previous day. Frustration over what was causing me to remain at the same weight – what was holding me back? Me. I knew I had to evaluate my ways and make some alterations. Have you taken out the time to put frustration to the side and truly find out how you can be more effective in your situation? No matter how tough, can you mount the problem and ride on to victory and your destiny?

I put a lot of thought into what I’d done over the last couple of weeks since starting my weight loss program; I quickly shifted my thought process. I reviewed my food and fitness diaries to see where I was missing the mark. And almost immediately I noticed that although I was eating the right foods, when I tallied the amount of my sugar intake, it was on the high side. And despite the fact that I was eating good fats, I could cut back on them a bit. I also noticed I’m a snacker – I’m eating the recommended 5 to 6 small meals each day, but I also enjoy eating small snacks that could put me over ever so slightly and slow my progression.

What am I doing here? Making an adjustment – it’s the best way to combat a plateau. Think of your plateau as a stepping stone to your ultimate goal, which for me is to be healthy and strong. You should know that your frustrations in life are temporary. Take the time to be still, be silent and listen to yourself. Are there lessons screaming at you but you aren’t listening? Should you work a little harder to resolve your situation? Think about this the next time you feel stuck or you’ve hit a plateau; what will be your approach? Adjustment or a plateau.