Like many people, you probably function best when you have a routine. You have a calendar filled with everything you need to succeed, you’re a regular at the gym multiple mornings a week and you even plan your meals effectively.
As the months have passed, you’ve noticed your fitness progress has slowed or has come to a complete stop. You’ve reached a plateau, and you’re not sure what to do about it.
In all likelihood, it’s your commitment to consistency that has caused this plateau, so it’s probably time to buck the same old routine and try something new.
This is a great opportunity: you have the chance to make a positive change in your life. The body is made to survive and adapt to the environment it’s in—meaning, change is good! The key when it comes to change is to give your body a chance to adapt, then intentionally change the stimulus and work towards the next intentional goal.
There are a variety of factors that could be contributing to this plateau. Are you always performing the same workouts? Are you properly managing your nutrition to match your fitness goals and taking into account how much fuel you need for your performance and recovery? Are you getting enough rest? These are questions you must consider before constructing a new plan.
The first step should be to update your goals—essentially, to construct your next plateau, from which you will continuously improve. As with any goal setting, the targets you develop should follow the SMART acronym. That is, they should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.
Using your goals as a guide, it’s time to change up your routine. You should focus on actions and activities that will allow you to make incremental progress towards your goals. And it doesn’t need to be a consistent regimen, either—but, your routine should be highly flexible and should adapt to consider what your body wants and needs.
The process of moving yourself beyond a plateau is mostly about honesty and executing with intention. If you are honest with yourself about your actions, your progress and your goals, you’ll leave that plateau behind you. When you find that you’ve reached another, higher plateau—as you inevitably will—update your goals and routine and continue to work towards them.