Help I've Hit a Plateau

It's been six weeks and the work outs are going well. There is muscle definition in all the right places and those jeans are starting to look great. The scale has been moving in the right direction for once and all of a sudden it stops. If there have been no changes in healthy eating habits and no slacking off in the gym, this is what is called a plateau. A fitness rut, the fat is in a holding pattern.

Our bodies become accustomed to the work out and as our bodies and metabolism changes, eating habits may need to be adjusted. Here are seven key tips tips for breaking through the plateau.

1) Decrease your calorie intake by 50 calories each day. This works out to be 350 calories a week and can make a big difference in helping your body burn extra fat

2) If you have been concentrating on cardio, add in strength training three times a week

3) If you have been doing a lot of strength training, kick up the cardio extend each cardio work out by 10 minutes

4) Change the kind of work out you have been doing. If you have been to every yoga and pilates class in your city, get out and hit some nature trails or swim laps for a couple of weeks.

5) Go vegetarian for two weeks. This is a great way to clean out your body and get kick up that metabolism. Consult a doctor or nutritionist before taking this step, you want to make sure you are getting plenty of protein from nuts and legumes and that you are not missing any essential nutrients from our diet.

6) Some experts even suggest taking a break, take three days off of working out. Increase your calorie intake a bit with healthy options and then hit it hard in the gym when you return to your regular routine. It's possible that you have been working too hard and haven't given your body a chance to rest and recover.

7) Most importantly don't psyche yourself out. This can be a frustrating time but don't give up. Keep thinking positive and know that if you're diligent you will continue to see changes in your body

Jenn Aguirre is a = 'eastbaytrainer.com/el-sobrante-personal-trainer El Sobrante Trainer.' She also has helped men and women achieve their fitness goals at her = 'eastbaytrainer.com/weight-loss-programs/pinole-weight-loss Pinole Weight Loss' clinic.