Busting Weight Loss Plateaus

weight loss tips

If you’ve been stickin’ to your guns since Jan 1 (or even longer than that, good for you, bish!) hitting a plateau can be a frustrating and inevitable part of the process. Instead of maintaining the same routine day in and day out make a tweak or two to keep yourself evolving and progressing. Busting weight loss plateaus (and fitness plateaus) is easier than you think.

1. Lift. Lift Heavy.
When you put your body through too much cardio based training, your body can become catabolic. Meaning your body will burn muscle and store fat. Quick translation: your metabolism slows the fuck down. Strength training will add definition to your bod, keeps your metabolism running like a well-oiled machine, plus will boost energy levels. If you’re apprehensive to lift or are unsure how Barry’s is a great place to start. Reach out to me here or on my Instagram for a chance to train at Barry’s Chicago (on me!). I guarantee you’ll be a changed person. And look hotter than ever.

2. Change Caloric Consumption
Just like too much cardio, caloric consumption plays a HUGE role in your ability to change. Understand your budget for the deficit, maintenance, and surplus HERE. If you’re trying to lose weight, you must be in a deficit. If you want to put on muscle you’ve got to prioritize protein consumption. Learn more about understanding macronutrients HERE. Sometimes cutting as little as 50 calories per week, or eating an additional 20g of protein can do the trick.

3. The Role of Fiber
One of my favorite F words!! Fiber is fucking essential to weight loss or maintaining weight. Fiber encourages the movement of food throughout the intestines and aids in the absorption of the other macronutrients you put in your body. It will also slow down the digestion of sugar and carbohydrates, which helps to prevent them from being stored as fat. AKA, you’ll feel like a total thin. Try to get between 25-35 grams per day from sources like quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocado, coconut, legumes, berries, blah, blah, blah.

4. Change Your Training
Duh. Right? It seems obvious. But I’m not talking about “muscle confusion.”

Wait, speaking of that, your muscles aren’t SMART, so you cannot confuse them. Nothing is more annoying than the term “muscle confusion.” GTFO.

If you do the same workout every day, it’ll get easier because you’ll get stronger. Your body will adapt to your workouts, and they become less efficient. That’s why you constantly need to challenge (not confuse) yourself. Lift heavier. Run faster. Here are some ideas:

Lift heavier
Lift with less recovery between sets
Incorporate super or giant sets
Change your body splits
Add a steady state cardio day for an added calorie burn
Run faster or add in a day of LISS cardio for additional caloric expenditure 
Play with inclines

5. Go to Sleep
Sleep. It is vital to losing body fat. Sleep allows your body to rest, repair and reset your hormones. If you are sleep deprived, it will increase your cortisol levels, which promotes fat storage around your midsection and make you a raging/moody bitch!

You know what they say, a change will do you good.

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    1. I’m so happy to hear it! Keep in touch and let me know how you do moving forward after this quick reset! xo

  1. What do you think is the best mix up of classes to take in Chicago that gets in Strength, Cardio and Core? I was a Shred 415 customer for 2 years straight and hit a plateau so I switched to Class Pass and was focusing more on circuit strength training classes that involved less running and more lifting/strength training exercises. (I gained muscle and felt more toned which I liked but I felt less lean and svelte which I didn’t like). Now I’m struggling to find the right combo of classes to take that hit off on Cardio, core and strength training. I currently have a Barry’s unlimited membership but would like to incorporate a few other types of workouts throughout the week that switch it up from Barry’s so that I don’t hit a plateau the way I did before while also not breaking the bank with multiple memberships. Any suggestions?

    1. In my opinion, Barry’s 3-4x a week (combination of DF and regular position) and pilates is the KEY for the bod you want. Muscle gain/tone (weights), caloric burn and a metabolic spike (HIIT cardio) and lengthening, and mobilization and postural muscle development (pilates). Doesn’t get much better than that!