Whether your goal is to lose weight or just simply to get in shape, you’re likely to hit a plateau at some point during your fitness program. Although discouraging, fitness plateaus can be overcome if you know what causes them. With a little bit of knowledge, some adjustments as needed, and a lot of perseverance, you’ll be able to reach your fitness goals and live a healthy, active life. Keep reading to learn the causes of weight-loss plateaus and how you can combat this disheartening issue.

Return Of Water Weight

In general, people see a rapid loss of weight during the first few weeks of a new exercise and diet program. Unfortunately, what you may not realize is that much of that weight loss is a result of a drop in water weight. This is why fad, get-skinny-fast diets don’t work; you mostly lose water weight while on them, and then once you resume your normal routine, the water weight returns. To reach your goals, it’s crucial to make a lifestyle change, rather than trying one diet after another. Incorporate healthy eating and regular exercise into your daily life.

Breakdown Of Muscle

When you see a drop in the number on the scale, it’s important to remember that the drop reflects not only fat loss, but also muscle loss. Losing weight can cause your body to burn muscle, in addition to fat, for energy. Because muscle burns calories, this can slow down your actual fat loss. To help prevent this problem, include plenty of protein in your diet, avoid cutting a drastic amount of calories from your diet and strength train in addition to performing cardio.

The Amount Burned

It’s simple science – when you weigh less, you burn fewer calories with the same movements you were doing before. This means that after a few weeks, the same amount of exercise won’t burn more calories and result in additional weight loss. Instead, it will cause you to maintain the same weight. But don’t let that discourage you; it’s actually a good sign. It means that you’re progressing. To keep the momentum going, increase your activity level and/or decrease your calorie intake.    

When you’re ready to take your fitness to the next level, keep in mind that you will occasionally hit plateaus. Take into consideration the tips mentioned here, and you’ll be able to more easily combat those frustrating plateaus. If you need help overcoming a plateau, consider personal training from the Downtown Athletic Club.

Health professionals everywhere have been declaring the numerous benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Although HIIT is definitely a great way to get and stay healthy, recent research suggests that low-intensity workouts may be just as beneficial. This is good news for people who are just starting an exercise regimen and aren’t quite ready for HIIT.

Study: Low-Intensity Exercise As Effective As HIIT

A recent Canadian study supports the idea that losing weight and getting healthy is also possible with lower-intensity exercise. Researchers split the participants of the study into two groups, with one group performing short, high-intensity workouts and the other exercising at low intensity for a longer interval of time. Both types of exercise yielded the same results when it came to calories burned and abdominal fat lost.  

Don’t Ditch HIIT Altogether

It was also noted, however, that participants performing high-intensity exercises had greater improvements in their blood glucose levels than the opposite group. Because low blood glucose levels can cause your mood to suffer and your emotions to fluctuate, keeping those levels in check is important for a happy life. That said, you may not want to ditch those HIIT workouts altogether just yet.  

While low-intensity exercises are beneficial to your overall health and weight-loss goals, you may still want to incorporate some HIIT into your regimen on occasion for the best possible results. Here are some simple ways you can significantly up the intensity of your workouts without breaking your back:

• Increase the incline on your treadmill
  
  
• Pick up the pace of your walk
  
  
• Jog just a bit faster
  
  

Bottom Line: Stay Active

Whether you choose to incorporate low-intensity workouts at every training session, or just start with them and work your way toward high-intensity exercises, the important thing is that you stay active. Even small changes in your life can make a difference for your health – like taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Similarly, small increases in the intensity of your workouts can make a big difference in the results you see.

If you’re curious about the level of intensity you should incorporate when working out, talking to a health expert is the way to go. Trained professionals can tell you what exercises will most benefit you based on your own personal needs and health situation. At Downtown Athletic Club, we offerpersonal training, group fitness, and other programs to help you get into the best shape of your life. Contact us today to get started.

Personal Training Director Ralph Roberts has made several changes to the department since taking on the position. Ralph recently implemented a monthly read for the trainers that will help them grow as a team.

This training opportunity consists of each trainer in the team reading a new book each month. The book is decided by Ralph and fits into his vision for personal and team growth.

This month's pick is “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon. This international bestseller includes 10 rules the author suggests you use to build positive energy in both your personal and work life. The aim is to use this positive energy to get you through the tough times in life, projecting you into a life that is much happier and overall more successful.

Gordon took all of his experience working with successful leaders and sales professionals alongside his own life lessons to come up with rules that are successful when put into action.

Many head coaches of successful sports teams such as The Atlanta Falcons and The Boston Celtics have praised The Energy Bus. Coaches across the country are now using the skills and tips they have learned from the book to bring happiness and success to their teams.

There is an overall consensus that the down-to-earth writing, storytelling and examples make this book easy to put into practice.

The Downtown Athletic Club is working to build a positive culture in the lives of its staff and members. Our trainers believe in improving their own lives so that they can help you improve yours. If you are looking for a team of personal trainers and professionals to help you on your fitness journey, contact us today.

Just about everyone knows that a relationship can impact one's eating habits. This is especially true for women. In a recent survey of British women, over 60 percent indicated that they gained upward of 15 pounds after entering a new relationship. About three quarters said that their significant other gained weight as well. So, how can you combat this?

Don't Neglect Your Friends

This is the best way to stay in shape after starting a new relationship. Your friends keep you active with outdoor activities. Try to do exercise-oriented activities – sports, runs or planned group workouts. You can socialize in between your laps or lifts. Try to get together in the morning so you can't make an excuse later in the day to opt out.

Exercise With The Rest Of The Day In Mind

If you know that you are going out to a new restaurant later on, get in a morning or early afternoon workout. This way you won't feel so guilty when you splurge on dinner. Just invest another ten or fifteen minutes on your workout that morning.

Dynamic Dates

Center some of your dates around activities like bowling, miniature golf, hikes, bikes, batting cages, etc. You'll eat less and burn more calories. Playing a round of miniature golf can be much more enjoyable than dinner and a movie.

Scour The Menu

If you eat out on a regular basis with your sweetie, take the time to read over restaurant menus in search of the leanest meals. Watch out for those simple carbohydrates like breadsticks, bread and pasta. Don't veer outside of your typical dietary habits just because you’re out on a date. Opt for salads, grilled veggies and light dishes, like fish. Avoid doughs, breads, fried foods and pastries. If you do choose a rich food, split it with your partner.

Don't Drink In Excess

If you've gotten into the habit of drinking excessive amounts of beer or other alcohol, it is time to stop. All that extra alcohol packs on hundreds of useless calories. A mere 12 ounces of beer has 100 calories per serving. The same is true of 5 ounces of wine. Opt for a mixed drink with club soda or flavored seltzer instead.

If you've packed on some pounds or if you’re afraid of doing so, be proactive and join the Downtown Athletic Club today. We have all the latest gym equipment. Check out our basketball court, racquetball courts, Keiser indoor cycling studio, hot tubs and steam rooms. You can also meet with one of our personal trainers for fitness and dietary advice tailored to your unique goals and body type.

Nowadays, it seems like everyone who works out thinks that they know all the secrets to shedding weight and getting toned. Unfortunately, many exercise mantras are misleading. Let's debunk some of the worst fitness advice.

“Go hard and push through your pain.”

While slight soreness is acceptable, you should stop when it leads to pain. Don't ignore your workout pains. When an exercise hurts, stop doing it and alter your form. Or, move on to another exercise. Plowing right on through can cause irreparable damage to your body. You can always find an alternative exercise that doesn't cause pain. For example, opt for dumbbells or pushups if the bench press hurts your shoulders.

“Go all out or don't go at all.”

This one really is a bald-faced lie. Minimal exercise, even as light as walking, can do your body good. Exercising isn't about lifting more than others or impressing someone. It's about taking care of your body. Go at a comfortable pace and be content with incremental gains. Focus on your form instead of your reps. Stop when you can no longer execute the perfect rep. Only move up to heavier weights when you complete your goal reps with flawless form.

“Never rest in between your sets.”

This is some of the worst fitness advice. When you lift weights, your muscle fibers twitch at a fast rate. The result is fatigue. Fatigued muscles that aren't given ample time to recover in between sets won't be worked to their max. The result is fewer gains and a heightened risk of an injury. Don't focus on working out until you are tired. Focus on making actual gains. This means taking breaks, even if they are only 30 seconds in length. Those of you who lift very heavy weights should take longer breaks in between sets than those who opt for more reps with less weight.

“You can protect your spine with situps and crunches.”

These exercises will work your abs, but they also boost your risk of a back strain. While some trainers recommend situps and crunches, they are actually increasing the chances of a back injury. Opt for stability exercises instead. They'll work your core while protecting your spine.

Instead of trying to wade through all of the exercise mantras on your own, lean on the expertise of a personal trainer at the Downtown Athletic Club. Our fitness experts will teach you how to exercise in a manner that keeps your body safe. You'll also enjoy access to our basketball gym, massage therapy, cycling studio, racquetball courts and fully stocked locker rooms.