Hitting the Wall: How to Bust Through a Plateau


“Plateau”:

1. an area of relatively level high ground

2. a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress

3. a word that creates panic in exercisers everywhere

 

This post was inspired by a friend who reached out to me for a few tips after finding herself chilling on a plateau for awhile. She had come a very long way in her journey, but was feeling stuck in a rut. After eating right and working out, she had found that the scale would. not. budge. Has this been your story too? We’ve all been there at some point in time and had the same thoughts.  ‘How could this happen?’ you think. ‘But I’ve been doing everything right!’ you lament. ‘I guess it’s time to workout more, and eat less’ you decide. If that’s where you’re at, it makes sense how you came to that conclusion. It’s everywhere in mainstream media today. In order to lose more weight, you need to work harder and eat less. However! This couldn’t be further from the truth! And I’ll tell you why. But first, let us take a gander at why plateaus happen at all, shall we?

You’re working out, and working out, day in and day out, kicking your butt relentlessly. Either doing cardio, lifting weights or a combination of the two. If you’ve been at this for awhile, your body has become accustomed to the energy needed to sustain a workout, and therefore it will need less energy to complete the workout over time. What does this mean? It means that your body has become a crazy efficient workout machine and will eventually need less calories (energy) to complete the exercise and therefore burn less calories during your workouts. Usually efficiency is awesome. But not in this case. There is also a possibility of your body being outright, dog tired. If you are working out multiple times a week, have an active job, and are eating few (and fewer) calories, then your body might be having trouble keeping up.

So all that information is great, but you’re still wondering how to get out of the rut, right? A body that has become accustomed to it’s routine needs change. This comes in the form of either changing your calorie intake or changing your workout intake. If you are going to change your calorie intake, ramp it up a bit. Give your body more fuel to help it work properly. However, I suggest changing your workout intensity first. Rest and recovery is an essential component of the cycle. Your body makes changes, i.e, gain muscle or lose fat, during the rest days. When you don’t get enough rest, your body (including muscle, tissue and hormones) can become crazy out of whack. Are you doing many sessions of long duration cardio? Maybe switch a few of them up for leisure walks. I know I know, it sounds crazy. ‘But I burn so many more calories when I run/do kickboxing/do Zumba then when walking!’. While yes, this is true, going for a leisure walk will reduce your stress levels and which in turn will reduce your stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol can be responsible for many good things, but also many nasty things, including excess fat around your mid-section. Adding in a few days of strength training can be super helpful as well. Grab a few heavy dumbbells or the barbell and add that into your week.

Many people, especially in our ‘GO! GO! GO!’ culture, do not prioritize stress management and sleep as they should. I know I was guilty of it up until several years ago. I believe that stress management and sleep should be on the top of the list for many people and their journey for fat loss. If these things are not in check, then all of the nutrition and working out will only go so far. Having a lifestyle that is high in stress and low in sleep is a recipe for disaster. It can lead to altered hormones which will throw off everything in the body. Make sure that along with great nutrition and working out, you prioritize time for yourself and getting a good nights sleep. If these things are not in your daily routine, add them in, and see what changes happen.

 

If you feel like you want further information or suggestions, don’t be afraid to drop me a quick note!

 

 

I’M ALISSA!

I help women who have also been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis make specific and personalized diet, lifestyle & subconscious changes so that they can begin to heal their body, reduce disease symptoms, and return to a life they love.hey there,

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It’s amazing what taking a few minutes to breathe and reassure yourself can do, ya know??

If you have MS and this gives you an immediate uncomfy feeling in your gut because you never advocate for yourself and your needs, 

You need to come to my next Masterclass:
Managing Stress to Manage MS

We’ll be talking about:
* How Stress Works: Discover how your body’s stress response system operates and why it plays such a big role in your overall health.
* Stress and MS: Understand how stress impacts MS symptoms and why it can sometimes make symptom flares worse.
* Building Your Resilience: Get simple, effective strategies to boost your stress resilience and help ease MS symptoms for a healthier, more balanced life.

Happening February 10th at 6pm EST!
Comment NEEDS below and I’ll send you the link to register! 

#multiplesclerosis #lissms #nervoussystemregulation #nervoussystemhealing #healingmultiplesclerosis #thisisms

It’s amazing what taking a few minutes to breathe and reassure yourself can do, ya know??

If you have MS and this gives you an immediate uncomfy feeling in your gut because you never advocate for yourself and your needs,

You need to come to my next Masterclass:
Managing Stress to Manage MS

We’ll be talking about:
* How Stress Works: Discover how your body’s stress response system operates and why it plays such a big role in your overall health.
* Stress and MS: Understand how stress impacts MS symptoms and why it can sometimes make symptom flares worse.
* Building Your Resilience: Get simple, effective strategies to boost your stress resilience and help ease MS symptoms for a healthier, more balanced life.

Happening February 10th at 6pm EST!
Comment NEEDS below and I’ll send you the link to register!

#multiplesclerosis #lissms #nervoussystemregulation #nervoussystemhealing #healingmultiplesclerosis #thisisms
...

4 1
This is hard!!

We feel like “we should be able to” still do the cleaning, chores, putting things away etc etc etc.. 

But in reality- our bodies need and crave rest and recovery first.

If we don’t give our bodies what they need voluntarily, they’ll find a way to make us.

Really struggle with this idea of listening to and caring for your body?
(I get it- it’s not a skill we’re taught)

I’m hosting a (free) masterclass on this and “managing stress” in January, comment CLASS and I’ll send you the link to sign up!! 

#multiplesclerosis #nervoussystemregulation #nervoussystemhealing #stressmanagement #lissms #thisisms #becausems #seasonaldepression #anxiety

This is hard!!

We feel like “we should be able to” still do the cleaning, chores, putting things away etc etc etc..

But in reality- our bodies need and crave rest and recovery first.

If we don’t give our bodies what they need voluntarily, they’ll find a way to make us.

Really struggle with this idea of listening to and caring for your body?
(I get it- it’s not a skill we’re taught)

I’m hosting a (free) masterclass on this and “managing stress” in January, comment CLASS and I’ll send you the link to sign up!!

#multiplesclerosis #nervoussystemregulation #nervoussystemhealing #stressmanagement #lissms #thisisms #becausems #seasonaldepression #anxiety
...

14 5
I get it..

It seems like it would be good.

Because others around you are taken care of..
Because others around you feel good..
Because others around you are happy..

But what about you??

In reality, that’s just making it harder for you to help yourself heal and probs making your MS symptoms worse.

I’ve worked with so many people with MS and autoimmune disease… 1 thing (among many) that they all have in common is a habit of putting others before themselves, saying yes way too much and forgetting about what they want themselves.

Feel a little called out?
Then my course Embodied Resilience is for you.

This is a course all about managing + improving your stress tolerance- since stress is the number 1 trigger of symptom flares and relapses

And- it’s on sale for Black Friday!!
Comment SALE below and I’ll send you the link!!

#lissms #multiplesclerosis #healingmultiplesclerosis #thisisms #becausems

I get it..

It seems like it would be good.

Because others around you are taken care of..
Because others around you feel good..
Because others around you are happy..

But what about you??

In reality, that’s just making it harder for you to help yourself heal and probs making your MS symptoms worse.

I’ve worked with so many people with MS and autoimmune disease… 1 thing (among many) that they all have in common is a habit of putting others before themselves, saying yes way too much and forgetting about what they want themselves.

Feel a little called out?
Then my course Embodied Resilience is for you.

This is a course all about managing + improving your stress tolerance- since stress is the number 1 trigger of symptom flares and relapses

And- it’s on sale for Black Friday!!
Comment SALE below and I’ll send you the link!!

#lissms #multiplesclerosis #healingmultiplesclerosis #thisisms #becausems
...

24 7
✨Moving your body✨

Notice I didn’t say exercise, although yes that also helps.

Stress hormones can get stuck in our bodies, our cells, our muscle tissue for various reasons.

Making it super easy for us to carry stress around with us- which shows up often as:

Pain
Tension
Trouble breathing
Difficulty with balance

It’s no coincidence that these are often prominent MS symptoms too. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where effects of MS end and effects of stress begin.

Being able to offload accumulated stress is key to being able to improve MS symptoms.

My course Embodied Resilience shows you exactly how to do this, and it’s gonna be on sale for Black Friday.

Comment ME below and I’ll send you the sale link when it’s ready!! 

#lissms #multiplesclerosis #nervoussystemhealing #nervoussystemregulation #stressmanagement #thisisms #becausems

✨Moving your body✨

Notice I didn’t say exercise, although yes that also helps.

Stress hormones can get stuck in our bodies, our cells, our muscle tissue for various reasons.

Making it super easy for us to carry stress around with us- which shows up often as:

Pain
Tension
Trouble breathing
Difficulty with balance

It’s no coincidence that these are often prominent MS symptoms too. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where effects of MS end and effects of stress begin.

Being able to offload accumulated stress is key to being able to improve MS symptoms.

My course Embodied Resilience shows you exactly how to do this, and it’s gonna be on sale for Black Friday.

Comment ME below and I’ll send you the sale link when it’s ready!!

#lissms #multiplesclerosis #nervoussystemhealing #nervoussystemregulation #stressmanagement #thisisms #becausems
...

9 2
I’ve seen myself and tons of clients through behavior change to help improve their MS + autoimmune disease symptoms.

There are SO MANY things that can help us.

But the one I’ve seen move the needle the most?

Working on your mindset and stress management tools.

We can change our diet
Change how we move 
Change the products we’re using
Change the supplements we take..

But if we’re still in the high stress state that most of us are in.. all those will only go so far.

Stress is my biggest symptom trigger, and 99% of my clients feel the same.

My biggest course sale is coming Black Friday, included is my course Embodied Resilience, all about learning how to actually manage stress- so you’re not constantly battling MS flares too.

My email list is gonna get first dibs..
Comment LIST below and I’ll add you so you’re notified first!!

I’ve seen myself and tons of clients through behavior change to help improve their MS + autoimmune disease symptoms.

There are SO MANY things that can help us.

But the one I’ve seen move the needle the most?

Working on your mindset and stress management tools.

We can change our diet
Change how we move
Change the products we’re using
Change the supplements we take..

But if we’re still in the high stress state that most of us are in.. all those will only go so far.

Stress is my biggest symptom trigger, and 99% of my clients feel the same.

My biggest course sale is coming Black Friday, included is my course Embodied Resilience, all about learning how to actually manage stress- so you’re not constantly battling MS flares too.

My email list is gonna get first dibs..
Comment LIST below and I’ll add you so you’re notified first!!
...

18 8
And my period started to add to the joy 🙃🙃

We can do hard things y’all,
breathe in, breathe out,
all will be well.

#Electionstress #seasonaldepression #anxiety #multiplesclerosis

And my period started to add to the joy 🙃🙃

We can do hard things y’all,
breathe in, breathe out,
all will be well.

#Electionstress #seasonaldepression #anxiety #multiplesclerosis
...

19 4
Home stretch!!

Do what you need to do today to take care of yourself friends.

#Electionday #Govote #Vote

Home stretch!!

Do what you need to do today to take care of yourself friends.

#Electionday #Govote #Vote
...

10 1
I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.

They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.

I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.

I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.

Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:

1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️

Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.

2. Move your body!! 💃🏃‍♀️

The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do. 

These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.

Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter?? 
I know there are many other things that can!!

I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.

They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.

I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.

I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.

Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:

1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️

Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.

2. Move your body!! 💃🏃‍♀️

The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do.

These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.

Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter??
I know there are many other things that can!!
...

11 4

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