Reaching a Plateau

[Veronica]

Sometime last year, I reached a plateau in my exercise routine. I was doing the same exercises for the same amount of time, but I was slowly putting on weight. I've since changed my routine and have increased my workout time, and it seems to be working. I'm looking a little trimmer. What I'm wondering is will I have to change my routine and increase the intensity of my workouts for the rest of my life?! That seems to be the logical progression. I can't imagine how much faster and how much harder I'm going to have to work out in the future. Is my conclusion reasonable? Will I someday be zooming around all the other senior citizens at the health club because I've been working out for so long?!

[lindrusso]

Veronica,

That is a problem isn't it? I don't know if you always have to increase length of time, just a change in routine might be enough. Right now I am doing a weight training routine that is somewhat of a pyramid - a lopsided one. So far I've just upped the weights to increase intensity, but I figure that I might also plateau after a while. I hope to offset that by using a different routine - maybe super slow weight lifting or something like that. With weights, I think you can keep it new by trying different routines, different exercises within those routines, and by upping the weights.

Weights are newer to me, so I haven't really plateaued yet. However, I've been doing cardio for a while and need to change not only to jumpstart, but to keep from getting bored. Why not challenge yourself by doing something totally new (as opposed to simply lengthening the amoung of time)? I usually walk, but I know that I now need to push myself further. So, I started doing some run intervals - very small intervals, but it's a start! I doubt I'll ever be a true runner, but at the very least, I'm getting a more intense work out and trying something new. It's amazing to me how you can be in reasonably good shape, but trying a new type of exercise can make you feel like you haven't worked out in years!

Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to say that I don't think you'll have to be working harder and faster to see results - just differently. I'm going to subscribe to a fitness magazine so that I can always be exposed to new ideas - just for that reason.

[Veronica]

I hope that will work. I guess if you constantly change the routine, it's best for your body. I changed my routine in December and have seen some positive results. I guess if I take the yoga class I was thinking about and get a little more serious about doing weights, it'll make a difference.

Have you decided which fitness magazine to subscribe to? I'm thinking about doing the same thing. A lot of people have commented on Shape . . . I think I might check it out. I used to get Walking, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I'm curious to know which one you've picked.

Thanks for the advice! I think my approach will be to keep "surprising" my body with a new routine and hope that it continues to shape up!