Plateau Be Gone

For the past few weeks I've kept my eye on the goal and my rear end in the gym and the pool. But the numbers on the scale are in suspended animation. Thankfully, the number is the lowest in years for me, instead of at my highest but I'm impatient to see numbers drop about 2lbs a week as they have since last fall. From mayoclinic.com I found the solution. I need to kick it up a notch (or five or six) in physical activity, build more of a relationship with my treadmill, I'm thinking. Here's more Mayo tips:

If you're at a plateau, you may have lost all of the weight you will given the number of calories you're eating each day and the time you spend exercising. At this point, you need to ask yourself if you're satisfied with your current weight or if you want to lose more, in which case you'll need to adjust your weight-loss program. If you're committed to losing more weight, try these tips for getting past the plateau:

• Reassess your habits. Look back at your food and activity records. Make sure you haven't loosened the rules, letting yourself get by with larger portions or less exercise.
• Cut more calories. Reduce your daily calorie intake by 200 calories — provided this doesn't put you below 1,200 calories. Fewer than 1,200 calories a day may not be enough to keep you from feeling hungry all of the time, which increases your risk of overeating.
• Rev up your workout. Increase the amount of time you exercise by an additional 15 to 30 minutes. You might also try increasing the intensity of your exercise, if you feel that's possible. Additional exercise will cause you to burn more calories.
• Pack more activity into your day. Think outside the gym. Increase your general physical activity throughout the day by walking more and using your car less, or try doing more yardwork or vigorous spring cleaning.