9 Diet Plateau Hacks: Get Back On The Road To Lean

It's time to get lean. Get your diet moving full steam ahead and reach your fat loss goals with these nine tips and eating plan tweaks from bodybuilder Brad Borland.

Brad Borland is a strength & conditioning specialist, cancer survivor and the founder of WorkoutLab.

The devil’s in the details as the old saying goes. Sometimes the tiniest detail or the smallest adjustment can move mountains when it comes to our diet and training goals. We so haphazardly tend to think we need constant overhauls in order for our eating plans to cultivate the type of change we want to see.

Do you see yourself as that type? The type that feels the need to wipe the slate completely clean regarding your diet? Do you find that when faced with a difficult circumstance or roadblock that you must make a big change in order the see results again?

Don’t. Many times, no, most of the time small, gradual adjustments are called for instead of reinventing the wheel. Staying the general course and adjusting a few critical components is, many times, all that is necessary to get you back on the road to lean-town.

Below are a few common questions you may encounter at some point on your personal journey. Some or all may be just what you need to get the fire stoked once again and reap big dividends by making small changes.

9 Hacks to Reach Your Diet Goals

Hack #1 - Make a minor calorie adjustment

Has the scale stopped moving? As watching the scale isn’t a realistic tool in the war on fat it can still be frustrating when you know the fat isn’t melting off like it used to. Instead of throwing in the towel try a minor adjustment in overall calories. Either decrease or increase (yes you read that right, see #2 for more) your calories by only 200 to 300.

Also, give any new adjustment time (two to four weeks) to make an impact. Being too impatient and demanding overnight results is a surefire way toward frustration.

Hack #2 - Take a training break and bump carbs

Are you becoming too drained during training? This can be a sign of too much of a calorie deficit. If you feel stale and your training, energy levels and overall wellbeing are suffering then you may need a few days off from training in addition to a few more calories in your diet – namely carbohydrates.

When you eat too little the body tends to slow its metabolism down and conserve energy (it thinks it’s starving and wants to surplus energy in the name of fat storage). Increasing calories slightly and taking a short break from training will lead you back in the right direction. See also #7.

Hack #3 - Get creative & spice up your food

Have you lost motivation and enthusiasm on your current diet? A diet doesn’t have to be boring. Research interesting and tasty ways to prepare your food. A bland chicken breast and lifeless brown rice shouldn’t be what’s on your menu every day.

Look up how to spice-up certain dishes, how to prepare low-fat dressings and marinades and don’t be afraid to explore new tastes and new foods that you’ve never tried before. Spark your curiosity and get creative.

Hack #4 - Salvage your efforts by hitting the reset button

Do you keep getting of course with your diet? Does it seem like you are always trying to play catch-up? Do you feel like you are constantly getting knocked off your horse when it comes to sticking to your plan of action? Adopt a new perspective and work with what you have.

Instead of throwing it all away and starting over once again, pick up the pieces where you are currently and move forward. If you had a bad day of eating one day, simply do a little better the next day. Salvage your efforts and soon you will see that discipline and consistency is built over time.

Hack #5 - Inject a tweak into your plan

Is your diet stale and lifeless? This can easily be relatable to #3. In addition, try different techniques such ascycling your carbohydrate intake, increasing some healthy fats and/or install a weekly cheat meal or two.

Take time to prepare your food and add in more flavors, research fast ways to prep food and use unique meal combinations. Exchange ideas with others and create a small community of support. Healthy diet food doesn’t have to be bland and boring.

Hack #6 - Stop starving & increase calories

Are you starving all the time? Having that starving feeling is no way to live. The hunger reflex is your body’s signal that it needs fuel. Normally a sign of too few calories, feeling constant hunger pangs is a surefire way of running yourself into the ground.

Slightly increase calories over the next few days and keep track of how you feel. You may need to increase some healthy fats or complex carbs in order to properly fuel your muscle especially during intense training.

Hack #7 - Satisfy your cravings for missed foods

Do you miss your favorite foods? As I see it, this issue can be solved two ways.

One, if you need that binge fix after a week’s worth of dieting then schedule a cheat day at the end of the week. This will have you looking forward to a “reward” and will make the week easier to get through.

Two, as stated above, you can research ways of preparing your food differently to make it more appetizing each day. Who wouldn’t love marinated meats, grilled and spiced vegetables and quinoa?

Hack #8 - Lose the right kind of weight

Are you losing too much of the wrong kind of weight? We all have looked at the scale once or twice or 100 times in our lives but who is to know if it is the right kind of weight we are losing.

A weight loss or gain of one to two pounds per week is about the limit when it comes to putting on muscle or losing fat respectively. Again, as a lot of over dieters are guilty of, having your calories set too low will go against many or all efforts in the gym. You must feed your body to function and recover and have a slow and steady mindset regarding getting lean.

Hack #9 - Forget "perfect" and just start

Have you quit and are finding it impossible to start again? The biggest hurdle to any big endeavor is to just start. Start somewhere, somehow but the most important thing is to just start. You don’t need the perfect plan, with perfect execution to be successful and to start seeing results.

Every little action no matter how small will add to your self-discipline, consistency and effectiveness building each and every day until you can step back and see the monumental path you have taken. Your journey is made up of many single steps that build a foundation of positive habits and incredible willpower getting you closer to your goals.

muscleandstrength.com

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  
  

  Brad Borland

  Brad is the founder of Workout Lab. He has a Master's degree in Kinesiology and is a consultant, writer, strength & conditioning specialist, husband and father. Brad is a military veteran and a cancer survivor.

  View all by Brad Borland »

The Football Body Workout

Use gridiron training to get the build of an NFL athlete

by Joe DeFranco


FREQUENCY: Perform each workout (I, II, III, and IV) once per week. Try to schedule your training so that you perform workouts I and II on back-to-back days, and then rest a day. Perform workouts III and IV on back-to-back days, followed by two days off.

HOW TO DO IT: Perform the exercise pairs (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting the prescribed amount of time between each set. So you'll do one set of A, rest, then one set of B, rest again, and repeat for all the prescribed sets.
Perform the remaining exercises as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets for one exercise before moving on to the next. Some exercises call for you to "work up" to a weight that's the most you can use for a given rep range. This is called your "rep max," or RM. A "3RM" would indicate a three-rep max (a weight you can perform only three reps with).
Perform increasingly heavier warm-up sets of no more than six reps to gradually arrive at your RM weight (the warmup sets should not be very stressful). Make sure you perform at least five sets total for the exercise.

Workout:

1 BOX SQUAT

SETS: AT LEAST 5 REPS: WORK UP TO A 3RM REST: AS MUCH AS NEEDED
Set up a barbell on the supports of a squat rack and place a box a few feet behind you. The box should be low enough that your thighs are parallel to the fl oor when you sit on it. Step underneath the bar and grab it with your hands about 8 to 12 inches wider than shoulder width. Nudge the bar off the rack and stand with your feet wider than shoulder width [1]. Bend your hips and knees, lowering your body onto the box [2]. Pause for a moment and then explosively stand back up. That's one rep.

Build more strength on the floor

Forget the weight rack. The key to athletic strength is at your feet

Pushups aren't the only reason to hit the floor during your workout. "Your hands and feet are covered with sensors that provide feedback about limb position and alignment," says Jeremy Frisch, U.S.A.W., owner of Achieve Performance Training. The more you engage your hands and feet in ground-based exercises, the greater the boost you'll see in your athletic performance.
The Incredible 82-Day Speed Shred
Do This
Perform the following exercises as a circuit, moving from one to the next with 45 seconds of rest in between. Once you've done them all, rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat the circuit as many times as you can in 15 minutes. For best results, do this workout barefoot at home.
Try this: The Pushup That Blasts Your Core.
Elevated Bird Dog Reach
Get down on all fours with your hips up and your knees bent 90 degrees but only your hands and feet touching the floor. Raise your right arm and left leg until they're straight and in line with your body. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left arm and right leg. That's 1 rep. Do 8 to 10.

Straight-Leg Crab Hip Raise
Sit with your heels on a bench, your butt on the floor, and your weight supported on your hands. Raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Pause, and then lower your hips back down (but don't let them touch the floor). That's 1 rep. Do 10 to 12.
If you're working towards a personal fitness goal and looking for a targeted workout plan, visit the Men's Health Train for Life Center.

Alligator Lunge
Assume a pushup position with your arms straight and your hands slightly beyond shoulder width. Simultaneously move your left hand forward and place your right foot next to your right hand. Lower your hips and pause. Repeat using your right hand and left foot. Continue for 15 to 20 yards.

Crab Toe Touch
Assume a crab-walk position with your heels beneath your knees and your palms beneath your shoulders. Lift your hips, raise your right hand and left leg, and try to touch your toes. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left hand and right leg. That's 1 rep. Do 10.
Short on time? Try these 3 New Lighting-Fast Workouts instead.

Four-Way Bear Crawl
Get on all fours with your hips up and your knees bent 90 degrees but only your hands and feet touching the floor. Crawl forward for 5 yards, right for 5 yards, backward for 5 yards, and left for 5 yards to complete a full square. Repeat, reversing the directions (backward, left, forward, right).

DeltaFIT Challenge
Few exercises test core and upper-body strength as well as the front-loaded pushup. The reason: It shifts your weight forward, forcing your pecs and deltoids to work overtime to keep your body balanced. For more workout ideas, visit the DeltaFIT Challenge page.

How to do it Assume a pushup position. Lower your chest toward the floor, but as you do, push your body forward (your hands should end up near your waist). Return to the starting position and continue for 30 seconds, shooting for 10 reps. That's 1 set. Do 3, resting 60 seconds between sets. Too easy? Elevate your feet, pause at the bottom of each repetition, or lengthen the set and shorten the rest.

Provided by Men's Health

How to Grow Muscle All Night

Eat this before bed for gains while you sleep

by CJ Murphy

 

Your body is primed to build muscle two times a day—right after your workout and during deep sleep. With the right meal or supplement before bed, you can get stronger while you doze.

THE SCIENCE: Your body releases its biggest surge of growth hormone during REM sleep. If you have ample amounts of protein in your system, you'll take full advantage of the spike and make greater muscle gains. Also, your muscles will soak up protein through the night, so you won't go into "hunger" mode (where your body can break down muscle) as quickly.

WHAT TO EAT: A slow-digesting form of protein, such as chicken or turkey, is ideal. Or try low-fat cottage cheese with pineapple chunks and an ounce of almonds for healthy fats to help slow digestion further.

WHAT TO DRINK: A shake made with casein, a slow-release protein. Good options include BSN Syntha-6 or Labrada Pro V60 Plus. (Because it digests quickly, whey protein powder is not the best choice here.) For even greater gains, consider mixing in five grams each of creatine, BCAAs, and glutamine. You can add them to your shake separately or get them all in one product, such as VPX No Synthesize.

 

Source: http://www.mensfitness.com