The biggest challenge when starting any Nutrition & Fitness program is learning how to Break Through Plateaus. Plateaus are a natural part of the process, so you will experience them, the key is to understand & implement the necessary tools to overcome them when you do. Through my years of coaching I have heard 4 main Questions and Statements from Clients:

1. "When do you think I will Plateau?"

2. " I can always get an initial result, then my body stops progressing."

3. " I cannot seem to lose these last 10 Pounds."

4. " I cannot seem to put on any muscle."

Most people will come upon a Plateau like those just described. I would like to share the 5 tools that will enhance your education and provide you with the necessary strategies to Break Through these Plateaus. The 5 tools consist of:

Tool 1: Accept that Plateaus will occur

Plateaus happen in all aspects of life, nothing can progress at the same pace forever. Sometimes, they must slow down. For example, take a look at the growth of a child, the process of building a business, or the deepening of a relationship... They all possess moments of progression followed by moments of maintenance. Accepting that plateaus will happen is part of the process. I will explain below how to break through them.

Tool 2: Understand Your "Set Point"

Your body has an Internal Mechanism called a "Set Point" - similar to the temperature on a Thermostat. Your genetics, gender and the choices you make determine what that set point is. When anyone starting a nutrition program initially gets a result, the most common reason is that their body is above their "Set Point". Imagine setting your home's thermostat to 80 Degrees. If the temperature is at 85, the air conditioning will switch on. However, once the room reaches 80, the cooling will stop. Your body works in a similar fashion. Once you reach your Set Point (like the temperature on a thermostat), your body will also stop progressing, unless you have the proper foundation. The key to Breaking through your Plateaus is to Reprogram your "Set Point" (adjust your Thermostat).

Tool 3: Create a Foundation

Your foundation is the key to your success. The only way your body will reprogram its set point is if it achieves Homeostasis (internal Balance). When people "Diet", they cut & restrict food intake, leading to an initial result, unfortunately dieting does not create Homeostasis in your body, so the result is followed immediately by an unbreakable Plateau. This leads to the "YO-YO" dieting syndrome. The same issue is also relevant to individuals who're looking to put on Muscle. "Hard Gainers", most times will attempt to gain muscle mass by overeating, but they come up short as well - they haven't achieved Homeostasis. The key for Weight & Body Fat loss as well as Increasing Muscle Mass is to Stabilize your blood sugar levels; this is the only way to create Homeostasis and provide the body with the proper environment in which to reprogram its set point. When the body is in balance (has Stable Blood Sugar) it has all the proper nutrients and an ideal environment to achieve any goal.

Once your blood sugar is stable, what else is needed for a solid foundation? The answer is a Health Structure. There are six main components which when looked after, will provide optimal balance for the body: Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, Supplements, Water intake, and the separate component which combines aspects from all of the others - Stress Management.

By implementing a Health Structure you now have a foundation to build from and a reference point to work from. This foundation will provide your body with a Stable Platform to overcome any plateaus you might face.

Tool 4: Increase Efficiency

With a foundation in place, you have now created the ability to Break Through all Plateaus. Please remember, you WILL face Plateaus, so now you've got to focus on staying ahead of the curve. I suggest enhancing your foundation (Health Structure) by improving the quality of each component of your Health Structure - becoming more efficient. Breaking through plateaus is not necessarily about doing more; it's about doing better, becoming more efficient and diversifying what you do.

Tool 5: Stay Consistent

Consistency is the X factor that will provide you with the ability to accomplish all of your Health and Fitness goals. As long as Tools 1-4 are being implemented, you will continue to make progress. The closer you come to your goals, the more resistant and slower the process will be. This is a natural defense mechanism of the body. However, as long as you stay the course, and implement these strategies, you will Break Through all of your Plateaus.

In Conclusion... I think we all can agree that Plateaus are extremely frustrating, and what is even more frustrating is not having the tools to Break Through them. You now have the tools, formula, education and vehicle to achieve all of your Health and Fitness goals as well as Permanently Breakthrough your Plateaus.