4 Tips to Help Move Past the Plateau

by Samantha Montpetit-Huynh

Hitting the wall, like reaching a plateau in exercise, nutrition or any other life change is nothing new but can make or break your success long term.

But when you’re a mom, it just adds to your list of things to-do when trying to overcome them. This is when several things begin to happen either one at a time or all at once and you can slowly see them coming but sometimes you’re in denial because “you’re not going to give up dammit!”.

Let’s face it – you’re not Superwoman and at some point motivation wanes, the snowball commences and you find yourself frustrated because you’re “stuck”.

Staying motivated and avoiding the fatigue, boredom and lack of drive that you once had are primary drivers of gym drop-outs, workout slackers and to no surprise, injuries. Losing momentum and excitement in your workouts often result in laziness, bad form and oops….there goes your back.

Whether you are a new mom who’s sleep deprived or a veteran on a mission, you can overcome these seemingly impossible road blocks and get to the next level in your workout plan.

Be realistic

If you have just had a baby and are getting back into it (or starting) an exercise program, you need to use baby steps. Remember you just went through the biggest workout of your life and your body needs time to rest and repair. If you set the bar too high in the beginning, you are not giving yourself enough space to grow and worse, could end up with an injury that will only set you farther back then where you started.

Make a plan

Exercise doesn’t come as “naturally” to us professionals as you may think. Even we have to plan our workouts, exercises, weights, repetitions etc. When you create a 3, 6 or even 12month plan and track your success, it will do amazing things for your state of mind and spirit.

Change it up

One of the most common mistakes I see is people going to the gym each and every day and doing the same-ole same-ole exercise routine. If you are looking for change, you MUST continue to shock the muscle by either modifying the number of sets, repetitions, timing or doing something completely different all together!

Get a partner in crime.

You know how they say it takes a village to raise a child? Well it certainly takes a small community to make a lifestyle change and stick with it. Why do you think the majority of people hire personal trainers in the first place? It’s not because they don’t know what they are doing; it’s because they now have someone to be accountable to. Family, friends or a support group are all fantastic ways to ensure you stay on track.

In the end, if you are looking for change and want to keep seeing results, remember that everyone is human and you are going to fall off the wagon. The secret is to get up, wipe your self off and get back on. No one said it was easy, but it certainly is not impossible.

Samantha Montpetit-Huynh is the mother of two beautiful girls and the founder of Core Expectations, Toronto’s only full services wellness team that delivers personal training, abdominal rehabilitation and other support services to the homes and offices of pregnant women and new moms across the GTA.