Clocking the initial gains during the first few weeks or months of your fitness journey—say, spotting muscle definition in your legs, or running a mile without stopping—can feel downright euphoric. But at some point down the road, things can start getting a little…stale. Perhaps the scale isn’t budging, or that heavy barbell class you’ve always wanted to try still feels too advanced. Such impasses are natural, says Claudette Sariya, a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)-certified trainer: You’re not seeing progress because your body has adapted to the initial demands you threw its way—and so now it’s time to challenge it further.
That said, fitness plateaus don’t happen solely for physiological reasons—there’s a mental component, too. Alissa Mosca, a trainer for Planet Fitness, cites boredom and lack of motivation as common issues behind stalling out. Or perhaps you genuinely, truly want to move the needle—but just aren’t sure how to make that happen.
Whatever the reason, the right gym and the right plan can help kick things back into action for you. Planet Fitness, for example, offers a multitude of membership options for all levels of athletes to begin, continue on, or reignite their fitness journey—whether that’s trying to lose weight, strength training, building cardio, or just getting more active.
Read on for some physical and motivational strategies that will help get you back on track.
1. Map Out A Success Plan
First off, you’ll want to pinpoint your “why,” which will help you build motivation to push through difficult parts of your fitness journey, Mosca says. Do you want to feel stronger walking up a flight of stairs or hoisting a toddler up into your arms? Did a doctor recommend you work on your body composition or improve your cardiovascular capabilities? Remember, motivation comes from the desire to accomplish something. Don’t let yourself forget that you’re in the gym for a reason, and that these workouts are serving a purpose.
The next step? Monitor your progress. “To hold yourself accountable, it’s important to start tracking your workouts,” Sariya explains, so develop a plan and write it down to check off as you go. This will also help you assess avenues for change whenever progress stalls out.
Professional help can come in handy here, as well. “Every Planet Fitness membership comes with free fitness training, from the classic $15/month membership to the $24.99/month Black Card® membership, which allows members to visit any Planet Fitness location and bring a guest every time,” Mosca explains. “You can sit down with the trainer and discuss your goals, and they’ll make you a plan to follow.” You can also download the free Planet Fitness app, which houses tons of step-by-step workouts you can follow along with.
2. Learn About Progressive Overload
Both Sariya and Mosca emphasize that if your goal is to get stronger, it’s crucial to be sure your weightlifting routine is built with progressive overload. Per the NASM, this means that the time, weight, or intensity of your lifting should increase by no more than 10 percent each week, so your muscles have the chance to gradually adapt without risking injury. For example, perhaps you begin with overhead shoulder presses for three sets of 12 reps with a 15-pound bar. As you continue at that weight and rep range over, say, four weeks, your muscles became more efficient—and the movement gets a lot easier, a process known as muscle adaptation.
But by slowly increasing the weight you lift in subsequent weeks, you fight adaptation and force your muscles to work harder, which in turn helps them grow. A certified fitness trainer like those at Planet Fitness can help identify the appropriate weight/rep/time range, as well as the right weekly increases, that will keep you on track without risking injury.
3. Weave Interval Training Into Your Cardio
Perhaps you’ve gotten into the habit of just going through the motions on the elliptical for a half-hour a few days each week. If so, says Mosca, “you need to change it up—you have to confuse your body when you want to see progress.”
Interval training can be a solid way to both up the ante on your cardiovascular output and inject a little fun into your workout. The format relies on repeated intervals of intense bursts of speed or power, mixed with short rest periods. Mosca adds that the free Planet Fitness app can be a great help with this, as it offers up a trove of workout variations for cardio machines like stair climbers, treadmills, and ellipticals.
4. Add Some Inspiration
It can be really difficult to push through that running interval or lift that heavier weight unless you’re actually excited about it. One great way to rev up your motivation, according to Mosca, is to get creative with circuit-training-style moves—another area where Planet Fitness has ample services on tap. “We’ve got kettlebells, we’ve got medicine balls, we’ve got battle ropes,” she says. For her part, Sariya also loves a good confidence-boosting, multi-joint “power” move, which could mean box jumps or overhead throws.
Another easy but effective means of addressing the mental component, says Mosca, is to bring a friend along—which happens to be free with a Planet Fitness Black Card®: “When you partner with somebody, you end up being each other’s motivation.”
5. Prioritize Rest And Hydration
If you’re constantly switching up your weights and workout modalities but still not seeing results, check in on what’s happening at home, both trainers say. Start with your downtime, Sariya recommends: “If you’re not resting in between workouts, or not getting enough sleep, you’re delaying your progress—your muscle fibers need rest in order to rebuild.” Aim for seven to nine hours of snoozing per night.
Mosca highlights the importance of sufficient hydration, too. Though water-intake recommendations vary depending on the person, ensuring your urine is colorless or light yellow is a solid baseline. Managing your stress is another biggie: Too much can hinder progress on some fitness goals, studies suggest, so it’s wise to check out the additional amenities that come with the PF Black Card®—including red-light therapy and Hydromassage™. “Including a wellness routine as a part of your fitness journey can help you feel better both mentally and physically,” she explains. And once you’re in the right frame of mind, you’ll be ready to push through that plateau and keep your progress going.
Head to PlanetFitness.com or download the free Planet Fitness app to find your nearest club and join today.
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