The Plateau Stage and Weight Loss 

When starting out in a weight loss programme the first few months, depending on how much weight you need to lose can be fairly easy. The body is getting rid of the excess pounds on the body and you're feeling great about yourself but what do you do with those few extra stubborn pounds that won't shift?

You can turn to exercise or regular meals but what if that STILL doesn't shift those pounds? It can be a vicious circle that only you can work through.

Obviously if you haven't been following the regular meals of 5-6 meals a day and only calorie counting and participating in no exercise your body is eventually going to stay “stop, I'm starving and I'm going to start saving the fat because I'm hungry.'

That is what our body does when it thinks it is actually being starved of food, which is in effect what a person can be doing when calorie counting. Such a marvellous machine is the human body but it doesn't help the frustration of not being to lose weight or those extra few pounds. 

One of the fastest ways to break through the weight loss plateau stage is to take up skipping. Skipping is a tough aerobic exercise that is on a par with running and all it takes is about 10 minutes per day or more if you can manage it.

Skipping is a weight bearing exercise which means that you are using your whole body to perform the exercise which in turn strengthens the bones and prevents brittle bone disease or osteoporosis.

Skipping burns a lot of calories and keeps the heart rate high which burns lots of calories. Just 10 minutes a day can shift those stubborn pounds. Yes skipping is tough but just work up to it.

You may whip yourself and get frustrated but skipping will help to improve your co-ordination, speed and stamina and banish those love handles! The best way to use skipping is to perform either a 1, 2 or 3 minute session and then do a little bodyweight training like squats or sit-ups for 1 minutes then go back to skipping.

Try doing 3 reps of 3 minutes of skipping and see for yourself how tough it can be. When you are timing yourself for 3 minutes skipping it can seem an awfully long time. Stick with it and in no time you will be at your ideal weight. 

Obviously you can try other forms of exercise such as cycling or jogging but if you want a fast form of weight loss skipping may be the one for you. Skipping boosts the metabolism and forces the body through the plateau stage by boosting the metabolism which in turn forces the body to burn calories even though the body may be in starvation mode.

As a benefit it also tones the buttocks, thighs and develops the calf muscles. You will lose inches off your body, build your stamina and improve your balance, timing and co-ordination.