Rut Busters

1. You get down when the scale stalls. Not seeing all-time lows when you strip down and weigh yourself can derail anyone's progress. “As you get closer to your goal weight, the pounds will start coming off more slowly—and it can make you feel like you’ve lost momentum,” says Jenn Burke, fitness manager at the Chesterfield Sport 24 Hour Fitness in Missouri.

The solution: Quit the scale and pull out a measuring tape. If you’re still getting a good mix of cardio and strength training, you’re likely still losing inches—even if your weight isn’t budging, says Burke. And proof of that whittling waistline will help keep you motivated.


2. You get out of “diet” mode. Once you’re in your skinny jeans, you may be more likely to hit the buffet with abandon. “When you’ve reached your goal, it’s easier to lose awareness of how many calories are in certain foods,” says Janel Bilal, a trainer at the College Grove Magic Johnson Sport in Carson, California.

The solution: Indulge—but make up for it with a workout. When Ali Vincent, Biggest Loser season six winner, gives in to temptation, she makes it a point to sweat off those extra calories. “It’s a choice,” says Vincent. “Either you make the choice to have the chocolate cake and work out more, or you eat the cake, do nothing, and gain weight.”


3. You hit a dreaded plateau and lose your mojo. Months of doing the same cardio and weights circuit may have worked wonders for a while, but eventually, your muscle fibers master those movements and don’t need as much energy to do them (read: your body stops ravaging for extra calories to complete the task). The result? You get frustrated that your go-to routine isn’t working anymore.

The solution: Mix things up. To give your body the new stimulus it needs, try something you’ve never done before. Sign up for a 5-K race if you usually use the elliptical, or use free weights if you’re always on the weight machines. Even better: Try a team sport, like volleyball or indoor soccer, to work your muscles in ways that are hard to mimic at the gym.


4. You let outside influences tempt you. Vincent faced this dilemma when she came home from taping The Biggest Loser. “I had to have a lot of conversations with the people I cared about,” says Vincent. “Did I still want to hang out with certain friends? Yes. Could we still meet for margaritas and chips? No.”   

The solution: Rope your crew into your routine. Instead of sedentary activities, like going to the movies, go for a hike or take a dance class. And when it comes to eating out, you call the shots. If someone suggests Chinese, choose a restaurant that also serves Japanese fare so you can opt for sushi instead of General Tso’s.


5. You give in to your excuses. You’re busy. Stressed. Overworked. The list goes on. And while these are all perfectly acceptable reasons to ditch a workout, it’s important to remind yourself that you used to fly in the face of these potential roadblocks when you were totally focused on your goal.

The solution: Schedule workouts you never want to miss, says Bilal. Find a group fitness class that you love so you’ll want to make it there every week, or buddy up with a co-worker and sneak a bitch session in at the gym—instead of the cafeteria.


6. You stop rewarding yourself. It’s easy to treat yourself to a new pair of jeans when you can’t fit into your old clothes. But when your weight loss slows, you might not think to celebrate smaller successes, which help remind you that you’re still doing great.

The solution: Get creative. Book a plane ticket to visit a far-away friend or treat yourself to a massage at your local spa after a month of working out consistently—regardless of what the scale says. “Choose something relaxing,” suggests Burke. “You work hard at the gym, so treating yourself to something that’ll help you unwind is ideal.”


7. You beat yourself up you backslide. Tired of berating yourself when Monday comes and goes and you haven’t “started over?” Too much talking smack about yourself will put a damper on your desire to get back on the wagon.

The solution: Cut yourself some slack. “You have to understand that there will be peaks and valleys in your weight and nutrition, and even if you stumble, you can catch yourself,” says Burke. “Give yourself points for the positive changes you’ve made and then say, ‘Okay, I slipped, but I can get right back on the plan.’”