

If you’ve been on the high intensity wagon since the start, why not build in some low intensity fasted rides to give your body a little push? If you always do long slow rides to stay in the ‘fat burning’ zone, chuck in some super fast high intensity sessions to get your body working on another level. The best way out of a plateau – of any kind – is to shake up your routine. Read more about Cortisol and it’s effects here.Īthletes of all levels can get stuck in a ‘plateau’ – this is when you find you’re getting closer and closer to your goals, and then improvement fizzles out and eventually the line of success flattens.

You need to hit ‘reset’ on your metabolism, and then gradually build up to a healthy exercise routine that doesn’t cause too much extra stress.

If you think this might be the problem, back off for a few days (or even weeks), concentrate on eating plenty of good, healthy food. Effectively, your thoughtful body is preparing itself for a long lasting famine. Constantly high levels of Cortisol make your body think that it is in danger, causing symptoms such as water retention, and a heightened ability to store carbohydrates and glycogen. This hormone is usually released when you’re scared or angry, but levels can also rise when you lift heavy weights, or train hard. Putting your body under too much stress results in high levels or Cortisol. That will give you an idea how many hours you need.Įxercising too much (or eating too little)Īh – the flip side of the coin! It is possible to exercise too much, and eat too little, in the search for a drop in weight.Įffectively, your thoughtful body is preparing itself for a long lasting famine If you feel like you’re not getting enough shut eye, try and find a day when you can sleep as long as you like, don’t set an alarm, lock the cat (dog/child) out of the bedroom, and see just how long you naturally sleep for. The amount of sleep people need varies dramatically – your optimum could be anywhere between 7 and 10 hours. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can cause an increase in snacking, and consumption of excess calories – often from carbohydrates which produce a quick spike in insulin levels before instigating a sudden drop, when more carbs will be required!Ĩ Foods That Will Definitely Help You Sleep Since it’s not generally acceptable to take a nap at your desk, the next best source is from extra food. When your body is tired, you can find yourself searching for more energy, any way you can get it. Since it’s not generally acceptable to take a nap at your desk, the next best source of extra energy is from extra food However, if you’re cycling to lose weight, but finding the scales just aren’t budging, it can be pretty frustrating.Īside from broken scales (seriously, check this!), there are many possible causes for a lack of progress – we’ve taken a look at what could be holding you back on the journey to a healthy weight… Not enough sleep There’s a myriad of reasons why people cycle: transportation, freedom, improved mental health, sport and competition, and quite simply enjoyment to name a few.Īs well as serving all of these purposes, cycling also torches calories, and being a low impact activity it’s a great option for people looking to lose a little bit of weight.Īs a form of cardiovascular exercise, riding a bike improves heart health, as well as helping you to build muscle which in turn improves your metabolism, meaning your body blazes through more calories even when sitting still.
