The dreaded plateau

I have been on a fitness roll since I made a personal commitment to get healthy almost seven years ago. In a long-drawn process punctuated by periodic tests of will and perseverance with progress coming in painstaking, small doses, I successfully lost most of my unwanted weight, managed to bring down my body mass index (BMI or ratio of body fat against muscle mass) to a healthy level, and go down two dress sizes.

I was able to build up my immune system, making my body stronger to fight upper respiratory infection. I was a happy camper — until I hit the dreaded plateau.

I thought that with the strict exercise regimen I had, I would be spared from the plateau. I was wrong.

The change came subtly, no big fanfare, just suspicions that snuck upon me when I’d get dressed for the day. The first alarm bell rang when I wore my seven-year-old black, cropped Esprit pants a few months back, and felt it snug around the waist. I convinced myself I was probably just bloated, so rather than deal with the issue pronto, I went about my normal way. A few weeks after that, I picked out a printed Topshop skirt and while I was able to zip it up, I noticed a bit of a paunch just right where my puson was. Suddenly red flags started to pop up in my head and I finally braved the unthinkable and took the litmus test. I brought out my Zara khakis, a purchase six springs ago in London that fit me like second skin. I had not used the pants for a few months because of my newfound BFF (best fashion friend), basic stretch, skinny jeans from Forever 21. I managed to snap the button of my khakis closed but what used to be love handles nicely tucked inside my pants actually became excess baggage riding on top of my Zara pants!

Jillian Michaels, SOS!

While fitting into old clothes is great for the ego and for the wallet (since you don’t have to keep buying new wardrobe all the time), my concern comes from trying to understand how my body works and where my efforts to remain fit went awry. 

When you are working your butt off, generally eating well, sleeping the required eight hours a day and abstaining from cigarette and alcohol (thank goodness, I never developed a liking for either) and you find yourself putting on some weight, you’ve got to ask, is age finally catching up on me or am I just doing something wrong?

Where It All Began

After running the 27-kilometer race in the Lake Kawaguchi Marathon at the end of November 2010, I gave up long-distance running. I literally burnt out. Unlike other runners who love the feeling of their feet pounding on the pavement and savoring their record performances, I took up running simply for fitness.

I always joked about feeling runner’s pain but never runner’s high yet I committed fully and immersed myself in serious training so I could finish the Kawaguchi race without having to walk and stop, or get injured. I reached my goal and was pleased with my time at Lake Kawaguchi. I gave up the early morning 12- to 18-kilometer training runs three times a week and settled for the treadmill in the gym for 10-kilometer runs, twice a week tops. I continued to work out six days a week and ate my beloved carbs; everything seemed fine until the end of January.

My metabolism during my long-distance training was on overdrive — I was constantly hungry and ate whatever and whenever my stomach grumbled. But I didn’t adjust my food intake when I stopped the punishing training and didn’t replace the calorie-depleting running with a form of exercise with the same level of intensity.

In short, my calorie input did not equal my calorie output.

One important fact that people tend to forget is that our bodies eventually get used to long in-place exercise routines. They become ineffective after a while and even if you don’t overindulge in food, there’s the possibility of weight gain. That is why athletes constantly set different goals for themselves as they progress. While hardcore, grueling sports are not for everyone, we must constantly mix up our lifelong fitness plans.

Plan B

Plan B: While hardcore, grueling sports are not for everyone, we must constantly mix up our lifelong fitness plans.

So how do I beat the plateau? That was the million-dollar question I asked myself especially since I had no desire to go back to long-distance running.

I immediately replaced one of my twice-a-week weight training sessions with TRX, a suspension training exercise where you use your own body weight to push and pull, squat and stand, stretch and curl up with an expandable thick nylon cord. I started taking Zumba, a Latin dance workout created by Colombian dance instructor Beto Perez, in our gym once a week. It is fast-paced, fun, sexy, and free for the members of the gym I go to. I also recently joined a group of triathletes who do interval training twice a week in a village close by. While it involves running, the aim is to increase one’s speed and improve strength especially when traversing inclines. The training takes less than an hour, but the workout is intense, better than running 10 kilometers on the treadmill. 

As for food, I have cut down on my beloved carbs. I don’t believe in extreme diets, cheat days or depriving myself of certain foods so all I did was decrease my pasta intake from 150 grams to about 100 grams and my rice from one cup to two thirds of a cup every day plus I added a little more protein and fiber to my daily diet. I still enjoy the weekend ice cream treats with my kids, the popcorn or chips at the movies, the afternoon coffee and cake “dates” with my best friend once in a while and the occasional cheese, cold cuts, and wine aperitivo (cocktails) with my family. 

So what happened to the Topshop skirt, the Esprit pants, and Zara khaki pants? I wore the Topshop skirt and Esprit pants in the past week. As for the Zara pants, give or take two weeks, they will be hugging my ample love handles quite nicely once again…hopefully.

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Watch out for the Zumba Marathon on Friday, May 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Glorietta Park, across Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Registration fee is P500 and it comes with a Zumba kit. You may register at Gold’s Gym-Glorietta 3.

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Jing Monis Salon at Bellevue Hotel is located at Filinvest Corporate City along Northbridge Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, not at Alabang Town Center.