The Very First Place I Look When An Athlete Complains Of A Plateau

Every time I meet with an athlete who complains of hitting a plateau, THE VERY FIRST PLACE I LOOK IS THEIR NUTRITION AND HYDRATION.

Now obv, this is a blog post.  Best case scenario would be to have you sitting in front of me for a Fitness Consultation so we can look at EVERYTHING-not just what you eat, but how often you eat, the type of foods you eat, your training split, when you train, your recovery strategy, your supplements, your body type, etc. 

With respect of time and each person's uniqueness, the reason I look to nutrition and hydration FIRST when we talk about plateaus is because a plateau can be a sign of athletic fatigue, and you know what the #1 cause of athletic fatigue is?

IMPROPER NUTRITION AND DEHYDRATION.

That being said, it should come as no surprise when you read "Top 10 Causes of Plateaus," that Improper Nutrition and Dehydration take the #1 spot. 

To gain a better understanding, we're gonna Geek Out for a quick sec and get acquainted with what's happening at the cellular level.  

It's important to remember that when we talk, I am addressing you as an athlete.  Yes, you have a job, family responsibilities, etc.  But when we talk, our focus is on maximizing your Gainz, and your daily operations prioritizing those Gainz. 

I am leading with that, because it's way different from what the Average Joe does.

You are a living, breathing (I think) being with goals and aspirations to do more and be more.  Unfortunately, life doesn't happen in a vacuum, and you also have other things in your life that you have to tend to.    

When it comes to Gainz, what you do in the gym or training arena is only ONE PORTION of it.  It's what you do (or don't do) OUTSIDE of that arena which impacts your results. 

Now this is a blog post addressing busting plateaus with nutrition, and for this we're gonna Shift Gears and start thinking about energy.  Specifically, the energy demands of your body, and how nutrition plays into them. 

There's Two Things You Need To Know: 

#1:  Your Body Is Always Using Energy.  Always, as in ALWAYS.  Even when you're sleeping-your body is still making your heart beat, and your lungs breathe.  Those basic functions require energy. 

#2:  Your Body Doesn't Give A $#!+ About Your Goals.  Your body only cares about keeping you alive.  (And be advised:  alive doesn't mean "alive and kicking."  Alive means the basics:  your heart is beating, your lungs are breathing, and your kidneys are peeing.  This doesn't even mean you're awake and conversant.  Just alive.)    

You might be asking WTHeck does this have to do with nutrition?

I'm telling you this, so that you start viewing plateaus in the grand scheme of things.  You have to look at them in the context of the energy demands placed on the body. 

There's 3 tiers: 

1. Vital functions

2. Basic activities

3. Athletic activities

Because your body ONLY cares about keeping you alive, you must first meet the energy requirements of each tier BEFORE it'll "allow" you to spend energy on the luxury of maximizing your gainz.

This means you must first meet the energy demands to fuel your vital functions (heart beating, lungs breathing, etc.) and keep you alive. 

Then you must meet the energy requirements to fuel your basic activities of life (walking, talking and thinking). 

If both of those tiers are satisfied with enough energy from the fuel you feed your body; your body will allow you to spend the energy on athletic activities and hopefully, capitalize on your training efforts to maximize your gainz.   

We'll call all that the FUELING THE ENERGY DEMAND FOR MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT.   

So Where Does That Lead Us?  To our next blog post, of course! 

Stay tuned for "The Only Way To Be Anabolic Is To Avoid Being Catabolic."