Fitness

Hitting a fitness plateau? Yasmin Karachiwala shares 6 tips to break through it

Published

3 years ago

February 23, 2023

Hitting a fitness plateau? Yasmin Karachiwala shares 6 tips to break through it

If you’re an avid gym-goer, you might be in all probability aware of the sensation of hitting a health plateau the place you have got been understanding persistently for months however while you’re nonetheless getting an excellent exercise in, you aren’t seeing the identical outcomes you had been a number of months in the past. It’s irritating and demotivating however additionally it is an indication that it’s time to swap issues up.

In an interview with HT Life-style, Yasmin Karachiwala, Health Skilled and Movie star Grasp Teacher, prompt some ideas that can assist you break by means of your health plateau and get again on observe in direction of attaining your health targets:

1. Change up your exercise routine

In the event you’ve been doing the identical workout routines and exercises for some time, your physique might have tailored to them, which may sluggish your progress. One solution to break by means of your plateau is to alter up your routine. Strive including new workout routines, growing weights, or altering the order or period of your exercises. You may also attempt switching up the kind of exercise you are doing. For instance, when you’ve been doing lots of weightlifting, attempt including in some cardio or a yoga class. The hot button is to problem your physique in new methods to stimulate muscle progress and enhance general health.

2. Improve your depth

In the event you’ve been exercising on the identical depth for some time, chances are you’ll must push your self more durable to see progress. A method to do that is by including high-intensity intervals to your exercises. Excessive-intensity interval coaching (HIIT) includes quick bursts of intense train adopted by durations of relaxation. These kind of exercises are nice for reinforcing cardiovascular well being, burning fats, and growing muscle mass. One other solution to enhance depth is to carry heavier weights. In the event you’ve been utilizing the identical weights for some time, attempt including a number of kilos and see how your physique responds.

3. Enhance your vitamin

Diet is a key consider attaining health targets. Be sure you’re fueling your physique with nutrient-dense meals and getting sufficient protein to assist your exercises. In the event you’re not already monitoring your macros, now is likely to be an excellent time to start out. Macros, or macronutrients, confer with the three main meals teams: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. By monitoring your macros, you possibly can be sure that you are getting the correct quantity of every to assist your health targets. I might advocate you to eat a handful of 23 almonds every day to up your vitamin. Almonds are wealthy in protein, fibre, vitamin E, calcium, copper, magnesium and riboflavin. They’re additionally a supply of iron, potassium, zinc and the B nutritional vitamins, niacin, thiamine and folate. A 30-gram serving or 23 almonds have 13g of wholesome unsaturated fat and 1g of saturated fats. The truth is, almonds are a deliciously indispensable a part of plant-based diets – or any eating regimen, for that matter. You may also attempt including in additional entire meals, comparable to fruits, greens and lean proteins and reducing again on processed meals and sugar.

4. Get sufficient relaxation and restoration

Overtraining may hinder your progress. Be sure you’re giving your physique sufficient downtime to relaxation and get well between exercises. This implies getting sufficient sleep, taking relaxation days, and stretching and foam rolling to assist stop harm. You may also attempt incorporating lively restoration into your routine, comparable to going for a stroll or doing a little gentle Yoga.

5. Set new targets

Having a transparent aim to work in direction of will help you keep motivated and targeted. In the event you’ve hit a health plateau, it is likely to be an excellent time to set a brand new aim. This could possibly be something from working a 5k to lifting a sure weight. By setting a aim, you possibly can work in direction of one thing tangible and measurable, which will help hold you motivated and targeted.

6. Think about working with a private coach

In the event you’re nonetheless struggling to interrupt by means of your health plateau, it is likely to be time to enlist the assistance of an expert. A private coach will help you assess your present health stage and develop a personalised plan that can assist you break by means of your plateau. They’ll additionally present motivation and accountability, in addition to ideas and methods for optimizing your exercises.

Yasmin Karachiwala suggested, “Breaking by means of a health plateau takes effort and time. It is necessary to remain affected person and dedicated to your targets, and to do not forget that progress is not all the time linear however I’m positive that by following these easy steps you will notice progress over time.”

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Fitness

Michael Chiklis Had to Get in Football Shape Well After 50. Here’s How He Did It.

Published

1 day ago

September 24, 2025

Press Room

Michael Chiklis Had to Get in Football Shape Well After 50. Here’s How He Did It.

MICHAEL CHIKLIS HAS played tough cops in shows like The Shield and a granite-strong superhero in The Fantastic Four, but the most difficult physical challenge the actor has faced over a long career might just have been playing a regular, real-life guy. That regular guy did something remarkable, however—Chiklis’s most recent film, The Senior, is about 59-year-old Mike Flynt, who suited up for college football as the oldest player in the NCAA.

Stepping into the shoes of this character wasn’t a stretch for Chiklis, who is now 62—he says he was the captain of his football team in high school, so he has the background—but getting in shape for the film well after 50 was a trial. The actor did “about 90 percent” of the football action on screen, so he needed to be able to do more than just look the part. He had to be able to move, too.

How did he do it? A dedicated strength and conditioning plan (and plenty of focused warm-up and mobility). Chiklis stacked up full-body training sessions to prep his body to get into football shape. He did more than just gym training, however; Chiklis says he would often spent 40 minutes in the pool jogging and walked 10,000 steps to raise up his general activity levels.

Chiklis says that overall, the most important part of his training was preventing injury. His priorities are being healthy and strong—both for his career, and for the stage he’s at in life. “If you’re an older person and you’re interested in keeping your body strong and being fit, then listen to yourself,” he says. “Don’t get pulled into the whole machismo crap.”

Check out Chiklis’s breakdown of his routine here.

Michael Chiklis’s The Senior Workout

Lower Body Exercises

Reps or 45 seconds per exercise

Suitcase Squat

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell Lateral Lunge

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Push and Pull Movements

4 rounds of 30 to 40 second intervals

Pushups

Dumbbell Floor Press

Dumbbell Row Variations

Arm and Shoulder Circuit

4 sets of 45 seconds per exercise

Dumbbell Curls

Arnold Press

Triceps Kickbacks

Want more celebrity workout routines? Check out all of our Train Like videos.

Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.

Fitness

How Many Days a Week Should You Do HIIT? A Trainer Weighs In

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Press Room

How Many Days a Week Should You Do HIIT? A Trainer Weighs In

For some people trying to lose weight, they might find that they’ve plateaued and wonder if there is anything they can add to their workout routine to jumpstart their metabolism. Enjoying a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout a handful of days per week can be just the thing that works.

“If you’re looking to be more explosive, athletic or build muscle, HIIT workouts are best suited to help you do that,” Rafique “Flex” Cabral previously told TODAY.com.

Trainer Tip of the Day: HIIT Workouts 3 Days a Week Boosts Metabolism

A HIIT workout focuses on brief moments of super-intense activity with rest periods sprinkled between the exercise. While the high energy exertion occurs in quick bursts — often 30 to 45 seconds, with rest in between — it demands more of the muscles. This type of exercise builds and maintains lean muscle mass, which can help with weight loss.

“Maintaining a routine that involves HIIT training three to four times a week will help compound that post-workout effect on your metabolism,” Cabral said.

HIIT sparks something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which enables people to burn calories even after their workout ends. The American Council on Exercise says that HIIT works best for kickstarting EPOC.

“You will produce an after-burn effects with 25% more calories burned post-workout compared to going for a walk or a run,” Lisa Reed, a performance coach and owner of Lisa Reed Fitness, previously told TODAY.com.

Why It Matters

HIIT’s impact on people’s metabolism lingers for some time — Reed estimates it bolsters metabolism up to 10% for three days after a workout.

Having lean muscle mass helps with weight loss but also promotes healthy aging. People with more lean muscle are less likely to experience falls and engage in their daily activities with ease.

How to Get Started

Dedicating even 20 minutes three times a week to a HIIT workout can lead to boosted metabolism and weight loss. Workouts can be customized to exercise preference and the equipment people have handy.

“You can also keep things interesting by switching up the sequence or swapping out different exercises from strength to high-intensity movement,” Reed says. “HIIT workouts are an excellent way to increase your workout intensity in a short amount of time — 20 minutes or less.”

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.

Fitness

Exercise Motivation May Rely On Gut Health, Study Finds

Published

2 weeks ago

September 14, 2025

Press Room

Exercise Motivation May Rely On Gut Health, Study Finds

Published in Nature, the study investigated which internal factors—if any—influence our desire to exercise. The researchers analyzed a wide range of factors, including genome sequences, gut bacterial species, and bloodstream metabolites, looking for any possible connections between these factors and daily voluntary wheel running and endurance.