5 Clever Workout Tweaks to Maintain Your Hard-Earned Weight Loss
Dial Down the Volume (Slightly)
Once you've reached your goal weight, it's time to shift your focus from losing pounds to maintaining your new physique. Josh Schlottman, a certified personal trainer, advises his clients to slightly reduce their training volume when transitioning to maintenance mode. This might involve cutting back on the number of weekly workouts or decreasing the sets and reps during each session. The key is to keep your routine fresh and mentally sustainable.
Cut Back on Cardio (If You're Not a Fan)
If you've been logging countless hours of cardio to burn extra calories but don't particularly enjoy it, Ste McGrath, owner of Get Results Training, suggests reducing your cardio sessions to around two 30-minute workouts per week. However, if you're a cardio enthusiast, feel free to keep it as part of your routine. The goal is to create a sustainable workout plan that you genuinely enjoy.
Focus on Building Muscle
For those looking to build visible muscle post-weight loss, Jonathan Jordan, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, recommends heavy lifting using a 4 sets of 8-10 reps framework. Often, this involves a split routine targeting different muscle groups on separate days. By focusing on "mirror muscles," you can sculpt and tone your physique while maintaining your weight.
Let Your Energy Levels Guide You
As you increase your calorie intake during the maintenance phase, you may find that you have more energy and recover better after workouts. Schlottman notes that many of his clients can actually handle more exercise once they start eating more. If you're feeling good and enjoying your workouts, consider increasing your training volume – as long as it remains fun and exciting.
Train for a Specific Hobby or Sport
Jordan suggests choosing a sport or hobby you want to excel at and tailoring your strength-training program accordingly. For example, golfers require rotational core strength, while tennis players need multi-planar lower and upper body strength and mobility. Working with a personal trainer can help you create a customized workout plan that aligns with your performance goals.
Setting specific workout goals, such as achieving a certain number of pushups, doing a bodyweight pullup, or deadlifting your body weight, can also boost motivation during the maintenance phase. If you don't have a particular goal in mind and simply want to maintain overall health, Jordan recommends focusing on mobility and basic strength training. Most importantly, let your enjoyment of the workouts and how you feel before, during, and after each session be your guide.
By making these smart tweaks to your workout routine, you'll be well on your way to effortlessly maintaining your hard-earned weight loss while enjoying a balanced, sustainable fitness lifestyle.
