No Progress in Your Training? The Most Common Reasons for Fitness Plateaus

We know that it’s incredibly frustrating when, despite all your efforts in the gym, you just can’t seem to make any progress. You’re giving it your all, sweating through every session, and no matter how much you train, the results just don’t show. Many people are familiar with this problem, and sometimes it can even make you want to give up altogether. The good news is: the reasons are often easy to fix once you identify them. Today, we’ll look at the three areas you need to consider to overcome your current limits and continue making progress. And if none of these reasons apply to you, you’ll find some food for thought at the end of this article that should help you move forward.

Reason 1 - You’re Not Eating Enough for Your Training

The Role of Nutrition in Muscle Building

Proper nutrition is the foundation of your training. Food is the fuel that powers your workout and provides your body with the building blocks for recovery and muscle growth. Before you start thinking about macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, and fats, you should first ask yourself if you’re even consuming enough calories. Because if you’re simply not eating enough, your body won’t have the energy it needs to effectively repair and build muscle. Make sure your calorie intake at least matches your calorie expenditure, or better yet, that you’re in a calorie surplus if muscle growth is your goal. Of course, these calories should ideally come from a balanced diet with around 1.5-2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day [1].

Signs That You’re Not Eating Enough

The most common symptoms of under-eating include constant fatigue, prolonged muscle soreness, and the dreaded plateau. If you’re experiencing these, it might be time to reconsider your diet and consume more calories!

Solutions

The solution is fundamentally simple: eat more! Incorporate more nutritious, calorie-dense options into your meals and snacks. Focus on a balanced diet with a healthy mix of macronutrients. Protein is particularly important for building muscle mass, so make sure you’re getting enough of it [2]. Supplements like our vegan WAM Protein Powder can be a practical help here. How about a delicious WAM Smoothie with peanut butter and banana after your workout? If you’re struggling on your own, a nutritionist can certainly help.

Reason 2 - You’re Not Sleeping Enough for Recovery

The Impact of Sleep on Recovery

Sleep is often underestimated. When we sleep, we’re not just taking a break from daily life – we’re giving our bodies the time they need to build and repair muscles. Hormone regulation, including the release of growth hormone, occurs during deep sleep [3]. Good sleep hygiene is one of the most powerful recovery tools available to you. Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night can have a significant impact on your recovery and performance and support you in building muscle.

Signs of Insufficient Sleep

Increased muscle soreness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and a drop in motivation to train can all be signs that you’re not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep also increases the risk of injury.

Solutions

One of the best tips for improving your sleep quality is to establish a consistent bedtime routine – go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Daylight during the day and avoiding blue light from screens at night can help stabilize your circadian rhythm [4]. It can also be helpful to optimize your sleep environment for comfort and relaxation by keeping your bedroom cool and dark. If you feel like you’re suffering from insomnia, it might be worth consulting a doctor.

Reason 3 - You’re Not Challenging Yourself Enough to Make Progress

Progressive Overload in Strength Training

For continuous progress, you need to constantly challenge your body beyond its current capabilities and introduce new stimuli. This is the basis of what’s known as progressive overload [5]. If your workouts feel too easy, you’ve probably hit a plateau because your body has already adapted to the demands. It’s time to increase the intensity or difficulty of your training. This could be achieved, for example, by adding more repetitions, weight, or sets, or by shortening the rest periods between sets.

Signs of a Plateau in Strength Training

If your workouts feel easy and you’re no longer seeing improvements, it’s a clear sign that you need to step it up.

Solutions

Especially if you’re new to training, we recommend speaking with your coach or trainer about reviewing and adjusting your workout plan. A qualified trainer will make suggestions on how to increase the weights or alter the structure of your training. This will set the stimuli your body needs to stimulate new muscle growth in a safe and meaningful way. But don’t overdo it with your training routine to avoid injury or overtraining.

Food for Thought: Another Reason You’re Not Seeing Progress in Your Training

In most cases, stalled progress in the gym is caused by insufficient nutrition, lack of sleep, or a lack of training stimulus. But what if you’ve already covered all these areas and still feel stuck?

If you feel that none of these points apply to you, here’s a thought: How do you measure success and progress? Because training success doesn’t necessarily mean hitting a new personal record every few months. Has your technique improved? Have you learned a new movement? Has your relationship with your body improved? Do you feel more confident? Have you overcome a challenging period in your life? All of these are great indicators of success and progress that have nothing to do with lifting heavier weights or running faster.

We’d love to hear how you’ve overcome your fitness hurdles. Share your experiences and tips with us for breaking through plateaus – and stay on track to reach your goals!

Sources

[1] Pencharz PB, Elango R, Wolfe RR. Recent developments in understanding protein needs - How much and what kind should we eat? Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016 May;41(5):577-80. 

[2] Phillips SM, Chevalier S, Leidy HJ. Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016 May;41(5):565-72. 

[3] Steiger A. Neurochemical regulation of sleep. J Psychiatr Res. 2007 Oct;41(7):537-52.

[4] Giannotti F, Cortesi F, Sebastiani T, Ottaviano S. Circadian preference, sleep and daytime behaviour in adolescence. J Sleep Res. 2002 Sep;11(3):191-9. 

[5] Chaves TS, Scarpelli MC, Bergamasco JGA, Silva DGD, Medalha Junior RA, Dias NF, Bittencourt D, Carello Filho PC, Angleri V, Nóbrega SR, Roberts MD, Ugrinowitsch C, Libardi CA. Effects of resistance training overload progression protocols on strength and muscle mass. Int J Sports Med. 2024 Jan 29.