Cardio everyday - Hit the "plateau". Any advice?

Thought I'd finally give this a shot for my first post. Well, after googling countless info on "breaking the plateau", it all says the same thing: "Workout more, eat less, drink green tea, stay motivated" and a fifth thing I can't quite remember. Thing is, I'm already doing all of that. On a regular week, I workout five days doing cardio on a treadmill. Here's what I do Monday - Friday:

-Incline set at 13.0.

-Do walk/run intervals every five minutes, with four minutes of fast walking at 4.0 MPH and one minute of running at 5.0 MPH.

-Usually workout for 31 minutes and 20 seconds to burn 600 calories.

As for my diet, I've been going high protein with homemade protein shakes for breakfast and lunch (both of which are over 300 calories), and I try to have smaller shakes between meals (closer to 130 calories). So I have two big shakes and two small shakes, then dinner. As with many others, I lost a good deal of weight (last December I was between 230 and 235), and I'm now hovering around 215-218. But of course, I can't get below 215 now. This week I tried to "shift gears" by doing cardio monday, weight lifting yesterday, I may take off today, do more weights tomorrow, and more cardio friday. Right now, I'm trying anything for results. I'm trying the "calorie zig zag", but it's hard to keep up.

In short, does anyone have any suggestions? Should I do more at the gym, less at the gym?

Try giving your body real food instead of protein shakes. 

Lots of fresh veggies and lean protein and small servings of whole grains.

I would totally change up that diet.  Get some steel-cut oats and eggbeaters for breakfast...and grilled chicken and veggies for lunch...or a nice salad. 

Oh, and that 600 calories is most likely closer to 300 or 350.  Don't use the calorier burn on the treadmill, or even the one here on this site.  Get a heart rate monitor that shows calories burned.  It will be an eye opener for ya.

Try doing cardio weight training.  If you belong to a gym they probably have some great weight training classes.  Every time I have hit a plateau I up my time using light to moderate weights.  The results are tremendous.  Also, maybe try swimming or spinning or some different type of cardio. Your body is super efficient at adapting. 

Original Post by kfirth1:

Try doing cardio weight training.  If you belong to a gym they probably have some great weight training classes.  Every time I have hit a plateau I up my time using light to moderate weights.  The results are tremendous.  Also, maybe try swimming or spinning or some different type of cardio. Your body is super efficient at adapting. 

 First, I want to say thanks to everyone for the responses so far, as they've already made me start to re-evaluate what I should keep doing and what I should change. To kfirth1, do you mean holding light weights while running? I've read some other places vaguely mention this, and I was curious as to how literal this was. And yes, my body certainly has "adapted". Hell, due to various issues (out of town one week, sick the next) I couldn't work out for over two weeks... my weight barely changed. So it isn't going up or down... guess I should at least be thankful that it's not going up!

Also, and this is a question to whoever reads, should I stick to five days of cardio with some days mixed with weights, or should some days be cardio and some days be weights? Trying to find a rough schedule. Of course, whatever it is, I should obviously try to change it up from time to time to "confuse" my body and keep it working!

Also, in regards to my diet, would tuna (in water, no "extras") be good for lunch, or even a snack if smaller?

Here is an example of my week of working out (I just had a baby nine months ago and I am fifteen pounds below my prepregnancy weight where I gained 55 pounds):

Sunday: 45 minutes spin/45 minutes weights (lifting 10 pound weights with compound movements such as lunges with bicep curls)

Monday: 60 minutes yoga

Tuesday: 30 minutes treadmill intervals

Wednesday: 30 minutes elliptical/45 minutes weights

Thursday: relax...maybe go for a light stroll or do some shopping;)

Friday: 60 minute spin class/30 minutes weight machines circuit at gym

Saturday: relax/watch movies/clean my house!

Hope that helps some.  I don't combine my weights with my jogging/spinning/etc...just up the resistance or the incline and that should be fine!

Oh, and tuna is not a sufficient lunch.  Maybe add some chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, olives and oil and vinegar and have a nice little salad? That sounds super yummy!

Original Post by b2pictures:

 To kfirth1, do you mean holding light weights while running? I've read some other places vaguely mention this, and I was curious as to how literal this was.

Also, and this is a question to whoever reads, should I stick to five days of cardio with some days mixed with weights, or should some days be cardio and some days be weights?

In general, holding light weights while walking/running won't make a huge difference in calorie burn. Ankle weights are just asking for trouble, so don't bother.

I'd recommend heavy lifting, instead. By heavy, I mean doing compound exercises with heavy enough weights that you are struggling by the last of 8-12 reps.  Definitely a great way to shake things up. As for when, you could do it on the same day as cardio (weights first), if you have time, or you can alternate. But a full weight routine can take 30-45 min, so I usually don't have much energy to jump on the treadmill after that (nor do I have a treadmill, so it's a non-issue).