29.06.2016 27.08.2018

Everyone who loses weight sooner or later faces a period of stagnation in results when weight stops dropping, despite limited nutrition and exercise. This is called the plateau effect or dietary plateau. Let's figure out why the plateau effect occurs, how to overcome it, and what you should never do during a plateau?

Why does the plateau effect occur?

The process of losing weight is never uniform. The most serious results and plumb lines are achieved in the first 2-3 weeks diet or active sports. First, you lose excess fluid by reducing your sugar and salt intake. Secondly, the “fresh” fat that you managed to gain recently is lost first. It has not yet had time to gain a good foothold, and accordingly the body says goodbye to it very easily.

Then the results begin to decrease little by little, and sooner or later a period comes when the weight rises, but the volume no longer decreases. This is due to the body getting used to your new lifestyle. It adapts to the prevailing conditions and stops consuming fat, which may still be useful for a rainy day. You continue to exercise and eat in a calorie deficit, but you are no longer losing weight. Your body has adapted its metabolism to new conditions, and simply in standby mode you are unlikely to force it to change tactics.

You will be surprised, but the plateau effect is actually good. For your body, this is a kind of point at which your weight is fixed and stabilized . Subsequently, this will help you avoid gaining extra pounds again, because during the plateau, your body successfully gets used to its new weight. There may be several such plateaus during weight loss. This is not only normal, but also effective process of losing excess weight.

However, the plateau period can last 3-4 weeks, or even a couple of months. And without noticeable results during this time, you can lose motivation, break your diet and quit training. Therefore, it is better to think about how to overcome the plateau effect in order to continue getting rid of extra pounds.

If your weight and volume remain in the same place for 1.5-2 months, while you continue to eat right and do fitness, then it’s time to invigorate your body yourself and help it overcome the plateau effect. Please note that if your weight stands still and your volume continues to decrease, then this is not a plateau ! This means that you continue to lose weight and no further action needs to be taken. When losing weight, always focus on changes in volume, not weight.

10 ways to overcome the plateau effect when losing weight

It is worth noting that there is no universal way to overcome a weight loss plateau. You will probably have to experiment and try different methods to move the weight off the ground. Be sure to listen to your body: what works for one person may not work for others.

1. Arrange a gluttonous day

A little “glutton” will help knock your body out of its usual rut and overcome the plateau. Give yourself a loading day by exceeding your daily calorie intake by 400-500 calories (about 25% of your daily calorie intake). This will be a kind of signal to the body that no one is going to keep a tight rein on it, so it is not necessary to accumulate fat. But, of course, you shouldn’t rush to heavy and unhealthy food, otherwise your stomach won’t thank you at all.

2. Have a fasting day

You can take the opposite path to overcome the plateau effect and give yourself a fasting day. A fasting day involves light meals throughout the day with a total calorie content of 1000-1200 calories. The next day, return to your normal diet. Attention! Practice fasting days only if you do not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

You can practice both fasting and loading days, but not more often than once a week . Do not abuse such methods; after all, it is stressful for the body.

3. Change your workouts

Another way to overcome a plateau is to change your workout routine. Try incorporating new workouts or even a new type of exercise into your fitness plan. For example, you did regular cardio training, and now take up step aerobics, kickboxing or dancing. Or if you've been using machines, switch to free weights.

4. Include outdoor activities in your activities

Even regular workouts in the gym will not replace outdoor activity, which is natural for the human body. In summer this could be swimming and jogging, in winter - skating and skiing, in autumn and spring - cycling and long walks. With a variety of sports loads, you may not encounter a plateau effect at all.

5. Experiment with Post-Workout Nutrition

Another way to overcome the plateau effect is to change your diet after training. It can be both the composition of the products and the time of their use. We have already written about nutrition before and after training, but, as you understand, there is no single recipe. Sometimes you can choose the best option for yourself only through experimentation.

6. Set up a food swing

Let's say your daily intake is 1800 kcal. Try to arrange a swing, periodically going beyond this figure within 200-250 kcal, sometimes in plus, sometimes in minus. Relatively speaking, on Monday you eat 1600 kcal, on Tuesday – 2000 kcal, on Wednesday – 1800 kcal. This method of overcoming the plateau effect is similar to loading and unloading days, but it is not as radical in nature.

7. Change your meals

Analyze your nutrition throughout the day and try to change your usual meals. For example, add second breakfast, afternoon tea or second dinner to your schedule. Or change the time of breakfast, lunch or dinner. The most important thing is to change your usual routine, which also caused the plateau.

8. Change the core set of products

Most people adapt to approximately the same set of products, which changes only on rare holidays. Diet is the best time to experiment with recipes and discover new foods.

9. Add High Intensity Workouts

One of the most effective ways to overcome a plateau is HIIT - high-intensity interval training. Most modern home programs are just built on the principle of HIIT. For example, pay attention to Tabata workouts or HIIT workouts from Christine Salus for 800-1000 calories. .

10. Visit a bath or sauna

If changes in training and nutrition do not help overcome the plateau effect, then try approaching this problem from a different angle. It is well known that baths and saunas do not help in getting rid of excess fat, but thermal procedures increase the body's need for oxygen and nutrients. As a result, metabolism speeds up and calorie consumption increases.

What not to do during the weight loss plateau effect:

1. Go on a strict diet

You may notice a short-term effect in weight loss, but very soon the plateau effect will repeat, and it’s simply not possible to endlessly reduce your daily caloric intake.

2. Nervous and angry

If you run to the scale every morning and get upset about the numbers, then you are unlikely to achieve the result you need. A bad mood and despondency only provoke gluttons and cravings for sweets.

3. Stop losing weight because of “failure”

Think of a plateau as another phase of weight loss, not as a lack of results. Remember that during this period your body remembers your new weight . You shouldn’t chase immediate results; the most important thing in losing weight is stable and long-term results.

The plateau effect is not a very pleasant moment during a diet. It lies in the fact that no matter how hard you try, no matter how many calories you spend, the weight still stays the same. There are even cases where your body begins to gain extra pounds. Often the plateau effect and the gain of extra pounds occurs when you exercise or when your body has reached the so-called equilibrium point - calorie expenditure has become equal to intake. Let's look at how this happens.

Starting from the first days of dieting and intense training, your body copes very well with excess weight. causes greater perseverance and zeal to engage in further work. But after a month I want to give up, because our body has already become accustomed to the new diet, so the scale needle is still at the same value. In this case, it is necessary to remember the law of physics, which states that weight and energy consumption depend on each other. That is, the lower your weight, the less energy your body spends.

For the calculation, your actual weight is taken as a basis. Accordingly, as you become lighter, your base consumption decreases.

1. Increase calorie expenditure through or exercise;
2. to a new weight.

Now let's move on to those energy costs that directly depend on you. When you periodically “starve” your body, it goes into a mode of limited functioning, that is, it reduces energy consumption. This is called an "adaptive component". During prolonged calorie restriction, changes occur - the level of leptin and thyroid hormones decreases, and the level of cortisol increases. Changes in hormonal levels affect the nervous system. As a result, you unknowingly reduce your energy intake, spend fewer calories on routine tasks, and digest food better.

What can you do in this case:

1. and scrupulously count the calories coming in and going out;
2. Take a break for two weeks - eat at a maintenance calorie level, and instead of training, walk outside more often. However, a break in the diet does not mean that now you can do everything. You only increase your caloric intake, but continue to eat whole and healthy foods.

If you don't increase your exercise loads, it's your fault. This list can also include. You need to remember that every kilogram you lose includes not only fat deposits, but also muscle. Therefore, the less muscle, the less calories burned. If you constantly do not get enough calories while dieting, this leads to a bad mood, causeless irritability and apathy. This condition can cause a huge appetite - and your recent extra pounds will return to you with renewed vigor.

What can you do in this case:

1. Increase the intensity of your workouts and add cardio on rest days;
2. , but calculate your calorie needs and stick to this value.

Now we bring to your attention quite simple methods for combating plateaus.

1. Change your workout program - do heavy exercises first, and then simple ones, or vice versa, if you have already done this. If you trained different muscle groups on different days, try working out. It would be a good idea to increase the training time, but be careful not to overdo it, the strength part of the session should last no more than an hour. Experts also recommend changing the time and frequency of training. Don't forget that it is useful to reduce the rest time between exercises.
2. Review your diet . Resolutely avoid sauces, mayonnaise, sausages, processed foods, homemade pickles, salted cheese and fish, as well as foods that contain sugar. Train yourself to read store labels. Convenience foods contain too much saturated fat, which creates a calorie burden. Salt retains water and masks weight loss. Replace sugar with non-calorie sugar. Limit foods that inhibit weight loss. The diets of most people losing weight include fruits, dried fruits, and nuts. Despite their benefits, they are high in calories and...
3. Stop drinking calories . Juices, smoothies, high-calorie coffee drinks, protein shakes are delicious, but they do not fill you up, and your body digests them easily. Chew calories to expend extra energy on digestion.
4. Increase your consumption . Stewed non-starchy vegetables and vegetable salads will add volume to your dishes and ensure long-term satiety.
5. Control your stress . The stress hormone cortisol causes fluid retention and makes it difficult to lose weight. Therefore, relax and try to worry less.

The plateau effect is not as scary as everyone says it is. In addition to any disadvantages, it has many positive aspects. It strengthens the desire on the way to a new body. Also, the plateau effect helps to overcome the low barrier of small loads and allows people to become even more persistent and resilient. So, work hard, don’t be lazy, work on yourself, and we are sure that in the end you will have a happy ending as a reward for your efforts.

If you feel a loss of motivation and lack of inspiration, this is not autumn depression or a midlife crisis. The “plateau effect” has hit you. So says Alisa Alferova, PhD in communication design, participant in the TED project “The Leading Strand”. She told Rusbase about her own research into this phenomenon and methods to combat it.

Read so that there are no “plateaus” in your life.

5 well-known facts about the plateau effect

1. The plateau effect is a phenomenon that people experience on a regular basis in all areas of their activities. It can be described as follows: reaching a level at which previous efforts no longer contribute to progress in a particular area of ​​activity. It can also provide learning – more than half of students who encountered a plateau effect during their studies dropped out.
2. To one degree or another, all people are susceptible to the formation of a plateau effect in their activities. Researchers of this phenomenon call the plateau effect “built into the genetic code,” and it can manifest itself in both the functioning of the body and the functioning of the brain.
3. The plateau effect occurs both when the usual training methods cease to improve their physical performance, and by students who discover that the old teaching methods no longer help them master the material on the topic in the same volumes as before.
4. The plateau effect is not related to the specific type of activity that a person engages in and, in fact, is a common problem for everyone. Naturally, most often people who are learning something new encounter such a block. However, it can also be destructive for a career, since development in the professional field is also inextricably linked with learning and self-improvement.
5. A plateau effect occurs due to the body becoming accustomed to certain exercises. A person gets used to a routine, stops moving forward and receiving new information, despite the efforts made. Tracking and working with this block is key to successful development.

Plateau effect in life

As part of my dissertation research, I conducted a study to identify problems associated with the plateau effect during learning. As a result, students answered questions related to this problem for me.

1. About 40% of students experiencing a learning plateau were educated in group classes, while people who took individual courses experienced the problem in only 13% of cases. Thus, the plateau effect may arise due to imperfect design of the training program.
2. Most often, students reported a plateau effect after three months, six months, one year and two years from the start of their studies. It occurs during the transition to the next stage of education and correlates with the education curve. It is possible that the time between key moments increases exponentially, which suggests that the next encounter with the plateau effect may occur 4 years after the start.
3. The majority of students (60%) who have experienced the plateau effect cannot determine what exactly they are having a problem with and describe it as a general state of stupor.
4. The plateau effect can last anywhere from a few weeks to four years.
5. The main reasons for the appearance of the plateau effect are most often cited: lack/loss of motivation, distractions, unsatisfactory training program, addiction to exercises, perfectionism and dependence on the result.
6. Lack of motivation is one of the components of the plateau effect, from which, one way or another, a person slides immediately or after some time after stopping development. There are situations when motivation is present, but there is still no result, and the person is in a plateau. If the plateau continues for a long time, motivation will most likely disappear.
7. Loss of motivation requires new information. This may be new inspiration, a training program, a teacher, a change in thoughts about yourself, but without changes, motivation will not arise again. It is important to trace what caused her loss, then this will help to find ways to circumvent this in the future.
8. Common feelings associated with a plateau include boredom, frustration, a sense of stunted development, loss of confidence, a sense of wasting time, and a feeling of not being perfect. All of these feelings are dangerous, as their presence for long periods of time can lead to cessation of activities and a permanent loss of self-confidence. Therefore, it is very important to identify the plateau by these sensations and work to overcome it.
9. More than half of students (51%) who encountered a plateau effect stopped studying, and less than a third (30%) managed to overcome it.

8 problems - 8 solutions

The plateau effect can be indicated by eight characteristic problems. And this is how they can be solved.

1. Problem of addiction

In other words, the body gets used to one or another type of medicine, which is why it stops working. becomes a repetitive pattern, which reduces concentration and interest.

Solution: As in the case of medications, variety can overcome the problem of addiction: a different approach to activity, different exercises, working through problems “from the other side.”

For example, to solve this problem when doing fitness, the CrossFit system was developed, which does not allow the muscles to get used to the same type of exercises, and includes a game element. When doing mental work, a person faces similar problems. To prevent this from happening, sometimes you need to introduce variety.

2. The problem of greed

A person prefers to choose those solutions that seem optimal at the moment, and ignores something more useful in the future.

Solution: a broader view of the process. It is important to understand that the resources that we can spend on the immediate achievement of an intermediate goal can be used to optimize our work as a whole, which will have a positive impact on the result.

This is well illustrated by the following situation: two people in a metropolis need to get from point A to point B. One of them chooses a taxi because it seems to be the best option - it goes faster, without stopping, straight from point to point. The second one chooses the metro and ends up there first, because the subway trains, despite the stops, are not stuck in traffic jams. Sometimes, the best option at the moment is not what will lead to a good result in the end.

3. The problem of time

The correct timing often plays a more important role than the applied force. Taking a break from work is just as important as doing it.

Solution: Paradoxically, you need to pause and allow information about the problem to move from short-term to long-term memory. This problem arises from impatience and a desire for quick results, so it is important to recognize that our brains are sometimes unable to meet the performance expectations we place on them.

Moreover, the brain processes information differently depending on time. So, when learning a new language, repeating learned words at certain intervals allows you to remember them better.

4. Process problem

This characteristic varies from process to process. If there are not enough resources, more careful consideration of future steps is required. It happens that part of the work slows down everything else. In this case, you need to identify it. This also includes problems associated with the “mystery ingredient”, when something goes wrong, but it is not clear why. In this case, you need to “disassemble” the whole process into parts, changing each of them in turn, until it becomes clear what can work.

Solution: Process problems most often arise due to a person's lack of knowledge about the components of the process themselves, so solving such problems requires a conscious approach and careful planning.

5. The problem of distorted data

Our own perception sometimes fails and distorts the real picture, which in turn slows down progress. Often negative thoughts about one's own results block development. For example, when studying in a group, students may feel that the rest of the group is progressing faster. This leads to decreased self-esteem, loss of self-confidence and further deterioration in results.

Solution: searching and accessing objective information. The information we receive from other people and our own interpretation of it can be very far from the truth. To solve this problem, the ability to objectively evaluate the results of your work plays a key role.

A conversation with a teacher, who should show the student that everything is normal, can help solve this problem, for example. In principle, you can discuss this problem with someone who is not involved in the process itself - for example, with a good friend. The problem can be solved by a rational view of things and the rejection of emotions in the assessment process.

6. The problem of distractions

If the brain receives too much information from different sources at the same time, it becomes overwhelmed and loses the ability to make decisions and develop. Even on the way from home to the metro, we receive a huge amount of information that is literally imposed on us.

Solution: focus on one source so as not to lose information. The problem with distractions is based on the fact that multitasking is a myth. The brain is not designed to do many things at once; instead, it switches from one thing to another and wastes resources on it. You need to focus on one thing and not overload yourself with tasks and goals.

7. The problem of slow failure

This problem is quite difficult to identify. You need to pay attention to small nuances, and when there is an understanding that everything is slowly heading towards failure, it is important to analyze what exactly is developing and what is not and to assume what the chances of success are in the future.

Thus, a teaching system that does not take into account the individual characteristics of the student can lead to the problem of slow failure in the middle of the course. The amount of resources spent does not matter for its formation, but they only complicate its identification.

Solution: acceleration of failure. It is important to analyze the approach to the process and understand whether it suits you individually. Sometimes, the problem arises because a person begins to learn something for which he does not have the prerequisites. For example, learning to sing without hearing or voice.

8. The problem of perfectionism

Perfectionism kills the beginning of the process, as it forces you to look for the right time to take the first steps. There is no feeling of completion, everything slows down in pursuit of an ideal, unattainable result.

Solution: awareness that nothing can be perfect, step-by-step structuring, clearly defined deadlines. Self-discipline plays an important role in solving this problem: you need to learn to set deadlines for yourself and not work after they arrive, no matter how much you want to bring all components of the process to perfection.

When a plateau effect occurs, process changes are necessary. Regardless of the reasons, to overcome the block, you need to change something radically. Depending on the problem, the solution may be new inspiration, a new teacher, a change in thoughts about yourself or your activities, or a break from studying or working.

1. Overtraining. When stress far exceeds the body's ability to recover.
2. Genetic limit. Some people are naturally thick, others are thin, and others are strong. All this is related to somatotypes. A person’s somatotype is just one of the genetic characteristics, a trait that is predetermined by various genetic characteristics. Be it the stomach's sensitivity to a certain amount of food, the ability to synthesize a certain amount of testosterone, the rate of protein synthesis, the amount of cholesterol that can be processed by our bodies, and a variety of other factors. The genetically determined plateau effect is your bar. There are ways to overcome it - with the help of special medications or by constantly experimenting with nutrition programs, but without taking androgenic hormones, you will not significantly expand it.
3. Muscles get used to certain types of load. Due to the nature of their sport, CrossFitters encounter this type of strength plateau the least often. But bodybuilders who have been practicing the same programs for years are at risk.
4. Incorrectly selected training complex.
5. Periodization plateau. This is one of the most interesting types of plateaus, which is associated with the addiction of muscle tissue. The thing is that the longer we shift the scales to the side, the stronger the body counteracts. However, if the spring is temporarily released, the catabolic effects will cease within one month. And this will become a new point from which the athlete will be able to continue his growth.
6. Depletion of food reserves. No wonder they say that nutrition is 70% of the result in any sport.

The plateau effect also occurs when losing weight. Weight loss slows down or stops completely due to the optimization of the body's resources to new conditions.

Types of plateau

There are several main types of plateaus, each associated with certain factors:

1. Power plateau. It is most often encountered by athletes involved in speed-strength sports.
2. Energy plateau. It occurs extremely rarely, since endurance training always proceeds more smoothly and with greater effort.
3. Weight loss plateau. We examined it in detail in conjunction with various nutrition plans. It is characterized by a decrease in the rate of weight loss due to or incorrect counting.

All types of plateaus are associated with the reasons described earlier. But the question arises - how to overcome the plateau effect and continue to progress towards your goal? First of all, it is necessary to determine the cause. If it is a nutritional deficiency, eliminate it. If these are adaptive mechanisms of the body, then create a shocking load. It is quite possible that you will have to radically change your training style and forget about the barbell for a while, focusing on the horizontal bar.

How to overcome a plateau?

Methods of overcoming a plateau are based on leveling the harmful effects on the body, which does not allow the catabolic scales to move, with the correct determination of the type of the plateau itself.

The plateau effect often occurs when you don't combine training and nutrition correctly, or don't get enough sleep. If the genetic limit is reached, we recommend that you do not bring the process to fanaticism, but try to develop other qualities. So, for example, when you reach a strength plateau, try changing your tissue fat percentage down. In the future, when you return to the original weight, you will in any case become stronger. There is no limit to perfection, and you can improve your performance and form indefinitely, simply by using different areas of activity.

With this task, like no other, it is crossfit that copes best of all, the loads in which are so diverse that it is physically difficult to reach a plateau in any goal.

Conclusion

And finally, I would like to answer one of the most frequently asked athletes among all people - how long does the plateau effect last if it is not overcome? If the plateau effect is not overcome, it will last forever, as this is a new balancing point in the state of the organism. To continue losing weight/gaining muscle mass/increasing strength, you need to continue to shock the body, change the load and style of eating.

The best assistant for such purposes will be microperiodization, which allows you to achieve several goals at once, practically without changing the overall training plan. For weight loss - it can be. To achieve new strength qualities, you can change your training style. And to achieve the effect of overcoming the energy plateau, it is enough to increase the flow of energy.

If you have ever tried to monitor your diet, or rather limit it in order to lose weight, then you have probably encountered a situation where the weight dropped, and then this process stopped and the scale arrow did not move for a long time. Those. You continue to follow the diet, but the process of losing weight has stopped. Congratulations! The “plateau effect” has overtaken you.

What is a weight loss plateau?

The plateau effect is, to put it mildly, a very unpleasant situation when, while following a diet, proper nutrition, or simply a caloric deficit in order to lose weight, weight suddenly stops decreasing over a fairly long period of time for no apparent reason.

It is worth clarifying that this almost always happens, regardless of what particular nutritional principle or diet you adhere to. If you turn out to be a “tough nut to crack” and hold on long enough (even three months may be enough), then at one point the weight loss will stop.

Usually we react to this quite sharply. This is understandable, because psychologically it is very difficult to accept the fact that you are trying as before, but there is no result. But the main thing is not to panic and understand the reasons for this phenomenon.

Reasons for stopping weight loss:

1) going beyond calories

Yes, I'm not kidding. Sometimes we make mistakes in counting calories or forget to take certain things into account. Well, for example, perhaps your nutrition program says 150 boiled buckwheat for breakfast, but you cook 150 dry buckwheat and with a clear conscience eat half a kilogram of porridge for breakfast. I'm exaggerating, of course, but it happens.

In fact, it’s enough to start adding a spoonful of honey to each cup of tea and within a day you can easily “get” the number of calories to your norm. And accordingly, the weight will not decrease, because there is no shortage.

That is why it is better to make sure once again that you correctly calculate the calorie content and BJU of your diet.

2) too strict diet

If you maintain too large a calorie deficit, then the level of stress for the body begins to exceed the norm and the hormonal system changes its mode of operation, greatly reducing the “expenses” of calories for its activity.

3) fluid retention

Perhaps you have not stopped losing weight at all, but are faced with banal swelling. There may be many reasons for this, but the most common are the consumption of large amounts of salt and, oddly enough, a lack of clean drinking water in the diet.

4) mono-diets

Here the situation is approximately the same as in the previous paragraph. If you eat predominantly one product for a long time or with a clear excess of it, as, for example, on a buckwheat diet, then the body lacks the necessary nutrients and it imposes sanctions on you, slowing down your metabolism.

5) increase muscle mass

If you actively work out in the gym, a very interesting effect often appears - the percentage of fat may decrease, but your weight will not. How is this possible?

In the process of strength training, body composition can change within the same weight: there will be less fat tissue (because you are losing weight), and more muscle tissue (because you are training and developing it). But at the same time, visual changes are usually visible - you become more athletic and slender, and your clothing size and volume decrease even with the same weight.

How long can weight stay the same?

Here some people are more “lucky” and others less so. Typically, this process can last from several weeks to 2-3 months. But the good news is that sooner or later, this will end. To “get the weight off the ground,” you can try to take some actions that have worked well.

How to overcome a weight loss plateau

1. The most important thing is not to rush to extremes!

You shouldn’t cut your caloric intake to a minimum, just as you shouldn’t give up the idea of ​​getting in shape altogether. Just accept the fact that you will have to wait a little longer before you see changes again.

2. Have a busy day

A slight relaxation in your diet for a day can trick your body and you will start losing weight again. I wrote a separate material about this called. Please read how to do it correctly.

3. Try changing the ratio of BZHU in your diet

The reason for stopping weight loss can be either a very long-term maintenance of a high amount of protein in the diet, or too low of its component.

Accordingly, if you have been following a high-protein diet for a long time, then increase the amount of carbohydrates while reducing the amount of protein. If there was little protein in your diet, then on the contrary, increase it.

And don’t forget that regardless of whether you want to lose weight or not, your diet should always contain the required amount of healthy fats. This is 20% of your daily calorie intake. This is especially important for girls and women.

4. Gradually increase your caloric intake

Yes exactly. But this is only if you were on a very strict diet of 800-1000 kilocalories. I described how to carry out this process correctly in the article “How to quit a diet and not gain weight.”

5. Change the type of workout

If you are into fitness, try changing the nature of your workouts. Interval cardio and, in general, intensive training based on the principle of circular and interval training have proven themselves to be very good for accelerating weight loss processes.

Accordingly, if you followed a diet but did not exercise, then the plateau is an excellent reason to include physical activity.

Here, perhaps, is all the information on this topic. I really hope that the material will help you and if you encounter a plateau effect, you will know how to overcome it. Well, if you know any other “cunning” methods, please share them in the comments. I'm sure this will help others!