When I was 17 I put myself on a 1200-1400 calorie per day diet.

That’s like, three bites of food. No, I’m kidding, but it’s very very little.

I would measure teaspoons of oil and dressing, and measure out half cups of quinoa.

I’d even count calories from “negative calorie” foods like lettuce.

Something is negative calories when it takes more energy to chew it than its calorie content, leaving you with a calorie deficit.

And worse than the actual amount of food I was limiting myself to, was the mindset I trapped myself in.

I felt like I was in jail. I would freak out when I gained one pound and be ECSTATIC when I lost a couple. It was extreme.

At a certain point, that very restrictive diet stopped working. I stopped losing weight. I plateaued. And I got frustrated.

Mentally, I was bored of eating the same foods all the time, and physically, I was frustrated that I couldn’t lose more weight.

Have you ever been on a strict diet but unable to lose weight? Keep reading.

Here’s what got me out of my mind-body plateau…

Eating more. A lot more. I lost weight after literally binging on chocolate and peanut butter one day.

Mixing it up by increasing my calories tricked my metabolism and got things moving again.

What revived and energized me mentally was switching up my daily routine.

I was an extremist back then, and I don’t recommend the binge approach, but it is a testament to the power of switching things up.

Whether you’re stuck in a physical or mental rut – feeling bloated or bored – the best way to get out of it is to switch it up.

Mix it up. Do something different.

The biggest mojo killer and worst thing for mind-body health, creativity, and motivation is doing the same. damn. thing. every. single. day.

Same coffee shop in the morning. Same song in your ears.

Same breakfast. Same workout.

Your metabolism gets stuck because it’s so used to the same thing, and your brain gets bored.

You start to feel numb, like a robot going through the motions.

Changing what foods you eat and your daily routine tricks your metabolism and gets it humming again.

Plus, your brain loves the entertainment of something different, and forms new neural pathways in response.

This leads to more ideas, a lighter body, and a calmer mind.

Here are some ways you can mix it up:

1. Try tea instead of coffee one day, or vice versa. Have whichever one you usually don’t have. 
2. Have an entirely different breakfast. If you usually grab a smoothie, try a warm breakfast of eggs and veggies. 
3. Do a different workout, like pole dancing (I’m addicted). 
4. Dance to a brand-new song around your apartment 
5. Try a new restaurant (I’m also a fine dining addict). 
6. Take a new route to work – whether you walk to the subway or drive. 
7. Buy a new outfit or pair of shoes. 
8. Get creative. Write in your journal or draw a picture, even if you don’t think you have anything to write about, or can’t draw. Just start by writing down what you’re doing, like “I’m sitting here sipping a latte. Today…I’m happy/sad/frustrated because…” or drawing a little doodle. 
9. Watch the funny lip-sync battle between Jimmy Fallon and Melissa McCarthy. I was ROLLING LAUGHING when Fallon said “That was my wedding song” after McCarthy performed X Gon Give It To Ya. Cause my sense of humor is a little off-color. Laughing is great for metabolism and creativity. 
10. Plan a day trip or weekend getaway. Always put something on your calendar to look forward to.

If you’ve hit a mind-body plateau where you’ll feeling sluggish, bloated, and exhausted, mixing it up is the most effective way to start feeling better fast.

Have you hit a plateau?

What’s one thing you can do this week to mix it up?

Are you inspired by something on my list, or do you have a totally different activity in mind?

Share with me in the comments below.

Photo: Prospect Photography