Top 7 Reasons Why You've Plateaued at the Gym

Been working out at the gym for a few months and hit a plateau? Muscles not growing even if you're training hard? Well, you're not alone. Hitting a plateau with physical exercise is common and here's 7 reasons why your biceps aren't bulging:

1. Working out too hard and too much. Weight training breaks your muscles down and they need to recover in order to grow. Work on only one body part, once a week to give your muscles adequate time to recover.

2. Working out too long. You don't need to train for more than an hour when weight training. Your cortisol levels increase after about 45 minutes of intense training which in turn destroys muscle cells.

3. Stress. Cortisol is produced in your body when you're under physical or mental stress which once again, is counterproductive to muscle growth. Take a B vitamin to combat stress, read a book, hit the sauna or go for a jog instead of weight training.

4. Not enough sleep. This is a common problem for people that are doing the right things during the day but not getting results. You need to get 8 hours of sleep a night if you want your muscles to repair and grow. Can't sleep? Drink a glass of warm milk or try some melatonin to get you singing the ZZZZZZZZZs.

5. Alcohol. Drinking booze breaks down muscle mass, in addition to breaking down your liver.

6. You're doing the same routine. Change your routine at least every 6-8 weeks or your body will adjust to your workouts and stop growing. Shock your muscles by trying different exercises.

7. Not enough protein. Protein is the building block for muscles. In order to grow, you'll need 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight.

Follow these 7 steps and watch your muscles grow!