I vividly remember the sinking feeling of hitting my first real plateau. The scale had stagnated, my progress pictures looked identical week after week, and motivation slowly drained from me.
I'm Rhia Edwards, 3-time Bikini Athletic Champion, and I can tell you firsthand—plateaus are frustratingly real. Competing in multiple back to back shows. Trust me—I’ve faced, battled, and overcome my fair share of stubborn prep plateaus.
I want you to know this: plateaus happen to EVERY ATHLETE. You’re not alone. You’re not failing. And you can break through. All it takes is the right mindset and a strategic, disciplined approach.
Identify Your Plateau — Admit It to Overcome It
To defeat something, you first have to see it. So let’s clearly define what a prep plateau looks and feels like. A plateau is when your progress stalls, your motivation dwindles, and your focus begins to blur. You’re working hard—but the results just aren’t coming. A few months ago, I hit a massive plateau myself during prep. My physique stopped changing, my energy was low, and old doubts crept in. I knew it was time to acknowledge and ACT. When you recognise your plateau, you gain clarity. And clarity creates the opportunity for CHANGE.
Shift Your Mindset — "Champions Adapt and Overcome"
Breaking through plateaus requires more than physical adjustments—it demands a mental transformation. Champions don't surrender to plateaus—they ADAPT and OVERCOME. Your mindset matters more than you realize. When you change your thinking, you change your results. Personally, I use powerful mindset techniques—journaling affirmations, visualizations of winning my next show, and constant positive self-talk. I visualize stepping confidently onto that stage, trophies raised high. I write down daily affirmations: "I am capable. I am powerful. I dominate my prep." These shifts propel my progress forward again.
Because the truth is simple: YOUR MINDSET IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL ASSET. USE IT.
When you control your thoughts, you control your results ON AND OFF THE STAGE.
Tactical Adjustments — Small Changes, Big Results
Mindset alone won't conquer a plateau—but coupled with strategic, tactical tweaks, it becomes unstoppable. Small but intentional adjustments can create MASSIVE results. Here are some practical strategies you can implement immediately:
Nutrition Tweaks: Maybe your macros need slight adjustments—lower carbs, higher healthy fats, or moderate protein tweaks can reboot your progress.
Training Intensity Variations: It’s easy to get stuck in the same routine. Shock your body with higher intensity, shorter rest periods, supersets, or new exercises entirely.
Cardio Shifts: Change your cardio style—HIIT instead of steady-state, intervals instead of long durations. Small variations ignite big results.
Recently, I introduced intensity-focused changes into my own prep. Instead of increasing time spent at the gym, I boosted intensity with shorter, explosive sessions. I slightly altered my macros, emphasising protein timing around workouts. These seemingly minor adjustments made a huge difference. Always trust your coach—but never ignore your instincts. STAY IN TUNE WITH YOUR BODY and remain adaptable.
Consistency and Discipline — The Champion’s Secret Weapon
Here's the real secret every champion understands: Breaking plateaus isn't glamorous—it's CONSISTENT and DISCIPLINED. Day-after-day, intentional repetition compounds into massive success. Small habits matter. Discipline matters more than motivation because DISCIPLINE beats motivation EVERY TIME. My own achievements as a bikini champion came from disciplined, consistent habits. Meal prepping every Sunday, maintaining strict sleep schedules, and tracking daily routines on my checklist—these actions feel small but they're powerful. They've built my success, brick by brick, discipline by discipline.
CONCLUSION - Final Say
Let's recap—acknowledge your plateau clearly, shift your mindset powerfully, strategically tweak your tactics, and maintain relentless discipline. Your plateau isn't a dead end—it's your LAUNCHPAD for greater strength, growth, and success.
You have everything you need to overcome it. Don't let frustration or doubt derail your journey; instead, leverage them as fuel for your comeback. You've come too far to stall out now.
I'm here to remind you: your plateau is not your ceiling, it's simply a platform for your BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH yet.