As you move closer and closer toward your ideal physique, you are going to face plateaus and stagnation. The less fat you have to lose, the harder it will be to remove those last stubborn pockets. For men, it's normally the pockets around the intercostals (the love handles) and the film of fat covering the abdominals that re most stubborn. Women usually find the lower abs to be the tricky spot. These are the times that you need to turn up the intensity and show that fat just who's boss. Here are 6 advanced strategies to blast through your fat loss plateau:

1. Anticipate plateaus. Don't see them as a deal breaker but, rather, as a sign that you're on track. Simply redouble your commitment, keep positive and stay focused on the end result.
2. Work harder. You need to keep making your workouts progressive - and that means you've got to keep making them more intense. Do more, throw in extra sessions, go for the odd long distance cycle ride.Work harder on your nutrition also. Get stricter on your food intake. Measure your calories and macronutrients to make sure that you're getting the correct ratios.
3. Adjust your caloric intake. Mix things up to give your metabolism a boost, reset your regulatory hormones and provide a mental lift. If you've been eating under your maintenance level for the last few weeks, take it up to maintenance for 2 days a week. Focus on upping your complex carb intake.
4. Rest. The problem for your plateau may be overtraining. Your body may simply need time to relax and recover. Take a full week off from any type of training.When you get back into it, start with a completely different program in order to add versatility and interest.
5. Change your macronutrient ratio: Temporarily cutting back on carbs may help you to bust through your plateau. Keep your lean proteins and unsaturated fats stable.
6. Improve cardio duration and frequency. Push your cardio length out by 5 minutes per session to a maximum of 60 minutes - any more than that and you will be getting diminishing results for the effort expended. Add a day of cardio per week to a maximum of 6 days.