.
If wondering, my body dropped 60 "extra" lbs during the last 12 months - staring in Feb 2008. Slow and steady - like that turtle and rabbit race. Still, during my weight loss progress, my body hit several plateaus as well. Sometimes, for 4 consecutive weeks. I'd do the same exercises and same eating and still, the weight scale needled didn't move. GGGRRRRR. It was like my body was getting "too comfortable" doing the same thing over and over again.
For me, I found changing one's exercise routine had to be done. Sometimes, "more time" broke my previous plateaus. For example, increasing from 30 to 45 minutes on the TM. Or, skip jump roping 500 "double jumps" instead of stopping at 300 jumps. More time "most often" worked. But not always. During my last plateau, adding more time was adding too much pain in my knees and ankles. Sad to say but adding more time was "too much" on my age 44 joints. Thus, I changed my exercise routine to "less time" but with `more quality`. As some would say, it was time for me to add HIIT (aka: "blasting") into my normal exercises. For example, set TM for 35 minutes at 6% incline and speed walk at 3.5 mph for 5 minutes. Then, increase to 4.5 "super fast" speed walk for 5 minutes. Then, decrease speed back down to 3.5 mph for 5 minutes (for cardio to "settle back down"). Repeat up/down speeds in 5 minute blocks until all 35 minutes is completed. On my stationary bike, I'd set its LED display to rotate. Thus, showing both time and calories burned. For 4 minutes, I'd peddle at normal speed. For 1 minute, I'd peddle as fast as I can. After 1 minute, I'd slow down to previous normal peddle speed. Keep doing 1 minute "blasting" until all 500 calories is burned (which is usually 45 minutes). When I do my 4 mile jogs every other night, I pick 3 "short distance" strips of road and "open her up" (sort of speaking). Thus, blasting for 3 x short distances as well.
For me, HIIT (High Intensity Increase Training) into my normal exercises worked. It broke my previous plateaus - without adding more time. Especially since adding "longer time" wasn't working for my body anymore.
Hope this helps break your plateaus as well...
.