Fat Loss Plan Not Working (Anymore)? Here Is How To Fix It!
What do I need to do when my fat loss plan is not working (anymore)?
The very first thing we need to do it do stay calm and not to take any drastic measurements, such as doing a ton of cardio or restricting calories even more. This can be very counterproductive!
We usually measure our fat loss on the scale. Is the scale not moving, or even moving towards the wrong direction? This may not automatically mean your plan is failing! We added a checklist to make sure you can diagnose the problem (if there is any).
Why am I not losing weight?
1. The first step is to hold ourselves accountable. Have you truly been in a calorie deficit? In order to lose weight we need to be in a calorie deficit. By counting how much we eat on a daily basis we can consistently move towards fat loss. We need to assess whether we have done diligent work in counting our calories. That also means taking our cooking oils, drinks we consume and other things into consideration that can throw us out of a calorie deficit.
Overlooked things or fell off track? It happens to the best of us! Don't punish yourself. Learn from the experience and calmly pick up where you left off
2. Re-calculate your maintenance calories. If we lose weight we end up at a lower maintenance level along the way. Your starting maintenance may have been 2500 calories, for example. But after losing 10kg your maintenance may be a couple hundred calories lower.
Recalculate and reset your new caloric intake if needed. To re-calculate your calories and macro's, simply click here after finishing the article!
3. Did you have a refeed day or any other meal that was very high in sodium and carbs? This will make us hold water temporarily. Each gram of carbs pulls in 3 grams of water. Mostly in the muscle cells, luckily! But the scale may not say what you wish after that meal.
Give it a day or 2 to flush out.
4. Don't always measure success by the scale and weigh in consistently. Our weekly average fluctuates. By taking a daily average on a weekly basis we see the trends better than taking just 1 day per week to weigh in
5. Always measure under the same circumstances on the scale. Take external variables out by weighing on an empty stomach in the morning, with little to no clothes on and by placing the scale on an even surface. Weighing yourself after a big meal to see 'the damage' is no way to measure success!
6. Measure and manage your physical stress levels. If our sleep and recovery is too insufficient, it will have a huge impact on our ability to lose fat. Often overlooked! If you sleep less than 7-8 hours per night and have muscle inflammation, it is probably a good sign to train with less volume and/or to take other factors away that cause you to sleep less.
7. If you have been in a calorie deficit for weeks or even months on end, it is a sign to add refeed days (1 day per week at maintenance calories) or even take a small diet break (1-2 weeks at maintenance calories).
8. Have consistency in movement and cardio. If you measure the 'calories in' part correctly, make sure to measure the 'calories out' part is consistent too. By decreasing activity we burn need and burn less, therefore erasing part of your deficit. This can be tricky on a long term fat loss plan as our fatique levels may cause us to move more. Every chore becomes a mountain.
Try to keep your movement up and use tools to measure your activity, such as a step counter watch!
Solving the problem of 'not losing weight' is easily manageable. Next time the scale doesn't move for a couple days or even a week or 2, go through this list again, diagnose the problem and fix it if needed. Don't take extreme measurements!