Henry Lewington • March 3, 2022
The Weight Loss Plateau
You have worked so hard and have had some decent results, but your fat loss journey has suddenly stalled?
So what do you do? Well, lets begin with what NOT to do first:
1. slash calories
2. add cardio
3. cut all carbs or fats
4. add a fat burner
5. add complexity (carb cycling, fasting days)
Here's what TO DO:
1. Relax. Everyone loses fat at a different pace. And it's rarely a linear "pound a week, every week." Not to mention, the diet that "worked" for you when you were young and single might not work as well when you're older/busier/more stressed.
2. Verify calorie intake and compliancy. Calories still count. So break out the cups and spoons. Log harder.
3. Look at lifestyle/sleep. Are you in a consistent sleep/eat/train pattern? Finding time to relax every day?
4. Verify activity. Are you hitting all your prescribed workouts? How active are you throughout the day?
5. Stay the course except put yourself "on notice."
After you've addressed the above, give your current approach another week but with heightened awareness. You may indeed need to adjust calories or cardio, but first try to get the most out of what you're already doing.
You can't control the outcome so instead focus on mastering the process. That's not achieved through complicating or biohacking -- it's by making things as simple as possible.
"You Can't Control The Outcome, So Instead Focus On Mastering The Process"
Food is not “just food.” Food is part of culture. Food is part of family. Food is part of celebrations. Food is part of religion. Food is part of tradition. Food is part of so many aspects of life far outside of simply being “fuel.” The goal isn’t to eliminate your “emotional relationship” with food, the goal is to not allow your emotions to dictate your actions. The goal is to be consciously aware of the decisions you make rather than justifying actions you aren’t proud of because of your emotions. So stop looking for a way to suppress or eliminate your emotions. And, instead, hold yourself to your own highest standard. Quit breaking promises to yourself. Recognize your emotions and, simultaneously, don’t allow your emotions to control you. Easier said than done, I know... So is everything in life. But just because it’s easier said than done doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Some people struggle with self control. They want to lose fat but have difficulty saying “no.” They mentally justify it in saying they’re “flexible dieting.” But flexible dieting doesn’t mean “eat junk and lose fat.” It means “don’t feel guilty for having a treat - but you still have to be wicked consistent to make significant, lasting changes.” For them, practicing self control and saying “no” more often might help them achieve their goal. Other people struggle with food anxiety. They get anxious at the thought of going out to eat at a restaurant because they don’t want to “ruin their progress.” They feel bad for having a slice of cake at their own birthday party. They know it sounds silly and they often give their friends/family/clients amazing nutrition advice that promotes a more flexible approach... but they struggle with it themselves. For them, saying “yes” more often and having a treat might help them achieve their goals. Progress is not only measured in weight loss or fat loss or measurements or numbers or quantifiable data. Progress is also measured in mental, emotional, and behavioral changes. And, candidly, if you don’t improve your mindset first, any physical changes/improvements are going to be short-lived. Because sustainable results only happen with a sustainable mindset.
It’s wild to me that this is even a thing. Often, people message me asking if it’s “ok” to eat fruit because “it has so much sugar 😱.” I get bombarded with messages from “coaches” and “professionals” telling me I’m basically sentencing people to death by encouraging them to eat fruit. What is going on. It’s fruit... Apples and grapes and bananas and oranges and watermelon and strawberries and raspberries and blackberries and blueberries. We’re talking about fruit, people. You’re worried about the “damage” caused by eating FRUIT!? What is going on? No one ever got fat from eating fruit. No one ever became unhealthy from eating fruit. No one ever looked back on their life in their death bed and said “you know...I really should of had less fruit.” No one ever got massively overweight and said, “man...I really think it was the grapes that did it.” Let’s use some common sense. Fruit. Eat it. It’s good for you.
