What to do if you hit a plateau

Compare your first week to where you are now. You’ve been sticking to the plan, working hard, and have probably made a number of improvements.

Eventually, everyone struggles through plateaus. Sometimes it’s a matter of adjusting your macros and sometimes it’s time to double check if we can increase our consistency.

Use the checklist below to self-assess any opportunities for improvement in your nutrition and daily lifestyle. If you find that you’re saying yes to more than one, pick one to tackle to start. (Remember: Being proactive doesn’t mean doing everything at once - it means doing something right now.)

• Are you exceeding or falling short of your macros by 5 grams of your carbs & protein targets and/or 2 grams of your fat target on a regular basis?

• Are you estimating frequently?

• Have you had a huge blow-out meal or an untracked day not planned with your coach in the last month or so?

• When you choose entries in MFP, do you choose the ones that are most favorable (i.e. the ones with lower macros)?

• Do you skip workouts regularly? Do you skip assigned cardio, if applicable?

• Do you eat without tracking everything?

  • Examples (there are tons but here are some common ones):

    • Cooking with oil or cooking spray and don’t count it because you "don't use that much"

    • Taking bites of food while preparing it

    • Sips/bites of a friend's drinks/food without tracking it

• Is more than 30% of your carb or fat intake being used for alcohol on a regular basis?

• Are you drinking alcohol on refeed days?

• Are you using inaccurate units of measure such as tablespoons, cups, 1 piece of fruit etc., instead of weighing things?

• Are you eating out frequently, and/or eating a lot of already-prepared or pre-packaged foods?