I recently got a question I hear a LOT…

Q: “What if I’ve plateaued and want to lose more weight? Do I just cut back on every part of PHFF (Protein, Healthy Fat, and Fiber)? Do I increase working out?” – Annette, Metabolism Makeover alum

A: First, I have a list of questions, and I want to make sure the answer is “yes” before moving on.

• Are you strength training at least 3 days/week? If so, are you progressively lifting heavier weights?
• Are you consuming 1g protein per pound of body weight each day? If overweight, use the weight you feel most comfortable at.
• Are you sleeping 7-9 hours/night?
• Are you taking 1-2 rest days/week? Or 2-3 rest days if going through menopause?
• Are you walking at least 6000 steps/day?

If you’ve answered “no” to any of the above, work on that first. That’s your foundation, and the rest of this won’t matter if you’re not these 4 things.

But if you answered “yes” to all four, here are a few things you can do to help bust through a weight-loss plateau:

Increase workout duration/intensity, if appropriate.

Meaning if you’re working out 3 days/week, try increasing to 4. If you’re already working out 5 days/week, workouts are probably not the problem, unless…you’re overdoing cardio on top of strength training. If strength training 3-5 times/week along with long-form, steady-state cardio or 3+ HIIT sessions/week, you may be overdoing it, which can actually backfire.

Over-exercising is one of the most common reasons I see weight loss resistance. More is not always more.

Check your fat intake by taking a few days to track your fat.

This is going to be very individual, but for the average female, more than 30g fat/meal is going overboard. Play around with cutting back on it and see if your meals still keep you full throughout the day.

Come to Jesus.

As in – are you really sticking to PHFF for meals and going 4 hours between them, or are you grazing? Are you treating yourself every night after dinner? Going ham on weekends? As you get comfy with this way of eating and feel a lot of freedom, this can happen. That’s ok. Just check yourself and rein it in if your weight loss stalls.

And if none of these tactics do it for you, working with our team could be a fantastic option for you. We can get super gradual with your daily habits and give personalized recommendations to help you hit your goals.

xxMegan