You’ve been tracking your food, hitting your workouts, and staying consistent. Still, the scale hasn’t budged in weeks. This is a classic weight loss plateau — and yes, it’s frustrating.
When you’re already doing the right things, it’s time to look deeper. Here’s how to break through.
Recalculate Your TDEE
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) changes as your weight drops.
A smaller body burns fewer calories. If you started at 180 lbs and now weigh 160 lbs, your original calorie deficit might have vanished.
Action: Use a TDEE calculator to get your new maintenance number. Then subtract 250–500 calories for a sustainable deficit. Or, try a short-term reverse diet (covered below).
Try Calorie Cycling
Eating the same number of calories every day can stall fat loss.
Calorie cycling means eating more on some days and less on others — but keeping your weekly average in a deficit. It supports metabolism and may help with hormonal balance, especially for people doing intense training.
Example:
- High-calorie days: 2,000 kcal (on workout days)
- Low-calorie days: 1,400–1,500 kcal (rest days)
You still average a deficit over the week but reduce metabolic adaptation.
Adjust Your Macros
If your calories are dialed in, the next step is to check your macronutrient ratios.
A high-carb diet might work at first, but over time, higher protein and moderate carbs/fats may lead to better fat loss and muscle retention.
Suggested macro split for fat loss:
- Protein: 30–35%
- Carbs: 30–40%
- Fats: 25–30%
Prioritize protein (0.8–1g per pound of body weight) to preserve muscle mass and stay full.
Reverse Diet to Reset Metabolism
If you’ve been eating at a deficit for too long, your metabolism might have slowed.
Reverse dieting is the process of gradually increasing calories over time. It helps restore hormonal balance, improves gym performance, and reduces cravings.
Start by increasing daily intake by 50–100 kcal every week for 4–6 weeks, focusing on carbs and protein. Monitor your weight. You may maintain or even lose a bit as your body adapts.
Once your maintenance level is higher, you can return to a fat loss phase with better results.
Prioritize Sleep and Stress Management
These factors directly affect hormones like cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and fat storage.
- Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep.
- Use tools like deep breathing, walking, or journaling to reduce daily stress.
Poor recovery can cause weight retention, even when calories and workouts are perfect.
Add a New Stimulus to Your Training
Your body adapts to the same workouts. If you’ve been doing the same routine for months, it’s time to change it.
Try one of these:
- Swap steady-state cardio for HIIT.
- Add resistance training if you haven’t already.
- Change workout splits or intensity.
- Incorporate progressive overload — lift heavier over time.
You need to challenge your muscles in new ways to spark change.
You’re not doing anything wrong — but your body has adapted. Now it’s time to outsmart it.
Try recalculating your TDEE, cycling your calories, adjusting your macros, or even reverse dieting for a few weeks. Track how your body responds. With small changes, you’ll start moving again.