When embarking on a fat loss journey, we can sometimes have this expectation where we believe that if we simply eat better and exercise more, we will have this perfect rate of fat loss week in and week out. In a perfect world, every time we step on a scale the number would be less. Unfortunately, fat loss is not always that cooperative.
Suppose you started off the month really “good,” with your food. As a result you experienced significant scale changes week after week. Let’s say perhaps, you lost 1kg a week for four straight weeks.
HELL YEAHHHHHH!! Wouldn’t that be amazing?!
0.4g – 1kg a week is a an AMAZING SUCCESS RATE when it comes to fat loss. I think we get bombarded with these crazy diets and nutrition gimmicks that we don’t realise what sustainable fat loss actually looks like! I would advise that it is not always realistic to assume that fat loss will continue in this linear fashion for the duration of your journey. In fact, the more you have to lose initially, the more you may lose early on.
When you have more body fat to lose you may lose decent scale weight but it doesn’t translate to significant visual improvement. The opposite is true when you have less fat to lose, the scale might not change at all BUT you will see more changes in your body when you compare photos. This is one of the major reasons we recommend our clients track scale weight, measurements and take progress photos! I don’t think you need to be obsessed with these measurements like you would if you were competing in a physique competition for example, BUT weighing yourself once per week or even first thing every morning so as to work out your average, (depending on your circumstances) and taking measurements and photos every 4-6 weeks is extremely beneficial.
As many have experienced, the last 5kg can be significantly more difficult to lose than the first 5kg. As fat loss slows down, and you have less body fat to lose, your body fights fat loss harder than it did initially. As you get closer to your goal, you will have to be MORE consistent and work even HARDER, with less dramatic results. This is one of the reasons why fat loss is such a journey and being aware of these facts in advance can actually HELP you be even more successful in your fat loss pursuits.
Again, let’s say you lost 1kg a week for a month and then 600g the next week and ZERO the following…this week of stalling DOESN’T MEAN things aren’t progressing. It doesn’t mean your program needs to be adjusted, you have to drastically cut calories or that you have to do more cardio. Sure there may come a point where you will benefit from cycling your calories but it most likely means you have to CHILL THE F@#k OUT!
Because here’s the deal, and I repeat… FAT LOSS IS NOT SOME MAGICALLY LINEAR PROCESS. EVER! You need to remember that there will be ups and downs to progress and that’s totally normal. Always take a step back and look for that downward trend. There will be weeks that NOTHING seems to be happening. That’s okay. Because there will also be weeks where you don’t even try that hard and the stars align and everything improves.
This is all part of the bigger picture of PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION. Real, lasting progress happens over time and is cumulative. BE PATIENT and LET IT HAPPEN.
