Anabolic Talks

Hitting a fat loss plateau can be incredibly frustrating. What are your go-to dieting strategies for breaking through a stagnant period? Do you adjust macros, change up carb timing, or something else entirely?

When I hit a plateau, I first look at my tracking. Am I *really* weighing everything accurately? Then, I usually slightly drop calories, maybe 100-200, and focus on increasing steps.

I swear by a well-timed refeed day. A controlled high-carb day can sometimes kickstart metabolism and reduce diet fatigue. It's not a cheat day, but a strategic refeed.

For me, it's upping the intensity or volume of my workouts. Sometimes the body just adapts. Also, checking in on sleep and stress levels – they can sabotage progress quickly.

Often, a plateau means your body is adapting. I suggest cycling your calories or even taking a brief diet break (2-3 days at maintenance) to reset hormones and mental fatigue.

All fantastic points! QuickPrepMom, the tracking accuracy is so often overlooked. FreshFork, I agree with strategic refeeds. GainsChef and HerbalFuel, your insights on non-diet factors are super important.

I also find that swapping out some carb sources can help. Like, if I've been eating a lot of rice, I'll switch to quinoa or even just more fibrous veggies.

For refeeds, I usually aim for complex carbs and keep fats relatively low. This helps refill glycogen stores without excess fat storage.

Sometimes just a deload week from training and focusing on active recovery can help the body recover and kickstart fat loss again.

And don't forget the power of water! Sometimes dehydration can mask as a plateau. Keep sipping.