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Should you scratch the "diet itch"?
If you’ve felt the sudden urge to slash your calories recently, I want you to hit pause and read this first. We’ve all been there. You’re showing up, eating your protein, hitting your step goals, and lifting heavier than you ever have. By all accounts, you are crushing it!, but the scale is stuck on the same number it’s been at for a few weeks. What gives?
Your first instinct is usually: "I should probably go on a diet. I'll cut calories and add more cardio." While entering a deficit is a great tool when used correctly, it isn’t always the right answer. Before you jump back into a dieting phase, let’s run through a checklist to see if your body and mind are actually ready for it (and if you really need it!)
1. Consistency
Are you consistently eating enough? Before we ever consider dropping calories, we have to make sure the foundation is solid. That means hitting your daily protein targets, prioritizing fruits and veggies, and potentially most importantly, not feeling constantly ravenous. If you aren't fueled at maintenance, the answer likely isn’t lowering calories even more. You’re looking at potential hangry status, along with just overall not feeling good, suffering from things like brain fog, low energy, fatigue, poor recovery. Eating enough consistently and knowing this to be true due to recent tracking is definitely needed first.
2. NSVs (Non Scale Victories)
The scale is just one data point, and yet we often rely on it as our sole metric. But try these on for size. Are your clothes fitting differently? Is your midsection feeling tighter? Are those quad lines starting to pop in your progress photos? If the mirror says "progress" but the scale says "stalled," you are likely having body recomposition happen (meaning you’re gaining muscle mass and losing body fat). The scale won’t tell you the whole story here.
3. Performance
When we aren't in a calorie deficit, our bodies have the fuel to do incredible things. Compare your fitness now to where you were three months ago. Are you hitting PRs in the gym? Are you running farther or faster without feeling like you’re going to die? Are you recovering better between sessions? These are signs of a healthy, thriving metabolism. And if all of these things are happening at the current calories you’re eating, slashing them may not be something worth doing.
4. Take inventory of your dieting history
When was the last time you were in a deficit? If the answer is "recently," it’s time to take a breather. A deficit is a temporary state, not a permanent residence. You don't need to live your life in a state of restriction. There is massive value in learning how to live life at maintenance! Things like enjoying the dessert, saying yes to a meal with friends, and knowing that one missed cardio session to spend time with family won't ruin your progress, are all important parts of living a joyful life. If you frequently find yourself running to diet when things feel stuck, take a step back to evaluate, and remember that your body needs time eating enough, and you also deserve to enjoy life out of a deficit most of the time.
Final thoughts…
If you can walk through that list and still confidently say, "Yes, it’s the right time," then let’s get after it! But as a coach at LVLTN, I want to make sure we aren't just reacting to a stagnant scale.
At LVLTN, we want you to embrace every season of life. The building phases, the maintenance phases, and the fat loss phases. Our goal is to help you find the purpose in each one so that no matter what the scale says, you’re constantly moving toward your best, healthiest self.
The L5 Method is the blueprint we use with our 1:1 coaching clients to help them reach their goals... And stay there! Interested in learning how to implement it? Start with a free LVLTN Blueprint Session.
It’s your personalized roadmap to clarity, consistency, and real results. You just need to answer a few quick questions to help us prepare for your call, then schedule a time that works for you. Get started by clicking here!
What would your life look like if you had an expert team fully invested in your health- designing your strategy, refining your approach, and leveraging advanced testing and analysis to keep you performing at your best? That's exactly what we do at LVLTN Health.
The first step is a free consultation call. You just need to fill out a short application so we can make the most of our time together. The call itself is a no-pressure conversation, providing you with all the details you need to make the decision on whether we are the best fit!
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