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Can't lose any more fat? Don't panic, here's something to help you understand things more clearly.

Your objective is clear: slim down your figure and say goodbye to your love handles. The early stages of your diet project went perfectly, and the first kilos were easy to shed. Today, however, you're feeling like you're stagnating. Don't panic, we'll explain the main reasons why and how to put an end to it.

1. The “Everything, right away

The mistake often made before starting a diet or rebalancing your diet to lose fat is to think too big. You need to progress gradually in your quest to slim down. The key is to remain realistic and set achievable targets in line with your physical capabilities. The more the days go by, the better and more determined you become, and the more your body will respond positively. So avoid the “everything, right away” approach, and go one step at a time. At the same time, your mind has to keep up. Being psychologically prepared for change, and especially wanting it, will go a long way. Body and mind must be aligned.

2. Obsessing over the scale

There's no point in weighing yourself ten times a day, counting your calories all the time and obsessing over the figures shown on diet apps. What's important is that you take an interest in your calorie intake, balancing carbohydrate, fat and protein intake to create a calorie deficit. But most importantly, you need to listen to your body and not frustrate it, as this is the best way to put an end to all your motivation. Don't forget that, even if the scale doesn't show weight loss, you may have lost fat and gained muscle mass at the same time. Don't give in to that damn machine - it doesn't always give good advice.

3. Quantity before quality 

It's a very bad idea to drastically reduce your daily food intake. Certainly, if you drink only water and eat only apples for a week, you'll lose weight, but you'll also create deficiencies. As explained above, the body needs energy and therefore a sufficient intake of calories, vitamins and minerals, as well as fat. Fat is essential for the body to function properly. Note that it's the muscles that spend the most calories. If they don't get enough food, they weaken and lose volume. With your diet being too weak and your muscles wasting away, you won't get far on the road to rebalancing. Choosing your diet with a focus on healthy, unprocessed products and unsaturated fats means you won't eat less. Quality before quantity, not the other way round!

4. The comfort zone

You work out regularly, you go to the gym often, but nothing changes - you're not losing any more fat. In fact, your body has become accustomed to your training, it has adapted to a certain level of demands, and now it needs to be challenged again, by increasing the intensity of the effort you make. This way, you get out of your comfort zone and (re)give your muscles something to work with.

5. Excessive cardio

There's no doubt about it: you need to exercise your cardio to burn calories. 

But to burn calories efficiently, opt for what's known as “interval training”. This is a form of high-intensity cardio in which you alternate between exercise and rest: 30 seconds of exercise, 30 seconds of rest for around 20 minutes. With three sessions a week, you're guaranteed to lose fat!

We're not talking here about a magic recipe or miraculous fat melting, but valuable advice on how to avoid getting stuck at certain stages of your diet and how to keep progressing, while always respecting your own abilities.

(MH with AsD - EVG - Source: Justine Gallice Fitness - Illustration: Unsplash)