Another Diet is not the end of the story. · Legacy Performance Tribe

Another Diet is not the end of the story.

When it comes to dieting, many people start strong, seeing promising progress on the scale and in the mirror. However, as the weeks and months pass, a frustrating reality often sets in: the results slow down. Despite sticking to the same plan, weight loss seems to stall, energy levels drop, and cravings grow stronger. This phenomenon is known as the diminishing returns of dieting for too long—and it’s an important concept to understand for long-term success.

So, Why Do Diet Results Slow Down?

Dieting, especially when it involves a calorie deficit, triggers a series of adaptive responses in the body. These are survival mechanisms designed to protect you from starvation. Here’s what happens:

1. **Metabolic Adaptation**:

- As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories to function. This is partly because a smaller body burns fewer calories and partly because your metabolism slows down to conserve energy.

2. **Increased Hunger Hormones**:

- Levels of hormones like ghrelin (which signals hunger) increase, making it harder to stick to your plan. Meanwhile, leptin (the hormone that signals fullness) decreases, amplifying cravings.

3. **Decreased Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT):**

- Your subconscious movements, like fidgeting or even standing, naturally decrease when energy is limited. This subtle shift can reduce the number of calories you burn daily.

4. **Mental Fatigue:**

- Constantly restricting your food intake can wear you down mentally, making you more likely to give in to cravings or fall into cycles of overeating and guilt.

### The Risks of Prolonged Dieting

Dieting too long without breaks can backfire in several ways:

- **Muscle Loss**: A prolonged calorie deficit will lead to muscle breakdown, especially if protein intake or resistance training isn’t prioritized.

- **Hormonal Imbalances**: For both men and women, extended dieting can disrupt hormones, affecting mood, energy, and even reproductive health. (I’ve worked with too many ladies over the years that have lost their period, or even gone into early menopause because of dieting too much)

- **Binge Eating Tendencies**: Overly restrictive diets can set the stage for binge eating, creating a harmful cycle of yo-yo dieting.

- **Plateaus and Frustration**: When results stall, many people double down, cutting calories further or increasing cardio, which can worsen the problem.

### How to Combat These Diminishing Returns

To avoid these pitfalls and maximize your long-term success, consider these strategies:

1. **Incorporate Diet Breaks**:

- Periodically return to maintenance calories for 1-2 weeks. This can help reset hunger hormones, restore energy, and give your metabolism a breather.

2. **Prioritize Strength Training**:

- Resistance training helps preserve muscle mass during a deficit, which supports a higher metabolic rate.

3. **Optimize Protein Intake**:

- Eating sufficient protein (roughly 0.8-1.0 grams per pound of body weight) helps maintain muscle, manage hunger, and support recovery.

4. **Focus on Lifestyle Habits**:

- Instead of being perpetually in “diet mode,” work on sustainable habits like food prepping, mindful eating, and daily movement. These create a foundation for long-term success.

5. **Adjust Expectations**:

- Understand that fat loss isn’t linear. Slower progress over time is normal, especially as you get leaner. Shift your focus to non-scale victories, like increased strength or better energy.

### Final Thoughts

Dieting is a tool, not a lifestyle. When used strategically, it can help you achieve your health and fitness goals. But when overused, it can lead to burnout, stalled progress, and a negative relationship with food. Instead of staying in a deficit indefinitely, think of dieting as part of a larger, balanced strategy. This larger strategy is what called nutritional periodization. A strategic and intentional manipulation of calories, macros, and habits that allows you to see progress consistently overtime.

Have you experienced any of these “over dieting” symptoms before?

Yes, unfortunately

No, I have not

I’m not sure

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