Stuck After Losing Weight? Here’s What to Do Next

Posted by Tommy Halligan on June 22, 2025

We had a great question in SGPT recently, someone who’s made huge progress losing weight but now feels stuck:

“I’ve dropped 10kg and feel much better, but the scale’s stopped moving… what should I do next?”

If your goal is fat loss, this might sound familiar. You’ve made a great start, but now it feels like everything’s slowed down. That’s normal, and solvable.

Here’s what we suggest:

1. The Early Wins Don’t Last Forever

In the beginning, weight drops quickly, mostly because you’re eating less, moving more, and your body is adjusting.

But as time goes on:

Your energy balance tightens
Your metabolism adapts slightly
You’ve got less to lose, and the changes take more effort

This isn’t failure. It’s the next phase of the process.

A 2014 review by Trexler et al. found that resting metabolic rate, NEAT, and hormones all down-regulate during prolonged calorie deficits, which makes continued fat loss harder even with the same food and training.

2. Are You Feeling “Diet Fatigue”?

When you’ve been in a calorie deficit for a while, it catches up with you. You feel:

Hungrier throughout the day
More tired or flat in training
Less motivated to track meals or stay consistent

That doesn’t mean your plan’s broken. But it might be time to change pace, not quit.

For more on why your original plan might not work forever, check out Why Your Old Diet Plan Might Not Work Anymore

You’ve Got Two Good Options

Option A: Take a Short Diet Break

Hover around your current intake or bump up slightly (maintenance calories)
Focus on quality food, better sleep, and training performance
Let your appetite and energy reset

This isn’t reversing your progress, it’s creating space to push again later.

Even 1-2 weeks of maintenance can make a big difference mentally and physically.

A 2021 paper by Peos et al. also suggests that diet breaks and re-feed strategies may help preserve lean mass, improve psychological well-being, and support long-term adherence.

Speaking of adherence, long-term studies (Byrne et al., 2004) consistently show that rigid diets reduce consistency over time, which is why small, sustainable adjustments tend to work best.

Option B: Push on, just smarter

If you’re still feeling good and motivated:

Tighten your tracking (small underestimates add up)
Reduce snacking or night-time “mindless” bites
Consider swapping out low-impact cardio for more focused movement

Sometimes it’s not about cutting more food, it’s about being more intentional with what you’re already doing.

One common fix we use with members is adjusting protein targets. Here’s how to find the right range for you.

A Quick Note on Expectations

The leaner you get, the slower progress becomes.

Losing the first 5-8kg? Quick.
Dropping from 20% to 15% body fat? Slower.
Holding onto muscle while cutting? Even more nuanced.

Your tools don’t need to change, but your patience and precision do.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve made solid progress and now feel stuck, you’re not doing anything wrong, you’ve just hit a point where the next step requires a bit more planning.

You can:

Take a short break to reset
Push forward with a few smart adjustments
Or speak to a coach to map out the right call

Fat loss isn’t about endless restriction, it’s about knowing when to adjust the plan.

Need Help?

If you’re looking to join our SGPT or 1-to-1 coaching programme and you feel like progress has stalled, come speak to us.

We’ll help you:

Review your food and movement
Check your recovery and habits
And give you a plan you actually want to stick to

Click here to join! You’ve already made progress, let’s keep it going.

References:

Byrne, S., Cooper, Z., & Fairburn, C. (2004). Psychological predictors of weight regain in obesity. Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Peos, J. J., et al. (2021). Intermittent dieting: theoretical considerations for the athlete. Sports Medicine.
Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E., & Norton, L. E. (2014). Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.