We are surrounded by messages about progress. Everywhere you look, there is talk of pushing harder, smashing goals, and staying motivated. On social media, people share personal bests, transformations and constant improvement. The message is clear: if you are not progressing, you are falling behind.
But life does not always work that way. And sometimes, it is not only okay to pause your progress, it is actually the best thing you can do.
This is why understanding weight loss and how fast you should be losing weight is a topic I cover all the time in my work as a weight loss coach.
The Pressure To Always Move Forward
There is a certain mindset that has taken over fitness culture. It is built around discipline, drive and momentum. You see it in people like David Goggins and others who talk about pushing through pain and never taking your foot off the gas. There is a place for that level of commitment, but it is not realistic or healthy for everyone, all the time.
For most people, life gets in the way. Stress, work, family, injury, illness, or simply being human can throw things off track. And yet, many of us still feel guilty for not always moving forward. We treat a quiet week like failure when it might actually be a sign of good judgement.
The Value Of Maintenance Phases
In fitness and weight loss, progress is not supposed to be constant. One of the most useful skills you can build is learning to maintain. A maintenance phase is not a setback. It is a controlled pause, a chance to rest, stabilise and recover both mentally and physically.
When you are dieting for months at a time, it becomes something that follows you everywhere. You start to think about food, exercise and progress almost constantly. It can be exhausting. Taking a short, planned break from trying to lose weight can give your mind the same kind of recovery that rest days give your muscles.
Maintenance keeps your habits steady without pushing harder. It stops fatigue (mental or physical) from building up and helps you return stronger when you are ready to focus again.
When Maintaining Is The Real Achievement
I had a client recently who went through a difficult time with a medical issue. For about six weeks, we agreed to take a step back. The goal was not to lose more weight but to maintain.
We focused on keeping her meals balanced, staying active when she could, and managing stress as best as possible. Her weight stayed the same throughout that time, and that was a huge win. Because in another situation, the same level of pressure could easily have led to emotional eating, weight gain or giving up completely.
Instead, she stayed steady. That consistency through a tough period showed real strength. It proved she had built sustainable habits that could hold firm when life got hard – and I am really proud of her.
Why Progress Is Not Always The Answer
There is a point where chasing results becomes counterproductive. If you are constantly trying to improve, you never stop to recognise how far you have already come. You forget that progress is not just about the next goal, but about how you handle the days when things do not go to plan.
Periods of stillness or stability are not wasted time. They are where resilience is built. They are the moments when you hold the line instead of sliding backwards. In the long run, that kind of mental discipline matters far more than a perfect run of weekly weight loss or training personal bests.
Giving Yourself Permission To Pause
If you are going through a stressful time, recovering from an injury, or simply need a break, it is okay to ease off. The key is to do it with awareness. Maintaining your habits, keeping your nutrition steady, and staying active in small ways can stop things from unravelling while giving your mind the reset it needs.
There is a difference between giving up and taking a breather. A controlled pause is part of progress. It is what allows you to stay in the game for the long term.
Be Honest With Yourself – Don’t Just Use This As An Excuse To Quit!
Taking a pause only works if it is truly a pause. Do not use it as an excuse to give up completely. There is a big difference between choosing to ease off for a reason and quietly letting things slide.
Be honest with yourself. If you are taking a break to recover, rest or manage life’s pressures, that is a smart decision. But if you are using the idea of a pause to justify habits that take you further away from your goals, you are not really pausing, you are avoiding.
You do not need to be harsh on yourself, but you do need to be truthful. A pause should still include some structure. It might mean keeping your step count up, maintaining your protein intake, or simply staying mindful of your eating. The goal is to hold steady while giving yourself breathing room.
Being honest about your intentions is what turns a break into a strategy instead of a setback.
How To Maintain Your Weight
If you want to take a maintenance phase seriously, it helps to have a structure. You do not need to track every gram of food, but having a rough idea of your calorie target and food balance makes a big difference.
To work out your maintenance calories, you can work this out with my calorie calculator.
The goal is to eat enough to maintain your current weight without feeling restricted or overdoing it. A good structure is:
- Protein: Aim for around 1.6 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. This helps protect muscle and keeps you fuller for longer.
- Carbohydrates: Include wholegrains, fruit, and starchy vegetables to support energy and mood.
- Fats: Do not cut these out. Include healthy sources such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado.
- Vegetables: Fill at least half your plate with colourful vegetables or salad for fibre and nutrients.
If your weight stays steady for a few weeks, you are in the right range. If it starts to creep up or down, adjust slightly by 150 to 200 calories per day and keep an eye on how you feel.
Remember, maintenance is not about perfection. It is about balance. You are simply keeping things steady while giving yourself time to reset.
The Real Definition Of Progress
Progress is not always about the numbers on the scales, your pace, or your gym lifts. Sometimes it is about keeping things together when life tests you. It is about recognising that you can slow down without losing everything you have built.
Learning to accept those moments, rather than fight them, is a sign of growth. Because in the end, sustainable fitness and weight management is not about perfection or endless progress. It is about building a life that supports you through the ups and downs.
So the next time you hit a rough patch, remind yourself that standing still is not failure. Sometimes, staying steady is the biggest win of all.
Need A Bit Of Extra Support?
If you are doing your best to stay on track but feel stuck, get in touch for a chat. You can book a free Zoom consultation here.
My weight loss coaching, and online personal training and fitness coaching, focus is on real life changes that actually fit around you. No extremes, no all or nothing plans, just simple steps that build confidence and make you feel more like yourself again.
