Episode Summary

Most coaches rush clients straight into a deficit and then wonder why fat loss stalls, biofeedback tanks, or consistency falls apart. In this episode, we break down why maintenance is the real starting line for an effective fat loss phase, and why 4-6 weeks at maintenance sets the entire cut up for success. If your clients struggle to lose fat (or stay consistent), this simple shift changes everything.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 

• Why fat loss doesn’t start with slashing calories
• The purpose and power of a 4 - 6 week maintenance phase
• What happens physiologically during maintenance and why it matters
• The key habits you need to solidify before dropping macros
• What coaches should be assessing during the prep window
• The mindset reframes that help clients buy into this process
• How to know when a client is actually ready for a deficit

Takeaways 

• Maintenance is the metabolic warm-up every successful cut needs.
• A stable body responds faster and more predictably to a deficit.
• Consistency at maintenance fixes tracking drift, stabilizes hunger, and improves training quality.
• Most “slow fat loss” issues are actually “poor prep” issues.
• When you prep well, clients lose faster, retain more muscle, and stall less.

What You Should Assess Before Cutting: 

• Energy, hunger, sleep, digestion, stress
• Training recovery and performance
• Tracking accuracy and routine stability
• Consistency across the full week
• Emotional readiness and lifestyle patterns

If you want deeper guidance on programming fat loss phases, adjusting macros, and coaching clients through plateaus, this is exactly what we train inside Macro Mentorship. Learn more through the link in the show notes.

Links & Resources:

Macros Made Simple for Coaches Guide 

Macros don’t have to feel like rocket science. This free guide shows the 3 simple layers I use to help coaches go from confused to confident.

www.themacrouniversity.com/macros-made-simple-for-coaches

 Learn more about Macro Mentorship:  the certification + business mentorship that teaches you how to coach beyond the numbers -→ https://www.themacrouniversity.com/certification