Tracking + plateaus
Judge progress by trends, not day-to-day scale noise.
Weekly check-in (10 minutes)
- Daily weigh-in → use 7-day average.
- Waist at navel: 2×/week (same conditions).
- Photos weekly (front/side/back, same lighting).
- Strength log: top sets on main lifts.
- Steps average: aim 8k–12k/day.
Water retention & scale fluctuations (normal)
- Hard training causes inflammation → temporary water weight.
- Higher carbs store glycogen → more water in muscle (good for performance).
- Late sleep/stress can increase water retention.
- Use waist + photos to confirm fat loss even if scale stalls.
Foods to limit (common hidden calories)
- “Free-pour” oil/ghee (measure it).
- High-oil dosa/upma, deep-fried snacks.
- Peanut/coconut chutney in large portions (keep 1–2 tbsp).
- Sugary tea/coffee, sweets, bakery items.
- Restaurant meals (oil + hidden calories).
Cheat meal strategy (so it doesn’t erase the week)
- Prefer one cheat meal, not a cheat day (max 1×/week).
- Keep the day protein-first and avoid stacking multiple high-fat items.
- Next day: go back to normal plan (no crash restriction).
14-day plateau protocol (strength-preserving)
- If 14 days pass and both 7-day average weight and waist don’t drop: choose ONE:
- Reduce 150–200 kcal/day, or
- Add +2000 steps/day.
- If strength/sleep crash: add +100–200 kcal/day (usually carbs) and remove hard cardio first.