Getting back on track

We’re cracking open the ol’ Mitch Mailbag to tackle a handful of questions I’ve been getting from clients lately — questions a lot of people wrestle with on their fat-loss journey.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, confused or like you’re doing everything “right” but the scale won’t budge… let’s start there.

Q: I’m doing everything right but my fat loss has stalled — what gives?

A: Most plateaus aren’t real. They’re death by a thousand bites — literally. The easiest way to burn calories is to not eat too many of them in the first place.

Here are some of the most common mistakes I see:

● BLTs (bites, licks, tastes) — “Just a nibble” still counts.

● Snack amnesia — If you eat it, track it. No exceptions.

● Added oils, butters, sprays — Cooking fats are calorie-dense and easy to miss. One tablespoon of oil is about 120 calories you never even notice.

● Liquid calories — Coffees, smoothies, juices, “healthy” drinks all sneak calories into your day.

● Weekend wobbles — Eating well Monday to Thursday, then relaxing a little too much on the weekend can easily wipe out a week of progress.

● Portion creep — Eyeballing instead of measuring leads to slow, steady increases over time.

● Mindless finishing — Grabbing a few bites off a kid’s plate or cleaning up leftovers. It all adds up.

Individually, no biggie. But together? Bye-bye calorie deficit and hello plateau.

Try this: Track everything you eat for three days. Not to be perfect — just honest. Small leaks sink big ships, but once you see the gaps, you can plug them.

Q: What’s the plan once I hit my goal?

A: Now the real work begins.

Many people celebrate, unplug, and… regain the weight. That’s why we advise transitioning into a reset phase where we strategically add calories and movement week-by-week while keeping the Big 5 habits strong (training, calories, steps, sleep, hydration).

Your body will resist change. After dieting, your metabolism slows a bit — it’s normal and mainly based on the fact you weigh less and now burn less at rest. So we train it back up, slowly.

I’d take it as seriously as the initial weight-loss phase at first, by tracking progress (photos, waist size, clothing fit) to make sure you’re gaining mostly muscle, not fat. Done right? You’ll stay lean, get stronger and never diet the same way again.

Q: Why does muscle matter so much as we age?

A: Muscle is your anti-aging insurance policy.

In one study, women over 65 with low muscle mass were 63 times more likely to die early. For men, it was 11 times.

Muscle protects your bones, improves insulin sensitivity and keeps you strong and independent as you age.

The prescription? You don’t need six days in the gym or crazy boot camps. Just two to three strength-focused workouts a week and be consistent.

Don’t chase “skinny” just to see a scale number you like. Build muscle, and your body — and your future self — will thank you.

Q: I feel bloated even on low calories. What gives?

A: Digestive issues are super common, especially as we get older. It’s not just about eating too much of the wrong foods.

Here’s what helps:

● Fibre: But not all fibre is created equal. Experiment with whole-food sources such as veggies, legumes and grains.

● Exercise: Just 30 minutes a day helps your gut function better.

● Water: “Three-Litre Club” isn’t just a catchphrase in my fitness world, it helps with everything.

● Med check: Blood pressure meds and NSAIDs can mess with digestion.

● Food awareness: Pay attention to how you feel after meals. If chicken and broccoli makes you bloat, maybe you don’t need more broccoli.

● Supplements: Digestive enzymes, probiotics (like kefir/kimchi), or magnesium citrate can help. But introduce one at a time and reassess.

● Bottom line: digestion equals nutrient absorption. If your gut’s not happy, fat loss and energy will suffer.

Q: I keep falling off on weekends. How do I stay consistent?

A: You’re not alone. But let’s be clear — fat loss isn’t a forever thing. It shouldn’t be sustainable forever… or you’d eventually weigh zero pounds.

Think of it like driving.

Person A is in the passing lane. Focused. Tracks food. Hits workouts. Plans ahead on weekends.

Person B is in the slow lane. Eats clean-ish Monday through Thursday, lets go completely on weekends. Workouts are optional.

One gets results. One maintains on cruise control. If you want consistent change right now? Act like Person A — for or a season at least.

Then, once you’ve arrived? Shift to Person B’s “cruise control.” That’s how you maintain results without being on a diet 24-7, 365.

Just don’t shift to cruise control too early. That’s how people end up in Plateautown, population three million.

Q: What’s the best way to get visible abs?

A: Getting abs has way more to do with your fork than your fitness plan. There is very little evidence spot-targeting (training a specific muscle group) leads to fat loss from that area.

Here’s the truth:

● Abs are muscles — train them too much, and they just grow like biceps do. But you do want to train them — core strength is pretty important.

● You don’t need 10 different ab exercises. Compound lifts (squats, presses, rows) already train your core, hard.

● Direct ab work is fine as a “finisher” or for variety — but it’s not the main event.

If you want your abs to show, prioritize two things:

1. Lifting heavy with compound moves.

2. Fat loss through a consistent calorie deficit. This is the biggest factor.

In short: Crunches don’t cut calories.

That’s all for this month. As always, stay focused on the Big 5 fundamentals — walking daily, hydration, strength training, easting healthy and sleeping sufficiently — and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration.

Mitch Calvert is a Winnipeg-based fitness coach (mitchcalvert.com.)