The common belief is that you need to eat less and train harder to lose weight. We disagree. A plateau is usually a feedback. They tell you your current routine has taken you as far as it can, and now it’s time to upgrade your strategy.

After helping thousands of women navigate this phase, we’ve seen the same pattern: small, strategic changes create big shifts. And it starts with two simple things that have nothing to do with eating less or exercising more.

Let's talk biology for a second. When you lose weight, your body panics.

Your body weight homeostasis system kicks in, which is essentially your body's way of trying to maintain energy balance. Research shows that only about 20% of people who lose at least 10% of their body weight keep it off for a year or longer. Why?

Your body fights back through something called the appetite feedback control circuit. When you're in a caloric deficit for too long, your hormone levels shift. Ghrelin (your hunger hormone) rises. Leptin (your fullness hormone) drops. And your basal metabolic rate slows down.

It's survival mode. But you can work with your metabolism instead of against it.

Not sure where to start? Take our free 60-second quiz to discover your body type and the training style that works best for your unique metabolism.

Pro Tip: If the scale hasn't moved in three to four weeks but your clothes fit better, you're likely gaining muscle and losing fat. That's progress, even if the number doesn't reflect it yet.

Here's the shift that changes everything: eat more protein, especially at breakfast.

On average, Australian women consume 11g of protein at breakfast. That's less than enough because protein does three critical things when you're trying to break through a plateau:

1. It keeps you fuller longer, so you're not white-knuckling your way through the afternoon

2. It protects your muscle mass while you're losing weight (and muscle is what keeps your metabolism running)

3. It stabilizes your blood sugar, so you're not crashing by mid-morning and reaching for whatever's fast

When you skip protein at breakfast, your body breaks down muscle for fuel. Less muscle means a slower metabolism. A slower metabolism makes the plateau even harder to escape.

You could start your day with 25 to 30 grams of protein. That might look like:

• Three eggs scrambled with spinach and feta

• A smoothie with protein powder, almond butter, and berries

• Greek yogurt with nuts, seeds, and a drizzle of honey

If you're not a breakfast person, that's fine. Just make your first meal protein-forward whenever you eat it.

Need simple, family-friendly recipes that don't require a nutrition degree to prep? Our Weightloss Reset program includes over 800 recipes designed for busy women who want results without spending hours in the kitchen.

More cardio doesn't always mean better.

When you're already juggling work, kids, and a mental load that never stops, adding five HIIT sessions a week doesn't accelerate fat loss. It spikes your stress hormone (cortisol), tells your body to hold onto fat for dear life, and leaves you exhausted instead of energized.

Rebel Wilson said it herself:

Instead, she shifted to walking, moderate strength training, and actual rest days. And her body finally responded.

Science backs this up. A study on premenopausal women found that those who did resistance training preserved their muscle mass during weight loss, while those who only did cardio (or no training at all) lost muscle along with fat. 

That muscle loss is what causes your metabolism to tank and makes the plateau so stubborn. Instead, do three to four strength sessions per week. These should challenge your muscles but not destroy your nervous system.

On other days, just walk. Even if just 20 to 30 minutes at a pace that lets you hold a conversation.

Walking lowers cortisol, supports digestion, and burns fat without triggering the metabolic slowdown that comes from overtraining. Rebel put it simply:

And here's a bonus: resistance training isn't just for weight loss. It builds bone density, supports healthy aging, and keeps your metabolism humming long after you finish your workout.

As you see in the video below, strength training becomes even more powerful as you age.

Pro Tip: If you're sore for three days after a workout, you're overdoing it. Aim for muscle fatigue during the session, not complete exhaustion after.

When you train, you're actually breaking down muscle tissue. It's during rest that your body rebuilds it stronger. Skip the recovery and you're just spinning your wheels.

Rest days also give your cortisol levels a chance to drop. High cortisol (from stress, lack of sleep, or overtraining) tells your body to store fat around your midsection. It also messes with your hunger signals, which is why you crave sugar and carbs when you're running on empty.

One of our members, Hannah, said it best:

Notice what she didn't say? She didn't say she trained seven days a week or cut her calories to nothing. She nourished her body and moved it consistently, not obsessively.

That's the shift that actually works long-term.

What you need is pulling back, eating enough to fuel your metabolism, training in a way that supports your hormones, and resting like it's part of the plan.

If you're ready to stop guessing and start following a plan built for real women with real lives, try our programs. Postpartum, perimenopausal, or just stuck in a rut? We'll meet you exactly where you are.

And if you want to feel confident while you train? Our Activewear collection is designed to move with you through every squat, school run, and sweaty session.