The Low Phase Guide

Before starting a Low Phase…

1. Understand what it is

•A “Low Phase” is a short, intentional period of lower food intake to create a calorie deficit and drop body fat

•Any results that happen require solid Food Foundations using our Food Planning Resources

•Done well, it is uncomfortable, challenging and you can see a loss of .5-1% bodyweight per week.

2. Understand what it isn’t

•It is not a quick-fix approach to get in shape because you don’t like your body currently

•It is not a way of life you sustain beyond 6-8 weeks

•It is not worth doing if you aren’t using it as part of a longer-term perspective

3. Complete the Run-Up “Must Haves”

The “Recommended Boosters” are still, understandably, recommended.

4. Want support and accountability?

Tell your coach and support network what you’re working on so they can check in and help.

5. Note what worked. What can improve?

Learn by doing.

Fat loss only happens with a strong understanding of your body and psychology.

You get much better at Low Phases by refining and adjusting over time.

Eventually, successful Low Phases can almost feel guaranteed- it simply becomes a matter of when you want to do them.

Part 1: The Run-Up

The 1-2 weeks before a Low Phase

A calorie deficit isn’t easy but with a good plan, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

Let’s set you up for success.

Must-Haves

Complete these before any “Recommended Boosters” or starting a Low Phase.

  • To eat “less than normal”, we need to know what “normal” is.

    Log 5-7 typical days’ eating (including a weekend day). Use Cronometer if tracking numbers or a journal for hand portions.

    Proven Tip: live normally. It can be tempting to change how you eat but your recommended plan may become too aggressive.

    NOTE

    If you aren’t eating at least 1500 calories/day to maintain your bodyweight, it is highly recommended you prioritize achieving at least 6000 steps/day and 2-3 challenging strength training sessions/wk. See our Fitness Foundations guide.

    If Using Numbers

    Record with Cronometer and a food scale if possible.

    Calculate your averages over the 5-7 days for…

    •Calories

    •Protein

    •Carbs

    •Fat

    … this is your “Maintenance Intake”

    If Using Hands

    Reference our Hand Portion Guide.

    Record your averages over the 5-7 days for…

    •Fists of Vegetables

    •Palms of Protein

    •Handfuls of Carbs

    •Thumbs of Fat

    … this is your “Maintenance Intake”

  • Pick an end date before you start.

    This lets you push yourself because you know exactly when you’re done and won’t be tempted to keep going just to hit a certain bodyweight.

    Give it a strong, focused effort and end on time.

    Proven Tip 1: Schedule your start and end dates to minimize overlap with events and travel.

    Proven Tip 2: always give yourself permission to hit “eject” and stop the Low Phase early if needed. There’s never a perfect time but some periods in life are just not a good time.

    LOW PHASE #1

    Duration: 2-3 weeks

    This is an experiment to learn what challenges come up, how your plan works well/less well and observe your own behavior.

    •Pre-Measurements Saturday

    •Low Phase starts Monday

    •Low Phase ends Saturday morning with post-measurements 2-3 weeks later

    LOW PHASE #2 AND BEYOND

    Duration: 4-8 weeks

    Pick your timeline and stick with it as best you can. Start with shorter Low Phases and build up over time if it feels productive.

    •Pre-Measurements Saturday

    •Low Phase starts Monday.

    •Low Phase ends Saturday morning with post-measurements 4-8 weeks later

  • Fat Loss requires a calorie deficit. The quickest way to create one is to consume fewer calories through the week.

    We want an intake low enough to send your body a clear signal without being unlivable.

    We have an intake calculator in development currently. In the interim, message your coach for recommended numbers/portions.

    THINGS TO KNOW

    ✔️ Calories decide where the scale goes

    ✔️ Protein and Carbs decide what weight change is made of (fat v. muscle)

    ✔️ If nothing else, hit Calorie and Protein numbers

    ✔️ We recommend 5 “Low” days/wk and 2 “High” days/wk (see next tab)

    ✔️ Carbs are very helpful in a Low Phase

    ✔️ Reducing fats is our best way to lower Calories. We just don’t want to go “too low” (see recommended numbers)

    ✔️ If tracking numbers, don’t worry about hitting the exact macronutrient or calorie numbers- just get close

  • Food can be “fuel” or “just a tool” but, even in a Low Phase, you’d probably still like to enjoy your food a bit.

    Between socializing, events or just including foods you like, there’s absolutely room for intentional, planned indulgence.

    Now.

    There’s a balance to this, as you can imagine. Keep reading for guidelines and our proven tips:

    GUIDELINES

    ✔️ Use the “5+2” aka 5 days of lower calories and 2 days of higher calories (see recommended numbers)

    ✔️ “High Days” are really just “Low Days” with 300-500 more calories, typically. Keep the same structure while budgeting for foods you like

    ✔️ Don’t become a consumption zombie and mindlessly eat more. These aren’t “cheat days”. Instead, cultivate an experience you’re looking forward to and can focus on enjoying (the food/people/place/etc)

    PROVEN TIPS

    •You can place both high days on weekends, but it works well to put one midweek (W or Th) and one on the weekend

    •When choosing more indulgent foods, emphasize carbs like potatoes, noodles and rice over craving-triggers like donuts, soda or chips

    •If you don’t need a high day, feel free to skip it! We do recommend using one every 2 weeks, though.

    •If you know you have a social event, meal out, or planned indulgence coming… keep it simple: have mainly water, vegetables and lean protein before and after to save calories for the things you’re looking forward to eating without stressing.

  • Before you even begin, think about the end.

    For the best results, this means going into a Maintenance Phase after your Low Phase.

    Rather than: “Hooray I’m free!”

    It’s: “Okay let’s bump calories/portions up to maintenance and continue executing”.

    A Maintenance Phase is just a better fed low phase and it is KEY.

    GUIDELINES

    ✔️ As soon as you log your post-measurements, food intake is immediately increased close to your old maintenance calories/portions

    ✔️ Protein stays the same

    ✔️ Use carbs to increase Calories/portions rather than fat

    ✔️ Use fattier protein sources (ex: swap half a scoop of protein powder out for 2 eggs)

    THINGS TO KNOW

    • Maintenance is a skill to develop, just like a Low Phase. We’re still keeping much of the structure and planning of a Low Phase, but now there’s more food and less tracking

    • Your weight will fluctuate and settle down with increased food intake. This is from water and more food volume in your gut, not fat instantly added to your frame

    • Maintenance, done well, is the best. You keep the vast majority of your results, eat more food, relax, track less and have more energy for everyday life

    See “The Exit” section for how to make the most of this phase when it comes.

  • Data is to inform your decisions.

    Not for judgement.

    In the end, we’re looking at two things:

    1. Did your body composition move in the direction we wanted?

    This tells us whether we sent your body a consistent and clear enough signal for it to understand what needed to happen.

    2. How much change happened?

    This tells us how strong a signal was sent to your body and how receptive it was to that signal.

    MEASUREMENTS

    We recommend collecting the following 2-3 days before your Low Phase (typically Saturday if you’re beginning the coming Monday)

    ✔️ Bodyweight (preferably on 2 or 3 days)

    ✔️ Circumference (the 9 Health Engineered sites)

    ✔️ Photos (Front, Side and Back using a repeatable setup with minimal overhead lighting)

    USEFUL DATA

    • A step or activity tracker (FitBit, Apple Watch, etc) to ensure you maintain or increase total activity

  • You’ve done the planning. Now let’s make sure your mindset is ready to go.

    EXPECTATIONS

    💡 You can hit “eject” at any time

    ✔️ You should be hungry if you’re in a calorie deficit

    ✔️ Results come from gaining understanding of your body works and what it responds to

    ✔️ If you don’t see all the results you’d like, that means there is something to adjust in your approach

    ✔️ There’s no space for thinking in terms of restriction, deprivation or punishment

    ✔️ Remove the morals! Fat loss is not “good”. Lower numbers are not “better”. They’re just indicators of how much your body is responding to the signals you’re sending it

    ✔️ At the end, you should be glad to be moving on but feel like you could do this again in 1-3 months. If not, you may have been pushing unsustainably for yourself

    Revisit these as needed. Let’s do it!

Recommended Boosters

These aren’t required but make the process smoother and results more reliable.

  • Know what you’re getting yourself into.

    1. Take the recommended Calorie and Protein targets and build a typical Low Day for yourself using Cronometer or hand portions.

    2. Get what you need on hand and try it out!

    3. Observe how hungry/challenged you were. Where did it feel more difficult? What helped you to ease the experience?

    4. Take your reflections and make adjustments to your plan moving forward

  • Shape your environment to shape you back.

    Low Phases can become much easier or harder depending on our surroundings. Here are some ideas to consider:

    PEOPLE

    •Have proactive conversations with those around you (home, work, social) to ensure they know how they can support you

    •“Supporting you” can be asking how things are going, offering to join you from time to time, or leaving you be rather than encouraging you to “just have one- it’s no big deal”

    •You may need to create a bit more space from people who actively or unknowingly make your Low Phase more challenging (just for a little while)

    • Conversely, seek out supportive and positive people to be around more often

    SURROUNDINGS

    •Reduce temptations in your immediate environment at home or work. Give away or replace old snacks or treats that you feel could be triggering

    •Make snaccidents less convenient- if you work from home, go elsewhere rather than working in your kitchen

    •Make it as easy as possible to do your workouts or be active. Have equipment and clothing readily available

  • Low Phases aren’t easy but they don’t have to be insanely hard.

    Look ahead in your week and life for events and social opportunities that may make it more difficult.

    You don’t have to avoid these or cancel plans; simply consider if you have any of the following coming up and how you can adjust food intake to participate without being thrown off for the next week after.

    • Birthday

    • Holiday

    • Happy Hour

    • Work Event

    • Work Trip

    • Neighborhood Block Party

    • Vacation

    • Cabin or Camping Weekend

    • Sporting Event

    • Daily coffee + pastry run with a coworker

    • Pizza Night

    • Game Night

    • Book Club

    • Rec Sports Game/Match

    • Concert

  • Nothing crazy here.

    Go into day one with your fridge ready and pantry stocked:

    • Snacks purchased and unboxed.

    • Have some meals ready to go (pre-made or you batch them)

    • Have the next 2-3 days’ foods thawing.

    • Frozen “quick prep” options purchased and in the fridge

Part 2: The Low Phase

The 2-8 weeks during a Low Phase

At its core, a calorie deficit is simple:

Eat fewer calories.

Burn the same or more calories.

Manage your headspace and calorie deficit so you stay on plan and exit with grace.

Below are the most important behaviors (starting with highest priority) to focus on.

Essentials

If nothing else, ensure these happen within the plan you built.

Dial these in before any “Recommended Boosters”.

  • No one is making you do this.

    Put yourself in the driver’ seat and choose the challenge.

    Haggling makes it harder. Remember- you want to send your body a clear message to burn fat.

    L1 = “I’m haggling and I see it affecting my ability to stick to the plan”

    L2 = Minimal haggling- only happens in very hungry/tired moments. Small to no impact on sticking to the plan.

    L3 = No haggling (even though I want to!). “I’m choosing to give my body this challenge because it can handle it and I won’t undermine myself”

  • If you aren’t hungry, you probably aren’t seeing the results you want.

    These are averages but apply especially right before you eat.

    L1 = “I’d like to eat” aka 5-6 out of 10

    L2 = “I’m definitely hungry” aka 6-7 out of 10

    L3 = “Gotta stay focused to stick to the plan” aka 7-8 out of 10

    NOTE: More hunger isn’t inherently better! Especially if you get so hungry that you reach a 10 (which means hunger was so overwhelming that you could no longer stay on plan).

  • This is the biggest driver of body composition change. Prioritize getting close to your Low and High day targets.

    Consistency with Calories/portions also allows you to more easily assess how strong a signal was sent to your body after the Low Phase is complete.

    If Calories/portions are not reliably hit, we won’t know if those numbers were actually the right fit for you.

    L1 = Hit targets 50% of the time aka 3-4 days/wk

    L2 = Hit targets 70-80% of the time aka 5-6 days/wk

    L3 = Hit targets 80-95% of the time aka 6-7 days/wk

    Proven Tip: budget more Calories/fats/carbs for the back end of the day when hunger can be more challenging

  • A common challenge is meeting protein targets without going over on Calories.

    If using hand portions, just emphasize leaner protein sources vs. fattier ones.

    L1 = Hit total protein target by bedtime, too much protein at dinner

    L2 = Hit total protein target by bedtime, even spread of protein through the day

    L3 = Eat more than 50% of protein by midday (2pm if you woke at 6am) and hit total for the day

  • We don’t exercise to burn calories.

    This is because the calories burned from workouts are “not worth it”, causing a fatigue and stress buildup that can make you hungrier and have more cravings.

    We exercise to keep muscle, stay strong and keep energy levels up.

    This leads to more fat loss, a smoother experience and progress beyond just losing weight.

    The best way to do this is to safely hit the RIR when training:

    L1 = For the last set of 1-2 exercises

    L2 = For at least half of your work sets

    L3 = For most or all of your work sets

    NOTE: exercise does burn Calories and that is valuable. However, we view those as a bonus rather than the goal. Too much focus on burning Calories distracts from the true benefits of exercise and can lead to mental burnout.

Recommended Boosters

These aren’t required but make the process smoother and greater results more reliable.

  • There are three ways people typically track food intake:

    1. Log at end of day

    2. Log as you eat

    3. Log before you’ve eaten anything

    The first two can be more involved and leave a bit of a surprise as to where you’ll be calorie-wise at the end of the day.

    Although it takes some proactive planning, we’ve seen many members thrive by deciding in advance what they’ll have on a given day.

    This means they just show up to their day and the decision-making and math has been done for them.

    They also know without a doubt they will be hitting their calorie and macronutrient goals, bringing peace of mind and reducing stress about the experience.

    APPLYING IT

    • Cronometer: play with portions and quantities to see where the numbers fall before starting your day.

    • Hand Portions: decide ahead of time what you’ll have as the sources of your hand serving sizes.

  • You can only eat so little and we don’t encourage going below your recommended Calorie intake.

    That means the only way to create a larger deficit for greater results is to increase Calorie burn.

    Non-exercise activity (fidgeting, walking, dancing, etc) is a loose category of activity that is not as strenuous as strength training or hard cardio.

    It carries less stress, less fatigue, and is something you can often repeat day in and day out.

    Steps (see our Fitness Foundations) are a classic example here.

    THINGS TO KNOW

    • We don’t recommend doing activity for the sole purpose of burning Calories

    • Whatever movement/activity you choose, we want there to be other primary benefits with Calorie burn as a side perk

    • Remember- it might be active, get you breathing or sweating a little, but it shouldn’t feel like hard exercise

    • Examples: throwing a frisbee around, dribbling a soccer/basketball, going for a walk, hiking, biking, playing at the beach or lake, taking movement breaks through your day, Yoga, etc

    NOTE: this is all in addition to your normal baseline

    L1 = 20-30’ extra movement/day

    L2 = 30-60’ extra movement/day

    L3 = 60’ or more extra movement/day

  • Hunger, Energy and Cravings are three of the most helpful physical indicators as to how your body is handling the Low Phase.

    Preferably, you…

    Are hungry but not overwhelmed (6-7 out of 10)

    Have energy but not sluggish (5-7 out of 10)

    Have minimal, manageable cravings (3-5 out of 10)

    You can then use a regular reflection of your HEC to determine if your body can handle more challenge or if you need to watch for signs of burnout.

    L1 = Monitor HEC weekly

    L2 = Monitor HEC every 2-3 days

    L3 = Monitor HEC daily

  • Hydration makes everything easier and reduces physical stress, potentially leading to more manageable hunger.

    L1 = Hit total water target by bedtime, too much water before bed

    L2 = Hit total water target by bedtime, evenly spread through the day

    L3 = Drink more than 50% of water by midday (2pm if you woke at 6am) and hit total for the day

  • Sleep has been found in our experience and clinical research to help you lose more fat in a Low Phase while keeping more muscle.

    Even 15’ of more sleep can have a tangible impact on your results and Hunger/Energy/Cravings.

    L1 = Intentional bed time with routine

    L2 = Intentional bed time with routine + consistent wake up time

    L3 = L2 but with an additional 15-30’ in bed

  • Satiety is the priority over physical fullness, but in a Calorie deficit you might never be truly satiated.

    In Low Phases, having additional cues like a sense of physical fullness can help your brain to reduce hungry feelings.

    It’s pretty simple: have larger meals containing no extra calories.

    Here are some ideas…

    • Lean on whole foods rather than processed bars/shakes to get similar Calories and macronutrients

    • Have 50-100% more leafy veggies at a meal

    • If you’ve been having higher fat intake, swap 1-2 servings for carbs (keep same Calorie totals)

    • Use high volume carbs like potatoes and sweet potatoes rather than denser ones like bread

    • Include a side salad with more meals

    • Have scrambled eggs or frittata rather than hard boiled eggs

Part 3: The Exit (aka Maintenance)

The first 2-4 weeks after a Low Phase

The moment you record your ending measurements, the “Maintenance Phase” begins.

Rather than think “I’m free!” and go crazy with food, immediately shift into what feels like a “better-fed Low Phase” without the High Days.

During this time, you still follow a similar structure but eat more food to drop stress and allow your body to reset hunger.

You can very realistically retain 80-90% of the fat lost if Maintenance is done well and dial back how much tracking you’re doing.

Nailing Maintenance Phases is the key to long term changes you love.

Essentials

If nothing else, ensure these happen.

  • You’re not going from “restriction” to “freedom”.

    Instead, you’re going from “less food than I’d like” to “enough food that my body needs”.

    L1 = You keep off 25-50% of the weight lost

    L2 = You keep off 50-75% of the weight lost

    L3 = You keep off 75-90% of the weight lost

    THINGS TO KNOW

    💡 This is an intentional, ACTIVE maintenance where you are still doing things purposefully rather than “Oh I don’t need to worry about that anymore”

    • You may still be hungry for the first few days but definitely not like the Low Phase

    • Your weight may bump up initially- don’t panic and don’t cut food. More food volume means water storage. Give your body 3-4 days to settle

    • We want you to eat as much food as possible while maintaining your bodyweight. Don’t be tempted back into a Low Phase

    • Every additional day in Maintenance teaches your body that this composition is a new normal and makes it easier to keep

  • Maintenance can become looser over time, but in the first 2-4 weeks we recommend you keep your initial Low Phase framework and simply add food on top of it.

    Again: Maintenance can be seen as a better-fed Low Phase without the high days.

    PROVEN TIPS

    ✔️ Eat similarly to your low phase in terms of timing, choices and headspace

    ✔️ Then, add 250-500 calories or 2-4 servings of carbs/fat to return to your previous maintenance intake (Not sure what that might be? Ask your coach)

    ✔️ Make your bump come from foods you like (we recommend carby ones), such as:

    -Potatoes in any form

    -Fruit with a bit of nut butter

    -Rice or Pasta/Noodles

    -Toast/bagel/english muffin with spread

    -”Adult approved” cereal (like Magic Spoon or Three Wishes)

    ✔️ When adding foods, pick things you enjoy that don’t trigger cravings you can’t shut off

  • This isn’t any different. Protein stays the same indefinitely once you’re at a Level 3 intake.

    *If you aren’t at Level 3 for Protein (.8g/lb of bodyweight or 160g, whichever is lower or 6-8 palms/day), use the increase in Calories at Maintenance to work closer to that quantity.

    L1 = Hit total protein target by bedtime, too much protein at dinner

    L2 = Hit total protein target by bedtime, even spread of protein through the day

    L3 = Eat more than 50% of protein by midday (2pm if you woke at 6am) and hit total for the day

  • You’re eating more so use that as fuel.

    If you started walks, bike rides, etc during the Low Phase that don’t feel sustainable long term, do your best to continue them during these first 2-4 weeks before gradually stepping those back.

    You may notice you can push harder in your workouts. If that’s the case, go for it!

  • There are two reasons to track:

    1. Stay aware of your true food intake rather than relying just on feelings (which are skewed to make you eat because you’re hungry)

    2. Become skilled at eyeballing food so you don’t need to track all the time

    We don’t recommend dropping tracking immediately. Instead, thoughtfully dial it back:

    PROVEN TIPS

    ✔️ Keep tracking the first 2-4 weeks of Maintenance, reducing by 1 day every week until you’re tracking 1-2x/wk at most to stay aware.

    ✔️ If you normally use numbers, play with Hand Portions to replace some of your tracking

    ✔️ Use tracking as an audit to monitor what you’re feeling vs how much you’re actually eating

Part 4: What’s Next?

Week 5 and beyond following a Low Phase

Depending on your goals, you will either stay in Maintenance, prepare for another Low Phase or increase Calories further for a Muscle Building Phase.

If you aren’t sure what is best for your goals, ask your coach.

Choose Your Next Step:

  • Most people require multiple Low Phases to get to the leanness they’re after.

    If you made progress and still have more ground to cover, here’s what to do:

    1. Solidify Maintenance for 4-8 weeks post Low Phase. Get good at Maintenance!

    2. Take your learnings from the last Low Phase and set yourself up for the next one.

    3. When you’re ready enough, repeat the steps from this guide until you’re back at another Maintenance Phase.

    4. Repeat this cycle until you are as lean as you’d care to be, then see the following tabs.

  • Once you’re at a bodyweight or leanness you don’t care to go past any further, building muscle is the surest way to allow you to stay lean(er) long term.

    THINGS TO KNOW

    💡 It can be uncomfortable to deliberately nudge the scale upward but this is a necessary step to support most goals of strength/ability, energy and body composition long term.

    • In body composition, a more muscular person has a higher metabolism at rest, burns more Calories exercising, and tends to recreate/play more because they feel good

    • If aesthetics are related to your goals, many people chase leanness when the “look” they’re after only comes from more muscle

    • Once you’ve built enough muscle for your goals/taste, shift into maintenance and enjoy life

    If building more muscle is something you’re open to, check out the tab below!

  • Probably!

    Simply put, a bit more muscle makes it easier to reach and keep almost every goal long term:

    ✔️ Strength

    ✔️ Injury Prevention

    ✔️ Energy

    ✔️ Ability to Play

    ✔️ Health Outcomes

    ✔️ Body Composition

    THINGS TO KNOW

    💡 Building muscle requires a calorie surplus

    • You’ll gain weight, typically 1-2lb/month depending on how you live

    • The weight you gain will contain muscle, water and a bit of fat (don’t panic)

    • Muscle is 2-3x as slow to build as fat is to lose

    • A Building Phase for muscle feels much better than a Low Phase

    • If Maintenance was a “better-fed Low Phase”, this is a “better-fed Maintenance Phase”

    HOW TO DO IT

    1. Wait until your weight is stable and you’ve figured out how to maintain comfortably

    2. Increase intake by ~10-15% over maintenance

    [Numbers]

    if you maintain at 1600 Calories, that’s 150-250 added. If you maintain at 2500 Calories, that’s 250-400 added.

    [Hand Portions]

    Once protein is at 6-8 palms/day, increase carbs and fat by 2-3 servings per day above maintenance

    3. Track food/portions daily for 1-2 weeks then reduce eventually to 1-2x each week. Use it as a check-in tool to refine your intuition.

    4. Train hard and hit the RIR. You’re eating more so give your muscles a reason to grow!

    5. Give it 3-5 months before you consider a Low Phase. Embrace your stronger, more muscular, more energetic body.

    6. Check in with your coach about the prospect of a Low Phase and discuss what makes sense.