You’re Doing Everything Right… So Why Isn’t It Working?

The no-fluff truth about fitness plateaus (and what to do besides cry into your protein shake)

So you’re eating clean(ish), working out regularly, drinking water like it’s your job… and the scale hasn’t budged since 2023. Your leggings still roll down at the waist, your muscles are like, “meh,” and you’re wondering if your metabolism is filing for early retirement.

Before you spiral, let me give it to you straight:
You’re not broken.
Your body isn’t rebelling.
You just might be doing too much of the wrong “right” things.

🚫 Myth: You Have to Lift Heavier to See Progress

Oh, this one. Chef’s kiss of overachiever fitness culture.

I used to think if I wasn’t increasing my weights every week, I was wasting time. So I lifted heavier. I sacrificed form. I trained to exhaustion. I threw in extra reps because… #gains, right?

Wrong.

Here’s the deal: You do NOT have to lift heavier to make progress.
You don’t have to go longer, harder, or louder. You have to lift in a way that activates your muscles, not your ego.

Sometimes I literally punch myself in the butt before hip thrusts just to wake my glutes up. Sometimes I go down in weight so I can feel the contraction more intentionally. It’s not about what’s on the dumbbell—it’s about what’s firing in your body.

Customizing your workouts to how you feel that day is the move. Flexibility = results.
Strict is cute in the military. I’ve been there. But it doesn’t work for everyone—especially not overstretched nurse moms juggling charting, carpool, and cortisol spikes.

😩 You Might Be Overtraining (Yes, Even If You Feel “Lazy”)

Let’s talk recovery.

If your body aches—not sore muscles, but like “I have the flu and rage at the same time”—that’s your sign. I call it “flu body.” You try to move and your body politely tells you to sit the heck down.

That’s not laziness. That’s biofeedback. And it means your next workout should look more like a stretch session than a Spartan race.

💡 Mind-Muscle Connection > Max Reps

Before every lift, I flex or squeeze the muscle I’m about to use. Literally. I wake it up like, “Hello glutes, we have work to do.” If I can’t feel the muscle working during the lift, I pause. Reset. Go again.

Feeling it = progress.
Flinging weights = burnout.

🧠 Your Progress Isn’t Measured by the Scale

If you’re only measuring results by a number, you’re missing the best part.

How’s your energy? Are you more patient? Less moody? Can you lift your kids/groceries/life with less effort? That’s transformation. That’s you getting stronger.

I used to chase results I could see. Now I chase how I feel—and guess what?
The visible changes follow. Eventually. But they’re not the main event anymore.

✋ Real Talk: If You’re Stuck…

If you feel like you’re doing everything “right” and still seeing nothing, try this:

Audit your workouts: Are you training smart, not just hard?
Check your recovery: Are you actually resting?
Reassess your goals: Are you doing this to look a certain way… or to feel a certain way?
Be honest: Are you being way too hard on yourself?

👏 Final Word (from Coach Karli)

“Your body isn’t a vending machine. You don’t put in a salad and get out abs. You put in intention, recovery, consistency, and grace. And eventually, it gives you strength, energy, and sanity in return.”

So no, you’re not failing.
You’re just learning to listen better.
Now go punch your glutes and crush some slow, intentional reps. You got this.

Uniformly Human