Periodization: The Best Way To Reach Any Fitness GoaL

When we start a workout routine, we often have a goal in mind.

Think about the last time you started a new fitness program. Maybe you started with hopes of losing 10 lbs or getting a flatter stomach. Maybe you wanted to finally build your glute muscles or reach a lower percentage of body fat. Whatever your reason, you had one - or else you never would have gotten started in the first place.

Now I want you to think about that goal: Did you reach it?

If you’ve ever been struggling to lose fat and build muscle without working out, periodization is the game-changer you’ve been missing!

I know, because I’ve been there. Let’s take a look into what periodization is, how it helps to build muscle and promote fat loss, and - most importantly - how you can implement it in your life no matter where you are in your fitness journey!

What IS Periodization?

Periodization is a strategic training approach that structures your workouts into phases, ensuring you continuously challenge your body, avoid plateaus, and burn fat more efficiently.

I like to look at periodized training through the lens of working smarter, not just harder. By cycling through training phases with unique goals, we are able to give the body time to recover and grow.

Think of it like working smarter, not harder. We start by looking at a year of training and the overarching goals, and then break it up into smaller and smaller cycles.

The 3 Periodization Cycles

There are three types of cycles that help us organized our periodized training.

The biggest cycle is the macrocycle. Think of this as the overarching cycle of your training, or the season as a whole. We normally think of this as your year of training.

Next we have mesocycles, which refer to a particular training block within that season. For example, a month or 2-month long strength, power, or adaption phase. These have their own specific goals (more on that below).

The last cycle is the shortest of them all, the microcycle. This is the smallest unit within a mesocycle; typically a week of training.

The Phases Within The Cycles (Mesocycles)

A Liv Your Fit 1:1 Coaching Client's Program Skeleton, showing two different mesocycles and their goals.

Mesocycles are super important when it comes to periodized training. These training blocks within the year that have their own unique goals and help us focus on reaching our overarching fitness aspirations.

One of the resources I have handy for my 1:1 Coaching Clients is their Program Skeleton, where I clearly map out our starting phase and the phases we plan to move into. Some different phases include Adaption, Strength, and Power & Conditioning (just to name a few). I help guide my clients into cycling through cycles that will help them reach their overall health and fitness goals. It’s a sustainable, long-term method for losing fat, gaining muscle, and falling in love with fitness again. Let’s dive a little deeper into why it works for fat loss.

Why Periodization Works for Fat Loss

Here’s why periodization is the key to unlocking your fat loss potential.

By consistently changing your workout intensity, volume, and type, periodization keeps your body guessing, maximizing fat burn while maintaining muscle. As we cycle through different mesocycles with different goals, we’re also cycling the type of stress we’re putting on your body. This allows us to create some hard training periods after some easier ones to facilitate recovery.

This is how you can finally say goodbye to frustrating plateaus!

Working smarter not harder is the only way to really reach your fat loss and muscle building goals. Have you ever gone through a time where you worked out hard, 100% effort every day and completely burnt yourself out without seeing lasting results? That’s because our bodies need rest and recovery to build muscle.

When we lift weights, we create little tears in our muscles. Our muscles only grow when our body works to repair those tears. We need adequate rest and recovery for this process to happen.

Ready to Take Your Training to the Next Level?

If you’re tired of not seeing the results you deserve, it’s time to apply for 1:1 coaching. Let’s create a periodized plan that’s tailored to your goals and finally achieve the fat loss you’ve been working so hard for. Not only will you get a Program Skeleton like the snapshot of one I posted above, but you’ll also get a personalized nutrition plan, mindset resources, and weekly check-in’s. 1:1

Coaching with periodized tracking is the way to go. No more guessing games. No more frustration. Just real sustainable progress.

Ready to get started? Use the button to apply to Liv Your Fit and start your transformative relationship with periodization today!