New Plan? Or Better Adherence?
When it comes to fat loss, most people focus on what they’re supposed to eat—macros, calorie targets, fiber. But one of the biggest drivers of progress isn’t just what’s on your plan… it’s how consistently you stick to it.
At The Habyt, we use a weekly biofeedback tracker with our clients, and one of the key metrics they report is an adherence score from 1 to 10. But here’s the challenge: many people struggle to accurately assess how well they’re following their plan. It’s not about dishonesty—more often, it’s just a misunderstanding of what true adherence looks like.
Let’s clear that up.
What Does “Adherence” Actually Mean?
In simple terms, adherence is how closely you follow the plan you’ve committed to—especially your nutrition targets. That includes:
Tracking your food intake consistently and accurately
Staying within your calorie range (+/- 50 calories)
Hitting your macro targets (especially protein) within a reasonable margin (+/- 5g)
Following any other agreed-upon goals like step counts, hydration, or workouts
It doesn’t mean perfection—but it does mean consistency.
Why Adherence—Especially to Nutrition—Is the Biggest Key to Fat Loss
Fat loss doesn’t happen because of one perfect day—or even one great week. It’s the result of consistently showing up and following through on the habits that support your goals over time. And of all the habits you can build, nutrition adherence is the most important.
Yes, things like hydration, movement, sleep, stress management, and workouts absolutely support fat loss. They improve your energy, help with recovery, and make the process more sustainable.
But at the end of the day, you can’t out-exercise a consistently overeaten or untracked diet. Fat loss requires a calorie deficit—and the only way to know if you’re in one is to consistently track your intake and stick to your plan.
When adherence is low, progress stalls. And when that happens, many people assume they need a new plan. In reality, they usually just need to improve consistency with the one they already have.
That’s why tracking accurately, hitting your targets most of the time, and being honest about how closely you're following the plan are so essential. They give you clear data—and that data is what leads to long-term results.
How to Score Your Own Adherence
If you're tracking your own progress (or working with a coach), it’s helpful to evaluate adherence objectively. Here’s a simple framework to guide your weekly self-assessment:
10/10 – You tracked every day, hit your calorie (+/- 50cals) and macro goals closely (within +/-5g), and followed your plan accurately.
8–9/10 – You tracked most days and hit calories within 50 on most, with minor deviations on macros.
5–7/10 – You tracked inconsistently or were off target by several hundred calories on some days.
1–4/10 – Minimal tracking or significant gaps between the plan and your actual intake.
This isn’t about being hard on yourself—it’s about getting clear data. And accurate data is what leads to the results you want.
A Simple Tool to Help: The MacrosFirst Star ⭐
If you’re using the MacrosFirst app, there’s a helpful feature that can make gauging adherence easier: you’ll earn a gold star each day you hit your calorie target (or close to it).
While this doesn’t account for hitting every macro perfectly, it’s a great starting point—especially for those still building the habit of daily tracking. At the end of the week, you can count how many days you earned that star and use it to estimate your adherence. For example, 5 stars = about 70% adherence.
Just keep in mind: macros matter too. Hitting calories is important, but so is getting enough protein, carbs, and fats to support your goals.
Final Thoughts
Adherence is one of the most important (and often overlooked) factors in fat loss. Without it, even the most well-designed plan can fall flat. With it, small, sustainable changes lead to lasting results.
So whether you're working with a coach or managing your own plan, focus less on being perfect—and more on being consistent. Track honestly, assess adherence clearly, and use tools like MacrosFirst to help you stay on course.
Because success isn’t about having the perfect plan.
It’s about following a solid plan with consistency.
Want to learn more about The Habyt? We offer a FREE discovery call where we can answer all you questions!