A Note on Phases: They Aren't Grades

We noticed a misperception among some of our nutrition clients, who seem to believe that the program phases are progressive. In other words, some of you seem to think that Phase 2 is more advanced than Phase 1, and so forth. We would like to clarify.

Nope. Not quite.

Phase 1 focuses on quality of food, Phase 2 adds quantity, and Phase 3 brings in timing. Different phases are appropriate for different goals. Phases 2 and 3 are eating for performance; if you are working on general fitness and strength but not working to drastically increase performance, then Phase 1 is appropriate and the others are not. Similarly, if you are going through a challenging patch — big deadline at work, new baby, sick parents, etc. — then you probably need to focus on maintenance and basic lifestyle, not on performance. If you have been on Phase 3 for a while and lifting a lot, you may choose to throttle back for a bit, to freshen things up and take a break.

Your training and nutrition will necessarily vary throughout your life. Switching from a performance focus to other goals is not a sign of weakness or giving up. It's not really possible or healthy to relentlessly pursue strength goals without a break; your body will benefit from an extended rest from time to time. Remember, overtraining is a form of stress, and your body will fight it with inflammation and stress hormones, both of which are detrimental to long-term health. In some cases, motivation can get in the way of progress.

Never feel guilty about throttling back and changing from one nutrition phase to another; life is a marathon, not a continuous sprint, and switching gears is normal and expected. As long as you understand your choices and are comfortable and happy with the state of your body and mind, you are probably progressing just fine. Your nutrition phase is just your fueling plan, not a grading scheme, and as such it should be chosen according to the state of both your training and your life.