Coach HubMapping the year: the phase roadmap
Most clients have only ever seen calories go down. An unexplained increase feels like a mistake. Briefed in advance, it becomes a goal they look forward to. That's what a phase roadmap does, and it's the number one retention tool you have. Clients who can see where they're going stay to get there.
The six phases
| Phase | Goal | Typical length | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat loss | Lose fat, keep muscle | 8–16 weeks | 0.5–1% BW/week |
| Diet break | A planned pause from the deficit | 1–2 weeks | At maintenance |
| Reverse | Bring food back up with little fat gain | 4–10 weeks | Slow increases, mostly carbs |
| Maintenance | Hold and settle into the new weight | 4–12 weeks | Stable within ±1% BW |
| Surplus | Build muscle with minimal fat | 16–32 weeks (24 is a good default) | Depends on training age (below) |
| Holiday | Stay loosely on track, low stress | As needed | No tracking, habit focus |
A typical Gen Pop year
flowchart LR
A[Fat loss<br/>12-16 wks] --> B[Reverse<br/>4-10 wks] --> C[Maintenance<br/>4+ wks] --> D[Surplus<br/>16-24 wks] --> E[Mini cut<br/>reveal]Diet breaks and holidays slot in wherever life needs them.
Surplus rate by training age
| Training age | Gain per month | For an 80 kg client |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner (under 1–2 years) | 1–1.5% BW | ~200–300 g/week |
| Intermediate (2–5 years) | 0.5–1% BW | ~100–200 g/week |
| Advanced (5+ years) | 0.25–0.5% BW | ~50–100 g/week |
Remember from Module 2: training age is about commitment, not years.
Rules for every roadmap
- Always show at least the next 12 weeks or 2 phases.
- Make the current phase obvious.
- Every phase gets a one-line note: goal, target rate, planned length, and what's next. For example: "14-week fat-loss phase, aiming for 300–500 g a week, then a reverse."
- Plans change, and that's fine. Move phases earlier or later and explain why, so it's a quick update, not a shock.
Setting the goal: milestone first, endpoint later
A goal set on day one, from a starting weight, a few photos and an intake, is a best guess. Tell the client that: "Here's our starting target. We'll refine it as we see how you look along the way." That one sentence stops them collapsing if the day-one number was off by a kilo.
- Don't lead with the end. "20 kg" is demoralising. Set a nearer milestone first (often 5–8 kg, over roughly 8–12 weeks) that they can actually picture.
- Reassess visually at the milestone. Compare like for like (Module 6.8). Do they look done, or would another kilo or two look better? Refine the endpoint from real photos, not the day-one guess.
- Add a timeframe. "At this rate we've got about 4–6 weeks left to reach 55." A goal without a timeframe is a wish.
- Give them the call, with your recommendation. "We've hit 55. Option A: reverse now and lock this in. Option B: four more weeks toward 53. I'd lean B, but it's your call." If you can see the target shifting, raise it a few weeks early, not on the day they expect to finish.
- Always name what comes next. The current goal should never be the whole horizon.
Training follows the phases
Whatever built the muscle is what keeps it. Ideally run the same program from the surplus into the fat-loss phase. The best time to start a new training block is on the way out of a diet, during the reverse or maintenance. Module 4 covers this in detail.
Diet breaks
Consider a 1–2 week break at maintenance (mostly by adding carbs) when two or more of these show up for two weeks running:
- Constant hunger or cravings, or adherence slipping
- Low energy, poor sleep, low mood or libido
- Strength dropping or sessions feeling flat
- Progress stalled despite good adherence, or high life stress
Brief the client first: the scale will rise 0.5–1.5 kg from water and glycogen. It isn't fat. After the break, go straight back to the deficit.