Why You're Not Losing Weight
The frustrating truth about plateaus, hidden calories, and what to do when the scale won't budge.
Meet Stephen.
Stephen has been "doing everything right" for 6 weeks. He's tracking calories, going to the gym, avoiding junk food.
For the first 3 weeks, the scale dropped consistently. He lost 8 pounds and felt unstoppable.
What's happening?
The 5 Hidden Reasons Your Scale Won't Budge
🍽️ 1. You're Eating More Than You Think
Stephen tracks his calories religiously. Or so he thinks.
Here's what he's missing:
• Coffee creamer: "Just a splash" = 50-100 extra calories
• Cooking oil: "A little olive oil" = 120 calories per tablespoon
• Weekend meals: "I don't track on weekends" = 500+ extra calories per day
• Bites and tastes: "Just trying my kid's food" = 200-300 calories
The math:
Stephen thinks he's eating 2,000 calories. He's actually eating 2,500-2,700.
The Fix:
Track everything for 2 weeks. Cooking oils, condiments, weekend meals, everything. You might be shocked.
⚡ 2. Your Metabolism Adapted
Stephen lost 8 pounds. That's great! But here's what happened:
Week 1:
TDEE: 2,400 calories
Eating: 1,900 calories
Deficit: 500 cal/day ✓
Week 6:
TDEE: 2,100 calories (lighter body)
Eating: 1,900 calories
Deficit: 200 cal/day
When you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories. Your TDEE drops. What was a 500-calorie deficit is now only 200.
The Fix:
Recalculate your TDEE every 10-15 pounds lost and adjust your calorie target accordingly.
💧 3. Water Weight is Masking Fat Loss
Stephen might actually be losing fat, but water retention is hiding it.
Common culprits:
- High sodium meal (restaurant food, processed foods)
- New workout routine (muscles hold water for repair)
- Stress (cortisol increases water retention)
- Not enough sleep
- Hormonal fluctuations
Real Example:
Stephen weighs 185 lbs on Monday. On Friday, after a salty restaurant meal and a hard leg workout, he's 188 lbs. He didn't gain 3 pounds of fat in 4 days—it's water.
The Fix:
Track weekly averages, not daily weights. Weigh yourself every day and average the week. Compare week-to-week, not day-to-day.
📊 4. You're Not Actually in a Deficit
Stephen calculated his TDEE as 2,400 calories. But TDEE calculators are estimates, not guarantees.
His reality:
• Calculator said: 2,400 TDEE
• His actual TDEE: 2,150 (he's less active than average)
• He's eating: 2,000 calories
His "500-calorie deficit" is actually only 150 calories.
At 150 calories per day, he'll lose about 1 pound every 3 weeks. Slow progress that water weight easily masks.
The Fix:
Use your real-world results to determine your actual TDEE. If you're not losing after 2-3 weeks, drop calories by 200 and reassess.
💪 5. You're Building Muscle (Good Problem!)
Stephen just started lifting weights seriously. His scale hasn't moved, but his pants fit better and he looks leaner.
What's happening:
Lost:
3 lbs of fat
Gained:
3 lbs of muscle
Net scale weight: 0 pounds. But his body composition completely changed.
The Fix:
Don't just track the scale. Track measurements (waist, hips, chest), progress photos, and how your clothes fit.
Stephen's Breakthrough
After learning these 5 reasons, Stephen made changes:
Started tracking cooking oils and weekend meals
→ Found 400 hidden calories/day
Recalculated TDEE after losing weight
→ Adjusted target from 1,900 to 1,700 calories
Tracked weekly weight averages
→ Stopped freaking out over daily fluctuations
Took progress photos
→ Saw visible changes the scale didn't show
"The scale started moving again. But more importantly, I learned that fat loss isn't always linear—and that's okay."
Deep Dive: Understanding Fat Loss Plateaus
For a comprehensive breakdown of why plateaus happen and advanced strategies to break through them, check out this evidence-based video.
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▶ Fat Loss Plateaus Explained
Expert breakdown of metabolic adaptation, water retention, and how to keep losing fat.