It seems straightforward enough: consuming fewer calories and increasing physical activity should lead to weight loss. But, what's the go if you've been counting calories to stick to a deficit but the weight isn't budging?
It's frustrating when you're doing all the right things to encourage weight loss but you're not seeing any movement when you step on the scales.
Understanding why this might be happening is your first port of call. Below, we'll explore possible reasons why your weight loss has plateaued and ways you can kickstart your weight loss journey to get back on track. Let's get into it.
How does a calorie deficit work?
A calorie deficit is a common way to approach weight loss. It involves lowering the calories you consume while increasing how much energy you burn through exercise.
For a calorie deficit to be successful, you have to actively make changes to both your diet and exercise — changing just one won't have the desired effect. For example, leaning into strength training workouts, while consuming a diet of unprocessed foods, will help you lose body fat [1].
Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit?
So, while we know that a calorie deficit involves consuming fewer calories than your total daily energy expenditure, this can be challenging in practice.
If you've lowered your caloric intake but haven't seen any changes in how your clothes fit, or when you step on the scales, let's explore why this might be happening.
1. You've hit a weight loss plateau
A weight loss plateau is very common when on a weight loss journey — it happens to everyone at some point and usually occurs when the calories you burn equal the calories you eat.
Losing body fat can also lead to muscle loss, which can reduce your basal metabolic rate (BMR), meaning that your metabolism slows and you burn fewer calories as you lose weight.
At this point, your weight loss efforts will often stall and you'll need to either increase your exercise or consume fewer calories to help break the plateau.
2. There's an imbalance in your calorie deficit
This could mean a couple of things: either you're not eating enough food to feel energised in your day-to-day life, or you're eating too many calories to experience weight loss.
In this case, you need to work out your ideal calorie intake, starting with energy balance, which is the difference between your energy input (how many calories you consume) and energy output (how many calories burned). To lose weight, you need an imbalanced or negative energy balance.
Counting calories correctly can be difficult and it's natural for people to underestimate their food intake — this is why using a food journal or calorie tracker can help you get a more accurate reading of your daily caloric intake and in turn, weight loss progress.
To find out your energy expenditure, start by calculating your BMR (the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest) as this accounts for 60-75% of the total calories burned per day. There are online calculators you can use to do this.
3. You're not getting enough sleep
Weight gain is often linked to poor sleep, as it can lead to an increased appetite, and a higher daily food intake and can impact the reward centre of the brain [2][3]. This might lead you to reach for processed foods more often.
To help with calorie burning (when you're both awake and asleep), take steps to improve your sleep hygiene, go to bed earlier and get better rest to reach your weight loss goals.
4. Water retention
Water retention can impact your weight and fat loss efforts — thankfully, it's often a temporary experience. This may be caused by changes in your diet (like increased salt intake), hot weather, the time of day or certain medications like anti-inflammatories and blood pressure treatments.
If you're dealing with water retention regularly, and in turn weight loss plateaus, chat with your healthcare provider for more personalised advice.
5. You're weighing yourself at different times of the day
Weight fluctuations are normal and your weight will change at certain times of the day, due to food and water consumption. But, this also might make it seem like your weight loss efforts aren't working, as you might have lost weight in the morning, but be heavier in the evening.
When it comes to weighing yourself, it's important to stick to a similar time each day. Try to weigh yourself in the morning, just after you've woken up.
6. You're overexercising
The idea that you might be working out too much probably seems counterintuitive but the type of exercise you do (specifically cardio exercises), and how much of it can play a role.
Being in a calorie deficit can result in muscle loss, which usually occurs in areas of the body you're not training — for example, the upper body in runners.
To help counteract this, and continue to lose weight, you'll need to engage in weight training and maintain your protein intake. This doesn't mean you need to cut cardio-based exercises out completely, but it's a good reminder that your exercise routine should be as balanced as possible to encourage sustainable weight loss.
7. You're drinking too much alcohol
It's easy to forget that what you're drinking has liquid calories and alcohol, in particular, is full of empty calories; meaning they don't offer any nutritional value.
Not only can excessive alcohol consumption hinder weight loss progress, but it can also lead to weight gain — the term 'beer belly' exists for a reason, after all.
Whether you're drinking beer or wine, alcohol isn't really beneficial for your weight loss journey and you may need to reevaluate how much you're drinking or consider switching to a lower-calorie alcohol option.
8. Your stress levels are wreaking havoc with your weight loss
Stress is unavoidable at times, but if you're regularly experiencing increased stress levels, it can play a role in slowing down your weight loss efforts.
When you're stressed, cortisol is released into your bloodstream. Cortisol is an appetite stimulant and if you're experiencing soaring cortisol levels, chances are you'll be dealing with an increased appetite too.
This is why you might find yourself turning to emotional eating in stressful times. Plus, to add insult to injury, your metabolism tends to be slower during intense times of stress, which can also hinder weight loss [4].
9. You're burning calories through exercise, but eating them back through food
A common error people make when in a calorie deficit is consuming back the calories they burned through working out. There are a couple of reasons this might happen.
For starters, you might be monitoring your workouts through an exercise app to see how many calories you're burning per session. While the intention here is good, these trackers tend to overestimate energy expenditure and while they might tell you a certain number, the figure is usually lower.
Another possibility is that your daily calorie allotment already accounts for exercise calories, which means if you're eating them back, you're actually eating them twice — this could put you in a calorie surplus where you eat over your maintenance and are consuming more calories than necessary.
Is it possible to be in a calorie deficit and not lose weight?
Unfortunately, yes. You can be doing everything right and ensuring that your energy output is greater than the number of calories consumed but you still might not be experiencing weight loss.
Here are a few lifestyle tweaks to try to ensure you're hitting the mark in all areas.
- Ensure you're drinking lots of water — it helps reduce appetite and assists the body in metabolising fat and carbs.
- Try a meal replacement shake that is low-calorie but full of nutrients, like Pilot's Weight Reset Shakes. These shakes are packed with 29.4g of high-quality protein and 20 vitamins and minerals.
- Exercise assists in boosting your metabolic rates — get moving with a mix of cardio, weight training and slower recovery options.
- Get quality sleep! It helps your body recover from exercise and helps you make better food choices
- Surround yourself with a like-minded community, supportive health practitioners and lifestyle coaches, and get treatment that targets weight gain on a biological level with Pilot's Weight Reset Program.
I'm gaining weight after cutting calories, what does this mean for my body?
This might be happening because you're not tracking your calories properly, or perhaps your calorie intake needs to be adjusted.
As you lose weight, you'll need to modify your energy balance to keep it in the negative. The body is smart and adapts to new diets and routines pretty quickly, so try to start slow to give yourself room to grow into the deficit.
If you're eating fewer calories in a calorie-deficit diet and increasing physical activity but still haven't noticed a reduction in your weight, you might like to consider talking to an expert.
This is where Pilot's Weight Reset Program is helpful. Our program combines science-backed solutions with support from our medical team and health coaches, while also connecting you with a supportive community of like-minded men to help keep you motivated and accountable to your weight loss goals.
Over 14% body weight is lost on average by people using one option Pilot can recommend. Learn to control hunger and cravings, target appetite and eat less and retain your metabolism. With medical professionals at your fingertips, the program can help to rewire your relationship with food so you can achieve sustainable weight loss.
Is it possible I'm gaining muscle?
The question everyone has asked at some point in their calorie deficit journey: can you still gain muscle mass while in a calorie deficit?
In short, yes. It is possible to do this and the process is called body recomposition, where you work to change your body makeup by shedding fat and gaining muscle at the same time.
To achieve body recomposition, you usually need to follow a slight calorie deficit (around 200-400 below maintenance) — lower than if you were solely focused on just losing weight.
If you've already been doing that, along with other body recomposition guidelines like eating a high-protein diet and regularly lifting weights, you may be experiencing muscle gain.
This could also be the reason why the number on the scale isn't going down and maybe even going up as muscle is denser than fat.
How long does it take to see results in a caloric deficit?
Once you've adjusted your calorie intake, upped the ante of your workouts and are in a calorie deficit, it can feel hard to wait for the physical changes to follow.
There are generally 2 stages of weight loss you can expect, with the first involving rapid weight loss — you'll often lose the most weight the fastest and this usually occurs within 4-6 weeks of making dietary and lifestyle changes.
The second stage is slower and often more challenging because of that. This is where you can experience a plateau, or feel like your weight loss progress has slowed down significantly. But, as long as your new exercise routine and diet are sustainable and straightforward to follow, try your best to continue and you'll soon see the benefits.
There are many reasons why you might not be losing weight in a calorie deficit, and you might want to consider working with a professional to figure out new ways to approach your health and wellness journey.
Photo credit: Pexels x Anete Lusina
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