12 reasons why you are not losing weight in a calorie deficit

Key takeaways

• Achieving weight loss in a calorie deficit involves more than just balancing calories in and calories out. It requires addressing potential factors like inaccurate tracking, stress, and hormonal changes.
• Weight loss plateaus are common due to metabolic adaptation, muscle loss, or water retention, and overcoming them may require tweaks to your diet, exercise intensity, or lifestyle habits.
• Sustainable weight loss focuses on overall well-being, incorporating nutrient-dense foods, balanced exercise routines, quality sleep, and stress management — rather than crash diets or quick fixes.

The equation seems simple enough: consuming fewer calories and increased physical exercise should result in weight loss. But sometimes it feels like that just isn't working.

There are a few things that may be tilting the scales in the upward direction, from underlying health issues to stress and even hormonal imbalances.

Let's take a look at some of the reasons you may not be achieving weight loss even when in a calorie deficit and what you can do to turn things around.

How does a calorie deficit work?

When starting your weight loss journey, one of the first places to look is your calorie intake. The simplest (and science-backed) formula to lose weight is to pair exercise with a calorie deficit diet.

The equation looks a bit like this: lower your calorie intake and increase how much energy you're burning through exercise.

While a calorie deficit can be achieved by adapting your diet or exercise routine alone, it's most effective when small changes are applied to both. Strength training exercises combined with a diet rich in unprocessed foods can help lose body fat [1].

Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit?

A calorie-deficit diet is all about consuming fewer calories than your total daily energy expenditure. While this seems easy enough, as anyone whose ever tried to lose weight knows, the reality can be a little more challenging.

If you've reduced your calorie intake without seeing any results there are a few common culprits that may be at work.

1. Your calorie deficit is imbalanced

This might mean you're not eating enough to have energy in your everyday life or you're eating too many calories for weight loss to occur. Not sure how to figure out your calorie intake? Let's start by looking at energy balance.

This is the difference between your energy input (number of calories consumed) and energy output (number of calories burned). Remember, an imbalanced or negative energy balance is needed to lose weight.

It can be hard to count calories accurately, we often underestimate our food intake, focusing on our healthier meals and discounting 'cheat meals'. Starting a journal or using a calorie tracker can help get a more accurate reading of daily caloric intake.

To calculate energy expenditure, start with calculating your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest. This accounts for 60-75% of the total calories burned per day.

2. You have reached a weight loss plateau

Has your weight loss stalled? Don't worry, this happens to everyone. But what causes this weight loss plateau?

This happens when the calories you burn equal the number of calories you eat. Losing fat also means muscle loss, which can reduce your BMR, meaning as you lose weight your metabolism slows and you burn fewer calories.

Even if your diet and exercise stay the same, your weight loss progress will stall and you'll need to increase physical activity or consume fewer calories.

If you're already eating fewer calories, you can try increasing the intensity of your workouts will help you break through the plateau.

3. Retention of water

Water retention can also result in a weight loss plateau. There are temporary causes for water retention that can occur while trying to lose weight, including hormonal fluctuations, menopause, the time of day, and changes in diet, such as salt intake.

Thankfully, these causes are temporary but if it is a persistent issue then it's a good idea to see your GP to check for chronic causes of water retention as well as certain medications like the pill, HRT, anti-inflammatories and blood pressure medications.

Alongside a visit to your doctor, you can also try jumping into the sauna or working up a sweat with some HIIT exercises, which can prove helpful, but remember to stay hydrated as this has also been shown to help overall fat loss [2].

4. Poor sleeping habits

Poor sleep habits are linked to higher rates of excess weight, but why?

Sleep deprivation can lead to increased appetite and a higher daily food intake and can alter the reward centre of the brain [3][4]. This affects self-control and can leave us reaching for chocolates and sweets.

Jumping into bed a little earlier may help avoid those late-night snacks and getting more sleep will provide the mental clarity to make the best food choices during the day.

5. Menstrual cycle

While age and genetics play a part in your ability to maintain weight, so does the hormone-metabolism connection. Throughout our menstrual cycles, weight fluctuations are normal and as we enter menopause, our metabolism slows making it harder to keep the kilos off.

Think menopause might be the culprit? The average weight gain during menopause can reach 5 kilos but this isn't necessarily a symptom [5].

The associated menopause symptoms of hot flushes, poor sleep, and low mood might make it difficult to eat well and stay active.

Certain exercises like lifting weights can help restore muscle mass and bone density, and improve metabolic rates [6].

6. You're working out too much

Increased your workouts but still having trouble losing weight? It might be down to the type of exercise you're doing — specifically cardio-based exercise — and how much of it.

Muscle loss is inevitable with all calorie deficit circumstances (dietary or cardio-driven) and it usually happens in muscle groups that are not being trained, for example, the upper body in runners.

To help counter this, and continue with your weight loss journey, it's important to engage in weight lifting while also maintaining sufficient protein.

That's not to say you should cut cardio out completely, but striking the right balance is important here. Your weight loss journey should be about sustainable weight loss as well as improved mental health.

It's important to give yourself time for some R&R and practice slower movements like yoga and Pilates.

7. It takes time, don't focus on a specific number

While we're all about setting goals and going for them, sometimes it's best to take a step back and appreciate your progress so far, big or small, and remember that our bodies make changes that can't always be seen on a scale.

While your main objective may be trying to lose weight, your weight loss journey should focus on overall improved well-being and letting the number on the scale get you down is counterintuitive to feeling good. Remember, good things take time!

8. Increased stress levels

We all experience stress sometimes, and unfortunately, increased stress levels can affect more than just our mental well-being. Increased stress can make it difficult to maintain weight loss by increasing cortisol levels, which is an appetite stimulant.

That's why you might find yourself engaging in emotional eating and reaching for comfort food during stressful times. To make things worse, our metabolic rates slow during times of stress [8].

If stress is causing you to gain weight, it might be time to slow down and practice more mindful movements like yoga.

9. You weigh yourself at different times each day

It can be disheartening to see the scales change from day to day, but it's normal for body weight to fluctuate throughout the day and the culprit is usually food or water.

If you aren't consistently weighing yourself at the same time, expect to see a different number on the scale. Consuming any food or beverage adds weight, even the healthiest options, but foods high in sodium and carbs especially cause weight spikes.

What's most important is consistency, particularly time and condition. Remember, if this is causing stress, it's okay to ditch the scale altogether and focus on feeling healthier!

10. You're thinking about quantity, but not quality

There's no point thinking about the amount of calories you're consuming if you're not considering their quality as well.

For example, you may be eating within your calorie budget but relying heavily on processed foods and sugary carbs. This won't do much for your health overall and can impact the way your body stores fat.

Foods like these are also less likely to give you the energy you need to stay on track with your fitness routine and get your daily steps in, two crucial components of the weight loss equation.

Instead, reach for whole foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. These will make you feel good and can be just as delicious as the processed alternatives — if you just know how to prepare them right.

If you need a hand finding healthy, high-protein recipes that are easy to fit within your deficit and taste good, be sure to check out our Pinterest.

11. You're drinking too much alcohol

Alcohol is packed full of empty calories — calories that don't offer any nutritional value or benefits.

It's easy to overlook liquid calories, but they do count and can certainly add up. So, if you have the habit of drinking a glass of wine or two at the end of the day, or going for cocktails with your friends every weekend, that might just be why you're struggling to lose fat and weight.

Not only can it prevent weight loss, but excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain, particularly to what is referred to as 'alcohol belly'.

12. You're eating back the calories you burn through exercise

One common mistake that people make when entering a calorie deficit is consuming the calories they burn through exercise. This might happen for several reasons. For example, you may be tracking your workouts through an app, to see how many calories you burn in each session.

The problem is that some fitness trackers overestimate energy expenditure, telling you that you have burned X calories, when the number is actually lower.

Another possibility is that your daily calorie allotment already accounts for exercise calories. This means that if you eat them back, you've eaten them twice, which might put you in a calorie surplus (where you eat over your maintenance).

Burning more calories than eating but not losing weight, why?

Losing weight can be daunting, and sometimes it can feel like you're doing everything right but still not seeing results — even when your energy output is greater than your caloric intake.

Addressing the common culprit that is wreaking havoc on our attempts to lose weight is key.

There are a few small daily habits we can take on to help promote a healthier lifestyle:

• Eat a low-calorie diet full of nutrients. Low on meal-prep time? Try Juniper's Weight Loss Nourish Shakes. These meal replacement shakes are packed with 29.4g of high-quality protein and 20 vitamins and minerals.
• Exercise helps boost metabolic rates, particularly during your menstrual cycle or post-menopause. A healthy balance of cardio, weight training, and slower movements is key.
• Get a good night's rest. Not only does it help you recover from exercise, but it'll also help you make better food choices.
• Make sure you're being honest about your calorie intake, or use a tracking app to get an accurate sense of what you're eating.
• Stay hydrated! Water can flush our bodies of toxins, help reduce appetite, and helps the body metabolise fat and carbohydrates.
• 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 Juniper's Weight Reset Program.

I'm gaining weight after cutting calories, what does this mean for my body?

There are a few reasons this might be happening: maybe you're not accurately tracking calories, or maybe your calorie intake needs to be adapted.

Remember, as you lose weight, you'll need to adjust your energy balance to keep it in the negative, your body quickly adapts to new routines and diets, so starting slow means you'll have more room to grow as your journey progresses.

If you continue to decrease calories and increase physical activity but still don't see a reduction in body fat, it might be time to talk to someone.

Our Weight Reset Program offers medical advice, health coaching and access to accredited dietitians, all on hand to support you with tailored guidance.

Is it possible I'm gaining muscle?

The million-dollar question: can you gain muscle mass while in a calorie deficit?

Well, the answer might surprise you because yes, it is possible. This refers to a process called body recomposition, through which you change the makeup of your body by shedding fat and gaining muscle.

Now, for body recomposition success, it's typically recommended you follow a slight calorie deficit (200-400 below maintenance) — certainly lower than if you were focused solely on losing weight.

If that's what you've been doing (along with other important guidelines for body recomposition, like lifting weights and eating a high-protein diet), then you may well be gaining muscle.

This might be the reason why the number on the scale isn't going down (it might even go up) since muscle is denser than fat.

How long does it take to see results in a caloric deficit?

While any weight loss journey should have a focus on overall increased well-being, you may be wondering when you can expect to see physical changes in your body.

There are 2 stages of weight loss that you can expect, the first stage is rapid weight loss when you lose the most weight the fastest and this generally occurs within the first 4-6 weeks of lifestyle and dietary changes.

The next is slower weight loss which can be challenging. You may see a plateau or feel like your progress is slowing down too much but as long as your new diet and exercise routine is sustainable, making it through this challenging time will leave you looking and feeling healthier in the long run.

Remember: there are so many reasons why you might not be losing weight, even in a calorie deficit.

Make sure to consider what other factors might be at play and work with a professional to figure out the right course of action for you.