Why am I not losing weight?

floridag8tor76
Dec 3, 2025
3 min read

5 Hidden Reasons You’re Stuck (And How to Fix Them)

You’ve been tracking your food. You’ve been hitting the gym. You feel like you’re doing everything right, but the scale hasn’t budged in two weeks. It is incredibly frustrating, and honestly, I see this happen with new clients all the time. You aren’t broken, and your metabolism likely hasn’t "crashed."

The Short Answer:

If you are not losing weight, it is usually due to one of five reasons: you are underestimating your calorie intake, your daily activity (NEAT) has dropped, you are retaining water due to stress/cortisol, you are building muscle while losing fat, or (rarely) there is an underlying hormonal issue.

Let’s dig into the truth behind the plateau and get the scale moving again.

1. The "Hidden Calorie" Trap

The most common reason for a stall is that we are simply eating more than we think. This isn't about you "lying" to yourself; it’s about how tricky modern food labels and portion sizes can be.

As a trainer, I often see clients "eating healthy" but still eating in a calorie surplus.

The Olive Oil Pour: A "drizzle" of oil can easily be 300 calories.
The "Lick, Bite, Taste": Finishing your kids' nuggets or tasting while cooking adds up.
Weekend Amnesia: Being perfect Monday through Friday, but letting loose on Saturday can erase your weekly deficit.

The Fix: For just three days, use a food scale. Don't use measuring cups. Weigh everything in grams. It’s an eye-opener.

2. You’re Moving Less (Without Realizing It)

There is a concept in fitness called NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). This is all the movement you do that isn't a workout: walking to the car, tapping your foot, doing laundry, or fidgeting.

When you start dieting and eating less food, your body gets smart. It tries to save energy by making you move less subconsciously. You might sit more at work or take the elevator instead of the stairs. Even if you do your 1-hour workout, if you sit for the other 15 hours of the day, your total calorie burn drops significantly.

3. The Scale is Lying (Body Recomposition)

If you are lifting weights (which you should be!), you might be building muscle at the same time you are burning fat. This is the holy grail of fitness, often called "Body Recomposition."

If you lose 2 lbs of fat but gain 2 lbs of muscle, the scale stays exactly the same—but your body looks completely different. You will look tighter, smaller, and more toned, even if the number suggests you haven't made progress.

Visualizing Progress: Scale vs. Reality

Metric	What it Tells You	Reliability
Scale Weight	Total mass (water, bone, organ, fat, muscle)	Low (Fluctuates daily)
Progress Photos	Visual changes in shape and definition	High
Clothing Fit	How your waist/hips are changing	Very High
Measurements	Objective data on circumference	High

4. Stress and Sleep (The Cortisol Effect)

You cannot out-train a bad night’s sleep. When you are sleep-deprived or highly stressed, your body produces cortisol.

Chronically high cortisol does two things that mask weight loss:

Water Retention: It makes your body hold onto water, which makes you look "puffy" and spikes the scale weight.
Cravings: It increases hunger hormones, making it much harder to stick to your diet.

The Fix: Prioritize 7–8 hours of sleep. Treat your sleep schedule with the same discipline as your workout schedule.

5. When to See a Doctor

While 90% of plateaus are lifestyle-related, sometimes there are internal factors at play. If you have been meticulously tracking (accurately) and sleeping well for a month with zero change, it may be time to investigate further.

Conditions like Hypothyroidism, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), or insulin resistance can lower your metabolic rate. If you suspect this, get blood work done. However, for most people, the solution is usually found in steps 1 through 4.

Conclusion: Consistency Wins

Weight loss is rarely linear. It looks more like a jagged line with ups and downs. If the scale hasn't moved in a week, don't panic and slash your calories further. Take a breath, drink your water, prioritize your sleep, and keep showing up.

Need help identifying exactly why you're stuck?

Check out my services page for coaching