Why Am I Not Losing Weight in a Calorie Deficit?
- Coach Alan
- 19 hours ago
- 6 min read
Quick Answer:
If you are not losing weight in a calorie deficit, one of two things is happening:
You are not consistently in a true calorie deficit.
You are in a calorie deficit and losing fat, but your scale weight is masking actual fat loss progress.
If you have been dieting for six weeks or less, you are almost certainly not in a true plateau. Early “plateaus” are actually not plateaus. Instead, the culprit is usually calorie tracking inaccuracies or temporary water retention.
To assess progress properly:
Track weekly average body weight, not daily fluctuations.
Measure waist circumference weekly.
Audit calorie tracking before reducing intake further.
If waist measurements are consistently decreasing, fat loss is occurring, even if the scale is not moving.
Before We Go Any Further: This Is Probably Not a Weight Loss Plateau
If you have been dieting for six weeks or less, you are not in a plateau.
A genuine plateau happens after sustained fat loss when energy expenditure gradually decreases and closes the gap between calorie intake and output. That process does not meaningfully occur in the first few weeks.
When progress appears stalled or non-existent in the initial phases, the explanation is almost always one of two things:
You are not actually in a consistent deficit.
Or you are losing fat but measuring the wrong metric.
Everything else stems from that distinction.
The Scale Is Measuring Total Mass, Not Fat
When people say they are not making progress, they usually mean the scale is not changing.
The scale measures everything: fat, muscle, water, glycogen and even digestive content.
Carbohydrates illustrate this clearly. For every gram of glycogen stored, roughly three to four grams of water are stored alongside it (Olsson & Saltin, 1970). A higher carbohydrate or sodium intake can increase scale weight overnight without any change in body fat. So, if you lose body fat over the course of the week, and jump on the scales, it could still be up.
Resistance training adds another variable. Muscle glycogen increases, and temporary inflammation draws water into muscle tissue. It is common for beginners to see the scale rise slightly during the first few weeks of lifting.
If you judge progress day by day (and in the wrong way), you are evaluating noise.
Fat Loss Changes Shape Before It Changes Weight
Fat reduction often shows up in measurements before it shows up on the scale.
In practice, I frequently see waist measurements decrease for several weeks before the scale weight reflects a clear trend. One client, dieting for five weeks, saw her waist drop by 3.5 cm while her body weight fluctuated within the same 0.8 kg range. Her strength improved in four major lifts during that time.
This is not unusual.
Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue. Beginners who resistance train while eating adequate protein can lose fat and gain lean mass simultaneously (Longland et al., 2016).
When that happens, scale changes may appear smaller than expected.
Waist circumference remains one of the most practical markers of changes in abdominal fat (Ross et al., 2020). A weekly measurement tells you more than daily or weekly weigh-ins ever will.
First Possibility: You Are Not in a True Calorie Deficit
This is the most common early issue.
Self-reported calorie intake is frequently underestimated (Lichtman et al., 1992). The discrepancy is rarely dramatic. It is usually subtle and cumulative.
Small inaccuracies matter:
Unmeasured oils
Larger-than-estimated portions
Weekend intake differences
Overestimated exercise calories
Forgetting to track certain meals
Energy balance modelling confirms that even modest daily errors can eliminate a small deficit over time (Hall et al., 2011).
When someone believes they are stuck within the first month, I do not reduce calories. I tighten measurement for seven days. We weigh everything without exception.
In most cases, progress resumes without any further change.
Second Possibility: You Are in a Deficit, but Water Is Masking Fat Loss
If intake is accurate and adherence is consistent, fat loss may be occurring while the scale appears unchanged due to factors other than body fat.
Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle can increase fluid retention, particularly during the luteal phase (Stachenfeld, 2008). Sleep restriction alters appetite hormones and stress responses (Spiegel et al., 2004). Elevated stress influences fluid balance and cravings (Epel et al., 2000).
These mechanisms do not stop fat loss. They may temporarily obscure it.
This is why I look at weekly averages, waist measurements and clients lifestyles before making adjustments.
What About Metabolic Adaptation?
Adaptive thermogenesis does occur during prolonged dieting. Energy expenditure can decrease as the body becomes leaner and more efficient (Müller et al., 2016).
However, this is gradual and becomes relevant after sustained weight loss, not in the first few weeks.
Even under severe restriction, fat loss continues. The Minnesota Starvation Experiment demonstrated substantial metabolic adaptation, yet participants consistently lost body fat throughout the study (Keys et al., 1950).
Adaptation slows progress due to a decline in energy output, but it does not eliminate progress once a deficit is maintained.
If you have been dieting for less than six weeks, this is not your primary issue.
When Should You Adjust Calories?
Three to six weeks of consistent, accurately tracked intake is the minimum period before evaluating the need for adjustment.
A sustainable rate of fat loss is approximately 0.25 to 1 percent of bodyweight per week (Helms ER et al., 2014). For many people, that means modest weekly change.
If weekly average weight and waist measurements show no downward trend after three weeks of verified tracking, then make a small adjustment. Increase daily steps slightly or reduce intake by 100 to 200 calories.
Large, reactive cuts are rarely necessary.
The Simple Diagnostic Framework
When someone believes they are stuck, I work through this sequence:
Confirm measurement: weekly average weight and waist circumference.
Confirm calorie intake accuracy for seven days.
Assess sleep and stress.
Only then consider adjusting intake or activity.
In early dieting phases, the issue almost always lies in the first two steps.
Stop Guessing. Start Measuring What Matters |
If this article sounded familiar, you do not need harsher restriction; you need better structure. My 12 Week Mind-Body Transformation is built around accurate tracking, sustainable fat loss and measurable progress. We focus on waist measurements, weekly averages and intelligent adjustments; not panic cuts or crash dieting. The difference is not effort. It is precision. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Am I Not Losing Weight on 1,200 Calories?
First confirm that intake is accurately tracked. Underreporting is common. Also consider reduced movement. When calories drop, spontaneous activity often decreases without awareness. If intake is verified and no change occurs after six weeks, seek medical guidance.
Can Hormones Stop Weight Loss Completely?
No. Hormones influence water retention and appetite, but they do not override energy balance. Fat loss still occurs when intake remains below expenditure over time.
Why Does My Weight Increase After a Good Week?
Most increases after a strong week are due to glycogen storage, sodium intake, muscle inflammation or sleep disruption. These shifts are temporary and typically resolve within several days.
Does Starvation Mode Prevent Fat Loss?
Starvation mode is not a real thing; metabolic adaptation is, however. Metabolic adaptation can slow fat loss, but it does not prevent it (Keys et al., 1950; Müller et al., 2016). Energy balance still governs long-term change.
Final Perspective
If you have been dieting for six weeks or less and believe you are in a plateau, pause.
Either the deficit is not consistent, or fat loss is being masked by normal biological fluctuation.
Track weekly averages. Measure your waist. Audit intake before reacting.
Most early “plateaus” are not physiological barriers. They are tracking and measurement problems.
Clarity comes from better data, not harsher restrictions.
About The Author
Coach Alan is a qualified ITEC Level 3 Personal Trainer with over 9 years of coaching experience, and the founder of Mind Body Training, where he works as an online personal trainer in Ireland to help clients achieve sustainable fat loss and long-term behaviour change. He is also a psychotherapist-in-training, having completed his four-year training in 2025 with the Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IICP). His coaching approach is informed by evidence-based principles from psychology, nutrition, and exercise science, with a strong focus on mindful habit formation and realistic lifestyle change. You can learn more about Coach Alan here.
Mind Body Training provides coaching, education, and personal training services, not personal therapy or clinical counselling. Clients seeking therapeutic support are encouraged to work alongside a different qualified mental health professional where appropriate.
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