You’re counting calories and working hard to lose weight, but the scale won’t budge. This frustrating scenario is all too common for those trying to lose weight. It’s incredibly disheartening when they know that they are in a calorie deficit, and it seems like they’re doing everything right. If you ask, “Why am I not losing fat in a calorie deficit?” you’re not alone. This guide will help you understand why this is happening, so you can get back to losing fat and reaching your goals as quickly as possible. In particular, we’ll discuss what are macros and micros and how it impact fat loss. Understanding these nutrients and how they affect your diet will help you tweak your approach to counting calories for better results.
We’ll also explore how the AI calorie counter from DietAI can help you count calories faster and get back to losing fat as quickly as possible. The AI calorie counter is a helpful tool for reaching fat-loss goals. It analyzes your unique dietary preferences and objectives to provide personalized suggestions for quick weight loss and tips for improving your nutrition.
Table of Contents
What is a Calorie Deficit Diet
A calorie-deficient diet occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, and doing so gradually—aiming to lose no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week—can lead to lasting results.
Understanding Calories
Calories are the units of energy you get from foods and beverages. Calorie expenditure refers to the amount you expend, or burn, each day. It includes three components:
Resting energy expenditure (REE)
This refers to the calories your body uses at rest to keep you alive, such as breathing and blood circulation.
Thermic effect of food
This involves the calories your body burns digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing food.
Activity energy expenditure (AEE)
This refers to the calories you expend during movements such as exercising, fidgeting, and performing household chores. A calorie deficit is when you consume fewer calories than you expend. Over time, this could lead to weight loss. Conversely, you may gain weight if you consume more calories than you need, known as a calorie surplus. Other factors may also influence weight fluctuations, such as:
Physical activity
Hormones
Lifestyle habits
Stress
Underlying health conditions
Taking certain medications
Genetics
Sleeping habits
Creating a calorie deficit alongside being physically active may be a more sustainable, safe, and effective weight loss method.
Diet
Eating a well-balanced diet is essential to achieving and maintaining a healthy calorie deficit. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 suggest that a healthy dietary pattern supports your calorie needs and reduces your risk of some health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A well-balanced, nutritious diet may include:
Fruits
Vegetables
Legumes
Whole grains
Protein, such as lean meats, poultry, and seafood
Low or nonfat dairy
Nuts
Here are some tips that may also help you lower your caloric intake without having to count calories:
Avoid drinking your calories
Alcoholic and sugary beverages like soda, fruit juices, and specialty coffee drinks can contain many calories. However, calories from these beverages don’t provide fullness. In excess, they can lead to weight gain.
Limit highly processed foods.
The sugar, fat, and salt in highly processed foods make them highly palatable and encourage excess consumption. A 2019 study found that people who ate as much or as little as they wanted took in 500 more calories daily on a diet containing highly processed foods than a diet containing minimally processed foods.
Try a healthy food swap.s
Many healthy alternatives to everyday foods and drinks may help you reduce your calorie intake. For example, you can make coffee creamer, granola bars, and chips instead of consuming store-bought products with high unsaturated fats, sugar, and salt.
Eat home-cooked meals
Eating home-cooked meals is associated with better diet quality, an increased intake of fruits and vegetables, lower body fat levels, and reduced risks of heart disease and diabetes.
Exercise
Weight loss is just one of the many benefits of regular physical activity. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults do 150–300 minutes of moderate or 75–150 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. Moderate intensity exercise may include brisk walking, light bicycling, and yoga, while vigorous exercise may include jogging and fast bicycling. The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities involving their major muscle groups—including the back, shoulders, chest, arms, and legs—at least two days every week. These activities can help the body prioritize the loss of body fat rather than muscle mass.
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Why Am I Not Losing Fat in a Calorie Deficit (15 Reasons)
1. Your Calorie Deficit Is Imbalanced
Your calorie deficit might not be working for you because it’s imbalanced. This could mean you’re not eating enough to have energy in your everyday life, or eating too many calories for weight loss. 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 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, begin by 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 daily.
2. You’re Expecting Quick Results
Weight loss can take hard work, consistency, and, most importantly, patience. If you’re disappointed with the amount you’ve lost over the past few months, step back and look at the bigger picture. Do you want to drop a dress size for your next event, only to regain the weight straight after? Or slim down the healthy way and keep it off? When we rush weight loss, our bodies can become out of sync, and we’re more likely to rebound. Make minor, steady adjustments for sustainable weight loss and think about how you want to feel in a year, not next week. It’s about a shift in lifestyle and not just weight.
3. 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 occurs when the calories you burn equal the number 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 to help you break through the plateau.
4. You’re Eating Less, But Could Make Healthier Choices
This is where a calorie deficit alone isn’t a magic formula. Reducing your calories to 1,500 a day but eating processed foods instead of healthy fats, protein, and fruit and veg won’t yield long-term results. You could also be limiting how healthy you feel overall. Evidence shows that cutting back on processed carbohydrates and switching to complex carbs is more effective for lasting, sustainable weight loss. This is because sugary carbs impact the way we store fat. Protein and fibre-rich foods have lots of nutritional value and will help you feel fuller for longer. Try to think about the quality of your calories, not the quantity.
5. Retention of Water
Water retention can also result in a weight loss plateau. Temporary causes of water retention 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 they persist, it’s a good idea to see your GP to check for chronic causes of water retention and certain medications, such as 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. However, remember to stay hydrated, as this has also been shown to help overall fat loss.
6. You’re Not Keeping Track
It’s human nature to pat ourselves on the back for eating a healthy meal and dismiss the naughtier food we eat at the weekend. If you track everything you eat, your calorie intake may be higher than you thought. An app or journal can help with this if you need structure. If you choose healthier foods but eat more, you could consume more calories than you realize. While boiled new potatoes are a better choice than oven chips, it’s essential to be mindful of eating twice as much. If you prefer not to count calories, use a smaller bowl or plate to control your portions.
7. 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 brain's reward center. 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 needed to make the best food choices during the day.
8. You’re Not Doing the Right Exercise
It’s great if you’ve kick-started your weight loss journey with regular exercise. But it could be that your routine isn’t helping you lose weight. Knowing the best thing to do at the gym can be tricky, mainly because we’re all different, but speaking to a member of staff, a personal trainer, or a doctor could help you know if you’re on the right track. Try to stay motivated if you’re working out but not losing weight. Any physical activity has many other health benefits, and regular exercise is linked to better mental health.
9. 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 expected, 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. The associated menopause symptoms of hot flushes, poor sleep, and low mood might make eating well and staying active difficult. Exercises like lifting weights can help restore muscle mass and bone density and improve metabolic rates.
10. You’re Drinking Too Much Alcohol
It’s easy only to consider calories in solid foods, but the hard truth is that drinking increases your calorie intake too. Just one standard glass of wine has 133 calories, while a pint of beer has 239 – about the same as a Mars bar. And these are ‘empty’ calories with no nutritional value. If you’re counting calories, make sure you add each drink. And try making swaps for lower-calorie options, like choosing white spirits and sugar-free mixers over wine or beer. Cutting down on alcohol altogether will benefit your weight loss and overall health.
11. You're Working Out Too Much
Have you increased your workouts but are still having trouble losing weight? It might be down to the type of exercise you're doing—specifically cardio-based—and how much of it. Muscle loss is inevitable with all calorie-deficient circumstances (dietary or cardio-driven), and it usually happens in muscle groups that are not being trained, such as the upper body in runners.
Engaging in weight lifting while maintaining sufficient protein is essential to help counter this and continue your weight loss journey. That's not to say you should cut cardio out completely, but striking the right balance is essential here. Your weight loss journey should be about sustainable weight loss and improved mental health. Giving yourself time for some R&R and practicing slower movements like yoga and Pilates is essential.
12. You’re Under Stress
Stress affects the body in many ways, one being that it can hinder weight loss. Significant life changes like a break-up or divorce, a bereavement, or high stress at work can all be triggers for weight gain. When there’s a lot of stress in your life, it’s harder to stay focused on healthy weight loss and keep track of what you’re eating. Then, not meeting your weight loss goals can make you more stressed. It’s important not to be hard on yourself if you’re not in your best place – talking to a trusted friend or therapist can help.
13. You Weigh Yourself at Different Times Each Day
It can be disheartening to see the scales change daily, but it's normal for body weight to fluctuate throughout the day, and the culprit is usually food or water. If you aren't constantly weighing yourself simultaneously, 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 mainly 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!
14. There’s a Medical Reason You’re Struggling to Lose Weight
Some conditions, like those that affect hormone levels, insulin, or blood pressure, can make it more challenging to lose weight. These include an underactive thyroid, Diabetes, PCOS, Heart disease, the menopause, and Depression. Difficulty losing weight is also a side effect of some medications, including: Beta blockers, prescribed for heart and blood pressure issues, Certain contraception, Certain antidepressants, Medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If you don’t have a diagnosis but have symptoms and difficulty losing weight, it’s worth speaking to a doctor.
15. You're Thinking About Quantity, But Not Quality
There's no point in considering the amount of calories you consume if you do not consider their quality. For example, you may eat within your calorie budget but rely heavily on processed foods and sugary carbs. This won't do much for your health and can impact how your body stores fat. Foods like these are also less likely to give you the energy 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 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 know how to prepare them right.
Best Practices for Calorie Deficit Diet
1. Leverage Smart Tech for Tracking Your Food Intake with DietAI
DietAI uses artificial intelligence to transform calorie counting. Snap a picture of your food, and our app instantly analyzes your meals, delivering accurate calorie and macro information. Beyond photo recognition, the app provides comprehensive progress tracking, personalized nutrition insights tailored to your goals, and convenient barcode scanning for packaged foods.
Whether trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a balanced diet, DietAI makes nutrition tracking effortless by eliminating the tedious aspects of traditional food journaling. Download now to effortlessly track your calories and macros with DietAI, the app that makes logging meals as simple as snapping a photo. Download today for 80% off!
2. Boost Your Daily Exercise Routine
Engaging in regular exercise boosts the number of calories your body burns, contributing to a calorie deficit. Walking, cycling, or swimming can effectively incorporate exercise into your routine.
3. Monitor Your Caloric Intake
Keeping track of your calories helps ensure you stay within your target range. Utilizing food diaries or mobile apps can provide accurate tracking and identify areas for improvement.
4. Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods
Opt for foods high in nutrients and low in calories, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These choices support satiety and overall health while maintaining a calorie deficit.
5. Increase Protein Intake
Consuming adequate protein can help preserve muscle mass during weight loss and promote a feeling of fullness. Aim to include sources like lean meats, legumes, and dairy products in your meals.
6. Incorporate Fiber-Rich Foods
Foods high in fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, can enhance satiety, making it easier to adhere to a calorie deficit.
7. Be Mindful of Portion Sizes
Using smaller plates and measuring servings can help control portion sizes, prevent overeating, and aid in maintaining a calorie deficit.
8. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water before meals can promote a sense of fullness, potentially reducing calorie intake. Additionally, replacing sugary beverages with water decreases overall calorie consumption.
What to Eat on a Calorie Deficit Diet
1. Non-Starchy Vegetables: The Ultimate Calorie-Friendly Foods
Eating non-starchy veggies helps you lose weight and keeps your metabolism humming along. These foods are low in calories, carbs, and fat and have a high water and fiber content. As a result, they take up more space in your stomach, helping you feel full while you shed the pounds. Non-starchy vegetables include kale, arugula, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, and tomatoes.
2. Fruits: Your Metabolism’s Best Friend
Like non-starchy vegetables, fruits contain plenty of water and fiber to support weight loss. They’re also rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds that can help optimize your metabolism and keep your body functioning correctly while in a calorie deficit. Berries, apples, pears, citrus fruits, melon, grapes, and bananas are great options.
3. Starchy Vegetables: Healthy Carbs That Fuel Your Body
Starchy vegetables are another healthy food to include while trying to lose weight. They’re higher in carbs and calories than non-starchy veggies, but they can still be included in a calorie-restricted diet. Eating starchy vegetables in moderation will help you meet your energy needs and fuel your body to function correctly. Some good options include potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, plantains, and butternut squash.
4. Fish and Shellfish: Nutrient-Dense Protein Sources
Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein that are low in calories and fat. They’re also incredibly nutrient-dense and rich in omega-3 fatty acids essential for optimal health. Certain types of fish, like salmon, even contain fat that can help fight inflammation and promote weight loss. Some healthy options include sea bass, salmon, cod, clams, shrimp, sardines, trout, and oysters.
5. Eggs: A Weight Loss Superfood
Eggs are one of the healthiest foods you can eat while trying to lose weight. They’re high in protein and fat, which can help regulate your appetite and keep you feeling full. Eggs also contain various vitamins and minerals that can support your metabolism. Research shows that eating eggs for breakfast can help you lose weight. One study found that participants who ate eggs for breakfast lost 65% more weight and significantly reduced body fat more than those who ate a bagel with the same number of calories. What’s more, eggs are affordable and incredibly versatile.
6. Poultry and Lean Meats: Great Sources of Protein
Poultry and lean cuts of meat are excellent sources of protein that can help you lose weight. They contain very few carbohydrates and are low in calories while being incredibly nutrient-dense. Meat and poultry can help you maintain muscle mass while losing weight to ensure that most of the weight you lose comes from fat rather than muscle. Some healthy options include chicken, turkey, beef, bison, and lamb.
7. Plant-Based Protein Sources: Great for Vegetarians and Vegans
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can still enjoy protein benefits while losing weight. Plant-based protein sources, such as tofu and tempeh, are low in calories and can help you feel full to support your weight loss goals. Additionally, protein powder made from peas, brown rice, and hemp is an excellent option for boosting the protein content of smoothies and other foods to aid in weight loss.
8. Whole Grains: Nutritious and Filling
Whole grains are another healthy food that can aid in weight loss. They’re high in fiber, which can help regulate your digestion and keep you feeling full. Whole grains also contain nutrients that can help optimize your metabolism. Some healthy options include oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet, and farro.
9. Legumes: Protein and Fiber Powerhouses
Legumes are another nutritious food that can help you lose weight. They’re high in protein and fiber, which can help regulate your appetite and keep you feeling full. Additionally, legumes contain various vitamins and minerals that can help support your metabolism and overall health. Some great options include chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and kidney beans.
10. Healthy Fats: Don’t Fear the Fat
Healthy fats are another essential part of a nutritious weight loss diet. They can help regulate your appetite and promote feelings of fullness, so you don’t feel deprived while losing weight. Healthy fats also contain essential fatty acids that are important for optimal health. Some good options include avocados, olive oil, and nuts.
11. Dairy Products: Choose Low-Fat or Fat-Free
Dairy products contain calcium, which may help with fat loss. One study found that participants who consumed dairy lost more weight and significantly reduced body fat more than those who didn’t consume dairy, despite eating the same number of calories. Additionally, dairy is a good source of protein, which helps regulate appetite and may aid weight loss. If you consume dairy while trying to lose weight, choose low-fat or fat-free options to help reduce calories.
12. Seeds, Nuts, and Nut Butters: Tasty and Satiating
Like healthy fats, seeds, nuts, and nut butters can help keep you feeling full while losing weight. They are high in calories, so eating them in moderation is essential to avoid thwarting your weight loss efforts. Nuts and seeds are also nutritious, containing beneficial fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help optimize health as you lose weight.
13. Unsweetened Plant-Based Milks: Low-Calorie Dairy Alternatives
If you’re trying to lose weight, you may want to limit your consumption of regular dairy products. Instead, swap them for plant-based alternatives, especially unsweetened varieties. They are lower in calories and won’t interfere with your weight loss goals. For example, one cup of unsweetened almond milk contains just 30 calories, while a cup of whole cow’s milk has about 150 calories.
14. Seasonings: Flavor Your Food Without the Calories
Eating a nutritious diet is key when trying to lose weight. However, many people find that healthy foods can get boring very quickly. One way to add variety to your meals is to experiment with different seasonings and herbs. They can enhance the flavor of your foods without adding any calories.
15. Condiments: Choose Wisely
Like seasonings, condiments can add flavor to your foods without the calories. However, many popular condiments are loaded with added sugars and unhealthy fats that can derail your weight loss efforts. Instead, opt for healthier choices like salsa, vinegar, and mustard.
16. Non-Calorie Beverages: Stay Hydrated
Many people don’t realize that consuming beverages can thwart weight loss. Sugary drinks contain high amounts of calories that can quickly add up and prevent you from achieving your weight loss goals. Instead, stick to non-calorie options like water, herbal tea, and black coffee to stay hydrated while losing weight.
DietAI transforms calorie counting with our AI calorie counting app. Take a picture of your food, and our app instantly analyzes your meals from a simple photo, delivering accurate calorie and macro information without manual logging. Beyond photo recognition, the app provides comprehensive progress tracking, personalized nutrition insights tailored to your goals, and convenient barcode scanning for packaged foods.
Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a balanced diet, DietAI makes nutrition tracking effortless by eliminating the tedious aspects of traditional food journaling. Download now to effortlessly track your calories and macros with DietAI, the AI-powered app that makes logging meals as simple as snapping a photo. Download today for 80% off!
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Download DietAI Today for 80% Off!
When you start eating less to lose weight, your body does not immediately respond with a steady decline on the scale. On the contrary, it can take some time for your metabolism to adjust to a lower calorie intake. During this period, it’s not unusual to experience a plateau, or even a slight increase in weight, before your body adapts and the weight loss begins. This initial response can be disheartening, especially if you’ve set specific goals and targets for your weight loss journey. If you are diligently tracking your calories and macros, it’s vital to stay focused and patient and give your body the time it needs to respond.
DietAI transforms calorie counting with our AI calorie counting app. Take a picture of your food, and our app instantly analyzes your meals from a simple photo, delivering accurate calorie and macro information without manual logging. Beyond photo recognition, the app provides comprehensive progress tracking, personalized nutrition insights tailored to your goals, and convenient barcode scanning for packaged foods.
Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a balanced diet, DietAI makes nutrition tracking effortless by eliminating the tedious aspects of traditional food journaling. Download now to effortlessly track your calories and macros with DietAI, the AI-powered app that makes logging meals as simple as snapping a photo. Download today for 80% off!
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