Not losing weight on calorie deficit: Reasons and tips

In a nutshell

“Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit?” - Though it can feel frustrating, it’s not uncommon to find your weight loss progress stalled. The common reasons for this include:

• Calorie intake miscalculation
• Calorie expenditure miscalculation
• Metabolic adaptation
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Water retention
• Underlying medical conditions
• Unrealistic expectations

Depending on the reason, it’s possible to overcome this challenge by refining your goals, setting adequate expectations, and adding accuracy to the process.

Creating an energy deficit by adjusting your diet and daily activity is known as the only real way to naturally lose weight and get in shape that many women rely on. But what if you suddenly notice that you’re in a calorie deficit not losing weight? Of course, it must feel frustrating but chances are that there is a reason behind this.

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Energy Deficit: What Is It and How Does It Work?

In a nutshell, a calorie or energy deficit is a term used to explain the state in which your body spends more energy than it receives. When the body lacks energy for its normal daily functioning, it starts borrowing energy from its existing reserves–aka fat cells–causing your body fat and mass index to go down.

How Does It Work?

In order to understand why you’re not losing weight on calorie deficit, it’s crucial to see how this process works from behind the curtains. So the first thing you need to know is that there are two ways your body expends energy: 

• Through your basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR is the minimum number of calories your body spends on its daily functioning. For an adult woman, this rate can be anywhere between 1,300 and 1,500 calories (or more) depending on your age, height, muscle-to-fat ratio, genetics, and other factors.‍
• Through your daily activity. While BMR is how much energy your body spends by default, even when you’re lounging, you can always spend extra calories through physical activity. You can enhance your energy expenditure by working out, doing at-home chores, walking, etc.

Though there are two ways you spend energy, there is only one way your body receives it:

• Through food and drinks. Every product or drink you consume has its calorie value and nutritional density, and everything you eat during the day counts into your calorie intake.

Based on what has been said above, we can conclude that there are only two ways to create a calorie deficit–either by cutting down the calories you consume in your daily diet or by enhancing the amount of energy you spend, and that’s where weight loss happens.

Why Am I Not Losing Weight on a Calorie Deficit?

So you’ve been cutting your calories or getting more active expecting to get in shape but then notice that you’re in a calorie deficit but not losing weight. What should you do now? Although it can feel very frustrating and upsetting given all the effort you’ve put into it, not losing or even gaining weight in a calorie deficit is quite a common issue.

There might be several reasons for that:

Calorie Intake Miscalculation

When someone says “I’m in a calorie deficit and not losing weight,” miscalculation is the very first thing that comes to mind. Although now calculating calories is made simpler thanks to seamless access to foods’ nutritional data on the web and specialized calorie counting apps, quite many women end up miscalculating their calorie intake. And there are a couple of reasons:

• Not counting calories at all can lead to you being in a calorie deficit and not losing weight because it can be easy to underestimate the calorie content of healthy foods.
• Inaccurate food portion logging can be easily made if you don’t weigh your plates and identify the serving size by looking at it.
• Missing out on hidden calories can also cause you to be in a calorie deficit but not losing weight. It’s quite easy to miss some calories out of sight, especially when you don’t take into account condiments, oils, added sugars, sauces, and other things that can add calories to the meals you make.
• Not tracking the liquids you consume per day is also a big mistake because you can consume only around 1,100 calories with food but get about the same amount of calories from drinking soda with sugar.

Overestimating Calorie Expenditure

“Okay, I’m positive that I’m calculating my intake accurately, and I’ve cut calories not losing weight. What might be the problem?” - As you already see, the primary reason behind not losing weight in a deficit is that there is actually no deficit. However, if you know that you’re calculating your intake right, there might be a problem with defining how much you spend.

These days, most people rely on gadgets like exercise trackers and smartwatches to track their physical activity. While they offer a convenient and easy way to track the calories you burn, it's important to know that these gadgets can have a 10% error when measuring caloric expenditure. If you don’t consider this, it can be easy to overestimate your expenditure.

“I’m not actually exercising, just keeping my daily activity high. Why am I gaining weight in a calorie deficit?” - Another common weight loss problem might be created by your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). In a nutshell, NEAT stands for your daily activity–the energy you spend on everything you do on top of your BMR (excluding exercise), such as walking to work, typing, performing yard work, etc. If you don’t exercise thinking that your NEAT is high enough to create a deficit, here’s a thing you should know–your NEAT can gradually decrease when you’re dieting. This can happen because your body will try to save itself from losing too much energy and you may not even notice when this happens.

Metabolic Adaptation

If you’ve been cutting calories and not losing weight for some time now, another cause might be a prolonged calorie restriction. Multiple studies have shown that long-term restriction can eventually lead to a significant and sustained reduction in energy expenditure. This is a kind of plateau when your body doesn’t want to lose more fat and you get stuck in the same weight. This plateau typically happens to everyone who tries to lose weight for a prolonged period.

Of course, not losing weight in a calorie deficit due to a plateau can be very distressing. However, it’s important to recognize that it’s a natural reaction of your body and not give up at this point.

Hormonal Fluctuations

It’s long proven that hormonal levels directly impact weight. The issue behind this is that some hormones in your body naturally encourage the accumulation of body fat.

Needless to say, a female body is prone to regular hormonal fluctuations even in a normal state–due to menstrual cycles. It’s important to keep in mind that not losing weight even with calorie deficit can be natural at certain points of your cycle.

Water Retention

Given the fact that water makes up around 50% to 70% of your body weight, when you start losing weight at the start of your journey, a big part of it is typically water that has been retained for some time. Similarly, when you notice being stuck or gaining weight on calorie deficit after some time, it can also be due to water retention.

What can cause this problem? First of all, drinking insufficient liquid can cause your body to retain water to prevent dehydration. Your food choices also matter- when you consume too much sodium and carb, it can also cause water retention and be the reason why you are not losing weight on low calorie diet.

Medical Conditions

If you’ve been putting effort in for a while and still wonder “Why am I not losing weight in a deficit,” sometimes, the cause might be hidden in the underlying conditions you have. Certain medical conditions in females, such as PCOS or endometriosis, hormonal imbalances, hypothyroidism, and others can influence fat storage and weight retention. The same goes for mental issues like depression or anxiety–these problems can cause food cravings, lower your energy levels, and otherwise prevent you from attaining your weight loss goals.

It’s also worth noting that taking certain medications to treat your health condition can result in some gained weight on calorie deficit. Namely, some medications can greatly impact your appetite and metabolic functions. So if you get stuck with your weight for no reason, consider medical conditions as a possible cause.

Unrealistic Expectations

Believe it or not, often, when you start thinking to yourself “I am in a calorie deficit and not losing weight,” maybe it’s caused by banal high expectations. When you start your weight loss journey, it’s important to understand several things:

• Quick results aren’t healthy and typically lead to regress.
• Ups and downs are normal parts of the progress.
• Weight fluctuations are okay until you reach your goal weight and learn to retain it.
• Fat loss and weight loss aren’t the same–fat is light in weight, which is why, sometimes, you might notice that you’re not losing weight in calorie deficit but losing body volume.

Keep all these things in mind in order to not get caught in the trap of unrealistic expectations.

Not Losing Weight in Caloric Deficit: Practical Tips to Overcome It

So if you’re eating in a calorie deficit but not losing weight, now you see that there might be quite a few reasons for that. The big question is how to overcome this challenge. Below you will find some practical tips that can help you speed up the process:

1. Reassess Your Energy Expenditure

If you’re in calorie deficit not losing weight, the first thing you should do is assess how many calories you spend. To get started, identify your correct BMR to know how much energy you spend with no added activity. An easy way to do this is to use a BMR calculator.

After this, assess your daily activity, counting both routine activities and exercise. This will help you see how much energy you actually spend every day.

2. Define Proper Calorie Goals

The next thing you should do if you’re not losing weight calorie deficit is to set clear calorie goals that align with your energy expenditure. Take your expenditure and subtract up to 500 calories from it–this is how much you should be eating per day to stimulate weight loss. 

3. Improve Tracking Accuracy

As you now know, underestimating how much you consume is a common reason why you can’t lose weight even with calorie deficit. To overcome this issue, you need to improve tracking accuracy. Get a reliable calorie tracking app where you can note down everything you eat and drink per day, and don’t forget about hidden calories. Some apps you can try are MyFitnessPal or Calorie Counter.

Also, invest in kitchen scales to be able to measure your portions accurately.

4. Reconsider Your Food Choices

One important thing about dieting is that not all foods and drinks are the same–they all have different calorie values and different levels of carbs, fats, and proteins. Considering these differences is pivotal for attaining your weight goals because you can consume 500 calories by eating a single candy bar or by having a steak with salad–needless to say, the results you get will be different too.

Simply put, what you eat might be a reason why you’re eating in a calorie deficit and not losing weight so you need to reconsider your choices and try to opt for healthy, nutrient-dense foods instead of junk food.

5. Integrate Regular Exercises

If you’re wondering “Why am I not losing weight on calorie deficit,” possibly, the reason for slower progress is a lack of physical activity. Implementing regular workouts can help you boost your metabolism further and speed up your results. Besides, regular exercise (especially strength training) will help you ensure that you lose fat and preserve your muscles, which is important for maintaining a good quality of your body.

6. Adjust Your Daily Habits

If you’re not losing weight despite calorie deficit and exercise, your metabolic function might be hindered by other factors, such as hormones, and that's where your daily habits matter. Excess stress, inadequate sleep, lack of hydration, and other factors can create hormonal fluctuations and other issues that are holding you back from attaining your goals.

So if you’re asking yourself “Why am I not losing weight with calorie deficit,” take a moment to evaluate your lifestyle and habits and adjust them. Also, incorporate additional self-care rituals, such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to combat stress and food cravings induced by it.

7. Seek Medical Assistance if Necessary

Finally, if you’re wondering “Why am I not losing weight in calorie deficit” or “Why Im in a calorie deficit and gaining weight,” don’t forget that it might be due to underlying health conditions. So if you’re eating in a deficit and not losing weight for a prolonged time, keep an eye on other symptoms that might be there, such as fatigue, insomnia, hair loss, irregular menstrual cycle, and others. If necessary, don’t hesitate to consult with your healthcare provider to see if there are any hormonal imbalances or other issues.

Setting Realistic Expectations When Not Losing Weight With Calorie Deficit

Now that you know why you might be in calorie deficit but not losing weight and have some tips on how to overcome this, let us give you an extra tip to help you make the process simpler and less stressful. We’re talking about having realistic expectations about your journey.

The first thing you should do in terms of your expectations is to stop expecting quick results. Remember that losing 4 to 8 pounds per month is a healthy goal to strive for. So before you think “Why is my calorie deficit not working” and start worrying about it, take a moment to assess your current progress and the time you’ve put into it, and don’t get worried too early. 

Also, when you suddenly find yourself in a caloric deficit not losing weight or notice weight gain despite calorie deficit, remember about your natural weight fluctuations due to hormones. Many women tend to gain 2 to 6 pounds around their period.

Weight loss plateau is also a real thing. Sometimes, if you’re not gaining weight on a calorie deficit but also aren’t losing it, it just means that your body is in metabolic adaptation, which is also okay. Often, revising your approach and making some minor changes helps overcome plateaus.

Finally, when your weight gets stuck, keep in mind that it’s nearly impossible to say that you’re not losing fat on calorie deficit. Since fat weighs less than muscles, you may stop losing pounds at some point in your journey. It’s recommended to measure your body volume and keep an eye on how it changes.

FAQ

Why am I not losing weight with a calorie deficit?

This can happen due to a number of reasons. Most frequently, being in calorie deficit still not losing weight happens when you banally miscalculate your calorie intake or expenditure.

Why am I not losing fat in a calorie deficit?

Pretty much everyone who is dieting stops losing fat at a certain point in their weight loss journey. This often happens after prolonged calorie restriction that leads to metabolic adaptation, which stalls the process.

Is it okay if Im gaining weight in a calorie deficit around my period?

Yes. It’s important to remember that your hormonal levels shift during different phases of a menstrual cycle. Typically, putting on a few extra pounds before your period is considered a norm.

Can a calorie deficit no weight loss be explained by health issues?

Yes. Some medical conditions, such as PCOS, endometriosis, and hormonal imbalances can make it harder to lose weight even if you’re eating in deficit and exercising. In this case, it’s recommended to seek medical assistance.

What can I do if I’m in a caloric deficit not losing weight?

It’s recommended to start by reassessing your energy expenditure, defining correct goals, and ensuring the accuracy of your calculations. Also, it’s recommended to reinforce calorie deficit with regular exercising and adjust your lifestyle.

Conclusion

Weight loss is often a time-consuming and high-effort process that many females find overwhelming. Yet, one thing that can feel even more overwhelming is if you are calorie deficit and working out but not losing weight or even worse, if you’re eating in a calorie deficit and gaining weight. Although this sounds quite distressing, the truth is that it’s not uncommon to face these issues on your path.

The truth is that not losing weight on a calorie deficit can be caused by quite a few reasons, such as:

• Calorie intake miscalculation
• Calorie expenditure miscalculation
• Metabolic adaptation
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Water retention
• Underlying medical conditions
• Unrealistic expectations

All these reasons can explain why you are eating calorie deficit not losing weight. Use the tips we shared with you earlier to overcome this challenge and attain your goals!