Reasons you’re not losing weight
Tips for healthy weight loss
1. Your end goal isn’t clear
Be clear in your mind about why you want to lose weight and what benefits it will bring you. Defining your personal ‘why’ and reminding yourself of it regularly will help you to maintain focus and motivate you to reach your goals. Try writing it on a sticky note somewhere you’ll see on a daily basis, like your bathroom mirror.
2. You need a regular daily calorie deficit
To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit – this means you need to be eating less than your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Simply put, your calories in need to be less than your calories out. Your TDEE will change over time as you age and your activity levels change, so what your calories needs were at 20 may not be be the same at 45.
If you’re embarking on a fitness and weight-loss programme, it’s worth remembering the basic principle of this energy equation and find out roughly what your TDEE is – you can find calculators online. This helps you understand why an extra gym class or forgoing that bag of crisps might help towards your weight loss target.
3. You’re eating too much or too often
It could be that portion control could be hampering your best intentions. Studies have shown the effect of reducing portion sizes for commercial meals (ready meals and meals served in restaurants), with smaller portion sizes shown to reduce body weight over time. Being mindful of portion sizes at home will also be important. Snacking in between meals could also be affecting your weight loss goals – take a look at our healthy snack ideas which provide a quick energy boost without too many calories.
4. You reward yourself after exercise
Going to the gym but not losing weight? Studies show that people who exercise sometimes cancel out the calories they burn by eating more afterwards. This could be because their appetite increases or they are rewarding themselves for that super-tough gym session.
A protein bar and energy drink after a gym session may be undoing all your hard work. Although these products may play a part in recovery nutrition, it’s best not to rely on them. Instead use them when time and location limit your access to more nourishing options. While they’re useful for convenience, their nutritional profiles vary greatly – many are highly processed and may contain additives and sweeteners. For this reason, it’s important to check labels to ensure the product meets your personal requirements.
5. You deprive yourself of food then binge eat
When you restrict food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy, your appetite increases and you’ll feel an increasing craving for restricted foods. You may then binge food and overeat. A balanced daily diet filled with nutrients is the key to weight loss over the long term. If you find yourself in a restrict/binge eating cycle regularly, you may need support for disordered eating from your GP and other specialists.
6. You’re not eating enough protein or other filling foods
Protein will help you to feel fuller for longer by keeping blood sugar levels more stable than eating carbohydrates on their own. Including protein-rich foods with every meal and snacks will increase your sense of satiety through the day. Protein-rich foods include lean meats, fish and shellfish, eggs and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cottage cheese, plus plant-based proteins include beans, lentils and soy.
7. You consume sports drinks regularly
Sports drinks contain salts and sugars to replenish what the body has lost through sweating. Their purpose is to bring the levels of electrolytes (minerals) in your blood closer to their normal levels – this helps prevent cramping and dehydration, and allows you to continue your workout. However, you only need to use these products if your exercise session is over an hour or is physically demanding.
Many sports products are packed with carbohydrates, which means they are packed with calories. Unless you need this energy to fuel your activity (such as a long run of over an hour), plain water or zero-calorie electrolyte drinks make a smarter choice.
8. You aren’t fuelling wisely
Eating to meet your needs each day is important, not only to optimise exercise sessions but also to support your weight loss goals. Going without adequate nutrition will leave you ill prepared for exercise and more likely to make the wrong food choices when you do eat. If you exercise regularly, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein and carbohydrates to help you fuel, recover and build muscle.
Meal timing is also important for weight management. Interestingly, studies have shown high-calorie breakfasts after an overnight fast may be beneficial for weight loss goals.
9. You choose sugary drinks with empty calories
It’s easy to consume excessive calories in drinks as well as foods. Check labels to see how much sugar and calories are in the drinks you regularly consume. Look for sugar-free options or choose water or fruit-infused water to save on calories – and in the case of water, money.
10. You’re not drinking enough
Dehydration can be mistaken for feelings of hunger and lead you to eat more so it’s important to drink regularly during the day. In the UK, the Eatwell Guide suggests we consume 6-8 glasses of water or other liquids a day, with more required in hot weather and when exercising. Research suggests that drinking water before a meal may also help reduce the number of calories you consume.
Find our more about how much water should you drink every day.
11. You equate exercise with the gym
Moving more to aid weight loss doesn’t necessarily mean you need to join a gym. From walking up stairs to gardening, any activity that gets your heart rate going and your muscles moving will have a positive effect. You don’t necessarily need to take up a high-intensity Zumba class to lose weight either. Research shows that moderate exercise, such as walking, can be just as effective for weight loss since it doesn’t trigger the appetite hormones, which may lead to you reaching for the biscuit tin after a hard workout.
12. You feel a slave to the scales
Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you lose body fat and build muscle you may find that the notch on your scales actually creeps up a little. Don’t worry, however – muscle is more metabolically active than fat, which means it increases your calorie-burning potential.
You might prefer to ditch the scales in favour of alternative measures such as a body composition test, which measures your fat and muscle percentage, and makes a better representation of the progress you’re making. You can buy body composition scales for home use, but the more accurate scales are typically found in gyms and fitness centres.
13. You give up when you hit a weight loss plateau
While the theory of calories in and calories out can be helpful to kick-start your weight loss, some consider it an oversimplification of the way we use energy. Like most processes in the body, energy use, expenditure and storage are all tightly controlled. This means the body aims to maintain a constant store of energy, so when it detects an energy shortfall it compensates by reducing the energy it uses, effectively slowing your metabolism and causing you to experience a weight loss plateau.
If this sounds familiar, try to incorporate more activity into your day, consider your meal timings, have an overnight fast and think carefully about your food choices. We have lots of healthy recipes for weight loss to try.
14. You’re doing the same workout sessions
Just as you need to follow a balanced and varied diet, your exercise should be balanced and varied, too. A common mistake is to focus all your efforts on one form of exercise, such as cardio. Although aerobic exercise is important for keeping your heart strong and managing stress, doing too much cardio, not eating adequately and avoiding strength training may lower your metabolism, which will leave your body thinking it needs to conserve energy.
Shake up your exercise plans with a varied programme including cardio, resistance training (which may include free weights, resistance bands or using your body weight) and flexibility practices, like yoga or pilates.
15. You drink too much alcohol
A gram of alcohol contains seven calories, which is almost as many as a gram of fat. These calories are also ’empty’ in that they contain no nutrients. As with any balanced diet, moderation will be key to achieving long-term weight loss – avoid excessive drinking and try to steer clear of sugary alcoholic drinks which can be laden with calories.
See how many calories are in alcoholic drinks?
16. You have poor-quality sleep
Poor sleep can impact on energy levels, leading to feelings of sluggishness and cravings for high-energy foods through the day. Studies have shown the link between reduced sleep and increased appetite and weight gain. Getting quality sleep will therefore be important in a weight-loss plan.
Discover how to sleep better.
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If you’re new to exercise, speak to your GP before starting an exercise programme to ensure your chosen activity is appropriate for you.
This article was updated on 13 January 2025.
All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
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