Why You’re Not Losing Weight… even if you think you’re doing everything right
If you’ve ever caught yourself saying “I’m doing everything right and the scale still isn’t moving,” you’re not alone. Many women come to me feeling frustrated, defeated, and convinced their bodies are broken. When in reality, there’s nothing wrong or broken with their bodies. But rather, their lack of weight loss is simply the result of a few hidden truths most of us don’t want to hear…
Let’s break them down:
1️⃣ You’re eating more calories than you think - yes, even if you’re counting calories
Research consistently shows that even trained dietitians underreport their intake by 10–20%.
It’s not because you’re lazy or unmotivated; it’s human nature. Nibbles while cooking, finishing your kids’ leftovers, calorie-dense dressings or oils, and “healthy” snacks can add up quickly. Even if you’re tracking, small inaccuracies can create a notable gap between the amount you think you’re eating and the amount you’re actually consuming.
2️⃣ You’re burning fewer calories than you think - yes, even if you exercise consistently
Most adults lead largely sedentary lives, spending hours sitting at desks, in cars, or on the couch, which lowers total daily energy expenditure more than many realize. And even if you’re consistent with workouts, it’s often a small fraction of your day and doesn’t burn as many calories as most fitness trackers or apps claim. Not to mention, we also tend to compensate for workouts by reducing non-exercise movement later in the day, like sitting more and fidgeting less.
3️⃣ You’re focusing on what to eat less of instead of what to eat more of
When you obsess over cutting carbs, sugar, or your favorite foods, you create a scarcity mindset that often leads to rebounds.
If, instead, you focused on adding:
✅ More protein for satiety and muscle maintenance
✅ More fiber-rich fruits and veggies for volume and gut health
✅ More water for hydration and appetite regulation
you naturally eat fewer high-calorie foods without feeling deprived, making progress. and consistency easier.
4️⃣ No one and noTHING can do the work for you
Coaches, supplements, and even weight loss medications like GLP-1 agonists can be powerful tools, but they don’t replace the work of creating sustainable habits, managing emotional eating, and changing your environment to support your goals.
If you’re waiting for the perfect program to “fix” you, you’ll stay stuck. These tools can help—but only if you’re also showing up for yourself.
5️⃣ You don’t need another meal plan or weight loss challenge - you need to understand why you eat when you’re not hungry
Most women who struggle with weight loss don’t need another recipe, meal plan, or workout routine. What they need is help addressing:
👉 Emotional eating after stressful days
👉 Nighttime snacking from boredom or loneliness
👉 Rewarding themselves with food because “they deserve it”
👉 All-or-nothing perfectionism that leads to giving up after a slip
Weight loss is as much a psychological process as it is a physical one. Until you learn to manage your emotions without turning to food, and build consistency beyond 30-days, results will remain inconsistent.
6️⃣ You haven’t tried “everything”
You’ve tried different diets with different names: keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, low carb, “clean eating.” But if all of them rely on restriction, rules, or cutting out foods you love, they aren’t all that different after all.
What you likely haven’t tried is stopping the diet cycle entirely and learning how to create fat loss from a place of nourishment and sustainability.
This looks like:
🌱 Eating enough to feel satisfied while maintaining a mild calorie deficit
🌱 Allowing yourself to enjoy all foods without guilt, practicing moderation
🌱 Building habits you can stick with - even during busy and stressful seasons
🌱 Tracking progress beyond the scale (energy, confidence, strength)
The bottom line: Your body isn’t broken, and you don’t need to cut out entire food groups - or obsessively count calories to lose weight. Click here to watch my free lose fat without counting calories MASTERCLASS.
But it does require:
💪 Honest self-reflection
💪 A willingness to focus on long-term habits over quick fixes
💪 Support and accountability to stay consistent
You’re capable of creating the results you want—without obsession, restriction, or giving up your favorite foods. Click here to learn more about how I can help you lose weight sustainably with 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.
How To Bust Through Sugar Cravings
EVERYONE experiences cravings sometimes.
But if you’re constantly fighting against cravings; thinking about sweets day and night, and/or can’t end a day without eating dessert… it might be time to make some changes!
Here are four reasons you might have a high volume of sugar cravings and how to manage them:
You’re not eating enough during the day
It’s easy to blame “lack of willpower” for sugar cravings, but often, the issue is under-fueling.
If you’re skipping meals, sipping on coffee instead of eating lunch, or trying to “be good” all day, your body will naturally push you to seek quick energy—often in the form of sugar—later in the day.
What you can do about it:
Eat balanced meals (protein, healthy fats, and fiber-containing carbs) every 3–5 hours
Don’t skip meals to “save calories” for later
Eat enough food to feel truly satisfied, rather than simply “not hungry”
2. You’re not getting enough sleep
Sleep deprivation increases cravings for high-sugar, high-calorie foods. Whether you didn’t get sufficient sleep - or slept poorly - your hunger and fullness hormones (ghrelin and leptin) get thrown off, making it harder to say no to cravings, even if you want to.
What you can do about it:
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep most nights
Establish a calming bedtime routine (dim lights, no phone scrolling, relaxing activities)
Limit caffeine after midday and create a dark, cool, quiet sleep environment
3. You’re S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D
And you know what that spells backwards! Cortisol (your stress hormone) can increase appetite and drive you toward high-sugar, high-fat foods when you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally drained.
While using sweets to soothe stress can feel good in the moment, it often leaves you stuck in a cycle of temporary relief followed by feeling worse after the fact.
What you can do about it:
Identify non-food stress management tools you can use (deep breathing, walks, journaling, calling a friend, stretching, etc.)
Before reaching for food, pause to ask, “Am I hungry, or looking for comfort/a distraction?”
Build stress-management practices into your day, even if it’s just 5 minutes at a time, so sugar isn’t your only coping strategy
4. You’re restricting sweets too much
You might have good intentions, but strict rules around food almost always backfire. For example, whenever you tell yourself you “can’t” have something, your scarcity mindset is activated and you often end up craving it more. And when you cave and indulge… all-or-nothing thinking has a habit of stealing the show and you end up eating an amount that feels uncomfortable.
What you can do about it:
Allow yourself to enjoy sweets without guilt in a portion that feels comfortable and satisfying
Practice mindful eating—sit down, remove distractions, and actually taste your treat
Remember, a piece of chocolate won’t ruin your progress, but a “screw it” mindset might
Sugar cravings can be frustrating and hard to deal with as you focus on creating positive changes, but don’t lose hope! Make small changes to your daily routine and diet will have a powerful impact over time and before you know it, you’ll be able to enjoy sweets, in moderation, without feeling like you’re “being bad” or missing out.
"I Deserve A Treat" Is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss
We’ve all been there.
You survived a tough day at work. You finally made it to the gym. You survived a toddler tantrum (or ten) without losing your mind. And in the back of your head, a little voice whispers: “I deserve a treat.”
It sounds harmless - empowering, even. But when this mindset becomes our go-to reward system, it can quietly sabotage our sustainable fat loss efforts and keep us stuck in a frustrating loop.
Let’s talk about why this mindset is so common—and what the research says about handling it differently (without feeling deprived or punished).
Why It’s So Easy to Fall Into the “I Deserve a Treat” Trap
The “I deserve a treat” mindset is built on a couple of very human tendencies:
Moral Licensing
This is a psychological phenomenon where doing something “good” (like exercising, eating a salad, or completing a big task) gives us permission to follow it with something “bad” (like overeating or choosing something we normally wouldn’t).Reward Conditioning
Many of us were raised to associate treats with positive behaviors—cleaning your room earned you dessert, or a good report card meant ice cream. As adults, we often apply this reward loop to our eating habits. And while it can be fun to reward a positive behavior with something yummy every once in awhile, when food becomes our primary way of coping or celebrating, it stops feeling fun and starts feeling frustrating.Emotional Exhaustion
When we’re stressed, tired, or overwhelmed (all three, anyone!?), our brain looks for a quick dopamine hit. Food—especially high-fat, high-sugar foods—lights up the reward centers of the brain. And after a long day of willpower and decision-making, it’s hard to talk ourselves out of feeling like we “earned it”.
It needs to be said that treating yourself isn't bad. However, treating yourself in ways that directly oppose your goals, repeatedly and unconsciously, can be a big roadblock.
If “I deserve this” has become your default response to stress, accomplishment, or discomfort, keep reading.
What Research (and Real Life) Say Works Better
1. Reframe Your Reward System
Psychologists suggest replacing moral licensing with value-aligned rewards.
Instead of food being your only way to celebrate or decompress, try building a reward “toolbox” that includes:
Rest (yes, a nap counts)
Time to yourself
A hot shower and your favorite playlist
A walk outside
A new journal, book, or pair of fuzzy socks
(insert another form of self-care that doesn’t derail your goals here)
This mindset swap reinforces the idea that healthy behaviors are their own reward.
2. Make Treats Part of the Plan
Start looking at treats as things that can be enjoyed mindfully, on purpose, and without guilt - not as something that has to be earned. For example: instead of reaching for cookies to munch on mindlessly out of habit, plan to enjoy dessert after dinner on Friday’s when you can actually sit down and savor it.
This shift turns “I deserve this” eating into intentional, flexible nutrition.
3. Notice and Name
Insert a short pause between the urge and the action and identify how you’re feeling.
Ask yourself:
What am I actually needing right now?
Will this treat help me feel better - or worse - in 20 minutes?
Is there a more effective way I can care for myself right now?
Creating space for mindful reflection—even just 90 seconds—can reduce impulsive choices and increase alignment with long-term goals.
The Bottom Line:
You deserve to celebrate wins and cope with hard days. But you also deserve to reach your goals.
Treats aren’t bad. But they don’t need to be your only reward.
Let’s build a lifestyle where food is part of the joy—but not the only way we care for ourselves.
PS. Be sure to tune into my Lose Fat Without Counting Calories Masterclass (for FREE) here!