Article by – Chrissy Newall – Owner, Coach and Group Fitness Instructor
It’s one of the most common frustrations we hear in the gym: “I’ve been training consistently, eating healthier — but the weight just isn’t shifting.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And while it’s tempting to blame age, metabolism, or genetics, there’s often a very real and fixable reason behind it. Let’s break down what might be going on.
The 5 Most Common Weight Loss Roadblocks
- Overestimating Calories Burned
It’s easy to assume a tough workout gives you licence to eat more. But research shows that many people overestimate the calories they burn during exercise and underestimate how much they eat afterward. Even high-intensity classes rarely burn as many calories as your fitness tracker claims.
The Fix: Use exercise as a tool to improve health, strength, and fitness — and manage food intake separately. Apps like MyFitnessPal or simply being more mindful of portion sizes can make a big difference.
- Not Accurately Tracking Food Intake
“Eating healthy” doesn’t always mean eating in a calorie deficit. Healthy foods like nuts, oils, smoothies, and protein bars are nutrient-dense but also high in calories. Small extras — a drizzle of dressing, a handful of nuts, or a post-workout smoothie — can quickly tip you into maintenance or surplus.
The Fix: Track your intake honestly for 3–5 days. You might be surprised where extra calories are sneaking in.
- Focusing Only on Cardio
While cardio has many benefits, relying on it alone for weight loss can backfire. Too much cardio without resistance training can lead to muscle loss, slowing your metabolism and making long-term fat loss harder.
The Fix: Include strength training at least twice a week. Building lean muscle increases your resting metabolic rate — meaning you burn more calories, even at rest.
- Neglecting Sleep and Stress Management
Sleep and stress directly affect hormones that control hunger, cravings, and fat storage. Lack of sleep increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and lowers leptin (the satiety hormone), making you more likely to overeat. Chronic stress triggers cortisol, which can promote fat storage around the midsection.
The Fix: Prioritise 7–8 hours of quality sleep and find practical ways to manage stress — whether it’s walking, reading, strength training, or catching up with a friend.
- Obsessing Over the Scale
Weight loss isn’t linear, and the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. Muscle is denser than fat, so you might be losing fat while gaining lean muscle, especially if you’ve added strength training to your routine.
The Fix: Track progress with photos, measurements, how your clothes fit, and how you feel. These are often far better indicators of success than the number on the scale.
The Takeaway
If weight loss has stalled, it’s rarely about working harder — it’s about working smarter. A consistent, balanced approach to exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management is far more effective than chasing quick fixes.
If you’re unsure where to start, chat with one of our trainers. We’ll help fine-tune your plan and get you moving in the right direction.