If you're eating less but still gaining weight, you are likely to be confused. You’ve cut back on your meals, checked your food intake, and made sure you're sticking to a low calorie diet—so why isn’t the scale moving the way you expected? This situation is more common than you think. Many assume that eating fewer calories always leads to weight loss, but the human body doesn’t work in such a simple way. Factors like poor sleep, chronic stress, and even eating too few calories for too long can all affect your metabolic rate, body fat, and energy balance. Sometimes, your body starts burning fewer calories or holding onto water, and that can shift your weight in unexpected ways. A low calorie diet can also change how much energy you use daily, impact your lean muscle mass, and trigger hormonal changes that affect hunger and fat storage. If you're also more sedentary or not getting enough protein, your energy expenditure may drop even further. There’s a lot more than just how many calories you're eating. If you’re trying to lose weight but feel like it’s not working, keep reading. We'll break down the possible reasons why your calorie intake might not be lining up with your weight goals—and what could be causing weight gain even when you're eating healthy and staying in a calorie deficit.
