Why does weight loss stop?
It is common for weight loss to slow down or stop after a while, even if you continue with the same diet and exercise habits. A weight plateau like this does not necessarily mean that you are doing anything wrong, but is often a natural part of the weight loss process.
As body weight decreases, energy requirements gradually decrease because a lighter body requires less energy both at rest and during physical activity. The calorie deficit that previously led to weight loss may therefore become smaller over time. At the same time, the body can adapt to weight loss by reducing energy expenditure slightly more than can be explained by the lower body weight, a phenomenon sometimes called metabolic adaptation.
Many people also become less active in everyday life without realising it during weight loss. Small changes in spontaneous movement, known as NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), can affect total energy expenditure. Together, these factors can contribute to weight loss slowing down or temporarily stopping.
A weight plateau is therefore not a sign of failure, but often a sign that the body has adapted to the new weight and energy balance. To continue losing weight, adjustments to diet, physical activity or other lifestyle habits may sometimes be needed.
Errors when tracking food: Are you eating more than you think?
When weight loss is slower than expected, it can be valuable to review both eating habits and portion sizes. Studies show that many people, regardless of weight, find it difficult to estimate their energy intake accurately. Small amounts of food and drink that are not recorded can affect total energy intake over time more than you might think.
Common examples include cooking fats, nuts, snacks, drinks, sauces and other foods consumed between meals. Each of these often contributes a relatively small amount of energy, but together they can make a difference to energy balance over time.
It is also common for eating habits to vary between weekdays and weekends. For many people, energy intake may be higher during social activities, restaurant visits or days off. This does not mean that you have failed, but it can affect your average energy intake over the week and therefore the rate of weight loss.
If your weight remains stable for a longer period, it can therefore be helpful to review your eating habits, portion sizes and activity levels. At the same time, it is important to remember that changes in weight are influenced by many factors and that a weight plateau does not necessarily mean that you are doing anything wrong.
The "all or nothing" trap: How perfectionism can make weight loss more difficult
Many people trying to lose weight set high expectations for themselves. When the goal is to follow a diet or exercise plan perfectly, small deviations can feel like failures, which can reduce motivation and make it more difficult to maintain changes over time.
In behavioural psychology, this is usually described as black-and-white thinking. For example, if you have decided to avoid sweet foods completely, having a biscuit during a coffee break may feel like proof that the day is "ruined". In practice, a single choice usually has little impact on the long-term result, but this thought pattern can make it more difficult to return to your usual routines.
Research and clinical experience show that sustainable lifestyle changes are often based on flexibility rather than perfection. Aiming for good habits most of the time is usually more successful than trying to follow strict rules without exceptions. Occasional deviations are a natural part of everyday life and do not need to affect long-term results.
The risk of losing muscle mass
During weight loss, the body usually loses both fat mass and a certain amount of fat-free mass, including muscle mass. The risk of muscle loss increases if the calorie deficit is large, protein intake is low or the body does not receive sufficient stimulation through strength training.
Muscle mass is important for strength, function and energy expenditure. It is therefore often desirable to preserve as much muscle mass as possible during weight loss. Studies show that regular strength training and sufficient protein intake can help reduce the loss of muscle mass and support the body's recovery.
It is also important to avoid overly restrictive diets that can be difficult to follow over time. Sustainable weight loss is usually based on a balanced diet that provides sufficient energy, protein, vitamins and minerals while creating an energy deficit.
For most people, this means combining regular physical activity with nutritious meals containing foods such as vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and protein-rich foods. In this way, weight loss can become both more sustainable and better for long-term health.
Sleep and stress can affect your weight more than you think
Sleep and stress play an important role in the body's regulation of hunger, fullness and energy balance. Long-term stress and insufficient sleep have been linked in research to increased appetite, changes in eating habits and difficulties maintaining a healthy weight.
When sleep is too short or of poor quality, the balance between several hormones that affect hunger and fullness can change. Studies have shown that lack of sleep may be associated with higher levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and lower levels of the fullness hormone leptin, which for many people leads to increased appetite and greater cravings for energy-dense foods. Good sleep is not only important for recovery but can also make it easier to make healthy decisions in everyday life.
Stress also affects the body's physiology and behaviour in several ways. Long-term stress has been linked in several studies to increased accumulation of abdominal fat, particularly visceral fat around the internal organs, although the relationship is influenced by many factors. Stress can also contribute to poorer sleep, increased snacking and reduced physical activity, which together can make weight regulation more challenging.
Recovery, sleep and stress management can therefore be important parts of a sustainable strategy for weight loss and long-term health.
Myth vs Fact: Misconceptions that can slow down your weight loss
There are many myths about weight loss that can create confusion and unrealistic expectations. By understanding what research actually shows about the body's weight regulation, it becomes easier to focus on strategies that work in the long term.
- Myth: Carbohydrates make you fat regardless of how much you eat. Fact: No single nutrient causes weight gain on its own. It is the overall energy balance over time that determines whether weight increases or decreases. Fibre-rich carbohydrates from foods such as wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and pulses are, in fact, an important part of a healthy diet and can contribute to increased fullness and better gut health.
- Myth: You can exercise your way out of a poor diet. Fact: Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but when it comes to weight loss, eating habits often have a greater impact than the amount of exercise. Physical activity contributes to better health, increased muscle mass and improved fitness, while the quality and quantity of food often have a greater impact on energy intake. For most people, combining regular exercise with sustainable eating habits gives the best results in the long term.
- Myth: If the scales show an increase, I have gained fat. Fact: Body weight naturally varies from day to day and is influenced by factors including fluid balance, salt intake, bowel contents, physical activity and hormonal changes. It is therefore common for weight to temporarily go up or down from one day to the next without any significant change in body fat. To assess a genuine change in weight, it is usually more meaningful to follow the trend over several weeks rather than focusing on individual weigh-ins.
How medical treatment can support weight loss
For many people, difficulties with weight loss are not due to a lack of knowledge, but because the body's hunger and fullness signals make it difficult to maintain changes over time. Modern medical treatment for obesity can therefore provide valuable support that makes long-term lifestyle changes easier.
Medicines that act through the GLP-1 system affect the body's regulation of hunger, fullness and energy balance. Treatment can contribute to increased fullness, reduced appetite and lower energy intake over time. Many patients also find that thoughts about food and so-called food noise decrease during treatment, which can make it easier to follow their health goals.
For the best possible results, medication is often combined with support around diet, physical activity and behavioural changes. By addressing both the biological and behavioural factors that influence weight, many people can create more sustainable habits and improve their chances of maintaining the results over time.
Frequently asked questions about the most common mistakes when losing weight
Why do I lose weight quickly at first but then it stops?
It is common for weight loss to be fastest during the first few weeks and then slow down. Some of the early weight loss often consists of fluid and the body's glycogen stores (stored carbohydrates), which decrease when energy intake falls or eating habits change.
As body weight decreases, energy requirements also gradually decrease. A lighter body requires less energy both at rest and during physical activity, which means that the calorie deficit that previously resulted in rapid weight loss becomes smaller over time. At the same time, the body can adapt to weight loss by increasing appetite and slightly reducing energy expenditure, which makes continued weight loss more challenging.
In addition, changes in weight are rarely completely linear. Fluid balance, hormonal changes, stress, sleep and variations in diet and physical activity can cause the scales to remain stable or temporarily show a higher number even when fat mass is decreasing.
It is therefore normal for weight loss to slow down after the initial period and does not mean that treatment or lifestyle changes have stopped working. It is often the long-term trend over months, rather than changes from week to week, that gives the best picture of progress.
Do I have to count calories all the time to succeed?
No. Counting calories can be a useful tool for some people, particularly for a limited period to increase understanding of portion sizes and energy intake. For many people, however, it is neither necessary nor desirable to record everything they eat in the long term.
Sustainable weight loss is often based on habits that can be maintained over time. Regular meals, nutritious food, sufficient protein, physical activity and good sleep can be just as important as carefully tracking every calorie. Many people successfully lose weight without counting calories by creating routines that naturally lead to a lower energy intake.
At the same time, calorie counting can be a valuable tool if your weight remains stable or if it is difficult to get an idea of how much energy you are actually consuming. The most important thing is to find a strategy that works in everyday life and feels sustainable in the long term.
Is it bad to weigh yourself every day if you want to lose weight?
No, not necessarily. For some people, daily weigh-ins can be a useful way to track progress over time and gain a better understanding of how body weight naturally varies from day to day.
At the same time, it is important to remember that weight is influenced by many factors other than changes in body fat. Fluid balance, salt intake, hormonal changes, physical activity and bowel contents can cause weight to vary from one day to the next. An individual weigh-in therefore often says very little about actual progress.
If daily weigh-ins cause stress, worry or negatively affect motivation, it may be better to weigh yourself less often, for example once a week under similar conditions. For many people, following the trend over several weeks is more helpful than focusing on individual numbers.
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