Are You Doing Everything Right But Still Not Losing Weight?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a client sit across from me, frustrated about their lack of progress, saying:
“I’m doing everything right, but I’m still not losing weight.”
I hear this all the time from people who are genuinely putting in the effort. They’re hitting the gym, meal prepping, cutting out sugar, watching their calories. They’re tracking their progress, drinking water, and staying consistent during the week.
But when I ask the question: “And what about your weekend?”, the energy suddenly shifts.
There’s a pause. A nervous laugh. Maybe a vague, “Well… the weekends are kind of hard.”
So, today I want to talk about what might be silently stalling your progress, even when it feels like you're doing everything right.
Your Diet Isn’t Just What You Do Monday to Friday
Here’s the truth people usually don’t want to hear, and I say this with all the love in the world:
Your results don’t care what you do Monday through Friday if your weekends are undoing all of it.
And I get it. You’re exhausted from the week. Maybe you’ve been disciplined for five days straight, and you feel like you deserve to relax. You go out for dinner, maybe have a few drinks, treat yourself to dessert. And it’s not like you go totally overboard, right?
But here’s where most people get stuck: they underestimate how quickly a couple of “relaxed” meals can completely erase, or even reverse, their weekly deficit.
So I want to show you how your weekends might be ruining your progress:
Here’s the Math
Let’s say you’re maintaining a consistent 500-calorie deficit each day from Monday through Friday. That’s 2,500 calories burned by the end of the week, which, if you keep it up, translates to about 0.5 pounds of fat loss per week.
Not bad, right?
But then the weekend arrives.
Friday night: drinks with friends and a late-night snack - +1,200 calories
Saturday brunch: pancakes, mimosas, and a “I deserve a break” mentality - +1,500 calories
Sunday dinner: comfort food, dessert, wine - +800 calories
Suddenly, you’ve gone from a 2,500-calorie deficit to a 1,000+ calorie surplus.
And if this cycle repeats every week, you’ll not only not lose weight, you may slowly start to gain it. Then you’ll feel stuck, frustrated, and convinced that you have a slow metabolism, or that your body is somehow “broken” when it comes to fitness.
But in reality, it’s just simple math.
Your body doesn’t care if it’s the weekend, the workweek, or any time of year. It just uses what you give it - and how much of it you give.
Why Your Weekend Habits Matter More Than You Think
One thing most people struggle with is staying consistent, mostly because they’re having a hard time incorporating their eating plan into their way of living. They often tell me it’s hard to stay consistent without sacrificing their social life.
I always talk about the importance of consistency over perfection, meaning you can absolutely allow yourself to “go off track” now and then, and treat yourself to something you crave without feeling guilty about it. BUT if you’re treating the weekend like a vacation from your goals, then you’re likely taking two steps forward and two (or more) steps back every single week.
So, you don’t need to be “all in” or “off the wagon.” There’s a middle ground, and that’s where real progress happens.
So, what does that middle ground look like in practice?
Let’s walk through some real-life, sustainable weekend strategies I give my clients, the same ones I use myself.
1. Eat Lighter Earlier If You Know You’re Going Out
First, let me be clear: eating lighter is NOT about starving yourself or skipping meals. It’s just about planning ahead.
If you know you’re going to a birthday dinner or brunch, you shouldn’t “wing it” and hope for the best. And you also shouldn’t starve yourself to “earn” a meal. That backfires almost every time. You end up ravenous, eating too fast, and often overeating way more than you intended.
What you should do instead is simply plan around it.
That might mean having a high-protein, lower-carb breakfast and lunch, like eggs with veggies in the morning and a chicken salad at lunch. Keep it satisfying, but light.
This gives you some calorie flexibility so you can enjoy your evening without guilt or sabotage.
2. Keep Protein High - Especially on the Weekend
First, let me be clear: eating lighter is NOT about starving yourself or skipping meals. It’s just about planning ahead.
If you know you’re going to a birthday dinner or brunch, you shouldn’t “wing it” and hope for the best. And you also shouldn’t starve yourself to “earn” a meal. That backfires almost every time. You end up ravenous, eating too fast, and often overeating way more than you intended.
What you should do instead is simply plan around it.
That might mean having a high-protein, lower-carb breakfast and lunch, like eggs with veggies in the morning and a chicken salad at lunch. Keep it satisfying, but light.
This gives you some calorie flexibility so you can enjoy your evening without guilt or sabotage.
3. Set Drink Limits Before You Go Out
If we’re not eating, calories don’t count, right?
Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, alcohol is one of the sneakiest culprits for stalled fat loss.
Not just because of the calories (which add up fast, think 150-250 per drink), but because of what happens after you drink:
Your hunger increases
Your inhibitions drop
Your sleep gets disrupted
Your metabolism slows while your body processes alcohol
It’s a perfect storm for overeating, poor choices, and missed workouts the next day.
And again, I’m not saying you can’t have a drink now and then. But I am saying: decide your limit before you go out, and stick to it.
Maybe that’s two drinks. Whatever it is, be intentional.
Extra tip: Alternate each drink with a glass of water. That alone can cut your intake in half.
4. Pick One Treat, Not All of Them
I’ll be the first to say it: you should absolutely enjoy the foods you love. But enjoying life doesn’t mean eating everything in sight.
I often tell my clients to pick the treat they’re most excited about, and skip the rest.
If you’re at your favorite restaurant and dreaming about the cheesecake, skip the appetizer and fries. Make space for what you truly want, and enjoy it mindfully.
This one simple shift - choosing quality (what you really love) over quantity, helps you feel satisfied and stay on track.
5. Stop Thinking You’ve “Blown It”
How many times have you had one indulgent meal on a Saturday and thought,
“Well, screw it… might as well start over Monday”?
That all-or-nothing mindset is one of the biggest poisons to your progress.
One indulgent meal doesn’t ruin your week, just like one healthy salad doesn’t undo a weekend binge. It’s what you do next that matters.
Had a big dinner? Get back on track the next morning.
Drank more than you planned? Hydrate and move your body.
Overdid the snacks during movie night? Don’t restrict the next day, just resume your normal, balanced meals.
If you just keep going and stay consistent, you can’t fail. The results will follow.
Here’s What I Want You to Take Away
Making positive changes toward a better, healthier you, no matter how small, matters.
But to see the results of your hard work, you have to stick to the basics. And the most important one when it comes to losing weight is this:
You must stay in a calorie deficit.
If you’ve been feeling frustrated and wondering why you’re not seeing results, the first step is being honest with yourself. Take a closer look at your habits, especially the ones over the weekend.
Also, if you’re struggling with not losing weight, please remember: you’re not broken. Your body isn’t “resistant” to weight loss. You’re not failing.
You might just be making progress during the week… and quietly undoing it on the weekend (or on any other day that doesn’t quite fit into your new, healthier daily routine).
And once you shine a light on that pattern, you can change it.
So, here’s a challenge for this week:
Try to become more aware and honest about your habits, ALL of them
Choose one strategy above to try this weekend
Remember, your body responds to what you do most consistently, not what you do occasionally
This will help you finally break through the plateau and become the strongest, most confident version of yourself - no more starting over every Monday.
And if you need help with your fitness goals or building a plan that works with your real life, be sure to reach out. I’d be happy to help you build it!