The Truth About Calorie Deficits
A calorie deficit is the foundation of weight loss. We all know that. But here’s the thing no one tells you: eating less doesn’t always equal more fat loss.
If you’ve ever dropped your calories to 1,400 (or 1,200… or 1,000 😬) and your weight still won’t budge, it’s time to zoom out. Because the issue isn’t just how much you’re eating—it’s how your metabolism is responding.
The Biggest Calorie Deficit Mistakes Sabotaging Your Fat Loss
If you’re stuck in a plateau, chances are you’re making one of these super common mistakes:
Mistake #1: Bouncing between calorie numbers without a strategy
Jumping from 1,400 to 1,600 to 1,200 calories won’t do your body any good if you’re not actually paying attention to what YOUR metabolism needs. There is no “magic number”.
Just because something worked for your friend, or even you in the past doesn’t mean it will work now.
All of these factors should be taken into account:
- Your metabolic set point
- If fact that you are postpartum
- If you have menopause
- If you are on a GLP-1 (or have been in the past)
- If you have PCOS
- Stress levels
- Sleep
- History of dieting
- Your PERSONAL preferences and lifestyle
- The list goes on and on and on
And that number you pulled from MyFitnessPal? It doesn’t know any of that.
IT ALL matters and should be taken into account! My team and I never have (and never will) have 2 clients that are exactly the same, so please stay away from cookie cutter 🍪guesses that leave you more lost than you were before,
Mistake #2: Believing tracking ONE set of macros is the fix-all
Tracking macros is one of the most powerful tools to help you hit your fat loss goals. But one set of macros won’t get you to your long term goals.
Your macro strategy needs to evolve with your metabolism. That might mean increasing carbs to support energy balance, adjusting fats for better hormone balance, or fine-tuning protein for muscle growth.
But none of that works if you don’t first understand where your metabolism currently sits.
This is why we use reverse dieting as a tool with our clients. Reverse dieting strategically increases your calorie intake over time so your metabolism can adapt upward, making fat loss possible again, without gaining a bunch of fat.
Mistake #3: Staying stuck in a deficit without breaks
Your body isn’t a robot. It’s not meant to live in a constant deficit. When you go months (or years) eating less and less, your metabolism compensates.
Fatigue, hunger, irritability, stalled weight loss, and hormone chaos? That’s your body waving the red flag. 🔻
“I’ve tried every diet under the sun”.
You’re not alone. Many of the women my team and I coach have spent years bouncing from program to program: Octavia, keto, Whole30, Noom, you name it.
And while each diet feels new, they’re all doing the same thing: putting you in a calorie deficit without fixing the real issue underneath.
If you’ve been stuck in a fat loss plateau, or gaining weight even while dieting, it could be a sign of metabolic adaptation. This happens when your metabolism slows down in response to low calorie
TL;DR — Here’s What Matters Most
- A calorie deficit that isn’t working is a sign of metabolic adaptation
- Just jumping from one calorie number to another won’t fix it
- Your personal variables matter more than a number from a calculator
- Reverse dieting improves metabolism health, especially after years of dieting
- Tracking one macros is helpful, but it will only get you so far. You need proper macro adjustments.
- Healing your metabolism is what makes fat loss sustainable
You deserve a plan that works with your body, not against it. That’s exactly what we help our clients do inside BPM.
Want to start small? Grab my Heal Your Metabolism Starter Kit and learn what your body actually needs for sustainable results.
