Unable to drop weight even after calorie deficit and active lifestyle

kushaltandon

Background

Age & Stats: 37 years old, 175 cm, currently weighing 81 kg. Active lifestyle, working out 3-4 times per week.

In early 2020, I took drastic steps to improve my health—quit smoking, reduced alcohol intake, cleaned up my diet, and started working out.

During lockdown, I maintained a calorie deficit by meal prepping and tracking everything in MyFitnessPal, averaging 1,700-1,800 kcal/day.

I walked 14-15k steps daily and worked out 3-4 times per week, leading to rapid weight loss—dropping from 86 kg to 74 kg in less than two months.


Fast Forward to Today

I've stayed consistent with daily walks, increasing my average to 20k steps per day over the past 3-4 years.

My workout intensity has also increased, including Barry's HIIT workouts (burning ~500 kcal per session).

However, I stopped measuring food intake, and over time, my weight crept up from 75 kg in 2020 to 82 kg in 2024, along with noticeable belly fat gain.


Recent Efforts (Last 1.5 Months)

I’ve started tracking food again, aiming for a calorie deficit (~2,000 kcal/day) while maintaining 20k steps minimum and working out 3-4 times per week (HIIT, strength training, or 3-4k runs).

Carb intake is higher than I’d like, and I’m not meal prepping as strictly as before.

Despite burning way more calories than in 2020, my weight and belly fat haven’t budged.

Any tips or suggestions on how to get rid of this belly fat which seems harder to do this time around?

-

tomcustombuilder

After a month with no loss, you’re not in a weekly calorie deficit

totameafox

It seems that you are, in fact ,not in a calorie deficient. I assumed you were a woman and put in your numbers being. Calculating your tdee with moderate exercise 4x a week. maintenance is calculated at 2282 calories. So if you are eating 2000 calories that may be within the margin of 'we are all different' or you are losing at such a slow rate that it's hard to tell.

The best thing to do is get something to help you log your exercise and log your food accurately. It's not that hard nor does it take that long and you get the benefit of knowing exactly what is going on and how to tweak what you are doing.

If you are truly in a calorie deficiency and haven't lost weight in over a month, then you need to go see a doctor.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/147555-speak-friend-and-enter

kushaltandon

My total calories burnt on average is 2800-3500 calories per day (20k steps, and some workouts), tracked on Samsung health with a watch daily for the past 3-4 yesrs

My total calories intake is about 2200-2400 spread across 3 meals and tracked via MyFitnessPal pal for the past month. I occasionally go above with a beer or two. And carb intake is slightly higher than it should be but below my average since I started tracking.

Pretty sure some of this can be attributed to muscle gain as I've observed/been told that my arms/chest look bigger and posture improved.

However the belly fat and overall weight count remain the same and haven't moved much for a few months now

tomcustombuilder

kushaltandon wrote: »

My total calories burnt on average is 2800-3500 calories per day (20k steps, and some workouts), tracked on Samsung health with a watch daily for the past 3-4 yesrs

My total calories intake is about 2200-2400 spread across 3 meals and tracked via MyFitnessPal pal for the past month. I occasionally go above with a beer or two. And carb intake is slightly higher than it should be but below my average since I started tracking.

Pretty sure some of this can be attributed to muscle gain as I've observed/been told that my arms/chest look bigger and posture improved.

However the belly fat and overall weight count remain the same and haven't moved much for a few months now

calculating calorie intake and calories burned is all well and good, but the proof is in the actual outcome

No weekly calorie deficit.

springlering62

How carefully (and honestly) are you tracking and logging?

I see “not as I should be” and other flags sprinkled throughout your original post.

I put on 8 after several years of tight maintenance following a pair of foodie trips to Eastern Europe and one of the ‘Stans. I thought I’d easily be able to drop it within weeks, as I have before.

No dice.

So yet again, I increased activity, thinking that would help.

It wasn’t till I sat down and did a deep dive into my logging that I realized, while my daily was at goal, my weekly average was well above. I was allowing myself a day every week or two to “top up” because I was keeping “such a large deficit”.

It wasn’t til I really looked at the numbers that I realized what I was doing. Essentially a massively huge cheat day every ten days erased my hard earned deficit days.

I, of all people, should know that, since I preach here, talk the talk, regularly. I was really mad at myself


I’ve cracked down on the numbers, have kept them steady, eating a bit
More when I do feel I need it, but avoiding binge days. Finally, the weight is starting to drop back off

We can absolutely convince ourselves we are doing right, when we are doing so, so ineffectively wrong.

Thankfully, I’ve logged every single day for six and half years, so I had the data to fall back on.

Two more upcoming trips. I will not allow myself to “taste it all because I won’t have another chance”.

Besides, half of what I ate in one country wasn’t worth the calories, famed for beautiful, stamped bread, it was the blandest thing I’ve ever tasted, but I kept hoping the next one was better. It wasn’t. I should have figured it out after the first day or two, but, like many french pastries, it was gorgeous, yet tasteless. Our eyes perceive beautiful food as worthy. Bleccch. Not always. I’d have taken a torn corner off a peasant loaf from one place over the beautifully decorated bread of the other in a heartbeat.

LeeDahlen38

Most above agree and I agree as well. I would add that the “not as I used to’s” lead one to believe there is either a problem with actual serving sizes or omission of items in the log. For me (yes I was guilty) it was both. But my main “omission” was alcohol. My nightly cocktails or beers werent logged. It made a huge difference once I did because I had to make choices. So make sure you measure/weigh and the rule of if it goes in the mouth? It goes on the log first. Good Luck! Wishing you success!!

AnnPT77

kushaltandon wrote: »

My total calories burnt on average is 2800-3500 calories per day (20k steps, and some workouts), tracked on Samsung health with a watch daily for the past 3-4 yesrs.
(snip)

On top of the solid advice you've received above, with which I agree:

I hope you realize that what Samsung Health tells you is an estimate, not a measurement. It's a nuanced estimate, but an estimate nonetheless.

If your logging were routinely meticulous, and your adherence to calorie goal consistent, that estimate could still be out of sync with your results.

Believe the results.

I've logged carefully, and usually consistently, since mid-2015, successful loss then maintenance. In late 2018, I started wearing a good brand/model tracker, one that estimates calories well for others who've mentioned it here. I upgraded to a different model a few years later. Both have given me similar estimates for all day calories.

My long term logging/bodyweight results differ from those tracker estimates by about 400-500 calories per day. This big a discrepancy is rare, but it can happen.

Repeat: Believe your results.

csplatt

What everyone is saying above is spot on. WE determine how many calories we burn on average per day based on the results we are getting. It looks like you've found your maintenance calorie range. Now, it's time to lower into a deficit.

Conseza

Best thing to do is track consistently your meals then calculate your average calorie intake per 7 days of tracking consecutively. Then adjust your calories by 100 - 500 calories. You can get a DEXA scan to know how much muscle mass and fat you have.

I personally don't concern myself with calories burned, just focus on being in a calorie deficit, eat according to your goals, workout, drink enough water, increase your neat energy PLUS track your weight and body measurements, take progress pics.

If you stay within a deficit and stay active but show no signs of progress, then go see your doctor check your thyroid, hormones, and insulin.