Why “Calories In vs Calories Out” Isn’t the Whole Story
- Brooks
- Oct 29
- 2 min read
You’ve probably heard it a million times: “If you’re not losing weight, you’re just not in a calorie deficit.”
Technically, that’s true — from a purely physiological standpoint, fat loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. But if it were really that simple, wouldn’t everyone who tracks their food be effortlessly losing fat by now?
That’s the problem with the oversimplified “calories in vs calories out” mindset. It ignores the psychological, behavioral, and environmental factors that make staying consistent with a calorie deficit so hard in the first place.
🧠 Why You’re Not Losing Weight (why calories in vs calories out isn't the whole story)
It’s not just about calories — it’s about what’s influencing your consistency.
Some of the biggest fat loss roadblocks have nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with real-life factors like:
Your previous dieting history (the more you’ve dieted, the harder it can be to maintain a deficit)
Your relationship with food and your body
Your environment — what food is available, your routine, your stress levels
Your support system (or lack thereof)
Lifestyle responsibilities that leave you with little time
Access to healthy food
Your education around nutrition — what “balanced” actually looks like
Each of these influences how easy (or nearly impossible) it feels to stay in a calorie deficit long enough for results to show.
The Mindsets That Sabotages Fat Loss
Even if your nutrition plan looks perfect on paper, mindset can make or break your progress. The most common culprits I see?
All-or-nothing thinking — the “I messed up, so I’ll start over Monday” trap
Perfectionism — expecting to hit every macro perfectly or never miss a workout
Self-limiting beliefs — like “I just don’t have the discipline for this”
Emotional eating — using food as comfort, stress relief, or reward
If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I know what to do, I just can’t get myself to do it,” this is why.
How to Make Fat Loss Sustainable
So no, “calories in vs calories out” isn’t a myth — but it’s not the whole story either.
Instead of blaming yourself for not being “disciplined enough,” get curious:
What parts of this are in your control (like building a better environment or finding support)?
What parts aren’t (like your job schedule or access to healthy food)?
When you start addressing both the mindset and lifestyle pieces, fat loss starts to feel doable — not all-consuming. That’s exactly what I help my clients do inside my 1:1 coaching program: combine proven fat loss strategies with the mindset tools that make them stick.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of The SweatSimple Podcast for a deeper look at how your mindset, environment, and past experiences all affect your ability to stay consistent — and what you can start doing differently today.
Loved this episode? Ready to build lasting habits without starting over every Monday?
Picture having someone in your corner helping you apply it all to your life.
I help busy women break free from yo‑yo dieting and build habits that actually stick.
If you’re ready for personalized support, let’s make this the last program you’ll ever need.