Three Reasons You’re Not Seeing Results (Even If You’re “Doing Everything Right”

Linda and Jen started their morning the same way. 

They woke up at 6:00 a.m., hit the mat for a 45-minute workout, and made a high-protein breakfast before heading out the door. From the outside, it looked like they were making all the right choices, just like any health-conscious woman trying to lose weight. 

But after three weeks, Jen was down five pounds. Linda? Stuck at the same number on the scale. 

What happened? 

In reality, Linda thinks she’s doing the same things as Jen, but small, unintentional habits are stacking up. 

1. She’s eating more calories than she realizes
2. She’s picking condiments and cooking methods that add up fast
3. And, though she works out daily, she’s barely moving the rest of the day

Weight loss is not about eating perfectly or working harder. It’s about strategy. 

So, let’s break down the three reasons why your weight loss may have stalled—even though you’re checking all the boxes—and what you can do differently, starting today. 

📌 You’re Eating More Protein—But Your Calories Are Too High

Eating more protein is a smart choice. It’s filling, muscle-preserving, and metabolism-boosting. But how you get that protein matters. 

Let’s look at breakfast: 

• Linda makes eggs on avocado toast. She sits down to 3 eggs, ½ avocado, 1 slice of bread, with a drizzle of olive oil and a side of vanilla yogurt. That tallies to: 
  • 30g of protein
  • 44g of fat
  • 650 calories

That’s only 4.4 grams of protein per 100 calories. 

If Linda keeps eating like this to hit her goal of 120g of protein for the day, she’s on pace for about 2,700 calories—well above what she needs for weight loss. 

• Jen makes eggs on avocado toast too. She sits down to 1 egg, 2 egg whites, ½ avocado, 1 slice of bread, and a side of Oikos Zero Greek yogurt. That tallies to: 
  • 33g of protein
  • 18g of fat
  • 400 calories

That’s 8g of protein per 100 calories. 

At this rate, Jen will hit her protein goal at around 1,500 calories. That’s 1,200 fewer calories than Linda—while still hitting the same 120g of protein. 

The difference? Jen uses lean protein sources, like: 

• Egg whites
• Low-fat Greek yogurt
• Beans and lentils
• Chicken breast
• 93% lean ground beef
• Tofu

Here’s the bottom line: You might be meeting your protein goals, but reaching that goal with high-fat foods can send your calories soaring. Instead, choose leaner proteins to stay in a caloric deficit without sacrificing satiety or nutrients. 

But be careful! Some low-fat foods are full of sugar and processed ingredients. Anytime you pick a low-fat food, give the ingredients a once-over. Pick clean, low-fat foods like these to hit your protein goals without overloading on calories. 

📌 You’re Hoodwinked by High-Fat Sauces and Dressings

Salads and sandwiches sound healthy, but it’s often the extras that derail your day. Things like butter, mayo, creamy dressings, and rich sauces can double the calories in a meal! 

Let’s look at Linda and Jen’s lunches: 

• Linda grabs a pastrami Reuben sandwich and aside salad with blue cheese dressing. She doesn’t realize her sandwich was grilled in butter and layered with a Thousand Island sauce. Her salad is topped with a dollop of blue cheese dressing. That tallies to: 
  • 40g of protein
  • 55g of fat
  • 1,000 calories

• Jen takes 5 minutes to prep lunch at home—a turkey sandwich with mustard and sprouts on seedy bread, plus a serving of her favorite bagged salad. That tallies to: 
  • 42g of protein
  • 20g of fat
  • 500 calories

Same type of lunch. Very different outcomes. Why? 

Sauces and dressings are sneaky. You’ll be shocked at some of these numbers: 

• 1 tablespoon of mayo = 90 calories
• 1 tablespoon of butter or oil for cooking = 100 calories
• 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing = 150+ calories

Here’s the bottom line: Be strategic with your sauces. Whip up salads like these with dressings like Bolthouse Ranch. Saute your veggies in a little veggie broth instead of oil. Pick high-flavor, low-fat condiments, like mustard and horseradish. Choose whole-food fats that are full of fiber, like avocado, when you want to add creaminess to a meal.

📌 You Workout—But You’re Sitting All Day

We can hit the gym each morning, but how do we live during the other 23 hours in the day? Beside workouts, there’s another factor that plays into the calories we burn. It’s called our Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (or NEAT). 

NEAT refers to all the spontaneous physical activity you complete throughout the day other than formal exercise—things like fidgeting, walking, or cleaning.  

Let’s look at Linda and Jen again. 

• Linda crushes her workouts! But she spends the rest of the day glued to her dest. She eats lunch at her computer, drives her kids everywhere, and collapses on the couch by 8 p.m. 
• Jen moves more throughout her day. She walks around while on calls, takes 10-minute walks after her meals, and does bodyweight squats every hour on the hour. 

It doesn’t take much time, but by the end of each day, Jen has clocked in 6,000 more staps—and burns hundreds more calories—than Linda. 

Here’s the bottom line: Sitting is the new smoking and works against your weight loss goals. For the sake of your health and body composition, add movement into your daily routine to increase your NEAT. 

Build micro-movements into your day, like this: 

• Walk after meals
• Stand during Zoom calls
• Do 10 squats or pushups between meetings
• Park farther away or take the stairs

How The Numbers Add Up

Let’s compare Linda and Jen by the end of their workday, before they sit down for dinner.

Linda and Jen both: 

• Worked out in the morning
• Had eggs on toast with yogurt for breakfast
• Had a sandwich and salad for lunch

Jen is ahead in her weight loss goals, not because she’s working harder, but because she understands how to live and eat smarter. 

She still gets to enjoy dinner with flexibility—choosing from satiating meals like: 

• Teriyaki Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Broccoli
• Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
• Loaded Nachos with Ground Turkey, Beans, and Cheese

Linda, on the other hand, has to restrict dinner or go over her calorie target again. 

Here’s the bottom line: Strategy beats willpower. Weight loss doesn’t come from eating “perfectly.” It comes when you understand how food and habits work together. Remember this: 

1. Lean protein keeps calories in check
2. Smart condiment swaps make your meals just as satiating
3. Daily movement (NEAT) supports metabolism

Stop Spinning Your Wheels. Start Making Progress. 

If you’ve been trying hard but not seeing the results you want, you could be following the wrong strategies. 

It’s time to stop spinning your wheels and make real progress. LEAN is designed to help real people—like you—rebuild their metabolism, gain energy, and lose weight for good. 

Inside LEAN, you’ll receive: 

• A custom macro plan tailored to you
• Months of high-protein, family-friendly recipes
• Education on hormones, blood sugar, inflammation, and metabolism
• Coaching, accountability, and the tools to make your goals stick
• A proven structure that’s helped thousands finally get results

Listen to April, a client of mine who reminds me a lot of Linda in our blog above…

(I was the) girl who thought she was doing all the right things. I was frustrated and angry at how I looked and felt!  Nothing I did worked! At that point, I had been working out and eating healthy for 13+ years.

Then, someone told me to follow you….Best decision I ever made! My husband gifted me the 7-week LEAN program for Mother’s Day.  

This is the first time in years that I have (and can maintain) abs!!

I feel great and am so happy with my results! I have no plans to leave the monthly membership anytime soon! Thank you so much!

Whether you’re just starting your health journey or restarting after a burnout, LEAN will help you simplify nutrition, dial in your metabolism, and burn body fat. 

Healthy living starts here. Join the next session of LEAN today!