Why the Scale Won’t Budge: 2 Sneaky Reasons You Might Be Overlooking

The Frustration of “Eating Perfectly” but Seeing No Change

Ever feel like you’re doing everything right but still not losing weight? It’s a common experience. More often than not, one of two things is happening:

  • Problem #1: You’re eating more than you realize.

  • Problem #2: What you think is the “right amount” … isn’t.

Or it could be a mix of both. Let’s break this down with a real-world example.

Problem #1: Hidden Calories Add Up Quickly

Imagine you’re trying to lose weight by eating 500 fewer calories each day than your body needs to maintain weight. Hypothetically, that’s enough to lose about 1 pound per week—if everything goes according to plan.

You’ve got your routine dialed in, you’re tracking consistently, and you even allow room for two glasses of wine a day. It feels realistic and sustainable. Perfect, right?

Not quite.

  • If each pour is 8 ounces (≈200 calories) instead of the standard 5 ounces (≈125 calories), that’s an extra 150 calories a day.

Then, on Saturday, you order a “healthy-sounding” Thai Coconut Lime Chicken from Cheesecake Factory only to find out it’s 1,980 calories. Add in four “generous” glasses of wine with friends, and suddenly your carefully planned 3,500-calorie weekly deficit shrinks to about 70 calories.

The result? The scale doesn’t move.

This isn’t unusual. Many people hit plateaus not because they aren’t disciplined, but because small calorie miscalculations add up.

Problem #2: When Your Body Burns Less Energy Than You Think

Even if your food logging is flawless, your body’s metabolism can throw curveballs.

  • Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The calories you burn just staying alive can vary by ~15% from person to person. That’s a difference of 200–300 calories per day.

  • Poor Sleep: Research shows that sleep deprivation reduces changes how your body uses energy. In one randomized controlled trial, people who slept one hour less per night lost less fat even when calories were controlled. [Wang et al., 2018]

  • Hormonal Factors: In women, certain phases of the menstrual cycle can raise or lower daily energy expenditure by ~100–150 calories.

This is why calorie calculators should only be viewed as starting points. If the scale doesn’t budge after 2–3 weeks of consistency, adjustments may be needed—sometimes by moving more, sometimes by improving sleep, and not always by eating less.

Alcohol, Wine, and Your Health: More Than Just Calories

Many clients are surprised to learn how alcohol affects not just the waistline but overall health.

Calories and Weight

  • A standard 5-ounce pour of red wine has ~120–125 calories. But larger “at-home pours” often creep up to 8–10 ounces.

  • Alcohol calories are essentially considered “empty”, providing energy without essential nutrients.

  • Alcohol may impair the way your body metabolizes fat.

Impact on Disease Risk

While moderate wine consumption has been associated with some potential cardiovascular benefits in observational studies, the overall evidence is mixed.

  • Cancer: Alcohol, whether wine, beer, or spirits, is a known carcinogen and can increase the risk of certain cancers, including breast, liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. [World Health Organization, 2023]

Drinking or not drinking is not just about “healthy vs. unhealthy”. Guidelines for drinking don’t tell us who you are or what effects alcohol has on you. How much you choose to drink depends on what your goals are, how it impacts your life, physical health, and more.

Making Adjustments That Work

If your weight loss isn’t moving in the right direction, don’t assume you’ve failed. Weight loss is complex, and changing the scale is not easy. Instead:

  • Audit your calories: Look for “hidden” extras like oils, snacks, or liberal beverage pours.

  • Check your lifestyle: Quality sleep, ongoing stress, and hormones matter as much as food intake.

  • Consider professional guidance: Nutrition coaching can help you identify the real roadblocks and find practical solutions.

How BabyFace LLC Supports You

At BabyFace LLC in North Scottsdale, we help clients overcome frustrating weight loss plateaus by:

  • Clarifying portion sizes and hidden calorie sources

  • Offering personalized nutrition and lifestyle coaching

  • Supporting realistic, sustainable changes that go beyond quick fixes

You don’t have to figure it out alone; we’re here to help.

References

  • Wang X, et al. “Influence of sleep restriction on weight loss outcomes in overweight or obese adults: randomized trial.” Sleep. 2018;41(5):zsy027. PubMed

  • Lombardo M, et al. “Health Effects of Red Wine Consumption: A Narrative Review.” PMC. 2023. PMC

  • Cordain L, et al. “Influence of moderate daily wine consumption…” J Am Coll Nutr. 1997;16(2):134-9. PubMed

  • World Health Organization. “Alcohol.” Fact Sheet, 2023. WHO

Babyface LLCHealth, Calories, Alcohol