Beyond The Scales: I'm Doing Everything Right ...so why isn’t the weight coming off?

Beyond the Scales – Part 14

I'm Doing Everything Right... So Why Isn't the Weight Coming Off?

One of my lovely ladies sent me a message this week that really made me stop and think.

She said:

"I've lost 10lbs in a year, I'm walking over 10,000 steps a day, doing four classes a week, drinking two litres of water and my shoulder strength has improved by 40%... but I thought I'd have lost more weight."

Firstly...

What an achievement.

But do you know what she focused on?

Not the strength she'd gained.

Not the healthier habits she'd built.

Not the consistency she'd maintained.

Not the improvement in her shoulder.

She focused on the fact she'd "only" lost 10lbs.

And I don't think she's alone.

Why do we do this?

Somewhere along the way we've been taught that success is measured by one thing...

The number on the scales.

If it goes down, we're succeeding.

If it doesn't move as quickly as we'd like, we assume we're doing something wrong.

But health isn't that simple.

If you're over 40, things can feel different.

Many women tell me:

"I used to lose weight so easily in my twenties."

And it's true that, as we get older, life often becomes more complicated.

We're juggling work, family, ageing parents, poor sleep, stress and changing hormones.

We might move less without even realising it.

Our appetite and food choices can change.

We naturally lose muscle if we don't actively work to maintain it.

None of this means fat loss is impossible.

But it can mean the journey requires a little more patience than it once did.

Consistency still wins.

Let's be really clear.

A calorie deficit is still required for fat loss.

That hasn't changed.

But there are lots of reasons why progress can be slower or harder to see.

Poor sleep can increase hunger.

Stress can make sticking to healthy habits more difficult.

Not eating enough protein can affect muscle retention.

Weekends can quietly undo the hard work of weekdays.

Small extras we don't notice can add up over time.

That's why it's important to look at the whole picture rather than assuming your body has "stopped working."

Before you give up...

I want you to stop and ask yourself:

Am I stronger?

Am I fitter?

Do I have more energy?

Am I moving more than I was six months ago?

Am I building habits I can actually sustain?

If the answer is yes...

You're making progress.

Maybe not as quickly as you'd hoped.

Maybe not in exactly the way you expected.

But progress is still progress.

Don't let impatience rob you of success.

The women who achieve lasting results aren't usually the women who lose weight the fastest.

They're the women who keep going.

The ones who don't quit after a difficult week.

The ones who learn, adapt and carry on.

The ones who understand that lasting change isn't built in six weeks.

It's built through hundreds of small decisions made consistently over time.

My final thoughts...

Imagine if she'd given up because she'd "only" lost 10lbs.

She wouldn't have become stronger.

She wouldn't have improved her shoulder by 40%.

She wouldn't have built habits that now feel part of her everyday life.

And she certainly wouldn't be in a better place than she was a year ago.

So if you're reading this and feeling frustrated...

Please don't let slow progress convince you that you're making no progress.

Keep showing up.

Keep lifting.

Keep walking.

Keep learning.

Keep believing.

Because one day you'll look back and realise the results you were chasing were being built long before you could fully see them.

Andrea 💜