Why You’re Not Losing Weight (It’s Not What You Think)

If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a while and not getting the results you expected, it can get frustrating pretty quickly.

You start thinking:

Maybe I’m eating too much
Maybe I need to train harder
Maybe I just don’t have the discipline

But in a lot of cases, it’s not that.

It’s not that you’re lazy or doing nothing.

It’s that you’ve been focusing on the wrong thing.

Most people are told weight loss is all about calories.

Eat less, move more, and the weight will come off.

And while that sounds simple, it doesn’t always work like that in the real world.

Because your body isn’t just counting calories.

It’s responding to hormones.

And one of the most important of those hormones is insulin .

Watch this video by Dr Ben Bikman author of Why We Get Sick

Let’s Keep This Simple: What Insulin Actually Does

You don’t need a science background to understand this.

Just think of insulin like a switch.

When insulin is high:
Your body is in storage mode

When insulin is low:
Your body is in fat-burning mode

That’s the easiest way to look at it.

Now here’s the important part.

As explained in the transcript, fat cells don’t actually grow unless insulin is present—even if there are plenty of calories around .

That means calories alone aren’t the full story.

You could have energy available, but without insulin, your body doesn’t store it the same way.

Why Some People Struggle (Even When They’re Trying)

This is where things start to make more sense.

You’ve probably seen people:

Eating less
Doing more cardio
Trying really hard

And still not losing weight.

That’s usually because insulin is staying elevated too often.

When that happens:

Your body holds onto fat
It doesn’t easily access stored energy
Progress slows down

So it’s not just about effort.

It’s about what’s happening internally.

The Real Issue: We Eat All Day

If you look at how most people eat now, it’s very different to how it used to be.

It’s not just:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

It’s:

Snacks in between
Something while watching TV
A coffee with something on the side
A bit of this, a bit of that

All of that adds up.

And every time you eat, insulin rises.

So instead of going up and down during the day…

It stays elevated most of the time

And when insulin stays high, your body stays in storage mode.

This Is Where Fasting Helps

Now fasting can sound a bit extreme when people first hear it, but it’s really not.

All it means is:

You give your body a break from eating

When you’re not eating:

Insulin drops
Your body starts using stored energy

That’s the shift.

Instead of constantly putting energy in…

You give your body time to use what’s already there

The Morning Is Where Most People Get It Wrong

This is something that surprised me when I first came across it.

Most people think:

“Wake up → eat breakfast straight away”

But your body doesn’t always work best like that.

In the early morning, your body naturally releases cortisol.

This is part of your internal clock—it helps wake you up and get you moving.

But it also:

Raises blood sugar
Affects insulin

Which means your body can be a bit more insulin resistant in the morning .

What that means in real life

If you wake up and immediately eat something like:

Toast
Cereal
Something sugary

You’re stacking:

High blood sugar
High insulin

Right at the start of the day.

And that can make it easier for your body to store fat instead of using energy.

A Better Way to Start the Day

You don’t need to do anything extreme here.

Just don’t rush.

Instead of waking up and going straight to food, try:

Getting up and moving around
Going for a walk
Starting your day

Let your body wake up properly.

You’ll often find:
You’re not actually that hungry straight away

Rethinking Breakfast (This Is a Big One)

If you do eat breakfast, just think about what you’re eating.

A lot of “normal” breakfasts now are basically desserts.

Sugary cereal
Toast with jam
Pastries

They spike insulin quickly.

A better approach is simple:

Keep it balanced
Focus on protein and whole foods

Or even:
Delay it slightly if you’re not hungry

Sleep and Stress Play a Bigger Role Than You Think

This is something people often overlook.

If you’re not sleeping well, your body treats that as stress.

That raises cortisol.

And as mentioned in the transcript, higher cortisol can:

Increase appetite
Increase cravings (especially for carbs)
Make it harder to stay on track

So if you’re:

Tired
Stressed
Running on low sleep

It’s not just in your head.

Your body is working against you a bit.

Even Coffee Can Have an Effect

This one catches people off guard.

Coffee itself isn’t the problem.

But when you combine it with:

Sugar
Carbs

It can increase the insulin response.

Especially first thing in the morning when your body is already in that elevated state.

You don’t need to cut it out.

Just be aware of how you’re using it.

Keep This Practical (This Is What Actually Works)

You don’t need to overcomplicate this.

You don’t need a strict plan or perfect timing.

Start with a few simple changes:

Stop eating constantly throughout the day
Give your body a break between meals
Don’t rush straight into a sugary breakfast
Focus on whole foods
Get enough sleep

That’s it.

You don’t need more than that to start seeing a difference.

How This Fits With What You’re Already Doing

This works perfectly alongside your current approach.

You’ve already got:

A simple workout structure
A focus on consistency
A practical way of eating

This just adds another layer:

Understanding how your body responds to food timing

Your Training Still Matters

Strength training is still one of the best things you can do.

It helps:

Maintain muscle
Support metabolism
Improve overall health

Your 3-day, 30-minute routine fits perfectly here.

Short, focused, and effective.

The Big Takeaway (Keep This in Mind)

If there’s one thing to remember, it’s this:

It’s not just about how much you eat
It’s about what your body is doing with it

And insulin plays a big role in that.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to make this complicated.

You don’t need extreme diets or long workouts.

What works is:

Simple nutrition
Better timing
Consistency

Once you understand what’s going on, things start to make more sense.

And when things make sense, they’re much easier to stick to.