If you are counting calories, eating clean, and still not seeing any change on the weighing scale, you are not alone. According to a fitness coach, the problem is often not due to a lack of effort, but
because of hidden calories from foods that are commonly considered “healthy.”
Lifestyle, fitness and health coach Claire Hurwitt recently shared insights on Instagram, explaining how certain everyday foods can quietly push people out of a calorie deficit. Her message is simple: fat loss is about maths, not food labels.
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The founder of Fulfilled Health & Fitness explains that weight loss happens only when you eat fewer calories than your body needs. A calorie surplus leads to weight gain, while eating at maintenance keeps weight stable. “There is no good or bad food,” she says. “There is such a thing as food that quietly pushes you into a calorie surplus without you realising it.”
7 Sneaky Foods That May Slow Your Fat Loss:
- Nut butters: Peanut butter and almond butter are healthy but very calorie-dense. What starts as one spoon often turns into several.
- Olive oil and cooking sprays: Even small amounts used in cooking add calories quickly, especially when not measured.
- Granola: Often marketed as a healthy breakfast option, granola is packed with calories due to added sugar and fats.
- Trail mix: A small handful of nuts and seeds can contain hundreds of calories, making it easy to overeat.
- Protein bars: Many protein bars are high in sugar and fats and can be similar to candy bars in terms of calories.
- Smoothies: Drinking calories is easier than eating them. Smoothies can contain fruit, nut butters, milk, and seeds, all of which add up fast.
- Coffee add-ins: Creamers, syrups, and flavoured foam can turn a zero-calorie coffee into a high-calorie beverage.
Claire stresses that these foods do not need to be avoided. Instead, they should be accounted for. “Fat loss doesn’t need perfection,” she explains. “It needs awareness.”
If the scale isn’t moving despite your efforts, checking portion sizes and hidden calories may be the missing link.
