7 Common Fat Loss Mistakes That Keep You From Results
Discover 7 common fat loss mistakes that stall progress. Learn how calorie deficit tracking and smarter strategies can finally deliver lasting results on this episode of Get Sculpted.
Think you’re doing everything right, but still not seeing results? You’re not alone.
This episode is all about the 7 common fat loss mistakes that even the most motivated women fall into, and why working harder isn’t the answer. If you’ve been tracking your food, lifting weights, or eating “clean” and still feel stuck, chances are the issue isn’t your effort. It’s your strategy.
Because here’s the truth: fat loss doesn’t reward effort, it rewards alignment. And when you’re unknowingly sabotaging your deficit, lifting without intensity, or relying on willpower alone, you’ll stay stuck on the hamster wheel of frustration.
In this conversation, we’re breaking down the hidden mistakes that stall progress, and how to fix them with honesty, data, and smarter strategies that actually move the needle.
Here’s what we cover:
Why calorie deficit tracking (done consistently) is the non-negotiable for fat loss
How “eating clean” can still stall results if you’re not measuring quantity
The difference between working out and training with intensity
How self-sabotage and quick-fix thinking pull you out of alignment
Why sustainable fat loss comes from strategy, not hustle
Client stories and lightbulb moments that prove lasting results are possible
This isn’t about restriction or punishment. It’s about doing less of the wrong things and more of the right things—consistently and honestly. Remember, you’re not alone. The frustration you’re feeling just means you haven’t found what works for you yet.
This episode is packed with powerful ah-ha moments, practical strategies, and the refreshing, no-nonsense encouragement you need to get unstuck. Your results don’t come from pushing harder but from putting your effort in the right places.
You don’t get results for trying hard—you get results from doing the right things consistently.
-Coach Tijana
So if you’ve been saying, “I’m doing everything right, but nothing’s working,” this episode will help you uncover what’s really holding you back, and how to finally move forward with confidence.
Now it’s your turn: Where do you get stuck most often, tracking, consistency, mindset, or something else entirely? What’s one honesty check you can commit to THIS week? Send us your thoughts, tag us @getsculpted.ca in your progress posts, or leave a review. We’re cheering you on every step of the way!
Connect with Get Sculpted
Thanks for joining us on this episode of Get Sculpted! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple or Spotify to help us reach even more women ready to cut through the noise and get the real deal on fat loss, muscle building, and what it really takes to build their 2.0 sculpted self inside and out.
This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Leah Bryant Co.
More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast designed for women ready to transform their bodies and level up their lives with science-based strategies and actionable advice.
We dive into the essentials of fat loss, muscle building, and metabolism optimization by helping you work smarter, not harder.
This isn’t about quick fixes or fad diets; it’s about creating sustainable habits and stacking wins. We’ll help you fuel your body, strengthen your mindset, and build your 2.0 sculpted self from the inside out.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana. We have over 20 years of collective experience in the training, nutrition, and body transformation business, with over 1000 transformations and counting.
Ready to get stronger, more empowered, and embrace a healthier, more resilient you? Join us every week and start sculpting the life you deserve!
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
The Frustration of Stalled Progress
Marilynn [00:00:00]: Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Get Sculpted podcast. We are very glad you're here joining us today, because we're going to be chatting about, I think, one of the most frustrating things that a woman can experience on a fitness journey, and that is feeling like you're working your butt off and still not seeing the results that you want. Because right now, you might be listening, thinking, I eat clean. I don't even eat sugar. I've cut that out. I work out seven days a week. So you feel like you're doing all the things, but then you go to put your clothes on and they still don't fit. You feel bloated, you feel uncomfortable, and then you step on the scale and it just has not budged.Marilynn [00:00:36]: So I think it's important to tell you that you're not lazy and you are probably doing a lot of great things. But today we want to call out what's actually going on underneath that I'm trying so hard mindset. Because effort alone, it's just not enough, I hate to tell you. And it's not a bad thing, because, as we always say, it doesn't mean you have to work harder. It just means you have to work smarter. So today, we're gonna take that frustrated feeling that you've got. I'm doing all the right things, and we're gonna flip it into something more empowering, which is, I haven't found the right thing yet, but I know it's out there and I absolutely know it's possible for me. So if you're listening today and you feel stuck, frustrated, like you're maybe one change away from making that momentum that you know that you want, this episode is gonna be great for you because we're gonna get super honest, as we always do, about what is holding you back so you can finally move forward.
Marilynn [00:01:26]: So, ladies, are you ready to get into this with me?
Jordanna [00:01:28]: Woo. I'm so excited.
Tijana [00:01:30]: Yeah, baby.
Marilynn [00:01:30]: Okay, let's do it…
Why Hard Work Isn’t Always Enough
Marilynn [00:01:30]: ...So I wanna stress this again, because a lot of women think that when they're not making the changes that they want, that they're failing, right? We're very much doers. We wanna do everything at a hundred percent, so we get really down on ourselves. It's not that you don't care enough, right? It's not that you are lazy, broken, none of those things. You're not making progress because, to be honest, it's a little bit of misinformation, and you are actually a little bit misaligned with what you and your body needs right now. So, like I said, for a lot of women, you're doing all the things, but it's just not the right things for your body or the season of life you're in or those goals. And that's why it's not about more hustle or working harder. It is about better strategy and honest tracking, because Data is the queen here, and we'll talk about that in this episode.Marilynn [00:02:17]: But if effort alone was all it takes, then we would never fault any woman, because we'd all be walking around looking, feeling lean, sculpted, strong. But if you are putting in effort and there's no alignment, then it's like you're a hamster on a wheel, really is what it is. You're just running and getting nowhere…
Common Hidden Mistakes Sabotaging Progress
Marilynn [00:02:17]: ...So, T, I'd love to actually pass it on to you to kind of kick us off here. Let's start talking about the hidden mistakes that women are making. Because truthfully, I think a lot of women don't even realize that they're doing.Tijana [00:02:43]: These things a hundred percent. I love this topic because I hear these all the time. And the thing is, you don't know what you don't know…
[Tijana continues outlining key mistakes including improper tracking, underestimating calorie intake, lack of workout intensity, etc.]
Effort vs. Alignment: The Data Matters
Tijana [00:03:56]: ...And that all adds up. And I've been there. I've told myself, too. I'm like, I guess I'm resistant to a calorie deficit. Um, I don't know about that. Because unless we know you've been in a calorie deficit, we can't say you've been resistant to it. And we have to stop attaching emotion to this... [Tough love: focus on numbers, honesty in data, intensity in training.]
Emotional Side: Mindset, Motivation, and Self-Sabotage
Jordanna [00:08:14]: Yes. And I wanna tie it back to something you just said about feeling like you're trying so hard. Because a lot of the women that are trying so hard, it's like this emotional mental effort. And that is what is so exhausting.Tijana [00:08:26]: Right.
[Jordanna and Tijana explore the mental load, motivation, consistency, willpower, and reframing the journey for sustainability.]
The Myth of “Quick Results” vs. Sustainable Change
Jordanna [00:09:16]: Facts over feelings. I love that saying. And so the number one thing I hear when I'm talking to potential clients and just women in my life, they're like, I just want to have a sustainable, healthy way of life and I want it to be something that I can maintain forever. But if you are still stuck in the mindset of I need this to also happen as fast as possible. At the same time, I want to build a sustainable life, but as fast as possible. Can you do that? No…
Self-Sabotage & Breaking Patterns
Jordanna [00:11:12]: Yeah, it doesn't track, doesn't add up. And a lot of women in this self sabotage space, they always default to willpower…[Exploration of emotional barriers, breaking cycles, fear of failure and success.]
Fat Loss Requires a Deficit—And That’s a Skill
Marilynn [00:13:59]: Absolutely. So t actually touched on this A little bit during her little rant there, which I love that you did. I really did feel the passion. But this goes back to that idea that women think they're doing all the right things, but they're still not seeing that progress. And like T touched on, most of the time, it's because you're not in a consistent calorie deficit…[Insights into tracking, underestimating intake, developing skills, intuitive eating vs. tracking.]
Tracking vs. Intuitive Eating: Choosing the Right Tool
Tijana [00:15:57]: I was gonna say that's for maintenance, cuz people say that all the time. People just are dying to jump into it. And I'm like, whoa, girl, you have to earn that because you have to get into a place where there's an outcome based goal…Jordanna [00:16:38]: The goal is actually what should determine what tool you use to get there…
[Discussing when to track, when to eat intuitively, maintenance vs. fat loss, importance of consistency, leveraging the right strategy at the right time.]
Breakthroughs, Client Stories, and Encouragement
Marilynn [00:18:28]: ...I have like many client examples of where this happens because again, it is a skill. The good thing about that is that it can be learned. When I was away this summer, I got a voice note from one of my clients…[Sharing anecdotes of client breakthroughs, the “click” moment, and how progress starts to feel easier.]
Reflection and Honest Assessment
Marilynn [00:21:33]: If you have been saying to yourself that you're doing everything right, you're still not seeing the results you want, then what we encourage you and what we would love for you to do is just take a pause, get really honest with yourself, reflect and look at what you're doing and think about, you know, maybe there's an area or more than one area where your current approach, you know, deep down, isn't consistent…[Call to action: honest self-reflection, stop jumping from plan to plan, commit to a proven process.]
Marilynn [00:22:20]: ...As always, we want to thank you so much for tuning in and spending time with us. We absolutely love having you here and if this conversation hit home for you, we would love it if you share it with a friend who needs to hear it... And be sure to join us next week because we've got, as usual, another powerful and awesome episode coming your way.