If you’re trying to lose weight, few things are more frustrating than stepping on the weighing scale only to find the number hasn’t changed despite eating healthy and exercising regularly. It can leave you feeling disappointed, confused and ready to give up. But sometimes, the problem isn’t your diet or workout plan – it’s the small, everyday habits that quietly add extra calories, disrupt your routine and make staying in a calorie deficit much harder than you realise.
Chennai-based fitness coach Raj Ganpath, who has over 18 years of experience and is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy, has shared seven everyday habits that may be causing you to gain weight without realising it and quietly sabotaging your weight loss progress. In an Instagram video shared on July 13, the fitness coach states, “These seven behaviors are making you gain weight or at the very least stopping you from losing weight and you have to address them.”
Overeating at night
According to Raj, many people begin the day with a nutritious breakfast and make mindful food choices through lunch and the afternoon, only to let their guard down once the workday ends. This pattern of overeating at night can easily lead to excess calorie intake and, over time, contribute to weight gain. He explains, “Number one, eating very well and very less from morning till evening, and then letting loose, overeating or even junking out at night.”
Doomscrolling before sleep
Every night, the same pattern plays out for many people. After a long, exhausting day, your body may be tired, but your mind is still racing. Instead of winding down, you find yourself scrolling endlessly on your phone until sleep finally takes over. Raj highlights, “Number two, working hard all day, not being able to shut off your brain at night and then doom scrolling so you can just pass out.”
Staying up late
Staying up late disrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythm, interfering with essential processes such as sleep, digestion and hormone regulation. As a result, you may wake up feeling tired, sluggish and unmotivated, making it harder to exercise, make healthy food choices and stay consistent with your fitness goals. The fitness states, “Number three, staying up late into the night for whatever reason and then waking up feeling tired, exhausted, and demotivated.”
Cutting carbs, then eating sugar
For many people trying to lose weight, cutting out carbohydrates is the first strategy they adopt. But after finishing a meal, that familiar craving for something sweet often kicks in, leading to a dessert or sugary snack that can easily undo the calorie deficit they were trying to create. Raj points out, “Number four, cutting out carbs from your meals because you believe carbs would make you fat and then eating sugar at the end of the meal because you don’t feel satisfied.”
Overdoing workouts
Over-exercising can be just as counterproductive as not exercising at all. Raj explains that pushing yourself too hard for a few days or even a week can lead to excessive soreness, fatigue or injuries, making it difficult to stay active and forcing you to take extended breaks from your workouts. He stresses, “Number five, working out really hard and pushing yourself and overdoing it for one day or a week and then suffering from soreness, exhaustion, tiredness, or even injuries for many days or weeks after that.”
Eating too less
According to the fitness coach, many people practising intermittent fasting skip breakfast and eat very little at lunch in an effort to create a calorie deficit. However, this can leave them feeling excessively hungry by the evening, increasing the likelihood of overeating at dinner and making it harder to stay within their calorie goals. Raj explains, “Number six, eating very little or nothing at all for breakfast in the name of intermittent fasting. Eating a small lunch, trying to create a calorie deficit and then getting extremely hungry and overeating during dinner.”
Letting loose on weekends
Fitness is built on consistency, not perfection. Raj points out that many people stay disciplined with their workouts and eating habits from Monday to Friday, only to let those routines slip once the weekend arrives. This cycle of being consistent during the week and overindulging on weekends can slow progress towards their fitness goals. He highlights, “Number seven, being disciplined all week from Monday to Friday afternoon and then letting loose from Friday afternoon to Sunday only to start the cycle all over again on Monday.”
Raj explains that these are common behaviours many people fall into without realising their impact. While each habit may seem harmless on its own, together they can make weight loss much more difficult by increasing calorie intake, reducing physical activity and ultimately making the calorie deficit needed to lose weight less effective.
He concludes, “A diet is not going to fix this. Lifestyle changes are what you need. These behaviours are what you need to address. And if you can do that, I guarantee you, you will start losing weight, improving your health, and you will continue doing that for a long time to come.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Raj Ganpath is a Chennai-based fitness and nutrition coach, entrepreneur and mentor with over 18 years of experience. He is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and the author of Simple, Not Easy. Known for simplifying complex fitness and nutrition concepts, Raj helps people build practical, sustainable habits that support long-term health and weight loss.
