Ello,
You do not lose body fat by eating “healthy”.
You lose body fat by being in a calorie deficit.
Full stop.
Healthy food can absolutely make you gain weight.
🥕🫑🍎 You can eat the freshest, most colourful, Whole Foods, wellness-guru-approved diet on the planet… and still gain weight if you’re eating more energy than you’re using.
That’s not controversial.
That’s just how the human body works 🤷♂
Here’s some of the scran I’ve had recently as proof that you don’t have to live off chicken rice and veg every day.
Where People Go Wrong
Most people don’t overeat because they’re smashing chocolate and takeaways all day.
They overeat because they’re over-consuming foods they’ve mentally labelled as safe.
Things like:
Smoothies rammed with yoghurt, peanut butter, honey and oats
Granola that’s basically toasted sugar and oil
Avocados (healthy fats ≠ low calorie)
Nuts, nut butters, seeds — tiny volume, massive calories
“Protein” bars that are just dressed-up chocolate
None of these are bad foods.
But they are easy as fuck to overeat.
And when people eat them, they stop paying attention because: “Well, it’s healthy…”
Calories don’t stop counting because the food came from Waitrose 😬
Why “Healthy Eating” Feels Like It Should Work
Healthy food usually:
keeps you fuller
improves digestion
supports training
helps adherence
Which is why it’s useful.
In theory, if you are prioritising whole foods and vegetables in your diet, then you should feel fuller for longer, and be less likely to reach for chocolate, crisps, or whatever your snack of choice is when you’re hungry.
But it’s not magic.
Healthy ≠ Low Calorie
“Healthy” usually means:
nutrient-dense
minimally processed
good for your health markers
All great things 🙌
It does not mean:
low calorie
weight-loss friendly
impossible to overeat
If calorie intake > output
→ weight goes up.
If calorie intake < output
→ weight comes down.
It’s just basic maths.
But the GOOD news is…
that you don’t have to restrict yourself from eating all the foods you enjoy.
No specific food type or source is responsible for making you gain weight.
If your goal is fat loss, as long as you are in a deficit, you will lose body weight 🙌
Cheers,
Sheep 🐏
P.S. If your goal is to drop fat for summer and you’re sick of guessing whether you’re doing it right, or not seeing the progress you want, now’s the time to get started with coaching. If you start now, you have PLENTY of time to achieve your summer goals WITHOUT starving yourself or doing endless cardio each week.
Get in touch to book a free consultation call, and we’ll get a plan sorted for you. And if you decide it’s not for you after our call, there’s no strings attached.