My flatmate was doing everything right. Or so he thought.
He had hired a nutrition coach, was going to the gym regularly, and was 100% committed to losing fat. But the scale refused to budge. He and his coach were stumped. He swore he was sticking to the plan.
Then one day, I was in the kitchen while he made lunch. Out of curiosity, I started logging everything he added into the pan using MyFitnessPal. Chicken breast? Check. Veggies? Check. Rice? All good.
Then came the oil.
It didn’t look like much — maybe a tablespoon — but the second I saw the casual way he added it to the pan, I knew what was going on. That little bit of oil packed 120 calories. And it wasn’t in his plan. He hadn’t been tracking it. Multiply that over multiple meals a day, every day, and there was his calorie deficit—gone.
When I showed him, his face just dropped. “Just that little bit makes such a difference?!”
Yeah - it really does, and it's so easy to overlook.
Fats are calorie-dense — about 9 calories per gram. Oils, nut butters, dressings, and even healthy fats can quietly wreck your calorie deficit if you’re not measuring them.
Fats definitely aren’t bad - you need them for good hormonal health, and you shouldn't eliminate them from your diet. But you’ve got to be aware of much you are consuming.
If you’re trying to lose fat and feel like you’re doing everything right, but still not seeing results — check how much fat you are consuming. These could be in your cooking, or in sauces and dips.
A small adjustment — like measuring your oil, using non-stick spray, or just being more intentional — can make a big difference.
And if you’re struggling despite your best efforts, it’s not because you’re lazy. Sometimes it’s just a tiny thing you’re missing.
And that can be fixed.