Why You’re Not Losing Weight: Fitness Myths Debunked with Lyle McDonald’s No-Nonsense Truth Bombs
March 6, 2024
If you've ever stood on the scale, scratched your head, and muttered, “Why am I not losing weight?!”, you're not alone—and you might be falling for one of the many fitness myths out there. In this hilarious and eye-opening episode of Nacho Fitness Coach, Sara and Caleigh dive deep into a viral Instagram post by body recomposition expert Lyle McDonald, unpacking the top reasons people aren't shedding pounds—and what’s actually going on instead.
Spoiler: It’s probably not your insulin.
🥼 Who’s Lyle McDonald?
Lyle McDonald is a bit of a cult legend in the fitness science space—part researcher, part social media ranter, and fully committed to calling out BS in the weight loss world. He specializes in body recomposition (translation: losing fat while gaining or maintaining muscle), and he’s not afraid to ruffle feathers while doing it.
In late 2023, Lyle posted a viral breakdown titled: “Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight,” featuring two columns—Myths vs. Realities. Sara, the expert, and Caleigh, the everywoman fitness newbie, unpacked the post and had a few laughs (and a few eye-rolls) along the way.
🔥 8 Weight Loss Myths Lyle McDonald Wants You to Ditch
- Myth: You’re not losing weight because your insulin is too high
Reality: You’re underestimating your food intake.
→ Most of us aren’t great at tracking our portions—even with “healthy” foods. - Myth: Eating carbs is the problem
Reality: Your diet is too restrictive, causing you to binge.
→ Cutting entire food groups can backfire big time. - Myth: You’re not eating “clean” enough
Reality: A rigid eating mindset may be doing more harm than good.
→ Obsessing over purity isn’t the same as making sustainable choices. - Myth: Starvation mode or metabolic damage is stopping weight loss
Reality: It might just be short-term water retention.
→ The scale isn’t always telling the whole story. - Myth: Your metabolism is just too slow (or you have thyroid issues)
Reality: This may apply to a few, but it’s not the norm.
→ Most people just need to move more and eat less (consistently). - Myth: You’re following the wrong “magic” diet
Reality: Your mindset around eating might need the real reset.
→ There’s no single “perfect” diet—what matters is what works long-term. - Myth: You’re genetically doomed
Reality: Your habits still matter.
→ Your choices shape your results more than your DNA does. - Myth: Confusing, misleading advice from fitness professionals
Reality: The industry is filled with noise. You deserve better info.
→ If someone says “do your own research,” make sure they’re also educating, not gatekeeping.
Caleigh may not love Lyle’s tone (he’s a little intense), but both she and Sara agreed that his message is mostly spot on. He’s a research-based realist who’s trying to cut through the social media fluff with a little fire and sarcasm.
🧠 Between Sets? Do This Instead:
Lyle also dropped gold in a lesser-known post: “Five Things to Do Between Sets Instead of Scrolling.” His suggestions?
- Analyze your last set and ask how you can improve
- Think about your technique
- Check in: Are you really training as hard as you think?
- Flex the muscle you’re targeting to improve mind-muscle connection
- If you must use your phone, make it useful: track your sets or record form
✅ Key Takeaways from the Episode
- Body recomposition—not just weight loss—is often the real goal.
- Many people sabotage their own progress by obsessing over diets, cutting too many calories, or blaming things like insulin or metabolism.
- Fitness info online can be misleading or overly complicated—find sources you trust.
- Between-set scrolling is killing your focus. Be present in your workout!
🔎 Final Thought
Weight loss isn’t magic—it’s methodical. And sometimes the truth is less sexy than a trending diet. But with a little honesty, a dash of humor, and a solid plan, you can ditch the myths and make real progress.
Ready to work with Nacho Fitness Coach?
Let's connect! We’re here to help.
Send us a message and we’ll be in touch.
Or give us a call today at 913-788-6511
Agency Contact Form
More Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools
What supplements should you actually take? In this fun episode of Nacho Fitness Coach, we unpack caffeine, collagen, creatine, probiotics, and whether melatonin is a sleep hack or just hype.
Muscle Milk vs. whey protein isolate—what’s the difference? We break down ingredients, benefits, and who should use which in this funny yet practical episode of Nacho Fitness Coach.
If you’ve ever bought a $50 tub of “miracle” greens powder, fallen for the latest detox tea, or wondered whether pink-labeled supplements for women are actually different (spoiler: they’re not), you’re not alone. In this episode of Nacho Fitness Coach, Caleigh (the self-proclaimed beginner who thinks Bulgarian split squats should be classified as cruel and unusual punishment) and Sara (the coach who actually knows what she’s doing) dive headfirst into the wild world of fitness scams —with plenty of laughs, tangents, and questionable jokes along the way. 🚨 Why Fitness Scams Are Everywhere The fitness industry is worth billions, which means there’s always someone ready to sell you a “shortcut.” Whether it’s a supplement that promises to torch fat, a crash diet that guarantees results in 30 days, or Instagram workouts that magically target belly fat, scams thrive because people want fast fixes. The reality? Sustainable health comes from the boring stuff : consistent movement, balanced nutrition, sleep, and stress management. But that doesn’t sell as well as “drop 30 pounds in 30 days.” 🤯 Popular Fitness Scams They Call Out Here are just a few of the fads and gimmicks discussed in the episode: Body Positivity (when twisted into an excuse) – Loving yourself is great, but ignoring your health isn’t. Raw Milk – Romanticized online, but not a magic bullet for health. Athletic Greens (AG1) – Expensive powders that are basically just multivitamins in smoothie form. Electrolyte Powders – Some (like Liquid IV or LMNT) are useful, but don’t believe the “double hydration” marketing hype. “For Women” Supplements – Same formula, pink label, higher price. Colostrum & Collagen Powders – Marketed as miracle youth potions. Spoiler: your regular protein powder works just fine. Probiotics – Helpful after antibiotics, but not the cure-all they’re marketed to be. Detox Teas & Cleanses – Your liver and kidneys already handle that job for free. Keto Desserts – Sorry, Jessica. That keto cupcake is still just a cupcake. 12-3-30 Workouts – Good exercise, but it’s not a “fat-burning secret.” Crash Diets (HCG, blood type diets, etc.) – Fast weight loss? Yes. Sustainable? Nope. And of course… everyone’s favorite scammy influencer, V Shred . 💡 The Bigger Problem: Normalized Fitness Lies The scariest part? Some scams are so normalized, we don’t even question them anymore. Marketing convinces us that we’re broken and need expensive fixes—when the truth is that health isn’t about extremes. What actually works: Consistency > hacks Real food > powders Movement you enjoy > gimmicky workouts Patience > promises of “30 pounds in 30 days” 🎧 Why You’ll Love This Episode Yes, you’ll learn how to spot scams. But you’ll also laugh (a lot). From butt-joke tangents to middle-schoolers discovering their teacher has a podcast, Caleigh and Sara remind us that fitness doesn’t have to be intimidating—or boring. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a detox tea commercial or wondered if collagen peptides are just expensive marketing, this one’s for you. ✅ Key Takeaway Don’t waste money chasing the latest fitness trend. Stick to the basics: move your body, eat balanced meals, get sleep, and stay consistent. Everything else is just expensive hype.
Can your personality type help you stick to a workout routine? Absolutely. In this funny and insightful episode, Nacho Fitness Coach explores how brain wiring, temperament, and self-awareness can transform your fitness—and your life.
Discover PJ Glassey’s revolutionary 21-minute workout method that’s redefining fitness. Learn about tower running, time-efficient training, and how neuroscience, mindset, and movement come together at X Gym.
Think lifting makes you bulky? Still counting detox teas as nutrition? Think again. We’re debunking 10 of the biggest fitness myths the wellness world won’t stop pushing—and giving you real talk on macros, muscle, and mindset.
Discover how parenting, ADHD, and a pickle-shaped dumbbell led to strength training chaos in this fun episode with Dillbell creator Caleigh.
Exposing the rise of fake weights on TikTok and Instagram. Learn how prop dumbbells are misleading viewers and hurting real fitness progress.
Join the Nacho Fitness Coach podcast for a hilarious "Would You Rather" bonus episode! From burpees vs. running to baby pigeon conspiracies and teleportation shoes, it's the weirdest, funniest fitness chat you'll hear all week.
Coach Kirsten Schulte shares 30+ years of elite athlete training, efficient 30-min workouts for busy people, and insider tips for realistic fitness goals when time’s tight.