I Suck at This” — Why Fat Loss Feels So Hard at the Beginning (and Gets Easier)

Mel Duettchen • April 22, 2026

You Don’t Suck at Fat Loss — You’re Just in the “Learning Phase”


If you’ve ever thought:

“I suck at this.”
“I can’t stay consistent.”
“Why is this so hard for me?”


You’re not alone.


In fact, one of my clients said to me this week:

“Ok so I literally sucked at this first one. So definitely need to get my shit together for this second one.”


And I had to stop her right there.

Because no,you don’t suck at fat loss.


You’re just learning.


Every spring here in Montreal, you see the same thing.


The snow melts.
People come out of hibernation.
Motivation is HIGH.

You start walking more.
You want to eat better.
You feel ready to “get back on track.”


And then…

Reality hits.

Tracking your food feels overwhelming.
Hitting your protein feels confusing.
Workouts feel like one more thing on your already full plate.

So you start thinking:

“Maybe this just isn’t for me.”


But here’s the truth most people miss:


👉 Fat loss isn’t hard because it doesn’t work
👉 It’s hard because it’s NEW


Think about when your kids were learning to walk.

They pulled themselves up.
They took a step.
And then… faceplant.

Again. And again. And again.


But not once did you say:
“Wow. You suck at walking.”


You encouraged them.
You expected it to be messy.
You knew it was part of the process.

So why do we treat ourselves differently when it comes to fitness and weight loss?

Right now, everything might feel hard:

  • Meal planning
  • Tracking food
  • Getting workouts in
  • Drinking enough water
  • Even going for a walk

But here’s what happens if you don’t quit:

You get faster at tracking
You stop overthinking your meals
You build routines that fit your life
You start to feel more in control


And eventually?

The things that felt hard… feel normal.

Not because you found a shortcut.

But because you built the skill.


Most women don’t fail at fat loss because they’re lazy or unmotivated.

They fail because they quit too early.


They expect themselves to be good at something they’ve never practiced.


They hit the “messy middle” and assume it means:

“This isn’t working.”

When really, it means:

“This is exactly how it’s supposed to feel.”


If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, here’s what I want you to do:

Forget perfect.

Pick ONE habit:

  • Add protein to your breakfast
  • Go for a 10–15 minute walk daily
  • Track one meal a day

That’s it.


This is how you build consistency.

This is how you make fat loss sustainable.

And this is how hard starts to feel easier


Instead of saying:

“I suck at this”

Try:

“I’m still learning this”


Because you are.

And the women who get results?

They’re not the ones who do everything perfectly.

They’re the ones who stay in it long enough for it to click.


If things feel hard right now, that doesn’t mean you’re failing.


It means you’re in the beginning.

And the beginning is always the hardest part.


But just like those first wobbly steps…

If you keep going, you don’t stay here.

You get stronger.
You get more confident.
You get better.



And one day, you’ll look back and realize:

The thing that once felt impossible…

Is now just part of your life.