7 Reasons Why You Aren't Losing Weight:
When you workout, you’re fighting your body’s ‘current state’.
As you lose weight, your body tends to ‘fight back’.
There are a handful of reasons you might be experiencing a weight loss plateau, and we’ll cover the BIG 7 here.
But before we jump into the 7 reasons why you aren’t losing weight…let’s make sure you’re not being too quick to criticize yourself.
You might be losing weight, even if you don’t notice it.
Don’t be too quick to judge yourself if the scale isn’t moving.
It is VERY common for the scale to not move for days, or even weeks at a time. This does not mean that you aren’t making progress.
Body weight tends to fluctuate by a few pounds. This depends on a variety of factors including:
- Foods you are eating
- Amount of water to are drinking
- Any medication you may be taking
- Hormones (especially in women)
It is also possible to gain muscle at the same time as you lose fat, especially if you hit the weights while you diet.
Use something other than the scale to track your progress, such as measuring your waist. Plus, check yourself out in the mirror. It’s common to see yourself looking thinner and your clothes feeling looser while the scale doesn’t move.
Aside from this, here are 7 possible reasons why you aren’t losing weight:
1) You’re not logging your food intake.
Awareness of what you are eating is so important if you are trying to lose weight. Most people have no clue how much food they really eat.
Studies show that keeping track of your diet helps with losing weight. People who use food diaries and take pictures of their food tend to lose weight more than people who do not.
2) You’re eating too many calories.
Many times, people who are struggling with weight loss are just eating too many calories.
And largely…people are unaware that they’re doing it.
Studies consistently show that people commonly underestimate how many calories they eat… by a lot!
If your weight loss has stopped, try weighing your foods and tracking your calories for a month or two.
You can also try a Calorie calculator to figure out how many calories to eat.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to track and weigh all of your food for the rest of your life. Doing this for a month or two will usually be enough to help new eating habits set in.
3) You’re drinking sugar filled drinks.
Sugary drinks are the most fattening things you can eat. Your brain doesn’t account for the calories you drink by making you eat less.
And we don’t mean just sodas. This applies to sports drinks like Vitaminwater and fruit juices, which are loaded with sugar.
4) You’re not drinking enough water.
Water aids weight loss, plain and simple.
In one 12-week study, people who drank 17 ounces of water 30 minutes before eating lost more weight (44%) than those who did not.
Drinking water has also been found to help people burn 24–30% more caleries.
5) You’re not doing cardio.
Cardio or aerobic exercise is defined as an exercise that increases your heart rate.
Cardio is one of THE MOST effective ways to improve your health. It is also very helpful in eliminating disease causing “visceral” fat that builds up around your organs.
6) You’ve been starving yourself.
Dieting for too long can be bad for you.
If you’ve been losing weight for a few months, then suddenly reach a plateau, then perhaps take a break.
Raise your calories, sleep more, and lift some weights. The goal will be to get stronger and build muscle.
Keep your body body fat levels in line for 2 months before you start trying to lose weight again.
7) You’re not sleeping well.
Quality sleep is critical to your physical and mental health…as well as your weight.
Studies show that bad sleep is a large risk factor for being overweight. Adults with poor sleep have a 55% greater risk of becoming obese. Children who sleep poorly have an 89% greater risk of becoming obese.
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[Source: Healthline.com]
