When you lose weight, your body fights back.
You may be able to lose quite a lot of weight at first, without much effort. However, weight loss may slow down or stop altogether after a while.
This article lists 20 common reasons why you’re not losing weight. It also contains actionable tips on how to break through the plateau and get things moving again.
1. Maybe you are losing without realising it
A weight loss plateau may be explained by muscle gain, undigested food, and fluctuations in body water. If the scale doesn’t budge, you might still be losing fat.
If you think you are experiencing a weight loss plateau, you shouldn’t fret just yet. It is incredibly common for the scale not to budge for a few days (or weeks) at a time. This does not mean that you are not losing fat. Body weight tends to fluctuate by a few pounds. It depends on the foods you are eating, and hormones can also have a major effect on how much water your body retains (especially in women). Also, it is possible to gain muscle at the same time as you lose fat. This is particularly common if you recently started exercising. This is a good thing, as what you really want to lose is body fat, not just weight.
It is a good idea to use something other than the scale to gauge your progress. For example, measure your waist circumference once per month.
Also, how well your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror can be very telling.
2. You’re not keeping track of what you’re eating
Keeping a food diary can be helpful when you are trying to lose weight.
Awareness is incredibly important if you are trying to lose weight. Many people don’t have a clue how much they’re really eating. Studies show that keeping track of your food intake helps with weight loss. People who use food diaries or photograph their meals consistently lose more weight than people who don’t. At the same time, there is a potential downside to food tracking, especially when it’s used for the purpose of weight loss. For people with eating disorders, calorie counting and food tracking has been shown to aggravate potentially harmful side effects. However I find with my patinets that if we use the toll as an observation as to when you easily nourish your body and when you dont or as an education tool nurishment monitoring can work well…it depends on the person
3. You’re not eating enough protein
Low protein intake may bring your weight loss efforts to a standstill. Make sure to eat plenty of protein-rich foods.
Protein is an important nutrient for losing weight. Eating protein at about 25 to 30% of calories can boost metabolism by 80–100 calories per day and make you automatically eat several hundred fewer calories per day. It can also drastically reduce cravings and desire for snacking. This is partly because of protein’s effects on appetite-regulating hormones, such as ghrelin.
Studies show that those who eat a high protein brekkie are less hungry and have fewer cravings throughout the day. A high protein intake also helps prevent metabolic slowdown, a common side effect of losing weight. Additionally, it helps prevent weight regain.
4. You’re eating too many calories
If your weight loss seems to have come to a standstill, it’s possible you may be consuming too many calories. People frequently overestimate their calorie intake.
Many people who have trouble losing weight are simply eating too many calories. You may think that this does not apply to you, but keep in mind that studies consistently show that people tend to underestimate their calorie intake by a significant amount. If you are not losing weight, you should try weighing your foods and tracking your calories for a while. Tracking is also important if you’re trying to reach a certain nutrient goal, such as getting 30% of your calories from protein. This can be impossible to achieve if you’re not tracking things properly. It is generally not necessary to count calories and weigh everything for the rest of your life. Instead, try out these techniques for a few days every few months to get a feel for how much you’re eating.
Here are some helpful resources:
Calorie calculator. Use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories to eat.
Calorie counters. This is a list of five free websites and apps that can help you keep track of your calorie and nutrient intake.
5. You’re not eating whole foods
Make sure to base your diet on whole foods. Eating too much processed food could negatively affect your weight loss success.
Food quality is just as important as quantity. Eating wholefoods can improve your well-being and help regulate your appetite. These foods tend to be much more filling than their highly processed counterparts. Keep in mind that many processed foods labeled as “health foods” arent really healthy. Be sure to read the ingredients on the package and watch out for foods containing extra carbs or hidden sugars (honey, coconut sugar…). And dont eat smoothies as the sole content of a meal.
6. You’re not lifting weights
Strength training is an effective way to lose fat. It prevents the loss of muscle mass often associated with weight loss and helps maintain long-term fat loss.
One of the most important things you can do when losing weight is to do some form of resistance training, such as lifting weights. This can help you maintain muscle mass, which is often burned along with body fat if you are not exercising. Lifting weights can also help prevent metabolics slowdown and ensure that your body stays toned and muscular.
7. You’re binge eating
If you frequently binge on food, it may be the reason why your weight loss journey seems to be at a standstill.
Binge eating involves rapidly eating large amounts of food, often much more than your body needs.
This can be a significant problem for many people trying to lose weight. Some may binge on highly processed foods, while others binge on relatively healthy foods, including nuts, nut butters, dark chocolate, cheese, etc. Even if something is deemed “healthy,” its calories still count.
8. You’re not doing cardio
Try to do cardio regularly. It helps you burn fat, especially around your midsection. Lack of exercise could be one reason for a weight loss plateau.
Cardiovascular exercise, also known as cardio or aerobic exercise, is any type of exercise that increases your heart rate. It includes activities such as jogging, cycling, and swimming. It is one of the most effective ways to improve your health. It is also very effective at burning belly fat the harmful visceral fat that builds up around your organs and causes disease
9. Your hormones are out of whack
Get your hormones and other underlying health issues that effect metabolism. See https://sheenahendonhealth.co.nz/new-you-health-programme/
Endocrine disorders – thyroid or adrenal or hormonal imbalance issues from oestrogen excess, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids or even if you suffer from PMS can slow down your metabolism, have you hold fluid or even cause gut function issues issues
10. You’re not sleeping well
Lack of quality sleep is a strong risk factor for obesity. It could also hinder weight loss progress.
Good sleep is one of the most important factors for your physical and mental health as well as your weight.
Studies show that poor sleep is one of the single biggest risk factors for obesity. Adults and children with poor sleep have a 55% and 89% greater risk, respectively, for developing obesity
11. You’re not cutting back on carbohydrates
If you are unable to lose weight, consider trying a low carb diet. Many studies show that a low carb diet can be an effective weight loss strategy.
If you have a higher amount of weight to lose and/or you have a metabolic condition such as type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, you may want to consider a low carb (NOT NO CARB) diet.
Finding a sustainable meal plan that you can enjoy long term is key. Low carb diets have many positives beyond just weight loss. They can also lead to improvements in many metabolic markers, such as triglycerides, HDL (good) cholesterol, and blood sugar, to name a few
12. You’re eating too often
Eating too often may result in excessive calorie intake, and poor nutrient intake which curbs your weight loss efforts.
It is a myth that everyone should be eating many small meals each day to boost metabolism and lose weight.
Studies actually show that meal frequency has little or no effect on fat burning or weight loss It is also ridiculously inconvenient to be preparing and eating food all day, as it makes healthy nutrition much more complicated.
13. You’re not drinking water
Drinking water can benefit weight loss.
In one 12-week weight loss study, people who drank half a litre of water 30 minutes before meals lost 44% more weight than those who did not
Drinking water has also been shown to boost the number of calories burned by 24–30% over a period of 1.5 hours
14. You’re drinking too much alcohol
Alcoholic beverages are generally high in calories. If you choose to drink alcohol, spirits mixed with zero-calorie beverages are probably the best options when you are trying to lose weight.
If you like alcohol but want to lose weight, it may be best to stick to spirits (like vodka) mixed with a zero-calorie beverage. Beer, wine, and sugary alcoholic beverages are very high in calories.
Also keep in mind that the alcohol itself has about 7 calories per gram, which is high.
15. You’re not eating mindfully
Always eat mindfully when trying to lose weight. Mindless eating is one of the main reasons people experience challenges to losing weight.
A technique called mindful eating (which we teach at Sheena hendon health) may be one of the world’s most powerful weight loss tools. It involves slowing down, eating without distraction, savouring and enjoying each bite while listening to the natural signals that tell your brain when your body has had enough.
Numerous studies have shown that mindful eating can cause significant weight loss and reduce the frequency of binge eating.
Here are some tips to eat more mindfully:
Eat with zero distractions, sitting down at a table with just your food.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.
Try to be aware of the colours, smells, flavours, and textures.
When you begin to feel full, drink some water and stop eating.
16. You have a medical condition that is making things harder
Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, and PCOS may be hindering your weight loss efforts
There are some medical conditions that can drive weight gain and make it much harder to lose weight.These include hypothroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and sleep apnea. Certain medications can also make weight loss harder — or even cause weight gain. If you think any of these apply to you, speak to us (Sheena Hendon Health) about your options.
17. You are stressed to the max
Stress – whether emotional, physical or emotional may trigger the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, also known as one of the stress hormones. High cortisol levels increase appetite and inflammation and drive abdominal fat storage. Stress can include intermittent fasting, too many high intensity workouts, relying on smoothies instead of whole foods, it does not have to be an acute high stress episode
Dieting does not work BUT eating a nourishing diet does. Talk to Sheena hendon Health to find out more or see our holistic wellness and weight management programmes based on the non diet approach https://sheenahendonhealth.co.nz/holistic-weight-loss-programmes/
19. Your expectations are unrealistic
People’s expectations are sometimes unrealistic when it comes to weight loss. Keep in mind that losing weight takes time and not everyone will look like a fitness model. Focus on developing an individualized weight loss plan and goal based on your needs.
Weight loss is generally a slow process. Many people lose patience before reaching their goal. Although it is often possible to lose weight fast in the beginning, few people can continue to lose weight at a rate of more than 1–2 kg per week. Another challenge can be having unrealistic expectations of what is achievable with a nutrient-diet and exercise. The truth is, not everyone will be able to look like a fitness model or bodybuilder, and that’s OK. The photos you see in magazines and other places are often enhanced. If you have already lost some weight, but the scale doesn’t seem to want to budge any further, perhaps trying to redirect your focus to accepting your body the way it is your next goal. At some point, your weight will reach a set point where your body feels comfortable. Trying to go beyond that may not be worth the effort or realistic, and may even have potentially negative effects on your health.
20. You’re too focused on dieting
Dieting is not a long-term solution. If your goal is to lose weight and keep it off long term, focus on adopting health-promoting lifestyle habits.
Diets almost never work long term. If anything, studies show that people who diet gain more weight over time. Instead of approaching weight loss from a dieting mindset, make adopting health-promoting habits your primary goal. Examples include eating a nutrient-dense, balanced diet, exercising as much and as often as possible, and doing those things that make you happy on a regular basis. Focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it and let weight loss follow as a natural side effect.
Weight loss is not always easy and numerous factors can bring it to a standstill. At the most basic level, not reaching your weight loss goal can occur when calorie intake is equal to or higher than calorie use. Try strategies such as mindful eating, keeping a food diary, eating more protein, and doing strength exercises. In the end, changing your weight and your lifestyle requires patience, dedication, perseverance, and resilience.
Next steps: Find out more about Sheena Hendon health Holistic weight loss programmes today x
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