15 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight

Sometimes you are months into a healthy lifestyle shift but the number on the scale is refusing to budge! You are eating the right foods, and you are religious about your sweat sessions. What gives? Although weight should not be your only metric for success, it can be frustrating all the same. Odds are, the only thing standing between you and your weight loss goal is one of the following 25 reasons compiled by the people at POPSUGAR:

1. You don’t drink enough water.

Not only will water keep you hydrated, recent studies have suggested that it may actually aid your weight loss. Drinking water before a meal helps to control portion sizes and eating foods that are full of water — like fruits and vegetables, will fill you up faster and longer encouraging you to eat less.

2. You think walking your dog is enough.

Sure, that 15-minute walk around the block is better than sitting on the sofa but it is not enough to see dramatic weight loss results. You’ve got to fire it up and do at least 30 minutes of heart pumping exercises a day. Think running, hiking, interval training.

3. You overeat healthy foods.

Avocado, olive oil, nuts and dark chocolate are all healthy for you but they are not without their calories. You need to watch out for this. Avocado, for example, is amazingly healthy but 1 fruit is around 200 calories!

4. You only do cardio.

If you are not lifting weights at all, you are missing a very important part of weight loss. Weight training helps to strengthen the joints, reducing the risk of injury but it also builds muscle and increases your metabolic rate. And because it makes your metabolism hum, you will continue to burn calories long after the workout is complete.

5. You exercise with an empty stomach.

Research suggests that when you workout on an empty stomach, the calories you burn come from muscle and not fat. This isn’t good, you want muscle. Muscles burn more calories than fat so the more you have, the better for your weight loss. If you fuel up first you will not only avoid losing muscle but you will have the energy to push yourself through the workout.

6. Your partner isn’t on the same healthy road.

You can’t lose weight if your partner keeps insisting on ordering take-out or hitting the drive thru. Sleeping in is nice but if your partner is encouraging you to lounge all day instead of breaking a sweat, it will be near impossible for you to drop weight. Communicate that you need his/her support and you will be able to find compromises. Maybe the next time you go out, you split an appetizer instead of getting one a piece, maybe you follow up dinner with a nice walk.

7. You leave out entire food groups.

Skipping food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Instead of cutting out carbs, for example, focus on getting whole grains and pay close attention to your portion sizes. When it comes to things like pasta, it is usually the portions that pack on pounds, not the pasta itself.

8. You don’t sleep enough.

Sleep is essential if you are trying to lose weight. You not only need energy for your workouts but missing out on shut eye can impact your body’s ability to control appetite. Being tired leads to an increase in hunger hormones.

9. You don’t get enough veggies.

5-7 servings a day of fruits and vegetables is an important part of any diet but people who fill up on produce are more likely to lose weight and keep it off since a plant based diet provides a great deal of nutrients with very few calories. And the fiber in fruits and vegetables is great for helping to keep you feeling full so you don’t overeat.

10. You eat while standing up.

Standing at the kitchen counter and eating your dinner leads to mindless eating which goes hand in hand with overeating. Separate your meals and your snacks from all your other activities. When you eat, you are eating.

11. You wear clothes that are too big.

Loose clothing can be super comfortable but it hides your body and allows you to forget what it looks like which can work against you in the motivation department. Choose clothes with a more fitting silhouette to remind you of your body image. You look grand and want to keep it that way! Better yet, put on your gym clothes first thing to feel inspired toward physical activity!

12. You’re on a diet. Sort of.

It doesn’t matter if you’re on Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig or something you’ve put together yourself, you’ll not see results if you do it halfway. Stay committed to your plan. If you’re going to do it, do it wholeheartedly.

13. You’re addicted to condiments and toppings.

Salads make great healthy meals. They are far less healthy if you drown it in dressing and top it with bacon bits, cheese, nuts, dried fruit and a little more dressing for good measure. Your calorie totals go up in a heart beat. Remember that just 10 croutons can have up to 100 calories. Be careful.

14. You don’t eat breakfast.

Maybe skipping breakfast seems like a really simple way to save calories but it isn’t. Your body will hold on to fat because it is preparing for famine. It believes it is starving. People who eat breakfast have been found to lose more weight. Don’t just grab a bagel and run. Protein will not only fill you up, it has been shown to aid in weight loss.

15. You don’t practice portion control.

Portion control is key to weight loss. When you are getting started, use measuring cups and spoons to make sure you are doling out the proper portion sizes. Before long, it will be second nature and you will come to recognize the fullness signals from your body and know when to walk away from your plate.

Have you committed any of these diet mistakes in the past? How did you correct it?

Source: POPSUGAR

 

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