Are you doing everything by the book when it comes to weight loss?
Do you find yourself feeling frustrated that no diet seems to work for you? Are you constantly asking yourself why am I not losing weight?
It can be exhausting when you spend weeks exercising and you don’t see any weight loss results. However, there are a number of reasons you could not be losing weight.
This article will give you common issues people face on their weight loss journeys and how you can overcome them. Read on for 8 reasons you’re not losing any weight.
1) You’re Not Strength Training
Alot people fall into the trap of doing tons of cardio in order to lose weight.
Women especially tend to ignore strength training altogether as they’re afraid of getting bulky. The truth is strength training is one of the best ways you can lose weight.
Strength training keeps your metabolism revved up for 24 hours after your workout. Also, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn simply by being awake. Strength training enables your body to move more efficiently through all aspects of your life.
2) You’re Not Sleeping Enough
If you find yourself eating well and exercising and still asking why am I not losing weight, it could be your lack of sleep.
Not sleeping enough causes your body to enter a stressed state. When you’re stressed, your body turns to quick calories. Your body will reach for high-calorie foods because it needs the energy to get through the day.
If you get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep every night your metabolism can work effectively.
3) You’re Eating Too Much Sugar
Refined sugar is your mortal enemy when it comes to weight loss.
You simply can’t eat cakes, cookies, and chocolates and still ask why am I not losing weight. Sugar hikes up your blood sugar and causes your body to store more fat. Also read your labels you may be shocked to discover that you are eating more sugar than you thought because of the hidden sugars in many packaged and processed foods and condiments.
If you cut out refined sugar and stick to the natural sugars found in fruits you’ll be shocked how quickly you can shed the extra weight.
4) You’re not Moving
Many of us work sedentary jobs at which we sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, especially these days if working from home.
When we finish our day of work the last thing we want to do is move around. We are more likely to turn to the television. Not moving around throughout your day will cause your body to hold on to the calories you eat. When we move it wakes up our enzymes to break down fat.
So make a point of getting up from your desk every hour and walk through the house, around the office, do a few stretches, even some light squats.
Try to take an evening walk after work. It is recommended you get 10,000 steps a day to be healthy, so get moving throughout the day.
5) You’re not Drinking Water
Water is liquid magic when it comes to your health.
Many of your health issues could be cleared up if you drank adequate water. Water is used to flush toxins out of your body. Our cells need hydration to function properly – imagine that you want your cells to be like plump grapes not shriveled up raisins.
When you’re dehydrated, your body reaches for food. Oftentimes people think they’re hungry when they’re really just thirsty.
Give your body the recommended amount of water that it needs. Your skin, internal organs, and waistline will thank you.
6) You’re Eating Late at Night
Try to make it a habit to quit eating at 8 pm. Eating late at night is a sure way to gain weight.
This is because when it gets later you’re getting closer to falling asleep. You’re less likely to be able to burn off a high carb snack that you ate at 11 pm than you are one you ate at 6 pm. This is also due to the changes in hormones at night, especially insulin. When insulin runs high it makes our bodies store fat.
You shouldn’t go to sleep for the night stuffed full of food. Your body needs to move around after you eat to help with digestion and not go into storage mode.
7) You’re Drinking Your Calories
When asking yourself why am I not losing weight, it’s a good idea to check what you’re drinking.
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s best to stick to water, coffee, and tea.
Many people get in the habit of drinking more calories than they eat. Alcoholic drinks like beer and wine are high in calories and can lead to weight gain.
Sodas and high sugar fruit juices should also be avoided. If you must have coffee in the morning that’s fine, just don’t fill it with lots of cream and sugar.
Black coffee and green tea are the healthiest options and they are high in antioxidants that are good for your health.
8) You’re Eating Refined Carbs
If you want to lose weight it’s best to avoid refined carbs.
The carbs found in white bread, pasta, and desserts do nothing for you nutritionally and they cause you to gain weight.
Instead of pasta, switch to quinoa or brown rice. Instead, white bread, try whole grain.
You can also replace them with starchier vegetables such as root veg. Replace your pasta with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. Replace your white rice and potatoes with cauliflower rice or mash. These options actually have a lot more flavour than the white rice, white potatoes and pasta.
Now You Have the Answer to your Question of “Why am I not Losing Weight”
I hope this article helped you identify some of the reasons why you are not losing weight.
Losing weight is about finding a balance and being healthy. It’s always better to lose weight in a healthy and holistic way than to try yo-yo dieting.
Weight loss can be quite an overwhelming journey when you don’t have the best information and strategies that are right for you and your body. Everybody’s body is different when it comes to hormones and metabolism and as well everybody has different lifestyle and behavioural challenges when it comes to changing eating habits. So don’t get discouraged. If what you are doing is not working either because your body is not responding or because you cannot stick to the plan consistently then don’t try to keep doing the same thing. Tweak your current plan based on the suggestions in this article. If you feel you have integrated all the recommendations in this article into your plan and are still not seeing results then you may just need a very different approach and more support and supervision.
Want to learn more about my method and programs for weight loss? Please check out my personal weight loss story when I was doing all the “right things” and it was not working. See what I did differently and lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks and have kept it off for the past 8 years.