Weight troubles are something that haunts many people around the globe. Sometimes losing weight isn’t as easy as so many fitness gurus make it seem. Sure, you drop those extra pounds really fast when you first start working out, but then you hit this impenetrable wall of weight that doesn’t want to budge and you aren’t sure why losing weight has suddenly become impossible.
18 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight
There are many different reasons why this occurs. In most situations, your body has become accustomed to the weight you have been carrying and the lack of exercise that you have promoted. So its natural response is to stop you from reducing your own weight, like a defense mechanism.
But there might be other reasons why you can’t seem to lose any more weight. Here is a list of the most common reasons why your body won’t allow you to reduce your body weight.
1. Lack Of Hydration
One of the best ways to lose weight is consuming water shortly before you sit down to have a meal. A study has verified that participants who drank 17 ounces of water about 30 minutes before having a meal were able to lose roughly around 44 percent more weight than those who didn’t do this.
Another study showed that after drinking water, for about 90 minutes, your body is able to burn calories at an increased rate of about 30 percent.
So next time you get ready to have that meal, make sure you drink plenty of water beforehand. Do the same on your way to the gym.
2. Calorie Miscalculation
The fact is that people who keep an eye on what they eat are generally able to lose more weight than those who simply don’t care what goes into their stomach. Even those who do pay some attention to the food they eat often miscalculate their calorie intake because they aren’t being diligent enough.
Research shows that people who actually do try to count calories actually misjudge their calorie intake by 16 percent to 47percent, which is a huge miscalculation.
There are a countless number of apps online that can help you count calories. Most of these applications use images which put things into perspective and make you more aware of the number of calories you actually consume during each meal. So grab your phone and set it beside your plate next time you are ready to eat.
3. Being Relaxed With Cardio
If you are interested in losing weight, you will need to get your heart rate up. The best way to do this is by focusing on cardio-based exercises. It is suggested to perform cardio exercises at least twice per week. You can do stuff like jogging, running, swimming, or basically anything that makes you move and increases your heart rate. If you can, take on the jump rope; it will make you shed pounds in no time.
4. Omitting Resistance Training
Many people who hit the gym in an attempt to lose weight often end up doing a large amount of cardio exercise, which is great when it comes to losing weight. The problem is that often those same people end up losing muscle mass alongside fat.
Your best bet to combat this muscle mass loss is to lift weights to ensure your muscles are retained while all the fat is being burned effectively. Additionally, you can try resistance training. This form of exercise works groups of your muscles against either resistance created by bands or by utilizing your own body weight. This includes pull-ups, push-ups, and squats.
5. Too Much Healthy Food
It may sound odd, but the reality is that eating too much food, no matter how good it is for you, is going to result in weight gain. We all manage to make the connection between too much junk food and huge amounts of weight but for some reason don’t do the same for healthy food.
Moderation is the key to proper healthy dieting. Just because dark chocolate has a huge amount of benefits doesn’t give you permission to eat a whole bar in one sitting. Most beneficial foods are only beneficial when consumed in the correct amounts.
6. Skipping Out On Sleep
Sleeping the right amount isn’t a joke. Your body needs sleep to recover from all the taxing things you have done throughout the day. Furthermore, your mind also relies on sleep to unwind and distress.
Research shows that people who don’t sleep enough are usually 55 percent likelier to become obese. These numbers are increased if you are a child, to a staggering 89 percent increased chance of obesity.
Sleep is absolutely vital to ensure you have enough energy to function throughout the day. Stop using all those electronic devices about an hour before you go to sleep, make sure all lights are completely off, and drop that thermostat down to a cool 68 degrees. This will produce quality sleep that will rejuvenate you to 100 percent and get you ready for the day ahead.
7. Abusing Carbohydrates
Many people assume that low-fat dieting is the way to go when you want to lose weight quickly and efficiently. This is completely wrong. Studies have been done to show that low-carb dieting is actually between 2 to 3 times more effective when it comes to losing weight than low-fat dieting.
Reducing the number of carbs you intake isn’t only beneficial if you are interested in losing weight, it can also help improve your metabolism. It can help you improve your cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels, too. It is always a good idea to take it easy on that bread and pasta.
8. Medical Conditions
Some conditions can prevent you from losing weight. Hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, and polycystic ovarian syndrome can all make it pretty impossible to get your weight under control.
Things like stress can also greatly affect your ability to lose weight. Make sure you consult with your doctor when you start your journey of losing weight. They will be able to give you the pointers you need and look into possible medical conditions that might be preventing you from losing weight.
9. Addiction To Junk
What’s the difference between being addicted to drugs and being addicted to junk food? Well, a study has shown that there is pretty much no difference at all. People who are addicted to junk food use it the same way as a drug addict would use drugs. It is estimated that roughly 20 percent of the population is addicted to junk food.
Unfortunately, this type of a problem can often be too much to handle on your own. If you think you are addicted to junk food or someone else has suggested that you may be a junk food addicted, we suggest you seek professional help.
10. Eating Too Little For Too Long
Believe it or not, being super careful with your diet can actually cause your body to go into self-preservation mode, which can result in increased difficulty when it comes to losing weight.
If you feel this is what’s happening to you, it might be a good idea for you to take a break. Simply increase your calorie intake by a few hundred per day for about a month or two. Increase the amount of sleep you get and the amount of weight lifting you do while cutting back a bit on your cardio. Try to do all of this while still maintaining your weight. After a month, try to go back to your previous plan and see if you are successful.
11. Lack Of Protein
It is absolutely vital that you consume the right amount of protein on daily basis. If the source of about 30 percent of your calories comes from protein, your body is able to boost your metabolism and drastically reduce your appetite.
One vital study has shown that consuming a protein-based breakfast in the morning can result in fewer cravings throughout the day and far less hunger.
12. Using The Scale To Track Progress
Don’t get us wrong, using the scale to check if you have lost some weight is one of the best ways to stay on top of your weight loss. The problem is that you could be losing fat and not losing any weight.
This frequently occurs to people who have a high body fat ration. As you start to exercise, possibly for the first time in your life, you start to gain muscle and lose fat. Seeing body weight move all over the place is usually pretty common when you first start hitting the gym. Furthermore, hormonal activity can also affect how your body retains water and result in all sorts of odd numbers on your scale.
We suggest that you get your body fat measured at least once per month. This will help you get a better understanding where you stand as far as your progress goes. Measuring your waist can also be a pretty good reference point that can indicate your progress.
13. Processed Foods
There is a really good reason why most people who start a weight loss diet start sticking to natural foods. Quality foods offer much better nutrients and ingredients which haven’t been processed out of the food yet.
Always try to stick to whole foods and avoid processed stuff as much as possible. Not only do processed foods have reduced nutritional value, but they are also packed with ingredients which are detrimental to losing weight and in some cases are just plain dangerous for consumption.
14. Liquid Sugar
Your body registers liquid and solid food differently. Whenever you consume foods which are solid and sweet your body is able to compensate for this sugar intake, but the same thing doesn’t occur when you consume sweetened beverages, resulting in much higher calorie intakes.
This idea is applicable to all beverages. Don’t assume that since it’s packed with healthy vitamins that somehow the sugars in it aren’t as harmful. Coffee, vitamin waters, and electrolyte-based drinks all might contain sugar, so be careful to avoid it at all costs.
15. Frequent Eating
You might have heard that eating frequently is a good idea and will help you lose weight. The truth is that the frequency of your meals has absolutely no impact on your weight, so stop snacking every 30 minutes. It won’t get you where you want to be.
Protein is what you should be focusing on with every meal. Consuming this energy source keeps your satiated longer and reduces the number of calories you consume between meals and even during meals. Less frequent meals mean your preparation time is reduced, there is less cleanup needed, and you spend less time around food, resulting in less unnecessary calorie consumption.
16. Alcoholic Beverages
Liquid bread is the perfect way to describe those heavy beers that some of you might enjoy. As we mentioned earlier, carbs aren’t that good at keeping your weight off. If you consume beer in moderation, you shouldn’t see much complication when it comes to losing weight, but if you drink heavily then weight gain is almost guaranteed.
Heavy alcohols, like vodka and anything with high alcohol content, are usually packed full of sugars. Heavy consumption of these alcohol types will result in huge weight gain. Besides, they can be absolutely detrimental to your health.
Drink in moderation and always keep your diet in mind. We know it can be difficult at times, especially when you are having fun, but your health is vital to everything you do so it should take priority over fun.
17. Mindless Eating
Simply scarfing down every single meal without any additional thought isn’t a very effective way to keep you from becoming hungry again quickly. You want to put thought into your food as you eat it.
Slowly chewing your food, tasting it, and smelling it sends appropriate signals to your brain and gives your body enough time to respond and let you know when you have had enough. One of the best ways to ensure you listen to your brain when you eat is by reducing outside influences on your while you eat. This means the whole eating in front of the TV thing should be avoided. Sit behind a table and dedicate some time to your food. Your waist will thank you later.
18. Unrealistic Expectations
We don’t want to discourage you from working on weight loss, but you have to set realistic goals. The reality is that at first, it might be pretty easy to lose a few pounds, but it will get harder. The whole process slows down drastically over time, so the main thing you have to do is stick with it.
You need to understand that your body is unique in its own way. This means that once it gets to a point where it feels comfortable it might be nearly impossible for you to budge those numbers on the scale. The good news is that this point is usually within a healthy weight limit.
18 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight Conclusion
Weight loss is achievable. It might be easier at first, but it will certainly get harder as you lose more weight. You have to keep a keen eye on your diet, sleep, and exercise routine. Stick to it and you will get to where you want to be, but also always remember to set reasonable expectations.
No matter what, don’t let anyone dictate your life. You are at the gym for a reason, you are shopping for healthy foods for a good reason, and you are here to lose weight. Brush off anyone who tells you otherwise and stick to what you know. Believe in yourself and work to get your body into shape. Your ability to maintain a healthy weight is largely dependent on your own decisions.
