Sunday, December 28, 2014

8 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight


You've been keeping track of all the calories you consume and running miles but haven’t seen the needle on your scale budge at all? That must be frustrating. But guess what? You’ll be glad to know that you aren't the only one! Many people do these simple things which ruin their weight loss efforts in no time. To be able to get back on the right track and start getting rid of that extra weight, it’s absolutely necessary that you are aware of what you've been doing wrong all this time.

MISTAKE NO. 1! You’re misjudging your portion sizes.

Humans, especially dieters, are notorious for misjudging portion sizes, specifically large portion sizes. Research has shown that while we are decent at judging the calories in smaller dishes, we vastly underestimate the number of calories in larger portions and as a result overeat much more than we realize.

Solution: Keep a food journal. Read More: 10 FAQs Diet And Weight Loss

MISTAKE NO. 2! You’re working out too much.

While exercise definitely improves health, it also promotes hunger. Too much exercise can therefore be a barrier to weight loss for some people, because it makes it nearly impossible to control your appetite. Work out just as much as you should but do more effective exercises. Read More: Go for Compound Exercises Instead!

Solution: Exercise but also know when to chill out.


MISTAKE NO. 3! You don’t chew.

Practicing mindful eating is still the best way I've found to slow down, eat less, and enjoy my food more. The problem is that it’s really hard to do. One way to address this issue is to focus on something concrete that forces you to pay attention to the food in your mouth. This is where chewing can help.

Solution: Count your chews.

MISTAKE NO. 4! You aren’t sleeping enough.

Our brains and bodies rely tremendously on a variety of hormones that regulate when we eat and sleep. Because of these circadian rhythms, we function optimally when we eat our meals, sleep and wake at the same time each day. Similarly, too little sleep has been associated with weight gain. Read More: Get Those ZZZs -Insomnia Linked to Health Problems

Solution: Prioritize sleep.

MISTAKE NO. 5! You’re under too much stress.

The stress response system is subconscious; it responds to stimuli and nothing else. Stress causes the body to produce cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone that catabolizes muscle, worsens insulin resistance, and promotes the storage of fat. Read More: Jump Start Your Weight Loss Journey in Just 7 Days

Solution: Take a step back from your life and learn to relax.

MISTAKE NO. 6! You’re adding muscle.

A lot of people complain that they're not seeing the scale move, even though they are losing inches and clothing sizes. Despite these obvious signs that they're getting leaner, they still want to see the scale change. The scale might not always reflect that you've lose weight but ultimately it is the shape of your body and the amount of lean muscle vs. body fat you have that shows you're making progress.

Solution: Don't just rely on the scale to measure your weight loss.

MISTAKE NO. 7! You haven’t given it enough time.

Some people get instant results from dropping carbs, grains, sugar, and vegetable oils, while others have to take a month or more to get acclimated and only then does the weight begin to slide off. Either way, though, this is a lifestyle. You’re in it for the long run.

Solution: Approach it with the right mindset and you won’t get discouraged.

MISTAKE NO. 8! You’ve reached a healthy homeostasis.

It may be that your body has reached its “ideal” weight - its effective, genetic set point. Reaching this level is generally painless and effortless, but it won’t necessarily correspond to your desired level of leanness. Women, especially, tend to achieve healthy homeostasis at higher body fat levels. Breaking through plateaus can be hard enough, but plateaus ordained by the body itself can be nearly impossible. Then, the question becomes: do you want to mess with a good thing?

Solution: It’s probably going to take some serious tinkering with carbs, calories, activity levels, sleep, and stress.

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