Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight
Have you been trying everything to lose weight but cannot seem to shed those pounds? Perhaps you are eating healthy and going to the gym, but that extra weight just isn’t shifting?
Here are the reasons why you’re not losing weight
There could be many reasons why you’re not losing weight. We have listed a few common reasons why you’re not losing weight here, as well as their fixes, to help you reach your health and fitness goals.
1. You Aren’t Exercising Enough
Even if you eat healthily, it is important to exercise the body. Not only does exercise build muscle, but it also helps to improve overall health and burn fat in and around your organs.
Cardiovascular exercise, or cardio, is particularly important. This is the kind of fitness that helps you burn fat quickly and shed your excess fat and weight. It also helps tone the body and strengthen core muscles.
Fix: Get in your daily recommended dosage of cardiovascular exercise.
2. You are Consuming Sugary Drinks
One of the easiest ways to gain weight or plateau in weight loss is through the consumption of sugary drinks. Soda has excess sugar and calories that pack on the pounds. Even more upsetting is that the body still will crave solid foods, meaning you are consuming all that sugar to still feel hungry.
This sugary overload is also associated with other drinks too that we may see as healthier or less threatening to our health, like flavored waters and juices. Apple and orange juices contain high amounts of sugar, which can sometimes equate to several pieces of raw fruit.
Fix: Reduce or eliminate sugary drinks from your diet, as they may contribute to high daily calorie intake.
3. You are Not Drinking Enough Water
If you are drinking too many sugary drinks, you may not be drinking enough water. Drinking water can help your body feel full, which means you eat less. You are less likely to have cravings when consuming enough water.
Drinking enough water will also help reduce bloating.
Fix: Drink about 2 liters or half a gallon of water each day. You can also drink a glass of water before eating to avoid overeating and to help digestion.
4. Your Sleep is Not Regulated
While many know that poor sleep leads to overeating and poor eating habits, the same can be said about sleep regulation. Those with an irregular sleep schedule tend to make unhealthier food choices, eat fewer fruits and vegetables, eat more calories per day, and snack more.
Fix: Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get quality sleep.
5. You are Stressed
Stress can be directly linked to weight gain, inability to lose weight, and poor eating habits. When you are depressed, your body produces higher levels of cortisol.
Higher levels of cortisol can trigger an increase in appetite. Your levels of stress can also trigger you to desire comfort food, which often is not healthy comfort food.
Fix: Observe your behaviors under stress. Know your comfort foods and aim to make healthier choices. You can also train yourself to handle stress in healthier ways, like through exercise or creative endeavors.
6. You are Not Consistent
Those who maintain their weight and their weight loss know that consistency is key. It is normal to maintain a healthy diet that includes sweets or treats or taking one day off at the gym. However, this does not mean taking a long break from your routine.
Skipping a part of your routine can lead to poor choices and unhealthy patterns that compromise your weight loss plan and can compromise your weight maintenance.
Fix: Try not to skip workouts or take too many days off your diet. Do not get in the habit of rewarding yourself with food or breaks from the gym. Structure treats and rewards into your routine.
7. Your Diet Doesn’t Match Your Exercise
Both weight loss and maintenance rely on a combination of healthy eating and healthy exercise. Losing weight means burning more calories than you consume. However, if you consistently exercise and do not lose weight, you may need to examine your eating choices and habits.
Eating unhealthy foods, like pizza, consistently will compromise the benefits of exercise.
Fix: Make healthy eating choices that compliment your exercise habits.
8. You Have a Medical Condition
The body is very delicate, and one malfunction in any part can throw off its entire balance. Many different conditions can affect your body’s weight. Problems with the thyroid, uterus, liver, and hormone receptors can drastically affect weight gain and loss.
Medications may also work against your weight loss. Some antipsychotics and heart medications can cause weight increase. The same can be said for steroids and medicines that treat diabetes.
Fix: You may not know this, so if you cannot lose weight, you may want to consider seeing a medical professional.
9. You Skip Meals
It may seem logical that skipping a meal will lead to weight loss; however, this is not the case. When you skip a meal, your brain tells your body to slow digestion and to slow your metabolic rates.
This is because it does not know when it will get its next meal, so it is trying to store as much extra fat as it can in case another meal is skipped.
Therefore, skipping a meal can hinder your weight loss journey.
Fix: Eat around every 4 hours, eat a correct portion size, and do not skip meals.
10. You Have Bad Influences Around You
For many, food is social. You may go out to lunch with your friends. You may get drinks at the bar with your co-workers. Your family may only get together during holidays where an unreasonable amount of food is available.
This social construction can make it challenging to eat healthily and make healthy choices. Additionally, your friends and family also need to be supportive of your health, fitness, and weight goals. If your family and friends are not supportive, they can compromise your goals.
Fix: Always explain your goals to your friends and family. It is a good idea to tell them what you need from them and how to support you. Finally, it is always a good idea to stand up for yourself and your health.
11. Copying Fad Diets
While some fad diets may work temporarily, they will most likely not help you towards your weight loss goals. The simple fact is that these fad diets are not tailored to your body and your needs. What works for one person may not work for you. They may work against your body.
Fix: If you look at fad diets, you can adjust them to your body and your needs. Use them as inspiration rather than a strict regime to follow.
12. Try a fat burning supplement
In the world of sports and fitness, even athletes and hobbyists use a range of supplements, including proteins, nootropics, vitamins, and of course, fat burners.
A fat burner is a type of supplement that supports explicitly and targets the body’s metabolism to jump-start it into gear and help reduce the amount of fat absorbed during meals.
Fix: If you are serious about losing weight, then try a fat burner supplement – see this list for some examples! However, remember fat burners are not a silver bullet that will enable you to lose weight overnight. You still need to exercise consistently and stick to a healthy diet.
13. Setting Unreasonable Goals
Always take time to assess your goals. Ask if they are reasonable, achievable, and healthy? If you are already at a healthy weight, then perhaps your goal should begin to shift your goal to maintain weight rather than losing weight.
You also should consider how much weight you can lose each week or each month, which is considered healthy. If you set your goals too high, they are both unhealthy and can cause a lack of motivation.
Fix: Set attainable, reasonable, and healthy goals.
Wrap-Up
The best way to lose or maintain weight is to know your body. You need to know what works best for you, but you also need to observe your habits. Take note of what you eat, when you eat, and when you exercise.
Logging all of this can help you figure out how to troubleshoot your weight loss plateau. Always take into account what is healthy for your body.
It is always best to lose weight in a way that is safe and effective while reaching your personal goals.
References
Dashti, H., Scheer, F., Jacques, P., Lamon-Fava, S., & Ordovas, J. (2015). “Short Sleep Duration and Dietary Intake: Epidemiologic Evidence, Mechanisms, and Health Implications.” Advanced Nutrition, 6(6): 648-59. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642416/
Quick, V., Shoff, S., Lohse, B., White, A., Horacek, T., & Greene, G. (2015). Relationships of eating competence, sleep behaviors, and quality, and overweight status among college students. Eating behaviors, 19, 15–19. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2015.06.012
- 13 Reason For Not Losing Weight And How To Fix Them! - July 16, 2019
