Why You Aren’t Losing Weight
Barring medical conditions, most of the time, the culprit to not losing weight is one of two things: diet or giving up too soon. But we’ll cover it all to make sure we’ve got you covered so you can cover less of yourself this summer. Yeah, baby!
To lose weight, you must create a caloric deficit. That is achieved through a healthy diet and exercise plan. This is where you roll your eyes and say “I’m already doing that!” But are you….?
Let’s find out what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong, shall we?
You Don’t Eat Enough!
Many think “If I create a bigger deficit then I’ll lose weight more quickly.” Negative, ghost rider. Your body is equipped for this. Severe caloric restriction causes your body to go into starvation mode. Your body will adapt to less food and your metabolism will slow in response. This is survival mode for the body. Additionally, the body releases cortisol during low calorie diets which causes you to hold onto fat reserves. Finally, your body will feast on your muscle while you starve yourself. You don’t want to be skinny fat, do you?
Soon, you’ll return to eating like you’re a human, and not a rabbit, and you will blow up like the Michelin man. Yep…
Most fad diets tout a great weight loss in a short time, but even if you do see some results, like an obsessive ex——they’ll come back–especially on extreme calorie restricted diets.
Achieving results is done through a lifestyle change and not through some ‘But wait there’s more!‘ ad.
Solution: Understanding your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and setting a targeted calorie intake based on that information and your exercise routine will make for a structured approach to losing weight, keeping it off and staying healthy.
You Aren’t Drinking Enough Water
While we debunked the myth that water ‘flushes out fat’ it does add a lot of benefits to overall health and weight loss goals. Drinking a glass before meals can make you feel fuller, being hydrated keeps your bowel movements regular, giving your body water will stop it from holding onto it causing water weight gain and water aids in electrolyte balance which is not only essential to training but crucial to life.
Solution: Get a sharpie and number your water bottles to track your water intake or carry a gallon of water will you daily to ensure you drink enough of the stuff that keeps us thriving. You can also log water intake on fitness apps to improve your odds of losing weight.
You’re Not Eating the Right Macros
OK, you don’t need to get out a scale and calculator for this tip. But, it is important to understand macros and that if you don’t eat enough of one group—it can impact your ability to achieve results. Fat, carbs and protein are the three forms of macros—where we get our calories. If you’re eating a ton of carbs and fat but not enough protein, that could impact you. If you’re a mathlete—feel free to stop by our macro blog and target your macro calories.
Solution: Learn a bit about macros here, and be mindful of including all three groups in your meal plans to losing weight.
Your Serving Sizes are Fit for the King’s Horses and Men
It doesn’t matter what you’re eating, you should always be mindful of how much you’re eating. Too much of anything can have adverse effects. From whole grains to fruit, you should moderate your serving sizes. You may feel great about eating 5 cans of peas in one day, but that’s nearly 1,000 calories—and don’t forget the sugar and sodium content!
Solution: Use the below visuals to help guide your portion sizes. For specific food group serving information, go here.
Need more help? Try Portions Master Plates—it’s a plate that did all the hard stuff for you. All you have to do is select your target weight on the plate and load your food by food group into the slots to portion yourself accurately. Voila!
You Eat Too Much Healthy Stuff
Whaaat? Obviously unhealthy stuff is bad, too, but we assume you aren’t binging on double cheese Bs and fries and wondering why you aren’t losing weight. So, onto healthy food–now, this ties into serving sizes, but its important to call out because many people seem to fall into this trap. They find a healthy food they love and they load up on it. Again, serving sizes matter. If you love that new 80 calorie yogurt whip—by all means, savor every spoonful, but don’t do it 3-4 times a day, because in doing so, you just replaced an entire meal with one food group. That’s no bueno. It can quickly take over your macros and major source of calories.
Also, just because you’re eating a salad doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Check your toppings and dressings. They can pack on saturated fat and empty calories galore. And, if you didn’t know already, a taco salad doesn’t count as healthy.
Solution: Check yo’self! Moderation is key.
You’re Training Wrong
Some people rely solely on a brisk walk, cardio only or resistance training only. This is a mistake that can cost ya. A mix of cardio and weight training utilizes both the aerobic and anaerobic systems. Both provide benefits in your training goals from stamina and endurance to increased lean muscle mass and strength. Skipping one can tremendously reduce your results, and in some cases, prevent them from happening.
Solution: Combine cardio and weights. Get at least 20-30 minutes of cardio in 5 days a week (we recommend 30 minutes, 7 days a week). Whether you do cardio before or after, or at different times during the day, plan on strength training muscle groups 20-40 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week to build lean mass and aid in weight loss.
You’re Stressed
If you’re stressing out about not losing weight, it won’t help you lose weight. Stress increases cortisol levels which makes the body hold onto fat. Whether its your job, a relationship, or family issue, stress can be a results-killer. And long-term it can actually be a killer.
*Whoa, ish just got real.
Solution: Chillax. Getting rid of stress involves understanding how you react to stressful situations and controlling what you can control. Listening to relaxing music can relax the brain and stress. Learning to meditate, taking yoga, or even visiting a professional can get your mind right so you can get that body tight.
You Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep can have similar effects of stress with the added perk of fatigue. You must get enough sleep to allow your body to recover. Otherwise, the same results damaging hormones will be released as is during stress, and your brain simply won’t focus. Fatigue leads to excuses and excuses leads to skipped gym days and more cheat days.
Solution: SLEEP 6-8 hours every night. If you have trouble sleeping, try some of the stress solutions above or see a professional.
Your Support System Sucks
If you have trouble losing weight and none of the above rings true, have you considered that your support system may be lacking? A burger binging boyfriend, a pizza packing partner, or a negative Nancy who hold you back from your goals is the first weight you need to lose.
Solution: Talk to your partner, family or friends before you delete them from you life. Let them know how important your goals are and how much their support means to you. If they refuse to partake or cheer you on—it’s time for you to move on.
You’re Giving Up Too Soon
Most people will throw themselves into a ridiculous diet and exercise program and expect results in 30 days or fewer. Maybe that’s because unrealistic expectations are set with programs promising to shred you in 30 days, or get you ripped in 24. Maybe it’s the 10 day egg yolk diets, detox diets or water only diets. Seriously—stop giving into the easy way, and embrace that it will be HARD. Your results are dependent on YOUR body. If any product promises you a complete transformation in 30 days, run. Like seriously, get some cardio in—just make sure you return to reality.
You didn’t put on 20 pounds or more overnight and you won’t lose it overnight.
Accept that.
Then, target a healthy weight loss of 1-2 pounds PER WEEK. That’s it. So at the end of the month—you should target a loss of 4-8 pounds IF you don’t gain any muscle. If you gain muscle, you may not see a change in the scale, but you’ll slowly start to see a change in the mirror, in your close, and in your measurements.
Solution: Commit to a full 90 days before giving up on yourself. If you follow a healthy diet and exercise program to a T, with no excuses –you WON’T be giving up, you’ll be getting yourself a new wardrobe. Commit, stay dedicated and you just might find the reason you didn’t lose weight before is because you gave up too soon.
There you have it, fit friend. What we like to call a reality check. If you are healthy and not losing weight, one, or more, of your problems is listed above. Stop it. Stop doing that! Change it and you will see change.
If you’re trying to get rid of some fluff, or ward off winter weight, get a scientifically backed natural supplement that attacks multiple reasons for weight gain, and helps you burn calories, block carbs and burn fat. Get it here.
Need more help? Get a supplement designed for increasing lean mass and strength, improving performance and enhancing recovery. We’ll be right here—cheering you when you cross your finish line.
