Why You Might Not Be Losing Weight

Making that healthy eating and exercise plan is essential for weight loss goals, but setting those standards too high can make it tough to stick with, they could be unattainable and even end up backfiring. Having a more practical and moderate approach is easier to stick with and will be more realistically sustainable. 

For example, completely eliminating every food item from your diet that is bad for you may be ideal, but that will only make you crave them more, and there is the chance that you could give in to a binge which will be followed by a feeling of regret that could cause you to abandon your goal. It may be more realistic to make room for an occasional treat, like that slice of pizza every other Friday, or a few small squares of dark chocolate once a week, this way the feeling of deprivation will not get overpoweringly strong and ruin the good thing you are trying to do.

The same idea can be applied for exercise; rather than forcing yourself to exercise every single day, it might be best to start out with planning 1-2 days of rest per week to give yourself a break, one of those days could even be doing something far less intense like a nice leisurely stroll in the park for a break. Keep in mind that as with food an exercise program can be modified as needed, what you start off with will most likely not be what you finish with.

Some people are naturally more muscular and tend to have speedier metabolism, while other people tend to carry more fat and burn calories at a slower rate, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. While everyone has different metabolic rates, genetics, and personalities that can all impact weight loss, this does not mean one is stuck with how they currently are. If the body is being stubborn this just means that you may have to try another routine or even work a little harder to burn off the unwanted fat. You can try to cut just a little more calories and keep a closer eye on refined carb intake, and perhaps include some HIIT workouts which will effectively boost the amount of calories that you are burning. 

Routines and habits do make it easier to attain weight loss goals, but too much of the same thing can make it harder to drop those pounds. Reason being is that when you repeat an exercise over and over it gets easier, meaning you will be burning fewer calories and exerting less effort. If you mix up your workouts this will keep the body challenged so that the calories keep getting burned and you are exerting an effort. Additionally mixing it up will keep you from getting bored which is important to prevent you from dropping out. 

It is possible to be pushing yourself too hard, this may not even speed up your fat burning and it may actually backfire. According to the CDC the bulk of weight loss comes from eating less, but some people feel that if they exercise more they can eat more, which is not true. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who exercised more often and increased their calorie intake did not lose overall weight. Additionally, exercising too much can put too much stress on the body and increases the risk of overuse injury. It is best to aim for 150-300 minutes a week of moderate intensity exercises or 75 to 150 minutes of intense exercise, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. 

While you do need to cut calories to lose weight, you can actually not eat enough which will slow your progress. Taking in not enough calories will slow your metabolism response to conserve energy according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Extreme calories restriction can also lead to the loss of muscle. Rather than crash dieting, try to reduce calorie intake by around 300-500 calories per day, which should promote about a half pound loss per week. Around 1,200 calorie per day should help to keep your metabolism at a steady rate, for most people, although this can vary based on an individual's needs. 

Most people are not aware of just how damaging stress can be, it can even be interfering with your weight loss efforts. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, those with higher cortisol stress hormone levels are more likely to be overweight and have higher levels of abdominal fat. Stress can trigger you to snack more or binge eat, and it can slow down the metabolism causing you to burn fewer calories, according to a study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Try to find ways to relax during the day to relieve stress, it could be a sauna, maybe just floating in a bath, yoga, taking a walk, meditation, listening to music, or even using a punching bag for just a few moments. 

Some people lose weight with ease, other people struggle, but making a plan will help to achieve those goals. If you are not sure of how to make a plan consult with your doctor or certified medical professional to come up with a plan adopted to your needs. Additionally a certified trainer or dietitian can be a wealth of information to assist you in your weight loss journey. Along the way you may experience some setbacks, but don’t let this discourage you as this is not failure, rather it is an opportunity to learn and adjust from to carry on in your journey. Don’t give up, you can do it, and more importantly you are worth every effort and every health benefit this lifestyle change will bring to you.  Be happy. Be healthy. You CAN do it. ♥