To piggyback on a post I wrote earlier about the biggest diet mistakes, there are many more reasons why you are not losing weight when you think you should be.
Let’s face it – it can be difficult to lose weight, even when you think you are doing everything right. Like I have said all along on this site, it takes a full commitment, self-discipline, and lifestyle changes if you really want to shed those excess pounds.
Why Am I Not Losing Weight?
For some lucky people, they are blessed with a more active metabolism and are able to lose weight easily. For most of us, however, it requires full attention. If you believe you’re doing the right things, but still not seeing the results, perhaps one of the reasons below is what is holding you back.
Relying Too Much on Diet or Exercise
Some people think that if they hit the gym more, run a few extra miles during the week, pick up a team sport, etc., the extra exercise will lead to weight loss.
Others neglect the exercise side of the equation and just cut their calories and hope to see the pounds fall off.
The fact of the matter is that it requires both if you really are serious about losing weight. Cutting down your calories is important (just as important – making sure those calories are from healthy food options), but exercise is just as important, too.
You can’t focus on one side or the other. The recipe for weight loss is committing to both. Reducing your calories, following a healthy diet, and upping your physical activity by following a workout program will create a caloric deficit which leads to weight loss.
Using Fad Diets
I have written about this many times on this site before, but I feel like it can’t be said enough. Fad diets are called “fad” diets because they are exactly that. They will come and go, as will their participants. Don’t be pulled in by what you see on social media or whatever the latest craze is making its way around the celebrity circle.
Stick to the principles of making healthy choices in the kitchen instead. Going on a fad diet inevitably leads to you getting off of it and reverting back to your old ways, gaining the weight back, and yo-yo dieting back and forth with whatever the new trend is.
Drinking Too Much Sugar
Just because that can of soda says “diet” on the side, that doesn’t mean it is a healthy choice. Diet sodas and other similar drinks are loaded with sugar and empty calories. Research indicates that the amount of sugar you consume can play a part in weight gain/loss, and the biggest culprit for sugar is often in beverages.
On top of being empty calories, these kinds of drinks tend to not satiate your hunger. In fact, they can have a diuretic effect and make you even thirstier. This can lead to even more consumption of these unhealthy beverage choices.
Not to mention, these drinks can lead to a number of health issues such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Stay away from them – enough said!
Not Getting Enough Sleep
I talk about this topic in another post here, but it can’t be stressed enough. Sleep is a time when our body resets and ensures proper functioning of so many body processes. It can definitely play a part in our metabolism, as well as regulation of our hunger. One particular study found that the amount of sleep the test subject got was positively correlated to their success in a weight loss program.
Alcohol
Just like with the sugary “diet” drinks described above, alcohol (with beer as the main culprit) is very high in calories. While a beer now and then won’t hurt you – it is not necessary to cut alcohol altogether when you are trying to lose weight – just remember that having four beers can add more than 600 calories to your daily consumption.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that it can be difficult to lose weight. However, one can often point to one issue or another that may be holding back their progress. Take a look at the list above and see if any of these apply to you, then make the appropriate lifestyle changes. The more you commit to your weight loss plan fully, the better your results will be.
About Shaun Hudson
Shaun Hudson loves sports, being outdoors, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, he finally was able to drop 25 pounds and keep it off. The secret? He kept a journal of his activity, diet, and daily life. That journal changed his life, and has since evolved into this website. Read his full bio.