Health
15 Reasons Why You Aren’t Losing Weight
Now that 2016 is officially here lots of people are trying to keep their new year’s resolution of losing weight. Gyms and fitness studios will soon be flooded with new people trying to shed pounds. The battle of the bulge has gotten more difficult than ever. There are a number of very non-healthy foods on the market. Exercise can be difficult for people in general. It can be especially hard without some type of support system. But for other people, there is more to weight loss than healthy eating and exercise. What are some culprits that keep people from losing weight?
Skipping breakfast
Have you heard the adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Well its true, eating breakfast revs up your metabolism and gives your body fuel to help function through the day. People who eat breakfast regularly have more success losing weight than those who don’t. If you are worried about what to eat for breakfast think foods that are high in protein and fiber. Eggs and whole grains such as oatmeal are great ideas.
No portion control
Let’s face it, portion control is key in eating a healthy balanced diet. If you aren’t practicing regular portion control it may be a reason why you aren’t losing weight. Tip: Research portion control online. Keep spoons and other measuring devices handy so you can make it easy to practice portion control.
Overeating healthy food
Just because its dubbed a “healthy” food, doesn’t mean you can eat obscene amounts of it. All foods have calories associated with them. Tip: Research 3 favorite “healthy” foods online. Learn about their health benefits. Read about how many calories are associated with each food and what standard serving sizes are.
You don’t practice mindful eating
You have to remember to chew people. The practice of mindful eating helps people think about what is in their mouth. When you eat quickly, just for the sake of eating, you aren’t thinking about what’s going on in your mouth. Tip: Chew your food thoroughly, put your utensil down in-between bites. The practice may help you feel fuller more quickly with less food going in.
Your diet is way too strict
When you forbid yourself from having a particular food, the odds are higher that you’ll overindulge later. Don’t stop yourself from enjoying food. Just be smart about it!
You’re not moving
Even if you worked out regularly throughout your life, if you have a “desk job” during the day you are leading a sedentary lifestyle. Consider purchasing a pedometer or an activity tracker. These devices can help you monitor how much activity you are getting on a daily basis. The goal should be to strive for 10,000 steps per day. It is a simple way to burn more calories without necessarily having to hit the gym.
You’re not lifting weights
Studies show that lifting weights can increase calorie burning for up to 36 hours post exercise. Start lifting lower weights and then gradually increase your lift weight. Once you start lifting heavy-meaning a large amount of weight with lower reps you should see the weight start to drop off.
You don’t track your habits
It can be difficult to be honest with ourselves about our choices and behaviors. You may think you ate reasonably going out to dinner having two bowls of pasta and 5 martinis’. However, that is not the case. Tip-Keep a food journal, write down what you eat. This may help you see what areas you are doing well in and what areas you are lacking in.
You don’t avoid sugar
Sugar is in a lot of foods on the market. High amounts of sugar cause people to be fat. Why you ask? Sugar contains both glucose and fructose. Every cell in our bodies benefits from glucose. Glucose is partly where we get our energy from. Whereas the second compound fructose is not naturally a part of our bodies. It is a foreign chemical that is only absorbed by the liver. When we eat a lot of sugar the fructose gets absorbed by the liver and converted into fat.
Your insulin resistant
If you’ve been overweight for a while despite eating healthfully you may have a problem with insulin resistant. When you are insulin resistant your body stores calories as fat and doesn’t burn them mas fuel. Basically you gain weight eating average types and amounts of food that someone with a normal metabolism would not. Tip: If this is you, insulin resistance can be improved with a low-carb diet and regular exercise. If that does not work, follow up with your Doctor for more support.
You eat the same things all the time
Eating the same things all day, every day will not help you lose weight. Experts suggest eating the rainbow. This means selecting fruits and vegetables of all colors to eat. Every fruit and vegetable carries different nutrients that will help your body operate at its best and help with weight loss.
You eat out a lot
Experts say if you eat out three times or more per week you are likely to take in more than 200 calories per day than those that eat at home. Fast food contains high levels of salt, sugar and saturated fats. These make it difficult for people to lose weight and keep weight off.
You don’t address emotional issues associated with food
In the past 10 years, eating disorders of all forms have been brought to the forefront of society. Some people legitimately cannot lose weight because they are struggling with an eating disorder. Emotional eating disorders are when a person eats or eats in excess because they get upset. They find comfort in food rather than expressing their feelings about problems.
You’re a workout junkie
We all have a friend, who goes to the gym two hours a day then workout on their own at home to burn more calories. While its great they are trying to exercise it may be a hindrance to their personal weight loss. Burning calories makes you hungry. Too much exercise can be a hindrance to weight loss.
You aren’t getting enough sleep
Sleep helps keep our hormones in check that regulate what we eat and when we eat it. Too little sleep has been associated with cardiovascular problems, chronic health problems and weight gain. The best thing you can do for your body is to try and get to bed earlier. Experts recommend getting to bed one hour earlier per night.