When you put in so much effort and yet don’t lose weight, it’s disheartening. If modifying your lifestyle, exercising, and managing your carbohydrate cravings are insufficient for weight loss, what else is? 99% of women lose up on their weight loss goals during these depressing times. Ultimately, it’s preferable to savour the delicious and flabby than to starve oneself. I concur. However, that is a trap. And before you give in to it, have one final look at the actual causes of your weight gain.
It may be a discouraging experience to lose weight, particularly if you think you’re doing everything correctly but are still not experiencing the intended effects. It is important to recognise the things that might be impeding your growth. These are some typical causes for why you might not be losing weight, along with workable fixes to help you get back on track.
1.Weight Loss Objectives
Depressing weight loss objectives might sometimes be unattainable. Many ladies who were within the healthy weight range have expressed a desire to reduce weight, but I have personally heard this from them. Go ahead and reduce weight, nevertheless, as long as your objectives are reasonable.
It is not feasible to lose 10 pounds in a week—this is weight loss from fat, not water. While fad diets could make unbelievable promises, they can’t ensure long-term weight loss. Your goal should always be to reduce body fat gradually. Put your immediate objectives in writing in a diary. For instance, cut off all sugar from drinks or shed two pounds in a week. Your objectives will become more reachable and realistic as a result. You’ll also see a significant improvement in your physical appearance, mental fitness, muscular tone, and cognitive function once you’ve completed each of your short-term objectives.
2. You Think You Eat Healthy
Isn’t it a real problem when you eat healthy and still don’t lose even half an inch? You remain flabbergasted and disappointed. Take a second look at your day’s meals, especially when you are snacking or drinking beverages. Ideally, your meal should contain a good source of protein, dietary fiber, complex carbs, and healthy fats. You should get 10-35% calories from protein, 45%-65% calories from carbs, and 20%-35% calories from healthy fat. Sources of lean protein are chicken breast, ground lean turkey, lean cuts of pork, mushroom, legumes and beans, tofu, and soy chunks. You should consume veggies and fruits to get the required amount of dietary fiber and complex carbs. Consume nuts, seeds, avocado, clarified butter, olive oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseed butter, etc. to provide your body with healthy fats.
Apart from this, you should monitor what you are snacking on. That’s where many of us go wrong. Energy drinks, packaged fruit and vegetable juices, soda, coffee with cream and sugar, potato wafers, ranch dip, mayonnaise, deep fried chicken, and even overeating veggies and fruits as a snack can hinder your weight loss. To find out whether you are actually eating healthy, maintain a food journal and record what you are eating and how much you are eating for a week. It will give you a fair idea where you should make some changes or if it’s something else that’s preventing you from losing weight.
3. You Are Not Doing A Mixed Workout
So, you have been working out and have lost a bit of weight, but now, you are not shedding any flab. The important question is, are you limiting yourself to only cardio? If yes, there’s your answer for not losing weight. Cardio is great, but you should also incorporate weight training into your routine. Weight lifting will help keep your muscles active, boost your metabolism, and help you get a toned body.
4. Underlying Medical Issues
Medical issues like thyroid problems, insulin resistance, PCOS, sleep apnea, Cushing’s syndrome, etc. can prevent weight loss. If you have been doing everything right but haven’t yet got a medical check-up done, do that right away. However, you have nothing to worry as most medical problems can be treated. Work with your physician, dietician, and trainer to help you lose weight the right way.
5. Know Your Genes To Fit Into Those Jeans
Genes play the most important role in every living being. They determine our physical appearance, internal functions, and even our behavior. If you have seen people who eat a lot but are still skinny, you know what I am talking about. Genes that make your metabolism automatically slow or cause hormonal imbalance can make it really hard for you to lose weight. In this case, you should consult a doctor and a fitness trainer to reduce their effect. A good lifestyle, workout routine, and proper eating habits have been found to help a lot. But since not every individual’s body works the same way, you should get a customized plan to help trigger weight loss.
6. Not Drinking Enough Water
About 75% of your body weight is water. Water helps maintain homeostasis, keeps the cells turgid, and aids various biological reactions and functions, digestion and absorption, transportation of chemicals, and toxin removal. When you do not drink enough water, all these functions are not carried out properly. And when that happens, your metabolism slows down, your cells start producing different proteins, toxins are not flushed out, and proper digestion is inhibited. If you are trying to lose weight, your metabolism, digestion, excretion, and cell function should be at optimum levels. Without consuming adequate amounts of water, that’s not possible. So, drink 3-4 liters of water every day. Drink more if you are working out.
7. You Do Not Consume Enough Protein
Protein is an integral part of your body. Right from your hair to the enzymes in your body, everything is protein. A good amount of lean protein will help you build lean muscle mass and give you a toned look. Moreover, proteins are tough to digest and can create a negative energy balance, thereby aiding weight loss. You should consume at least one source of protein with each meal. Include these in your diet – chicken breast, ground turkey, mushroom, legumes, soy chunks, soy milk, tofu, etc. You should consume 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of your weight.
8. Following The Wrong Cooking Method
You can buy the right ingredients, eat in the right amounts, and workout but still not lose weight if your cooking method is wrong. Deep frying, cooking for too long, or charring can diminish the nutritional value of the ingredients and change their properties, which can prove to be harmful to your body. So, try to eat raw, sauteed, blanched, and boiled veggies. Grill or bake or add meat to soups. Use cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil to cook. Avoid consuming deeply fried or charred food.
9. You Have A Desk Job
If you have a desk job, you probably sit in one place for at least 8 hours a day. And that is inhibiting your weight loss. Sitting at one place continuously can also slow down your metabolism and cause every morsel of food to get converted into fat. This is why people who have desk jobs have more belly fat and lower body fat. You should start moving around every hour to keep the metabolism going and help the circulatory system transport food, oxygen, and water to various parts of your body and also flush out the toxins.
10. Avoiding Fat
You need to consume healthy fats if you want to get rid of the fat. Healthy fats contain omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce inflammation, thereby preventing inflammation-induced weight gain. Fats are also required to maintain the cell structure and function. Consume almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, olive oil, rice bran oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed butter, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, and clarified butter (ghee). But make sure to control the quantity as overconsumption of healthy fats can also lead to weight gain.
Conclusion
Weight loss is a multifaceted process influenced by various factors. By identifying and addressing the obstacles in your path, you can make meaningful progress toward your goals. Remember to be patient with yourself, stay consistent, and seek support when needed. Your journey to a healthier you is worth the effort.