Doctors and weight loss experts would have you believe that losing weight is as easy as eating less and exercising more. While the basic equation of calories in minus calories out is a good starting point for dieters, it doesn’t explain why people often get stuck and the weight won’t come off.
The truth is that losing weight is a little more complicated than it seems. There are setbacks, emotional eating patterns to break, hectic days with no time for exercise, family commitments and health concerns that distract us from shedding pounds. Worse than that, however, is when dieters put in their full effort and they still can’t lose weight. Frustration and disappointment set in when the weight won’t come off.
It is understandably frustrating when you are doing everything right and the weight won’t budge. There are times when cutting out sweets, making healthier food choices and adding daily exercise aren’t enough to help you drop the extra pounds. Plateaus are often to blame when the weight won’t come off. Yo-yo dieters often experience a harder time losing weight too. The following is a troubleshooting list to help push beyond plateaus and continue towards your weight loss goals.
- Are you drinking enough water? Drinking water is so important for flushing out toxins and staying hydrated.
- Are you getting enough sleep? Your body needs time to rejuvenate. You can’t perform at your best or lose weight without enough rest.
- How is your stress level? If you have too much stress you need better tools for reducing it to lose weight.
- Do you believe you can lose weight? Believing in yourself is half the battle. Visualize yourself succeeding at your weight loss goals.
- Do you have the right support? Family, friends and weight loss buddies are crucial to your weight loss success. Supportive people can help you through a plateau and make the weight loss journey easier.
- Are you eating enough? We are so trained tom diet that we end up starving ourselves to lose weight and it backfires. The body goes into starvation mode and it holds onto the stored fat. Track your calories for a few days and make sure you are getting enough food to keep your metabolism burning.
- Are you drinking too much caffeine? Caffeine has a dehydrating effect on the body. Try caffeine-free alternatives or drink more water.
- Are you eating too much? Track your portion sizes to be sure you aren’t unknowingly eating double or triple servings.
- Are you falling into a routine? Dieters need to switch things up to keep the body guessing and fuel the metabolism. Try alternating your calories (1200, 1500 and 1800 calorie days, for example) to spark your weight loss.
- Are you losing your motivation to stick with the diet? Find a workout buddy, sign up for a marathon, join a sports team or simply review your goals to stay motivated.
Still having trouble losing weight? Talk to your doctor. He can runs simple tests to check your thyroid, metabolism, cholesterol, etc to determine if a medical condition is to blame when the weight won’t come off.
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