Six Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight

One common problem many people face when trying to lose weight is not seeing results despite their valiant efforts. Are you one of these people? You go to the gym and watch your diet. You do the things the books and the experts say, but the weight is not dropping. Well, there are reasons you are not losing weight.

When you work hard and follow your plan, it’s demoralizing when you don’t see results. Most people quit because of this.

Not seeing results make all attempts seem futile and pointless. Then, exercise and diet become restrictive and burdensome. The truth is that even if the weight on the scales does not drop, exercise and eating healthy is beneficial to you and always will be. So don’t give up!

That said, there are a few common mistakes that most people make when trying to lose weight without even realizing it. Determine if you are making any of the errors below and make adjustments accordingly.

Read Accelerate Your Weight Loss When You Follow These Tips for more reasons why you are not losing weight and ways to get back on track.

6 Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight

1. You consume too many carbohydrates

The most important thing to do on a diet is to restrict your carbs and get most of your carbs from vegetables. Skip the rice, pasta, bread, and other refined products. This one mistake alone is a reason you are not losing weight and is responsible for most people seeing stagnant results.
Keep in mind that while fruits and vegetables are considered “good” carbs, you should be careful of how much you eat.

Some people are carb sensitive, and their insulin levels spike with just a few “good” carbs. Those of us who find ourselves in this situation have to pick and choose which healthy foods to eat carefully.

So ideally, it’s best to cut back, not eliminate, your carb intake.

2. You skip the resistance training

Resistance training is more important than cardio when trying to lose weight. Hours of mindless cardio workouts are not how you will achieve your weight loss goals. Thirty minutes of intense resistance training with minimal rest between sets is much more effective than an hour of moderate cardio.

Hit the weights. Keep them heavy and move fast but in a controlled manner. When your muscles grow, your body will burn more calories, and you will become leaner.

3. You don’t do slow cardio workouts

There is a time and place for slow cardio workouts. For example, you could take a brisk 30-minute walk on an empty stomach on your rest days. On most other days, slow cardio is not all that helpful.

If you are really out of shape and slow cardio is all you can do, that’s fine; go ahead and do it. If you are obese and want to engage in cardio workouts, consult with your physician before you begin.

The key is to work towards the high-intensity workouts slowly. High intensity will burn more fat on any given day.

4. There’s too much stress in your life

Stress releases cortisol in your body which indirectly leads to weight gain. This is something you may not be aware of.

Stress is the cause of other physical ailments as well, sleeplessness being one of them.

5. You don’t get enough sleep

You need your rest. Chronic lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems.

Additionally, getting enough sleep is crucial to fat loss. If you keep going like the Energizer bunny, you’re going to gain more weight in the long run.

6. You have a poorly functioning digestive system

Another reason you are not losing weight is something you probably never considered, and that is, a poorly functioning digestive system could be hampering your weight loss efforts. Harmful bacteria in your gut, inflammation, or low stomach acid, are problems that affect your ability to lose weight.

Check with your doctor to determine if this is the case. A blood test will tell you what you need to know.

You can achieve your weight-loss goals if you stay the course. Stay alert and keep track of your progress. That is the only way you can determine if you’re on the right track. Evaluate your progress; keep what works and discard what doesn’t. The scales may show a drop in no time.