Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight

Instead of boring you with a long introduction, we're going to get straight to the point. The explanation as to "why you aren't losing weight" isn't ALWAYS straightforward (the reason CAN be complicated for select individuals) but oftentimes one of the following offenses is a probable cause:

You aren’t sleeping enough:

If losing weight is your goal, you’re likely putting your body through quite a bit of stress and blatantly NEED to recover in order to accomplish what you’re trying to achieve. Workouts break down our bodies and require a massive amount of “recharge.” Sleep is the best time to recoup the fuel that has been depleted AND plays a key role in appetite control. Sleep. The end.

You’re mindlessly eating too much:

Mindless food intake is one of the many reasons we have our clients track their food intake when they select a nutrition plan. Believe it or not, “handfuls” of snacks here and there can add hundreds if not thousands of calories to a day’s total caloric intake. Eating while distracted might also blow your intended intake out of proportion. We strongly recommend being mindful of every bite - not only will you end up sticking to your goal, but you’ll also enjoy the flavors a whole heck of a lot more.

You aren’t eating enough:

Under-eating is a common misconception in the weight loss world. It seems pretty logical that drastically decreasing calories will eventually lead to a drastic drop in weight but it can actually result in the opposite and can cause massive problems. When we starve ourselves, our metabolisms are thrown out of whack and are eventually confused to the point where weight is reserved rather than lost.

You’re stressed:

Cortisol, the stress hormone that’s released when we’re overwhelmed, is directly related to fat storage and weight gain. Furthermore, the “fight or flight” response that kicks in when we feel pressure commonly leads to overeating because our bodies ignore signals of being full. Bottom line: increased levels of stress results in higher levels of cortisol which leads to an insatiable appetite and craving for junk food which results in increased fat. No bueno.

You use too many condiments:

Condiments are sneaky. It’s wild to think about a drizzle of sauce having the power to sabotage a diet but it does. Everything from ketchup to salad dressing, to soup bases are ginormous culprits in weight gain. Try skipping the condiments OR go light.

You aren’t drinking enough water:

Drinking A TON of water is something you should be doing regardless of whether or not you’re trying to lose weight. Good news is, water is also a simple addition to your weight-loss regime. Water aids in the process by curbing appetite, assisting digestion, and speeding up metabolism. It also gives the body more energy, leads to a clearer complexion, and keeps skin/hair healthy - I scream, you scream, we all scream…...water.

You’re drinking liquid calories:

Almost every liquid aside from water, tea, and black coffee is full of added chemicals/sugar/calories. It may seem like drinking something like a Gatorade would increase energy and assist in one’s weight loss journey but the truth is almost always the opposite. Liquid calories are hard to track and are not in any way, shape, or form good substitutes for eating. When in doubt, stick to agua!

You’re only doing cardio:

Cardio is a great piece to the weight-loss puzzle but weights are an even more crucial piece to making the puzzle complete. Cardio simply burns calories while weight training adds muscle mass (which in turn speeds up metabolism consistently rather than the one-time occasion that's achieved during a cardio session).

You’re eating too many “healthy” foods:

Healthy foods are great. Whole foods are great. Too much of anything is...not great. Calories in calories out is pretty accurate to an extent. By that we mean: 5,000 calories in vs. 1,000 calories burned probably means you’ll end up gaining weight regardless of the fact that fruit is extremely healthy and full of incredible vitamins. It may seem like eating endless fruits and vegetables is a fast track to success but at the end of the day, it’s all about your macronutrient ratios and burning more than you consume.

You have an unidentified medical reason:

Several serious medical conditions can cause a body to gain weight and/or prevent one from being able to lose weight. Cushing’s Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, PCOS, Syndrome X, and depression are a few examples of issues that often hinder weight loss and require medical attention. If you’re doing everything under the sun to stay healthy and still feel “off” please reach out to your doctor to determine what might not be going right in your body.

TAKEAWAY: While there CAN be a complicated reason for your complicated weight-loss equation, the chances are you're just missing a pretty simple piece to the puzzle. Our bodies drop weight by being in a caloric deficit but it's important to factor in other pillars of health if you're ACTUALLY sticking to your diet and still not making progress.

Side note - Here's a simple depiction of "diets" and how you'll actually lose weight...hint - THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL.