5 Reasons Why You are Not Losing Weight

You train at least 5 days per week, you eat healthy and do endless amounts of cardio, but you are not losing weight. Why is this?

Could you be hindering your own progress without even realising it? Read on to find out.

1. YOU ARE EATING TOO MANY CALORIES
To lose weight, you need to be in a caloric deficit. Although you might be watching what you eat, are you really paying attention? Did you track that glass of fruit juice, the two handfuls of nuts you had after lunch and the cookies you ate after dinner? Those little extras along the way can really add up and put you in a caloric surplus.

It’s important to be mindful of portion sizes of your meals, as well as the extra ‘hidden’ calories from snacks, drinks, sauces and treats. Balance is important, and while we’re not suggesting you only have to eat salad, broccoli and chicken to lose weight, if weight loss is your goal, tracking the calories of all the foods you eat, will ensure that you are not putting yourself in a caloric surplus.

2. YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING ENOUGH
Good quality sleep is vital for weight loss. When you sleep, your body reduces stress and cortisol levels produced during the day. By ensuring you are well-rested, will assist it optimising energy levels, reducing stress and contributing to your overall feeling of health and wellbeing. A lack of sleep has been shown to trigger an increase in levels of ghrelin and a decrease in levels of leptin.

Ghrelin is known as the ‘hungry hormone’ and when levels are higher, it can lead to feeling hungry all the time. Leptin is the hormone that affects energy balance in the body as well as satiety (feeling full or satisfied after eating). Have you ever noticed that when you are tired, you have a tendency to feel really hungry, and don’t feel full even after eating a meal? Lack of sleep can cause you to overeat and coupled with decreased energy levels, may see you skipping your workout; and over over time this will lead to weight gain.

3. YOU ARE ‘WEEKENDING’ TOO HARD
Are you letting loose a little too much over the weekend? The occasional break with controlled treats is perfectly fine, but completely letting go all weekend will seriously hamper your weight loss efforts. Most of us tend to eat healthy during the week, but indulge in calorie dense foods such as takeout, sweets, desserts and alcohol on the weekend. Making allowances for these is important for maintaining a balanced approach on your weight loss journey, however, be mindful of where you may be over-indulging.

Portion control is key here – you don’t want to undo all your efforts during the week for a few moments of pleasure on the weekend. Alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories, and it’s no secret that alcohol impairs judgement in general. Consider switching to lite alcohol drinks, low calorie snacks and treats, ensure you are staying adequately hydrated. Be sure to incorporate some fun weekend exercise-based activities to ensure you are staying active and burning off the extra calories.

4. YOU HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION
Weight loss can be a complex process, often influenced by both controllable lifestyle factors and uncontrollable genetic factors. If you are not seeing any changes over a period of time, despite sticking to your diet and training plan, you should see your doctor to rule out any possible medical conditions. This may require a medical check-up and or possibly getting blood tests to check whether all your health markers are at the levels they need to be.

Our Platinum Clinical <br>https://versafitclub.com/high-performance-programs/<br> coaching program has been tailored to assist clients who need assistance in better managing a health condition through nutrition, exercise as well as under the guidance and support of our medical doctor.

5. YOU HAVE HIT A PLATEAU
Over time, your body will always adapt to your training and eating programme, so you can expect your weight loss progress to slow down and even stop. Your body needs to be continuously challenged in order to progress. Make sure you are changing up your workout regime every four to six weeks.

Consider gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts as well, to put the appropriate amount of stress on your muscles, which will assist muscle growth and development. Make sure that you are eating enough to sustain your level of activity and support your goals and don’t underestimate the importance of rest days.

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