There could be a million reasons why you aren’t losing weight, even when it seems like you’re doing everything right. The best way to get to the bottom of your plateau (pun intended) is to work with your registered dietitian and medical provider. Until you can do that, here are three things you can evaluate right now to get a head start.
You’re not being honest with yourself
“I eat the same thing every day, I don’t need to write it down”. This is a very common thought when it comes to keeping a food journal or tracking your intake. The reality is, though, you just aren’t being honest with yourself. Might you have the same breakfast every day? Of course. But the exact same breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, and drinks seven days a week seems highly unlikely. Plus, if you are eating the very same thing day in and day out, that’s unnecessarily boring! Tracking your intake, whether on paper or in an app, is scientifically proven to improve weight loss success and maintenance. Are you thinking you don’t have enough time to write it all down? That’s another way you’re not being honest with yourself. Keeping a food journal takes no more than five minutes a day; everyone can find the time for that. “It’s just so hard to do!” is another lie you may be telling yourself. There are many ways to track your intake—type it up, write it down, plug it into an app, snap a picture– you can find a method that’s easiest for you. The bottom line is, if losing weight is a priority for you, keeping a food journal is paramount (and keeps you honest about what you’re actually eating!).
Takeaway: If you bite it, you write it!
You prioritize everything else oversleep
You’re busy. You might own your own business, work for a company that requires 50 or 60 hours a week, care for children, or have other obligations like school and volunteering. This doesn’t mean you should sacrifice sleep! Too often people go go go until late in the night or wake up early to get more done, sacrificing crucial hours of sleep. Resting each night provides a much-needed recharge and helps your body keep everything in balance. When you’re sleep-deprived, your body is out of balance and this increases cravings, changes hormones that put your body in weight gain mode, and decreases your body’s drive to allow for weight loss: a triple threat that sabotages your weight loss efforts! Ensuring adequate sleep (at least 7 hours per night) will correct imbalances so your hard work during the day is not wasted!
Takeaway: Good sleep equals good weight loss
Stress is getting you down
We’ve established that you’re busy. You’re running around and trying to get 25 hours of work done in 24. Your day is crammed with meetings, kids, meal prep, errands and that is just the tip of the iceberg. It is stressful. With all that stress comes stress hormones and stress cravings, two things that will work against your efforts to lose weight. Take time to wind down and reset. Being calm, cool, and collected is essential to your success on the scale. Need ideas on how to de-stress? Check out our blog post 50 Ways to Decompress and Destress to get you started.
Takeaway: Take a break from your busy life every single day.
Your health and weight loss are much more complicated than this brief list. If you take the advice here and are still having difficulties, reach out to us to schedule an appointment with a medical provider or registered dietitian; we can help!
