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For weeks or even months now you've eaten sensibly, you've exercised 3 or more times a week, yet you're still carrying too much weight (and too much of a gut!). Outlined below are 5 reasons why you're not losing weight and 5 things you can do to reverse this situation.
People who believe the only way to lose weight is to starve themselves are in for a nasty shock. It doesn't work. Sure for a few weeks the pounds fall off ... then all of a sudden it stops. Or worse still it continues!
If the weight continues to drop then it'll be hard earned muscle you'll be losing and not unwanted body fat (your body when starved would rather sacrifice lean tissue over fat - because it may need to use fat in the near future as fuel).
It is true that you should cut calories, but NEVER drop below 2000 calories a day.
If you don't chew your food properly (no jokes please about 100 chews before swallowing) then the enzymes in saliva don't have a chance to start the digestion process. Lack of digestion will trick the brain into thinking that you haven't eaten enough. Hence you will continue to eat past a point where you would be full.
Aim to chew your food slowly. Put your fork down between chews. Don't read or watch TV while eating (this simulates to eat quickly).
Of water that is. Not only will water flush your body of toxins and promote the breakdown of fats and proteins etc, it will also act as a stimulant to tell the brain the you aren't hungry.
Drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Drink a pint of water as soon as you rise and a pint before bed.
If you exercise, great. This has the capacity to aid weight loss. However, in order for this to occur you still need to cut calories. If you eat as many calories as you expend (exercising or not), you will NEVER lose weight.
Aim to decrease your calorie intake by 250 calories a day for two weeks. If you haven't lost weight, drop this by another 250 calories a day. This coupled with a sensible exercise programme should promote steady fat loss.
If you find yourself nibbling on crisps, biscuits and sweets at work or at home, then your diet will be doomed to failure. Why? Well estimate the amount of snacking you do in a typical week, then times this figure by two, even three. Because this type of eating becomes so automatic that you will even forgot that you are doing it. Thus, you'll be eating more than you think.
To combat this buy treats that you know you will eat one of and then leave the rest for another day e.g. An ice cream, a small chocolate bar or better still fruit.
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