Losing weight can be tricky business. We are bombarded with ads promising fast results and that you can lose a dress size in a week. The truth is, lasting weight loss is done slowly for most people. However, there are a few things that you may be unintentionally doing that could be sabotaging your efforts. Instead of getting frustrated, let’s take a look at 5 reasons you could be failing at weight loss. Maybe one or two will strike a cord with you, and help you to get to your goal weight. You can do it!
1.) Water Consumption: One of the reasons a lot of people (myself included) struggle with losing those last few pounds is we aren’t drinking enough water. I finally had to just force myself to sip water all day long and not only can I feel a difference in not feeling bloated, but my skin is more clear as well, bonus! Tip: Sip out of a pretty cup with a straw, it helps me! I shoot for eight glasses a day, and except on special occasions have cut out soda all together.
I really like this fruit infused water bottle to give your drink a little flavor.
2.) Rewarding Workouts With Treats: This is a major trap that creates a vicious cycle. Should you celebrate your weight loss? Heck yes! But you shouldn’t celebrate with a food related reward. Otherwise, you are eating back all the calories you just burned from your workout! Other good options are a manicure, new workout clothes, or some time to yourself to go to the movies.
3.) Snacking all day, Oh, it’s just a handful!: As someone who works from home, this is another trap that I fall into if I’m not careful. One handful of M&M’s isn’t a big deal, but when it turns into three or seven spread out throughout the day, then I’m in trouble. Little bites add up quickly, so beware! This is why I prefer things that come in snack sized portions like string cheese or a cup of Greek yogurt.
4.) Portion sizes: Living in the south, this is a biggie. I was taught to eat everything on my plate, whether I liked it or not. Stores sell monster sized dinner plates, which compounds the problem. Check the back of your food labels and find out what an actual serving size is and measure it out. You me be surprised to find out that you are eating multiple servings of your favorite cereal!
5.) Not working out enough: I love my activity tracker, but there has been a lot of controversy as of late about the accuracy of them. Did I REALLY walk 10,000 steps? Was that my actual heart rate for for my exercise class? It’s hard to know for sure, but I would much rather err on the side of doing more work than the minimum as opposed to not doing enough. I have found that when I just enter age and weight into a treadmill or stationary bike, the calories are WAY overestimated, and this can lead to a big problem if you think you are burning more than you are. Shoot for 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week, or 30 minutes a day five days a week to have a healthy heart, and improve your fitness.
PS: Sign up for my FREE set of printables to help you track your daily fitness routine, as well as make goals related to fitness and every day life.
QOTD: Did any of these resonate with you? What other reasons can you think of that cause people to fail at weight loss?
*Please note that I am not a doctor, and these are just things I have observed in my personal life and journey with weight loss.
I can definitely related to #2 & #3! I steadily GAINED weight after getting back into a very dedicated and regular workout routine years ago (after having fallen off the exercise bandwagon in college). Why? Well, I was working out! I deserved that treat, that extra helping, that… this… Yeah, it was (and is) a problem. I didn’t gain it overnight, so I didn’t necessarily notice it creeping on at first. Now that my nutrition is more under control (and my snacking is minimal), the weight is starting to slowly return to normal.
The water one is SO important! I try to drink more water and you’re right – an infuser bottle helps, as does an insulated bottle that keeps it cold all day!
Yes!
3 and 4 are definitely the hardest for me! I have a desk job and there are times during the day where I find myself thinking I’m hungry and having a snack when really I’m probably just tired of sitting at my desk. So I’ve been trying to get up and go for a walk when that happens instead of snacking.
That’s a great idea!