3 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight (And What To Do About It)

3 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight (And What To Do About It)

As we’re about to welcome 2019, you may find yourself writing out your New Year’s Resolutions and how you’re going to lose weight – this time.

 

The problem is that we tend to get caught up in the next new diet without actually putting the previous diet to the test.

 

When we don’t lose weight, we seldom ask what went wrong. We simply skip and hop to the next fad diet.

 

So, if you are not losing weight despite trying different diets, here are some underlying behavioral and mindset causes to know about.

 

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3 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight (And What To Do About It)

Relying on motivation

Whenever you think about people who succeed at losing weight, you might think it’s because they have strong motivation to do so.

 

Or if you see someone going to the gym every single day without fail, you might think “wow, I wish I could be as motivated as them.”

 

However, what these people have worked on and developed is not motivation. It’s a habit.

 

The word “motivation” is actually a vague word that doesn’t fully describe the actual happenings in someone’s mindset and behavior.

 

Most people attribute achieving a goal or task to the feeling of motivation. “If I’m motivated then I’ll feel like doing such and such.”

 

The problem with this is that relying on feeling motivated is not going to keep you consistent in your weight loss journey.

 

Because feelings change based on the weather, your schedule, your energy levels and much more. Feelings are fickle.

 

So if you are serious about losing weight, forget about feeling motivated. Instead, start thinking about building a habit. 

 

Habits stay with you for good – whether they’re the good or the bad kind. 

 

Related: How To Lose Weight Fast: Scientifically Proven Weight Loss Methods

 

The easiest way to build a habit is to take it slow. One method I believe works really well is the 2-Minute Rule, which I first heard about in James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. (I highly recommend this book).

 

Don’t have time to read a book? Listen to it on Audible during your commute or workout 🙂 Click here to get your first Audible download FREE.

 

James Clear recommends scaling a new habit into a two-minute version instead of setting out to accomplish the habit in its entirety.

 

For example, if you want to start running every day for 20 minutes, your 2-minute rule might be to run for 1 minute.

 

The trick is to make your first step as easy as possible by making sure it takes less than 2-minutes to do.

 

Even though going for a 1-minute run might seem silly at first, this small act helps you start the process.

 

It’s about showing up and making the first step mindless through repetition.

 

Related: Healthy Snacks You Should Be Eating To Boost Metabolism

 

 

Once something like this becomes a habit (doing without thinking about it), it becomes easier to master the rest of the process (running for 20 minutes, for example).

 

 

Too often, we think that results happen when we try achieving BIG goals. Nope!

 

It’s the small steps that add up to give us the biggest results six months, one year and 5 years from now.

 

 

So please don’t discount the 2-minute rule and starting out with the first step. Try it today – email me at [email protected] and let me know you did – seriously! I want to see you succeed!

Focusing on weight over wellness

Here is another reason why your weight loss is just not happening.

 

You’re focusing on the numbers on the scale instead of nutrition and wellness.

 

But how does that make losing weight difficult?

Glad you asked 😉

 

 

When you are worried about how much you weigh instead of your sense of health and wellness, two things happen.

 

1. Your anxiety throws you back into old habits

Studies show that people who feel bad (guilty, ashamed) about their weight, are more likely to become anxious and distressed.

 

This type of stress causes you to relapse into old habits (unhealthy eating, inactivity, binge eating).

 

You begin living the lifestyle you were trying to avoid in the first place. And it becomes a vicious cycle.

 

So, being extremely worried about your weight can have a negative impact on your self-esteem and mental well being.

 

Obsessing over the numbers on the scale will only make this “weight mindset” worse. 

 

Instead of weighing yourself daily, try weighing yourself weekly instead. Instead of using words like “I’m going to lose 10 pounds on this diet”, try saying “I am stronger and healthier every time I eat better.”

 

2. You ignore wellness factors

Another thing that happens when you’re focusing on weight alone is that you neglect your wellness habits.

 

Your wellness habits (sleep, stress level, self-esteem, mindset) can make or break your weight loss results.

 

It’s scientifically proven that lack of sleep, prolonged stress and anxiety can all prevent weight loss.

 

If you are busy with mentally counting how much weight you have to lose, you’re likely forgetting those wellness factors.

 

Ignore that, and you’re also likely to think more about calories than nutrition. That’s next.

You focus on calories over nutrients

Focusing on calories instead of the nutritional value of the food you eat is a massive no-no.

 

On the outset, it might seem like a good idea to simply focus on calorie counting. After all, caloric deficit leads to weight loss, right? Not always.

 

While caloric deficit can help you shed pounds, it can backfire on you if the types of food you eat are not helpful. 

 

If you’re having 1200 calories a day but those calories are coming from hamburger and fries, you won’t get the powerful metabolism-boosting (fat burning) benefits in healthy food.

 

There is huge value in eating highly nutritious plates of food.

 

Be sure to get your daily dose of healthy fats such as avocados and nuts (within your caloric limit).

 

And be sure to eat plenty of green vegetables (leafy greens and cruciferous) which are high in antioxidants.

 

Take a good probiotic supplement to promote gut health and reduce inflammation which can prevent weight gain. This one is my favorite.

 

 

Wrapping it up!

 

Losing weight is more about building a couple of powerful habits (slowly, over time) than it is about trying out the next fad diet.

 

When thinking about your weight loss journey, it helps to dig deep.

 

Ask yourself why you really need to start eating and exercising a certain way.

 

Look beyond the numbers on the scale, even if it’s really hard to do. Dig deep!

 

This puts you in the right mindset and helps you put first things first.

 

And if you are still struggling to lose weight, it could be medical causes such as thyroid problems.

 

It’s best to see your physician to get a full assessment including blood tests.

 

Lastly, just by simply seeking out information on losing weight, you have taken the first step! Congrats! So, what’s your next step going to be? 🙂

 

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