Ever wondered why you’re not losing your desired amount of weight despite dieting and working out? According to Leanne Ward, a dietician from Brisbane – your weekends are probably to blame.
According to the expert, consistency is the single most important thing for weight loss, but unfortunately many people are not honest with how much food they are consuming and how much physical activity they are putting in, to lose weight, the Daily Mail reports.
The fat loss expert goes on to share 10 reasons why you’re unable to lose weight and reportedly said that her tips will help those who want to shed the extra kilos stay on track.
1. You're not being consistent enough
You're probably not seeing results because you are inconsistent in your efforts to lose weight.
'If you're being healthy Monday to Friday and then letting yourself completely off at the weekends, then it's not enough,' Leanne said.
'Two days is enough to kick you out of a deficit and you're probably eating and drinking much more than you think at the weekends.'
She recommends to keep a food diary so that you can honestly note down all the inconsistencies in your diet over a period of two weeks.
2. The weekends are taking you off track
Leanne reportedly said, 'The weekends are typical times that we lose the structure, consistency and we don't eat at home as much.’
'When you're not cooking the food yourself, you'll always find that things have been added to it to make it taste good.'
The best way to prevent this from happening is to be aware of it.
For example, if you know you’re going to be eating larger meals during the weekend, you can probably forgo the snacking.
3. You’re not in a calorie deficit
Leanne explains that the ‘golden rule’ of weight loss is being in a calorie deficit state – meaning eating lesser than your body requires.
She said, 'If you're not losing weight, you're not in a deficit.'
Calorie surplus is the opposite of a calorie deficit state and if you want to remain at the same weight, you should be in ‘maintenance.’
4. You’re eating when you’re not hungry
Though we may think that we eat only when we’re hungry but in reality, according to Leanne many of us have ‘head hunger’ rather than ‘stomach hunger.’
Leanne states, 'Head hunger is eating when you're bored, sad or happy.'
'But it's important to remember than no amount of food will ever truly satisfy you if you weren't hungry to begin with,' she cautions.
5. You're not tracking correctly
Many people track their intake of food through fitness apps but according to the dietician you could be underestimating how much you’ve eaten when you put it in to an app.
Moreover, you may also be adding extra handfuls and mouthfuls here and there, which can add to your weight gain or status quo.
6. You’ve got the calculations of your requirements wrong
Leanne reportedly said, 'Look up an online calculator and add in your height, weight, age, activity level and body fat if you have it for the most accurate calculations for your body.’
You then need to remember to eat in a 10-20% deficit if you want to lose weight.
Leanne advises that for the most accurate results, it’s imperative that you put in accurate information.
7. You think you are more active than you are
'Most of my clients have desk jobs and think they're doing lots of exercise by doing a 30–45-minute workout every day, but moving your body for half an hour out of 24 just isn't enough,' she explained.
Instead, the expert advises that along with your workouts, you should ensure you get in some 10,000 steps a day as well.
'Steps are really underrated for weight loss,' she said.
8. You’re making important health decisions when you’re tired
According to Leanne, many people don’t lose weight because they tend to make big decisions regarding their health when they are fatigued and worn out.
'Map out your day and make conscious, good decisions early,' she said.
Make your health-related decisions early in the day rather than leaving it till 9pm when you will probably be weary and exhausted and won’t stick to them.
9. You’re overwhelmed and need a break
Often weight loss hits a plateau state simply because you may need a break from your regime.
'If you've been consistent for four weeks and the scale is still stuck and not budging, it's probably a sign you need to take a break from dieting or even try reverse dieting to eat more for a period of time,' Leanne said.
'Too many of us push in a fat loss phase and don't get the results we need. Later on, you can go back into a deficit, but give your body the fuel it needs when it needs it.'
10. You’re throwing in the towel too quickly
Finally, Leanne explains that fat loss and that weight loss and fat loss in particular requires time. In fact, after starting a diet the dietician advises that you should not check your weight for two weeks, as you will not notice any results.
'Adopt the lifestyle approach and do something that is sustainable for a decent period of time,' she said.
'A lot of fat loss is happening in the background and you can't see it initially on the scales.'
It would be worth remembering that if your goal is to lose 10kg, it would probably take as long as six months to achieve your target.
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