When you embark on a weight loss journey, it’s with the hope that all the hard work you put into your diet and fitness will pay off handsomely, but what happens when you don’t see any results? It’s really frustrating to think that you’re doing everything right but you’re still not getting the outcome you desire.
If it feels like losing weight is an uphill battle, don’t give up. It’s so much easier to quit, but the truth is if you tweak certain things, you will start shedding the pounds and getting fit. Here are a few reasons why it might be a struggle to lose weight and how to fix it.
So Why Are You Struggling to Lose Weight?
You’re Not in a Calorie Deficit
In order to lose weight, there’s only one thing that matters, it’s the equation that’s made up of the calories that you take in and the calories that you actually burn on a day to day basis. If you want to lose weight, the number of calories that you burn has to override what you’re taking in. If you’re struggling to see any results in your weight loss program, it could be that you’re in a calorie surplus, or that you’re eating at maintenance calories so your body is getting just enough from what you’re eating. In order to start getting results, you’ll have to first get a calorie tracker app and add up everything you’re eating currently and measure that against your daily energy use. Once you know these numbers, you can easily fine tune your diet so that you can be in a calorie deficit. Once you do this for a few months, it will start feeling like the fat is just melting away.
You’re Not Getting Enough Data
One of the reasons people struggle to lose weight even though they are exercising and seemingly doing everything right is not tracking their activities correctly. As stated above, the only way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit, but the thing is, you can’t really see how many calories you’re using and burning without some way to actually get the information. This is where fitness trackers come in. Having a wearable device that measures your steps, how many calories you burn in your workouts, and how many calories you burn throughout the day will help tremendously. It will allow you to do workouts that actually help you burn more fat, instead of wasting time and energy on things that don’t. An exercise program doesn’t have to be mysterious, if you have the information at your fingertips, you can use the data to achieve your goals.
Underlying Health Issues
Some people struggle with weight loss because there could be an underlying health issue or food insensitivity that’s impacting them. If you suffer from an undiagnosed condition that is impacting your metabolism, or you’re suffering from the side effects of a medication, it could be making it hard for the pounds to come off. If you suspect that this might be an issue it would be a great idea to find a medical care provider who can help you find out what’s going on. This could mean a few tests and checks, and perhaps new approaches and medications to help stabilize your internal health. It’s an important step that shouldn’t be missed.
You’re Inpatient
Sometimes you might be struggling to lose weight because you have the wrong expectations. Weight loss is a long-term process, and you really have to put the work in for longer than a month to get the results and keep them. Many people get frustrated because they don’t see the results as quickly as they would hope, and they give up out of frustration. In order to put your weight loss into perspective, one of the best analogies you can use is the paper towel effect.
When you use a paper towel roll, you don’t notice the roll get thinner at first but as you take off more sheets, you’ll eventually see the difference. Essentially, that’s how weight loss works. It’s not a sudden result but rather a slow and steady drop that eventually becomes noticeable. The truth is, we don’t always notice the smaller changes so one of the best things we can do is take a lot of progress photos and videos and use them as a way to compare. You can also use a piece of clothing that was too tight, and wear it from time to time so you can notice that it fits better.
Weight loss can be frustrating, especially when it feels like nothing is happening, but don’t be discouraged. If you look into tweaking your process, you will definitely get the outcome you want.
