5 Sneaky Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight

Not Losing Weight

Your body tends to fight back when you’re losing weight. After losing some pounds without much effort, you may notice that the weight loss process may slow down or stop for a while.

You should know that weight loss is a process that takes time, it doesn’t just happen overnight so you must be patient even though is hard sometimes. Yet, there are some sneaky reasons that might stop you from losing weight that are worth considering.

There are many factors that can influence weight loss, some of which are more obvious than others. It’s worth considering all of them as you try to make changes that will get you results.

1. You’re not getting enough sleep

Sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The lack of sleep or an active nightlife might lead to weight gain.

A study made in 2006 found women who slept five hours per night were more likely to gain weight than women who slept seven hours.

Researchers also found that:

• The lack of sleep made women feel hungrier
• Sleep deprivation can affect the secretion of cortisol, one of the hormones that regulates the appetite.
• Because they were always tired, they exercised less, burning fewer calories.

Getting enough sleep is a must if you’re trying to lose weight, not just because of how it affects you physically, but mentally as well.

Lack of sleep can make you feel grumpy, confused, irritable, and can even contribute to depression, which can influence your food choices.

2. You have a sedentary lifestyle

Exercise is crucial when it comes to weight loss. Studies have demonstrated that leading a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

It is important to exercise even if you’re not trying to lose weight, but even more so if you want to get rid of those extra pounds.

For weight loss, experts recommend to work out at least 60 minutes per day, or at least 30 minutes if we’re talking about high-intensity workouts.

So you either need to increase your workout time and intensity to match your goals, or you need to change your weight loss goals to match what you’re actually doing.

3. Starving yourself isn’t a solution

Dieting for a long period of time isn’t a good idea. Your body gets used to receiving small amounts of food and your weight loss process will slow down.

This is why it is recommended to take a break from dieting once in a while.

Start by adding some extra calories every day and focus on weights workouts rather than cardio or high-intensity ones.

Aim to follow this routine for one or two months before you can go back on dieting again.

4. Drink more water

I know this is such a cliche, but really, drinking water is so important in weight loss. It helps in suppressing appetite, so you’re less likely to overeat.

When the stomach senses that it is full, it sends signals to the brain to stop eating. Water can help to take up space in the stomach, leading to the same feeling of fullness.

Moreover, when you’re dehydrated, your kidneys can’t function properly, so the body turns to the liver for additional support. Because the liver is working so hard, the fat you consume is stored instead of being burned off.

Without water, the body cannot metabolize stored fat or carbohydrates.

5. You’re drinking way too much alcohol

Alcohol drinks are knows to be very high in calories, so trust me when I tell you that alcohol and diets don’t go hand in hand.

Alcohol is higher in calories than most people think, containing seven calories per gram, compared to protein and carbohydrate which have around four calories per gram and fat which has nine.

I’m not saying that you should give up alcohol forever, just make sure you stick to one serving and don’t go overboard.

If you like alcohol but you want to lose some weight, stick to hard drinks (like vodka) mixed with a zero-calorie beverage.