It can be so frustrating not seeing the scales go down despite putting in such a big effort. Instead of throwing in the towel and getting down hearted, I want you to understand the reasons behind and how you can go about changing it.

I have put together 5 reasons on why you are not losing weight, check them out and then share them with your friends.

You Are Not in a Calorie Deficit

I have said this before and I will say it a thousand more times, the only way to lose weight is by being in a calorie deficit. You need to eat less calories than you burn, or burn more calories you eat (whichever way you want to look at it). Whilst this statement sounds simple, it is not necessarily easy.

One study shows that there is a huge gap between the amount of calories we think are eating/burning and the actual amount of calories we are eating/burning. They found that individuals under reported calorie intake by 47% and over estimated calories burned by 51%. Whilst these individuals presumed they were in a calorie deficit, the lack of weight loss was from inaccuracies in tracking.

There are a few ways we can ensure we are being accurate, and one of those ways is what we are going to talk about in point 2.

You Are Not Tracking Calories

A calorie deficit is the principle of losing weight. The method you use to achieve that principle is up to you, but all the methods use the same principle. Slimming world, keto, paleo or low carb diets all use the same principle of applying a calorie deficit but use various methods to make that happen. Whichever method you chose to use, you need to understand the principle (calories in vs. calories out)

Now that we know we need to control out calorie intake, the one method that I like to use is calorie counting. With the power of modern technology in our pockets, it couldn’t be easier. I would highly recommend using a calorie counting app such as MyFitnessPal to track your daily and weekly calorie average.

A common mistake I often see is that people assume they are eating ‘healthy’ or eating ‘clean’, and that will be enough to see progress. It is not until they input all of these avocados, nuts and dried fruits into MyFitnessPal and realise they are eating 3000 calories a day. Unfortunately, there is no separate belly for health foods and junk food, they are all processed in the same way.

Track your calories and take a weekly average to understand how the types of foods and portion sizes have a big impact on your weight loss. The more data you collect, the more you can control.

You Are Using Weight as the Single Measure of Progress

Stepping on the scales will pop out a number with your relation to gravity, but that doesn’t define you or your success. That number is just telling you how heavy you are right now, not how much body fat, muscle you have or how healthy you are. Even the fancy scales with all the bells and whistles will give you a very rough estimation based on calculations.

The scales are an easy tool to use to measure progress over a period of time, but they need to be used with caution, or at least understand how the scales are easily influenced. If the scales go up, everyone always assumes that we have gained fat. Whilst this is a possibility, there are also loads of others reasons for this increase in weight. Increased salt intake, hydration, increased fibre, bigger meal the night before, eating later than usual, not having a shit in the morning, increase in carbs, your menstrual cycle (ladies only of course) and many more. So the next time you think the scales have gone up, don’t instantly assume progress isn’t heading in the right direction, as it could be because  of another reason.

The aim of the game isn’t to be a light as possible, most people are aiming to becoming leaner, stronger and fitter, not just reaching a number on the scales. The scales can be a helpful tool, but they should not be the only tool. Try to pair them up with progress photos, body measurements, clothes fit or energy levels.  

You Are Not Being Patient

We live in a world of Amazon Prime, Deliveroo and Uber. It is no surprise we have limited patience and demand everything yesterday. Unfortunately your body doesn’t play by the same rules and doesn’t give a shit what you want. Losing body fat is a slow process. Losing weight on the other hand can be a little faster.

When you hear about individuals that have lost an insane amount of weight in a very short space of time, the chances are they haven’t lost much fat. That weight can come from water, glycogen (stored energy in the muscles), less food in the stomach, lost muscle or less shit heading for the toilet. Faster fat loss, doesn’t always mean better results. Be patient, realistic and stop comparing yourself to others. Take you own journey and work as hard as you can.

You Are Not in a Calorie Deficit

Yes, I am aware that this is the same as point 1, but I want to really hammer it home. You are not broken, your hormones are not crazy (for most people), your metabolism isn’t on ‘shut down’, you don’t need a juice cleanse or a detox. You are eating too many calories and not burning enough.

I appreciate that shouting “eat less, move more” is as helpful as shouting to someone that is drowning “drown less, swim more”. As I mentioned earlier, a calorie deficit is the principle behind what you are doing, the method is up to you. If you feel frustrated with lack of results, speed of results or are unsure on how to implement a plan, get in touch by clicking here and I will happily help you out. I will gladly provide a plan, give you a kick up the arse and get you heading towards your goals.