Why Am I Not Losing Weight? Common Pitfalls in Diet and Exercise

Struggling to Lose Weight Despite Diet and Exercise? Here's Why

Are you trying to lose weight but finding it difficult? Sometimes, even with dieting and exercising, the scale doesn't show the desired weight. In these circumstances, it's important to review your habits and assess whether you are following the right guidelines.

In this article, we will answer your question, "Why am I not losing weight despite dieting and exercising?" This is a very common concern among people who are living a healthy lifestyle but see no change on the scale. If you are one of them, this will interest you!

Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight Despite Diet and Exercise

Changes in diet and lifestyle are usually reflected on the scale. But this isn’t always the case. You might feel that your body is less bloated and that your clothes fit looser, but your weight barely changes. This can happen for various reasons, and here we want to reveal the most common ones.

Tip: If you are making changes in your life and want to lose weight healthily, it's best to consult a nutritionist.

If you want to know why you're not losing weight despite dieting and exercising, here are the most common reasons for this situation:

Be Patient

One of the first pieces of advice we want to give you right now is NOT to get stressed. Weight loss is gradual, and in fact, the slower it is, the more effective and solid it will be. Crash diets that promise rapid weight loss are not recommended at all: it’s better to opt for a healthy diet, low in calories and saturated fats, to avoid the dreaded rebound effect. Also, remember something very important: what we want with a diet is mainly to lose fat, not weight. Often these two concepts are related, but not always.

Watch the Calories

You might not be losing weight because you're consuming more calories than you realize. Often, we forget that to effectively lose weight, it’s essential to watch what we eat. You need to pay attention not only to the type of foods you consume but also to the calories. Excess calories mean excess energy stored in the body as fat. Therefore, eat fewer calories than you need to see results on the scale. This means avoiding highly caloric foods like avocados, hummus, and nuts—they’re healthy but very high in calories!

Hormonal Issues

Another reason you might not be losing weight with diet and exercise could be health issues affecting your weight loss. Hypothyroidism, for example, can impact this area of your body, as can polycystic ovary syndrome, among others. Additionally, stress is an enemy of weight loss because it raises cortisol levels, increasing hunger.

Read the Labels

To effectively lose weight, don’t just buy the first thing you see in the supermarket because it seems light or low-fat. Often, products marketed as diet foods have a lot of properties that don’t help with weight loss and can be high in calories or fats. If you see a long ingredient list, the product is likely heavily processed and rich in sugars or toxins that prevent effective weight loss.

Lack of Sleep

Not sleeping well can also hinder weight loss. Poor rest affects the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which in turn affects your appetite. You’ll not only feel hungrier but also crave sweet or fatty foods to feel satiated.

Exercise Effectively

If you want to truly lose weight, you need to complement your diet with physical exercise. But exercise must be done in a specific way to be truly effective:

• Train 4 to 5 days a week
• Combine cardio with toning
• Start with strength exercises and finish with 30 minutes of cardio
• Avoid isotonic drinks or sports foods as they are very caloric
• Combine different intensities to maximize calorie burn
• Avoid carbs before working out; opt for fruit or light proteins instead

The Importance of Dinner

If you’re not losing weight with diet and exercise, it might be because you’re eating too much or not eating well at dinner. Dinner is crucial for weight loss since the metabolism slows down at the end of the day and the body prepares for rest. It’s best to eat light proteins and vegetables for dinner—this is the perfect combination for weight loss.

Why Am I Not Losing Weight If I Eat Little?

Do you eat little and still not lose weight? You might be trying what’s known as a "calorie deficit," eating fewer calories than your body needs daily. Entering a calorie deficit, eating less than you burn, can help you lose weight. But this strategy might not be working, and there can be various reasons for this.

Here, we’ll reveal why you’re not losing weight even if you eat little by addressing the 7 most common mistakes people make when dieting on their own:

1. Too Many Light Products in Your Diet: This is a common mistake among those who can’t lose weight. These foods should be an "extra" in your diet, a treat. But be careful because many of these foods replace sugars with fats or carbohydrates that can make you gain weight over time.
2. Eating Healthy but Caloric Foods: Another reason you eat little and don’t lose weight could be that you’re including very caloric foods in your diet, even if they’re healthy. Examples include nuts, avocado, coconut, olive oil. These ingredients are healthy but high in calories, so be mindful!
3. Preparing Many Fit Recipes: Today, this is one of the main reasons why people struggle to lose weight. Social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok are filled with fit recipes that can make you gain weight because they include high-calorie foods. Fit individuals consume many calories because they burn them off through exercise. If you don’t follow a specific fitness routine, avoid these recipes or save them for occasional treats like weekends.
4. Eating Too Much Cheese: While cheese appears in many healthy recipes, be cautious with it! It’s very fatty and caloric and can make you gain weight. So, cheese in moderation. Many fit recipes include melted cheese for dinner, but it’s too fatty and caloric for the end of the day, especially if you struggle to lose weight and don’t have a continuous workout routine.
5. The Importance of Beverages: This is another reason you might not lose weight despite eating little. We often overlook the calories in drinks. For example, coffee with milk adds the calories from milk, so if you drink 2 or 3 a day, you need to account for those calories. Soft drinks, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, etc., are also high in calories. Opt for infusions, water, and tea. Limit alcohol if you want to lose weight!
6. Not Moving Enough: Even if you eat little, if you don’t move, your weight loss will be slow. To see changes, incorporate physical exercise into your routine. Start with light activities like walking for an hour a day, swimming, dancing, yoga, biking—anything to get off the couch. Your whole body will thank you.
7. Not Drinking Enough Water: This might seem trivial, but it’s not! Often, the brain can mistake thirst for hunger. Always have a 1.5-liter bottle of water handy while working to ensure you drink that amount daily, at a minimum.

Which Hormone Prevents Weight Loss?

The hormone that prevents weight loss is cortisol, the stress hormone. It's naturally produced, but if produced in high levels, it can increase anxiety for food and weight gain. High cortisol levels can slow metabolism, reducing daily calorie burn.

Therefore, experts always recommend taking care of both physical and mental health, adopting healthy habits for the mind such as daily rest, physical exercise, and meditation. Taking care of yourself goes beyond diet and exercise; it starts from within, so don’t forget that!

How to Speed Up Metabolism to Lose Weight

To be honest, speeding up metabolism is challenging but not impossible. Experts always recommend increasing muscle mass to boost metabolism. Muscle requires more calories, so what you eat will contribute to muscle mass. Therefore, to speed up metabolism, engage in physical exercises that help build muscle and burn extra calories with cardio.

In addition to exercise, you can speed up metabolism with these tips:

• Avoid prolonged sitting. Aim for at least 10,000 steps daily.
• Increase protein intake, whether animal or plant-based. Protein helps with satiety and muscle building.
• Get a good night’s sleep. As mentioned, cortisol can disrupt metabolism, so aim for a healthy lifestyle.

What Happens If I Don’t Lose Weight Despite Exercising?

If you’re eating healthy and exercising but not seeing results on the scale, it could be due to an increase in muscle mass, as muscle weighs more than fat. Especially at the beginning of a new routine, you might notice muscle gain on the scale before fat loss. But don’t despair!

Another important point is your diet. Many fit recipes, high in protein, are also very caloric. For example, a protein cheesecake might be fine occasionally, but not every day or week. Similarly, fit recipes high in cheese should be limited if you’re trying to reduce calories since cheese is very caloric. Don’t fall into the trap of fit recipes; instead, opt for light, healthy, and balanced recipes. Reserve fit recipes for weekends or occasional treats.

Combine Your Diet with Aesthetic Treatments

Lastly, if you want more effective results from your healthy lifestyle, combine it with body aesthetic treatments.

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Weight Loss Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or weight loss plan. Individual results may vary, and it is important to consider your own health needs and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or exercise program.