5 Reasons Your Not Losing Weight
#1: USING THE SCALE TO TRACK PROGRESS
I need you to listen to this part very closely… DITCH.THE.SCALE! Seriously, weighing yourself and spending excessive amounts of time on the scale does absolutely no good and is not even an accurate measure of your progress. There’s way more to your health and fitness than how much you weigh. If you’re combining weight training in with cardio, chances are you’ll start to put on some muscle. So if you are losing fat but
gaining muscle that scale number may not change or could go up…but you are losing inches (which is what really matters).
A better way to track your progress to get over this bad health habit? Take your measurements or take progress photos. Measurements are key indicators of how your size is changing in your waist, hips, arms, etc. Taking progress photos is a great way to visualize the actual progress you have made. You see yourself everyday, so it’s difficult to recognize the small changes. I recommend taking some body pics to document your journey. Limit your photos and measurements to once per month.
#2: WEEKEND BINGE EATING
So your fitness and nutrition game may be strong Monday to Thursday, but how do you do from Friday to Sunday? Are you a weekend binger? If so, it’s time to ditch that habit! Life is all about balance…and everything in moderation. The 80/20 rule is a great way to balance a healthy lifestyle with some reckless fun. BUT, if your entire weekend consists of cheat meals and unhealthy binge, then we’re starting to sway into the 60/40 zone.
All of that hard work that you’re doing throughout the week gets cancelled out with some of your weekend decisions, if you’re on a weekend binge on the regular. Try to opt in for 1 or 2 cheat meals max on the weekend, and continue staying active and working out. Remember, health shouldn’t just be something you just cross off your checklist, but an actual lifestyle change.
#3: FALLING INTO THE NEGATIVE MINDSET
The hardest part of any health journey is the mental game. You need to build yourself up to stay motivated despite how many times you feel like giving up. It’s hard enough as it is to start a fitness journey, don’t give yourself an even harder time. In other words, don’t fall into a trap of the negative mental game
If you are constantly scrolling through social media, constantly comparing your body to others, wondering why you can’t look like them – STOP IT! Comparing yourself to someone else is one of the most unhealthy things you can do. You’ll either get completely demotivated and go on a binge OR over-work your body and/or starve/deprive yourself to unhealthy extremes.
Health starts with a positive mindset and must be your primary goal. When we use vanity as a motivator our motivation is way less likely to last. Being healthy is so much more than a hot bod and some tight buns or six pack abs. Your organs, your muscles, and every part of your sole anatomy needs to be properly nourished. Don’t forget that!
Stay positive, congratulate yourself for your efforts and successes, and stop comparing yourself to other people!
#4: EATING OUT ON THE REGULAR!
It’s no secret that eating clean can be a struggle, especially when you don’t have time to pre-plan, prep or cook. It can be so easy to say let's just order takeout...I get it life is busy. But you make time for the important things. And isn't your health important? So it's time to ditch that unhealthy habit! EVEN if you’re ordering “healthy” food, chances are it’s packed with sodium, processed, and contains preservatives. Once or even twice a week of ordering should be fine but most days/meals you should do your best to opt in for some wholesome home-made food.
One of the easiest ways to ditch this bad health habit is to get into the practice of meal planning and prepping. For those that aren’t familiar, meal prep is when you make all of your healthy meals on one given day. This meal prep will last you for about a week following. You grab and go, so no dishes, no cooking on the daily, and it’s just as easy as ordering in.
#5 GIVING YOUR DIET AN EXPIRATION DATE
How many times have you said to yourself, "I just need to get through this diet and I can eat what ever I want!" OR "I just need to get through this clean eating challenge/30 day challenge/cleanse and I'll be better."? Well if you have I hate to break it to you but this is actually doing way more harm than good. It's leaves you frustrated because you can't keep the weight off long term and it royally screws up your metabolism. The second you put an expiration date on your diet you are setting yourself up for failure. Whatever approach you take you need to ask yourself, Can I eat this way for the rest of my life and be happy? If the answer is no, then that way is NOT for you. Remember you are looking to change bad habits and create positive ones. It needs to be viewed as a way of everyday life not a temporary fix that will cause you to take 10 steps back in the long run.