Why Am I Not Losing Weight?
Tried exercising regularly and eating healthily but your weight still stays the same? Fear not, for we've embarked on this journey to unveil the underlying reasons.
Throughout this blog post, we will delve into the common reasons which can hinder your weight loss progress. From managing food and drinks to understanding exercise and the vital role of rest, each piece contributes to the complete picture. The calories we consume, the way we move, and the quality of our rest are all related factors for your weight loss journey. By navigating the pitfalls of excessive consumption, adopting balanced exercise routines, and taking ample amounts of rest, you will be able to embark on your weight loss journey.
1. Physical Activity
Physical activities plays an essential role in helping us lose weight. Exercising increases our calories expenditure which leads to a greater calorie deficit.
Physical activity aids in weight loss by boosting our metabolism. Participating in cardiovascular activities or resistance training increases our metabolic rate. As a result, our body continues to burn calories even when we are not working out.
a) Are you only doing Cardio 4-5 times a week and avoiding Strength Training?
Cardio exercises, like running and cycling, are great for burning calories, but relying solely on them can be a mistake. Skipping strength training, which includes exercises like lifting weights or bodyweight workouts, can cause you to miss out on building muscle. Muscle is like your body's calorie-burning furnace, so including strength training helps you burn calories even when you're not working out. However, when performing strength training, it is essential that we focus on proper form to ensure you're targeting the right muscles and reducing the risk of hurting yourself. If you're unsure, consider working with a Personal Trainer to learn the correct techniques.
b) Have you been doing the same workout routine forever?
Imagine your workout routine as a favorite song. If you listen to it too much, you might get bored. Doing the same exercises all the time can lead to a plateau in your progress. Your body is very intelligent and once it gets used to the routine, it stops responding as effectively. To make more progress, apply progressive overloading techniques such as increasing the weights, repetitions and intensity. Alternatively, you can keep things interesting by trying different types of exercises, switching up your routine occasionally so as to challenge your body in new ways.
c) Are you seated at your desk most of the time, leading a Sedentary Lifestyle?
Adopting a sedentary lifestyle can make it challenging to achieve your weight loss goals. By sitting for long hours and engaging in minimal physical activity, it causes your metabolism to slow down, resulting in fewer calories being burnt. Additionally, sedentary behaviour is associated with higher fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. This visceral fat is linked to various health issues and can further complicate weight loss efforts. To overcome the challenges posed by a sedentary lifestyle and support your weight loss journey, it's essential to incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine. Even small changes like taking short walks, stretching, or engaging in light exercises can make a significant difference in your ability to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Need more tips to increase your daily step count? Click here for 4 Ways To Increase Your Daily Step Count!
2. Dietary Intake
On top of performing more physical activities, we should also pay close attention to our dietary intake. Often we would unintentionally consume too much food, go on unsustainable restrictive diets, skip meals, or consume too much liquid calories which will hinder our weight loss journey. Here are some common pitfalls when it comes to monitoring our diet.
a) Have you been consuming too much healthy foods?
As much as this is quite logical, eating too much of healthy foods can be detrimental for your weight loss journey. Ultimately, it is the total amount of calories that plays a huge role. With lesser calories consumed, your body will be able to use all as energy and there would not be any excess calories stored as fats. Try to use smaller plates to make your plate look more full and portion your snacks to prevent overeating!
b) Been trying too many trending yet restrictive diets?
The internet contains a myriad of information regarding common diets that one should include during their weight loss journey. But truth be told, by drastically cutting calories or following extreme diets might actually backfire on you. They may give you the results you want in the short term, but in the long run, they are definitely not sustainable. With the sudden drop in caloric intake, you may feel tired and lethargic easily, which may cause you to snack on unhealthy food throughout the day, which defeats your entire purpose of your weight loss journey. Instead, always aim for a balanced diet with a sustainable approach - think of losing weight as a marathon, not a sprint.
c) Have you been drinking too much liquids?
Soda, sugary drinks and fancy coffee concoctions can be like sneaky calorie monsters. Another common pitfall are fruit juices, which may also appear to be healthy, however, in reality, some packaged fruit juices are laden with additional sugar. In addition, fruit juices do not contain fibres as they have been removed. It's easy to chug down a large amount of liquid calories especially when we are feeling dehydrated and hungry. These liquid calories can add up quickly and sabotage your efforts. Stick to water, herbal tea, or plain black coffee with minimal sugar and cream to stay on track.
3. Rest & Recovery
Getting adequate and quality rest & sleep is essential for weight loss. Achieving weight loss is not just about what you do when you are awake. It is also about how well you allow your body to recover during restful sleep as sleep is the body's natural recovery process. Engaging in regular physical activities places stress on muscles, and proper rest allows them to repair, contributing to improved performance during your workouts.
a) Are you actually resting enough between your workout days?
Pushing yourself too hard without giving your body time to recover is like trying to bake a cake without letting it cool down. Rest and recovery allows your muscles to repair and grow stronger, which is essential for effective weight loss. Rest days are like a reward for your hard work. Skipping them is like not taking a day off from school or work – you'll get burnt out. Use your rest days to recharge, enjoy hobbies, and give your muscles time to repair and grow. Make sure to schedule rest days to support your weight loss journey.
b) Have you been clocking sufficient sleep each night?
Did you know that lack of sleep can actually hinder our weight loss progress? Sleep plays a pivotal role in regulating hormones that control hunger and satiety. When you are sleep deprived, these hormones can become unbalanced, leading to increased cravings and potentially sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
c) Been feeling stressed and overwhelmed with work?
Many Singaporeans experience high levels of stress due to their demanding work and study commitments, often dedicating extended hours to both their jobs and education. Stress is like a storm that can affect your weight loss journey. If you're constantly stressed, your body might hold onto weight. Taking time to relax and de-stress is like clearing the clouds for a sunny weight loss path.
So do remember to pay close attention to avoid the pitfalls from these 3 main aspects when it comes to losing weight! However if you are still unsure or struggling to lose weight, our dedicated personal trainers at FITLUC are more than happy to customise a training programme combining a variety of other important fitness components, such as strength, functional and plyometric exercises to help you achieve your bulking goals! So what are you waiting for? Give us a try and #GetThatFITLook! Drop us a WhatsApp message at +65 8812 0110 or book a personal training trial with one of our dedicated trainers to explore if personal training is the best choice for you!
Just a heads-up, it will probably be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
About FITLUC
Looking for a Personal Trainer in Singapore? Look no further! At FITLUC, we specialise in In-Person and Online Personal Training, and we also offer house-call PT with a small additional fee. We currently base our Personal Training clients at a well-equipped gym just a stone's throw away from Outram Park MRT. We have also just opened our second outlet at 82 Boat Quay, which is located right in the heart of CBD!
We are recognized as one of the Top 12 Best PT in Singapore and were featured on Mothership, The Straits Times, YES 93.3FM, Yahoo News, etc. Our Personal Trainers have worked with clients aged 13 – 84, from Celebrities to CEOs, working professionals and homemakers, with goals ranging from fat loss, weight loss, muscle gain to athletic performance and elderly training. Our celebrity clientele includes Tay Ping Hui, Maxi Lim, Hazelle Teo, Tayying, Lee Teng, Ze Tong, Benjamin Tan, Jaspers Lai and more.
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