You can’t lose weight: 9 reasons
Despite all your efforts, you are unable to lose weight? Are you making one or more of the 9 mistakes below?
1- You sleep little or badly
If you sleep too little or your sleep is of poor quality, it will slow down your metabolism . Thus, your body will produce too much ghrelin (the hormone that stimulates appetite) and not enough leptin (the hormone that makes you feel full).
To improve your sleep, you can try these tips: go to bed and get up at the same time every day, avoid alcohol and caffeine, eat light in the evening or even create a bedtime ritual.
2- You snack between meals
The pastries brought back by a colleague, the sugary drink on the way home from work, the packet of crisps during commercials,… so many bad habits that ruin your efforts to lose weight .
Stopping snacking is the best solution. However, if you can’t do this, you can start by replacing sugary and fatty snacks with healthier foods, such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, dark chocolate, vegetable juice, or just a glass of ‘water.
If you’re snacking, it’s probably because you’re not eating enough at mealtimes . Do not hesitate to eat more at breakfast to avoid untimely snacking at 11 a.m. This will give you all day to eliminate the calories! It is also possible to increase the number of meals. Adding a healthy snack to your eating routine, for example, will allow you to eat less at dinner.
3- You take too much sugar and bad fats
Sugar is one of the worst enemies of weight loss : it promotes storage by causing a sudden spike in blood sugar, which leads to an insulin spike. Thus, the sugar that is not used by the body will enter the cells in the form of fat. Warning: not all sugars are bad! Those contained in fruits or in honey are essential for our health. On the other hand, it is necessary to limit the hidden sugars found in industrial products.
As with sugar, it is important to differentiate between good and bad fats. Choose unsaturated fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9) found in avocados, nuts, fatty fish, vegetable oils, etc. Conversely, reduce your consumption of saturated and trans fatty acids found in fatty meats, dairy products and prepared meals.
Of course, you can continue to eat butter and mayonnaise… But don’t put it in all your dishes!
4- You do not eat at regular times
Can’t lose weight when you’re eating right? Do you eat at irregular times? Like sleep, your metabolism needs regularity . Your body will fail to assimilate food properly if you eat at chaotic schedules.
To lose weight in a sustainable way, it is therefore important to set up a regular rhythm for your meals and not to skip meals.
You should know that digestion takes about 4 hours. For example, you can have breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at noon, afternoon tea at 4 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m.
Also, if you wait until you are really hungry to eat, you risk throwing yourself on fatty food and eating more than necessary.
5- You are stressed, anxious
Stress impacts our hormones since it increases the production of cortisol. Therefore, it will cause us to eat more than necessary . Throwing yourself on a pizza while watching Netflix after a hard day, does that speak to you?
In addition, stress will considerably modify our behavior, making us, for example , want to snack or eat industrial products.
To lose weight , it is essential to reduce your stress level. A good book, a meditation session or even a yoga class, see what suits you best to de-stress.
6- You don’t do enough physical activity
Dietary efforts are essential for weight loss, but they are not enough. It is essential to do regular physical activity , at least 2 to 3 times a week. Choose cardio sessions that burn fat. Be careful not to overdo it, because it could have the opposite of the desired effect: too much sport will push you to throw yourself on food.
7- You take the wrong drinks
A little over 100kcal for a 15cl glass of wine, 178kcal for a pint of beer, almost 200kcal for a cognac,… And let’s not even talk about cocktails for which you have to add the calories of alcohol and drinks we add to it. As you will have understood, alcohol is very caloric . You should know that your body will first eliminate what it considers to be a poison. It won’t deal with the food you eat until it eradicates the alcohol from the body. Everything you eat during and after your alcohol consumption will therefore be stored. It is advisable not to drink alcohol at all or to limit yourself to one drink a day.
Sodas are also to be avoided because they are full of carbohydrates: count 42g of sugar for a glass of Coca-Cola!
8- You don’t drink enough water
Water is the only drink your body needs. It contains no calories and has an appetite suppressant effect .
To be able to drink 1.5 liters of water (8 glasses) per day, it is essential to drink regularly throughout the day. By drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before each meal, you will eat less without feeling like you are making an effort.
Still or sparkling, garnished with slices of lemon or cucumber, water is your best ally for losing weight.
9- You do not eat enough fruits and vegetables
If you can’t lose weight , it may be because you’re not eating enough fruits and vegetables . Rich in vitamins, fibers and minerals, they are the fundamental components of a balanced diet.
Satisfying, they will allow you to limit the number of calories ingested. Eating a salad before your pasta dish will decrease your calorie intake without you realizing it. Be careful, however, not to overdo the dressing, otherwise your healthy meal will turn into a real calorie bomb.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.