Introduction
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: losing fat and building muscle isn’t as complicated as it seems. In fact, it’s pretty simple if you know what not to do. Below are the top 8 reasons that people struggle with weight loss and how they can be avoided so that you too can achieve your goals!
1. You Eat Too Much
It’s a simple math problem. 2+2=4 and 2+2 is never 1.
The number one reason that people don’t lose weight is because they eat too much. If your calorie needs are greater than your calories burned from exercise, then you will not be able to lose fat.
To calculate your daily calorie needs, multiply your current weight in pounds by 10-14 (depending on age). Then subtract the calories burned during exercise, which is determined by multiplying your weight in pounds by 0.1-0.2 (depending on intensity of exercise). Finally, add any additional food intake (i.e., snacks or beverages) and subtract any additional activity (i.e., walking around house instead of driving). The resulting number represents how many calories per day should be consumed to maintain current body weight and should never exceed 1lb/week loss rate if possible! If you find yourself eating more than this amount consistently over several weeks then try cutting back slowly until reaching a comfortable level where fat loss occurs at desired rate without feeling deprived or hungry all day long!
2. You Don’t Eat Enough Protein
You may be thinking, “I eat plenty of protein.” But the truth is that many people don’t get enough of this macronutrient. Protein helps build muscle, repair tissue and can help you feel fuller for longer.
In terms of how much protein you should eat, it depends on your age and activity level. If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight then aim for 1 gram per pound of bodyweight (e.g., if you weigh 150 pounds then aim for 150 grams). If you’re trying to gain weight then aim for 1.5-2 grams per pound of bodyweight (e.g., if you weigh 150 pounds then aim for 225-300 grams).
As far as good sources go: lean meat such as chicken breast; eggs; fish such as salmon or tuna; dairy products like cottage cheese/Greek yogurt; nuts/seeds.
3. You Drink Too Much Alcohol
Alcohol is very high in calories. It’s easy to drink without realizing how much you are drinking, and even if you do realize it, it can be hard to stop once you start. If you drink too much alcohol and don’t burn off those extra calories through exercise or an increase in activity level, then this will make it harder for your body fat percentage to decrease.
It is also important to note that alcohol acts as a diuretic (something that makes someone urinate more often), which means that any water weight loss experienced while consuming alcohol could be reversed once the body has eliminated all of its excess fluid intake from drinking alcoholic beverages.
4. You Think Healthy Means Calorie Free
You might think that if a food is calorie free, it must be healthy. But this isn’t always true! The words “calorie-free” can mean different things to different people. For example:
- A product could be low in calories but full of sugar or other additives like artificial sweeteners (which are not good for you).
- Or it could have high fat and salt content without any actual calories at all–but those ingredients will still make your body work harder and store more fat than needed, leading to weight gain over time.
5. You Do Too Much Cardio
If you’re doing cardio and not losing body fat, it’s likely because you’re doing too much. Cardio is good for your heart and lungs, but it’s not the only way to burn calories. If you’re trying to lose weight, there are other ways of doing so besides just running on a treadmill or elliptical machine for an hour every day. Mechanical weight loss is always the least efficient method and leads to injury.
Some people can have too much cardio in their routine without realizing it–and that’s where they run into problems when trying to shed pounds. If this sounds like you or someone else who tries their best but still isn’t seeing results from their workouts (even though they’ve been going strong), then keep reading!
6. You Don’t Sleep Enough
You may be surprised to hear this, but lack of sleep can cause weight gain. When you don’t get enough quality sleep at night, it will leave you feeling tired and lethargic during the day–which makes it harder for you to exercise.
Sleep deprivation also leads to hormonal imbalance in your body which could lead to an increase in appetite and cravings for sugary foods or starchy carbs like pasta or breads (1). This can lead directly back into a vicious cycle of poor diet choices followed by more weight gain and then more poor diet choices again!
As such, getting enough quality sleep is absolutely essential if you want to lose body fat effectively. The recommended amount of sleep per night varies depending on age: newborns should get 16 hours; toddlers 11-14 hours; pre-teens 10-13 hours; teens 8-10 hours (2). If these numbers seem daunting at first glance…don’t worry! We’ll talk more about how much sleep YOU need below!
7. You Don’t Lift Heavy Enough
You need to lift heavy.
I know, I know–the idea of lifting heavy and gaining muscle can be intimidating for many women. But if you want to lose body fat, you have to get stronger. The more muscle mass that you have, the more calories your body burns at rest (this is called “basal metabolic rate”). If your goal is to lose fat while maintaining or even building some muscle mass, then strength training should be an integral part of your routine.
You don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment; all that matters is picking up something heavy enough so that it becomes challenging for each exercise (and then increasing the weight over time). The best way to do this is by going through full range of motion with each rep and keeping track of how much weight was used during each set.[1][2]
8. You Take Medications That Cause Weight Gain
- You take medications that cause weight gain.
- Your doctor may not be aware that some drugs can cause you to pack on pounds. If you’re taking a medication and want to know if it’s one of those, ask your doctor about it or do some research online before your next visit. If the drug is indeed causing weight gain, discuss options with them (such as adjusting the dosage).
If you’re already on a medication that causes weight gain and don’t want to change anything about how often or how much of it you take, there are still things you can do: exercise more frequently; drink less alcohol; eat fewer processed foods because they contain more calories than whole foods do; reduce stress levels through meditation or other methods; set realistic goals for losing fat rather than just aiming for an arbitrary number like “30 pounds”; stop using scales altogether because they will only discourage progress when they show slow results but don’t reflect reality accurately anyway
Conclusion
Now that you know the top 8 reasons why you’re not losing body fat, it’s time to put them into action! Take a look at your current routine and see where you can make some changes. The meal plan is the hardest part of weight loss. This is why it is included with our membership. We want you to be successful and not have to stress about what to do. All you have to do is follow the plan, and the results are going to come.
