Why you’re not losing weight?

Do you fail to create negative calorie balance?

Negative energy balance is the single most important thing to lose weight. A negative energy balance reflects a state in which the number of calories expended is greater than what is taken in. A negative energy balance results in weight loss. Even if you think you are being very good with your diet, it is easy to underestimate how many calories you are actually eating. Make sure you are successfully creating negative energy balance everyday.

Do you get enough sleep?

Lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain because losing sleep makes you feel hungry and you tend to take extra calories. So getting at least eight hours of sleep is crucial if you’re trying to lose weight. Make getting eight hours of sleep a priority and you may just see some weight loss.

Is your weekend diet too relaxed?

Even after five days of ‘good’ eating, two days of ‘bad’ eating will make you gain weight. To lose one kilo per week, you would need to cut 1,000 calories with diet and/or exercise for seven days. If you only follow that for five days, then eat way over your limit for the next two, you are taking two steps forward and one step back.

Do you overeat healthy foods?

You cannot eat healthy food as much as you want. Over eating healthy food can make you fat. Control your portion size. Just because a food is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat a mountain of it. Portion control is the key.

Do you still eat high-sugar/ high-carb foods?

Sometimes, we consume foods without knowing that they contain sugar or carbs in high amounts. Sauces and ketchup contain lot of sugar and carbs, so avoid them. Buy plain breakfast cereal, avoid salted or sugar coated nuts, and do not consume too many multigrain biscuits.

Do you have a desk job/ sit all day?

If you have a desk job, you probably sit in one place for at least eight hours a day. And that is inhibiting your weight loss. Sitting at one place continuously can also slow down your metabolism and cause every morsel of food to get converted into fat. This is why people who have desk jobs have more belly fat and lower body fat. Start moving around every hour to keep the metabolism going.

Do you overdo alcohol?

If you like alcohol but want to lose weight, it may be best to stick to spirits (like vodka) mixed with a zero-calorie beverage. Beer, wine and sugary alcoholic beverages are very high in calories. If you often have three or more drinks a day, you are more likely to gain weight, no matter what type of alcohol you drink.

Are you under too much stress?

Stress and weight gain or lack of weight loss go hand in hand. Too much stress increases the production of cortisol. Not only does this increase appetite, it can also cause extra fat storage around the abs. When you are under too much stress, you crave for foods that are high in sugar and fat, comfort foods to make us feel better.

Do you reward workouts with food?

Exercise is a great way to lose weight — it burns calories and builds muscle mass. But if you indulge in high calorie meals after every workout, you can ruin all that hard work.

Do you snack between meals?

People frequently forget about the little things during or between meals that add up calorically and can interfere significantly with weight loss.