Why Am I Struggling to Lose Weight?

Do you eat clean and exercise daily, but still can’t lose weight?

From hormonal problems and stress to common diet mistakes, there are several factors that may affect your ability to shed pounds. Dieting itself can lead to weight gain in the long run. Excess cardio training, poor sleep, and binge eating only make things worse.

Let’s look at some possible reasons why you find it so hard to lose weight:

You’re Eating Too Little

Most dieters skip breakfast and other meals to lose weight faster. That’s a huge mistake. Eating too little is just as bad as overindulging. When you skip meals, your metabolism slows down. On top of that, you’re feeling hungry and deprived, which increases the likelihood of binge eating.

Try to eat at least five small meals per day.

Large meals trigger insulin spikes, causing your body to store fat. Keep your metabolism up by eating more often. This habit also makes it easier to get the necessary protein, fats, and carbs without going overboard.

You Have Unrealistic Expectations

Before you start a new diet or exercise plan, set realistic goals. Allow numbers to be your guide. Aim to lose no more than two pounds a week. When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race.

While it’s true that you can shed five, six or more pounds per week, this doesn’t mean you should do it. The faster you lose weight, the faster you’ll gain it back.

You’re Binging on Healthy Foods

Nuts, olive oil, fresh fruit and other healthy foods contain calories too. Eating too much of them may cause weight gain, diabetes, high cholesterol, and indigestion.

For example, pecans have about 691 calories per 100 grams. Macadamia nuts boast over 718 calories per 100 grams. The same amount of almonds contains 575 calories. Most people can easily eat 200 grams of nuts at once, so the calories add up.

When consumed in large amounts, healthy food can make you fat.

Portion control is essential.

If you really want to lose weight, track what you eat and how much you eat. Watch your portions and stick to your daily calorie budget.

You’re Drinking Your Calories

Do you drink soft drinks and fruit juice regularly?

Are you a big fan of smoothies and shakes?

If so, it’s no wonder you can’t lose weight. Many dieters mistakenly believe that the calories in beverages don’t matter. Some of them avoid soda and sugary drinks, but binge on fruit juices and smoothies.

Believe it or not, these beverages are not necessarily healthy. Fruit juices lose nutrients and fiber during processing, so the sugar goes directly into your system. This causes spikes in your blood sugar, followed by crashes. Over time, it increases your risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Another problem with fruit juices is their calorie content. Depending on the ingredients used, some juices can have over 200 calories per serving. If you drink two or more glasses a day, it’s easy to exceed your calorie target.

Things are even worse when it comes to alcohol.

Most cocktails provide 500 or more calories per serving. If you’re serious about losing weight, stick to herbal tea, unsweetened ice tea, and water.