There is no one working harder than you in the gym; your drenched gym clothes are testimony to this. You are eating as clean as you can and you just don’t know why you are not losing weight. This is not an uncommon situation and in the world of fitness, this is called hitting a plateau. This can be demotivating and leave you feeling helpless but we are here to help you with that. Here are 6 reasons that may be preventing you from losing weight:
1. Not drinking enough water
Water is extremely important to help the body function properly and if you are not providing your body with enough water you’re going to be in a lot of trouble. Water is necessary for the excretory system and when your body is dehydrated, the kidneys functioning is hindered. This leads to support from the liver for purification consequently leading to fat storage.
2. Missing out on Proteins
Proteins are the best macronutrients out there because of how dense they are. They not only satisfy your appetite but also require more calories to be burnt for absorption. Instead of starving yourself, try basing your diet on proteins.
3. You’re a Stress Case
Stress leads to a hormone called cortisol being released in large quantities. This also stimulates the appetite and leads to a craving for more consumption of carbohydrates. As if this wasn’t bad enough, it lowers the metabolism and prevents the combustion of calories as well.
4. You’re Still Drinking Sugar
Sugars in the form of liquids are the absolute worse if you’re trying to lose weight since the amount of calories ingested will not register and you will still feel hungry. It’s a no win situation which is why you should steer clear of sugary liquids.
5. You’re not sleeping well
Not sleeping well leads to an imbalance in the blood sugars and hormonal levels and a higher occurrence of cravings while you’re awake. This is not good as you will end up eating a lot of unnecessary calories. Try to get a solid 8-9 hours of sleep every night to avoid this problem.
6. You Have a Medical Condition
It is possible that you are suffering from a medical condition that is preventing you from losing weight. You need to consult your physician and get expert advice so you know the causes and can take the necessary measures. Some diseases that prevent weight loss are PCOS, sleep apnea and hypothyroidism.
If you identify yourself as falling into any of the above categories, make sure you change your routine so that you can finally overcome this plateau and start losing weight and achieve your goals.
