Nowadays, the greatest trend that a lot of us are following is the path to a fit and healthy lifestyle which, by the way, is a road that requires a considerable amount of effort and courage.
Some success stories state that it takes a year to reach a goal; there are those lucky ones that achieved theirs in just a few months (which we can’t always guarantee); and, well, there’s you…the struggling type. You followed every rule (1, 200-calorie limit, at least three times a week of exercise, no-junk-food diet, etc.) but it seems like every other person on the face of the earth is losing weight except for YOU!!
Why is that, you may ask?
Well, here are three probable reasons why that needle in your weighing scale seem to be “stuck”:
1. You’re underestimating your calorie intake.
Uh-oh. Someone’s guilty.
Sure, you might think that the sandwich you consumed for lunch only has about 250 – 300 calories but how sure are you really that the other stuff you ate for the rest of the day will only constitute the required calorie count?
You should start counting them up!
Seriously. Every food you consume should be written down and then you can calculate calorie intake using those applications (I’m using Noom – you can download it for free) whose sole purposes are to remind you to stop cheating your way to your goal.
2. Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fats.
As they say, a pound is still a pound.
It just so happens that muscles are more compact than fats, so that’s why this can serve as a good rationale behind the static tip in the weighing scale.
My suggestion would be to avoid checking your progress using a scale, instead rely on a tape measure. It’s much more comforting to see the inches you lose. Trust me.
3. Are you eating healthy or “healthy?”
According to a study from Yale University, there could be a negative effect if you just think of your meal as a light choice. This can cause your brain to make more of the hormone known as “ghrelin,” which makes you feel less full and signals your metabolism to slow down.
Thus, for you to avoid such mishaps from occurring, you should focus on the more indulgent parts of your meal like vegetables, fruits, etc. The key is having enough self-control. A little tip: avoid purchasing unhealthy snacks that will ruin your diet (we both know that there will always be a time when temptations will be hard to fight off).
You see, all of these facts show that you should cut yourself some slack!
This is an ongoing process and, sad to say, there are no shortcuts. On top of the will you summoned to get started, you should also have the determination to keep going no matter what number that scale flashes before your eyes.
If you think you’re doing your best, you probably are. So, don’t give up now. I’m sure you’re on the right track.
Featured image via Jonathan Borba on Pexels
