Does this sound familiar? You diet, you exercise, but the weight doesn't come off. Well, instead of wallowing on the couch with a gallon of ice cream and a ton of self-pity, find out what you might be doing wrong. Below, fitness guru Ben Greenfield shares some insights from his new book, Get-Fit Guy's Guide to Achieving Your Ideal Body.
1. Stuck in a rut.
There is a principle called SAID,
which stands for specific adaptations to imposed demands. Our bodies
eventually adapt to the demands we place upon them. If you're doing the
same routine week after week or month after month, your body has become
very efficient at that routine and is no longer burning many calories
or getting a fitness response. I personally change up my routine every
week and recommend you introduce new exercises and workouts at least
once a month.
2. Too many calories.
You don't need to frequently snack
or consistently fuel your body in order to keep your metabolism
elevated. So while it is true that long-term significant calorie
deprivation will cause health problems, this shouldn't be used as an
excuse to stuff your face and elevate your blood-sugar levels every two
hours just to boost your metabolism. This strategy usually causes more
weight gain and excessive calorie consumption as compared to eating
several square meals a day, plus a pre- or post-workout snack.
3. Not enough calories.
The body needs a specific number
of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in order to sustain metabolism,
produce hormones, maintain the immune system, and permit you to have
productive workouts. If you're engaging in severe calorie restriction,
you are not only sending your body a message to shut down, you're also
limiting your ability to productively exercise and potentially damaging
your health.
4. Not lifting weights.
While it may seem
counterintuitive, lifting weights actually helps you lose weight. Not
only is strength training the best way to replace fat with lean muscle
and boost your metabolism, but it also results in a hormonal release
that enhances fat loss. Plus, it increases your ability to eat fewer
calories without doing damage, since your body can use
protein stored in muscle rather than in other vital organs.
5. Avoiding HIIT.
High
intensity interval training, or HIIT, involves intense bouts of
cardiovascular exercise followed by easy rest periods. Compared to
long, slow cardio sessions, HIIT burns far more calories and
significantly elevates fat burning. However, the initial discomfort from
breathing hard and feeling a full-body burn can be daunting. But think
about it this way: HIIT allows you to hop on a treadmill and be done in
15 to 20 minutes. To get the same results with less-intense training can
require you to slave away on that treadmill for an hour or more!
6. Low-fat diet.
In the quest to lose fat, it seems
logical that you should eat less fat. But if you eat the right kinds of
fat, particularly from healthy sources such as avocados, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut milk, coconut oil, cold-water fish, seeds,
nuts, and yogurt, your body can very efficiently use that fat as a fuel.
Consume these types of fats instead of sweets, starches, and vegetable
oils, which cause high blood sugar and weight gain. A recent study from
Johns Hopkins University suggests that a low-carb, high-fat diet may be
best for healthy weight loss. Just make sure those fats don't come from
junk food.
7. Pill popping.
Often, when weight loss gets tough,
it's tempting it's tempting to turn to one of the many pills, capsules, or powders that promise to reduce appetite cravings or increase fat or carbohydrate burning. Unfortunately, these pills give you only a small
increase in fat burning (see the article "Do Weight Loss Supplements Work?"). Also,
people who rely on pills for
weight loss are far less likely to engage in exercise and healthy
eating, which get more significant results.
8. Snacking.
In Point 2, I emphasized that a high
caloric intake, with the goal of sustaining the metabolism, often
results in overeating. The same can be said for snacking. Flaxseed crackers, raw
almonds, morning muesli, raw fruit, and cheese sticks often add up to an
extra several hundred calories each day. Remember, covert calories add
up quickly.
9. Hormonal imbalances.
In the QuickandDirtyTips.com article "What Causes
Cellulite?" we learned that hormonal imbalances can be a prime cause of
cellulite formation, particularly in women who are estrogen-dominant. If
you've tried everything to lose weight but have never had the levels of
your estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid hormones tested, a hormonal
imbalance may be the cause of your inability to lose weight. Just be
sure to get your blood tested by a doctor before adding supplements and
medications to address a suspected issue.
10. Food intolerances or allergies.
Bloating, weight
gain, chronic fatigue, nutrient depletion, and an inability to exercise
can all be related to eating foods your body is allergic to or simply
doesn't have the enzymes to digest. Common triggers are wheat, soy,
dairy, eggs, and fructose. A gluten-free diet may be one good place to
start, but you should also consider getting tested for food allergies,
using an elimination diet, introducing digestive enzymes, and keeping a
food log. Always consult your doctor prior to drastically changing your
diet or if you suspect an allergy.
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