When people start their weight loss journey, they spend so much time trying to figure out how to lose weight. I've read no end of articles all saying about a million different things.
Resulting in it getting SO confusing, right? Some people tell you that you shouldn’t be eating any fat if you want to shed pounds, but then you turn around and other people will say you NEED fat to lose weight. Same goes for carbs. Long story short, there’s a whole bunch of conflicting information out there about how to lose weight. And if you’re stuck staring at a number on the scale that you don’t like, that can be pretty frustrating.
Well, have I got some good news for you. This article will filter out all the rubbish and explain exactly why you may have struggled to lose weight in the past.
TOO MANY CALORIES
Now I'm sure somewhere along your weight-loss journey you've heard people talking about calories... now I wish there was another way to lose weight which doesn't involve calories but unfortauntely there's not. Being in a calorific defecit is the way to ensure you lose weight.
What is a calorific deficit? It's when you have more calories coming out than you have got coming in. If you have less calories coming in, than coming out, your body then needs to find that fuel from somewhere else, which is then, when with the correct nutritional guidance provided at BSF, when your body will start breaking down your fat stores for fuel.
Now there's a few different ways to get in a calorific deficit, you could either manage the amount of calories coming in by managing your nutrition; or you could manage the amount of calories coming out by exercising.
But if you are in a calorific deficit, you will lose weight.
There's endless amounts of reasons why you perhaps weren't in a calorifc deficit... perhaps you havent been tracking them therefore have no idea how many calories you're consuming, resulting in you consuming too much... perhaps you track the majority of your food but not the oil, sauces, drinks that you have (possibly adding up to 500+ cals a day...)
The reasons are infinite; however, if you want help to guarantee you're in a calorific deficit and therefore guarantee you're losing weight, get involved with our 6 Week Body Transformation Programme and we will coach you through your nutrition every step of the way.
NOT ENOUGH PROTEIN
A protein deficiency is no joke. Not only do you need protein for muscle health, but you also rely on it for energy, healthy hair and nails, and strong bones. Ultimately, not getting enough protein is going to be bad for your body — but it’s super common, especially for people who are counting calories.
When in a calorifc deficit, if you;re not consuming enough protein, some may find that some of their weight loss is coming from their muscles mass... this is not what we want!
A protein shortage and less muscle mass will probably leave you feeling super fatigued, weak and frail. And that means not having enough energy for your workouts. Plus, when we’re tired, it can be hard to muster up what we need to skip the junk food and make healthy food choices. That leads to even more protein deficiency — and the cycle continues.
If you’ve been feeling sluggish and you’re not losing weight, look at your protein intake.
NOT ENOUGH SLEEP
I already started hinting at this but tiredness and weight loss go together just about as well as coughing in a lift at the moment!
In fact, multiple studies have linked not getting enough sleep and weight gain. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you may struggle to lose weight, as some research has found that not getting enough sleep can increase your appetite.
So if you’re wondering how to lose weight but you’re also burning the candle on both ends by staying up late on a regular basis, it’s time for some good rest!
NOT ENOUGH RELAXATION
Stress is a major obstacle to weight loss.
Why? When you get stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This basically gives your body the cue to release a bunch of glucose/sugar into your bloodstream. Your cells then use that glucose for fuel, allowing you to speedily get out of a bad situation.
At least, that was the way it worked back when we were hunters and gatherers. Now, you’re probably not stressed about some animal chasing you — you might be stressed about your upcoming presentation or meeting. So now when cortisol goes to work in your body, you don’t really need any extra fuel, instead you’re just left craving sugar.
So when possible take some time for yourself to relax, do whatever it is that relaxes you, e.g. taking a hot bath, going for a run, chat with friends etc.
Figuring out how to lose weight can be enourmously difficult when you're getting conflicting advice from everwhere! Here at Body Shape Fitness, we can help guarantee we get you long lasting and incredible fat-loss results, go here to find out more.