3 Very Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Thursday, March 7th, 2013
2 comments

This post has nothing to do with calories, foods to eat, when to eat … blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong, that stuff matters, but sometimes the weight isn’t coming off for a deeper reason. And until these “sabotagers” are worked out, it’s pretty hard to see results.  Through my work with clients, I find the below reasons to usually be the crux of what’s really halting weight loss. Perhaps some of these things are standing in your way too. It always helps to know you’re not alone and to get some insight on how to move forward.

  1. You feel you don’t deserve to be happy: Somewhere along the way, someone made you feel that you aren’t good enough, you can’t do it, and you don’t deserve to be where you want to be. Whether it was school kids, your mom, or an awful relationship, someone said something to you, perhaps repeatedly, that deeply affected your core beliefs about yourself and your body. Now, this will take time and dedication and perhaps some therapy (and that’s ok!) to really work through, but know that you are good enough. You’re more than good enough. You deserve to be happy.
    • Tips:  1) Write “that” person or people, who made you feel “that” way, a letter. You don’t need to give it to them, you just need to get it out; 2) Find a positive mantra and repeat it whenever you feel yourself drifting to that negative space; 3) Make a list of all the reasons you’re awesome, and go to it when you need a pick-me-up; 4) Surround yourself with GOOD: good people who make you happy,  inspiring notes, quotes, or photos around your house (on your computer rim, your get-ready mirror, etc); 5) Journal daily, even for five minutes, about your relationship with you and what you need to do  to be in a better space … and do it.
  2. You feel it doesn’t matter: You’ve been so good and sticking to your  ”diet” for a couple weeks, but nothing seems to be happening! You’re frustrated, annoyed, and you despise your scale. And that unsettling hopeless fear starts to creep back in. So, when offered that extra glass of wine, you take it. Instead of packing your lunch, takeout comes back into play. And, exercise gets thrown on the backburner for events out on the town … or your couch. Realize that it all matters. And that real weight loss takes time, especially if you only have 5-15 pounds to lose. Realistically, you’re looking at 0.25-1 pound per week. And yes, it can seem like forever to come off … and you will hit times when you feel like it’s all for nothing! But, that’s where it needs to stop. As soon, as that thought comes into your head–out think it! Remember, think positive, be positive, see positive! You are in charge. You are in control of this negative thought pattern and have the ability to change it when it surfaces.  Focus on your healthy actions and positive thoughts …  not the scale. It’s those healthy behaviors, like mediating, exercising  and eating clean that’ll make you feel good and want to keep on going! And when you keep on going, that’s when the scale changes, that’s when the inches change. Lastly, keep in mind, that a pound is a pound. A pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle. But, the fat takes up more room than the muscle, so your clothes may be shrinking and you look smaller, but the scale doesn’t budge. There is more to it than that scale.
    • Tip: Focus on how you feel when you put your healthy ways to work and be consistent and persistent–that’s where the magic happens.
  3. You’re not preparing properly: You understand what’s healthy and what’s not healthy. You’re working out the majority of the week. And you’re keeping a food journal. But, your life is super crazy busy. You’re running out the door in the AM, leaving no time to pack snacks or a lunch, translating to getting way too hungry and eating junk around the office or greasy Chinese takeout. You’re skipping the grocery store for the gym after work, so you don’t have many healthy choices or time to cook. Or, you’re just eating what’s around (and it’s not the healthiest) because it’s there. Weight loss = over 80% nutrition.  And, preparing is huge. You can know all you need to know to get the job done, but if you’re not putting that knowledge into play, results stop. This is a huge area I work on with clients. Because this is integral to getting your life back on track, feeling in control, and seeing weight loss results. Once you hold yourself accountable, truly understand why nutrition is King in the weight loss game, and start changing in-grained behaviors … the magic happens.
    • Tip: Spend 10-15 minutes the night before, planning and packing your lunch and snacks/meals for the next day. Even if you’re not leaving the house! This can prevent mindless eating and force you to plan out your day. Also, schedule in a couple days a week to get to the grocery store. Be sure to stock up on healthy  staples like: marinara sauce, black beans, lentils, quinoa, quick-cooking brown rice, extra lean ground turkey, eggs, nonfat Greek yogurt, frozen and fresh veggies, easy-to-pack fruits, etc.

Thanks for reading!

With love,

Corinne

Hungry for more?
Get weekly fun science-based weight loss tips & download the 5 Massive Mistakes Preventing You from Losing Weight.

2 Responses to “3 Very Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight”

  1. Anna @ Tough Lipstick says:
    March 8, 2013 at 8:57 am

    These are really great insights – totally out of the box thinking, which I love. I can 100% relate to #2 – thanks for a great post!

    Reply

Leave a Reply