This is Why You are Working out but Not Losing Weight!

The scariest nightmare in our life could be like we are going to the gym, working out but not losing even half a kilo. Well, some of us have been through this unfortunate experience in our lives. We can understand how frustrating and demotivating that could be. But, have you ever looked closely and tried to find out why the weighing scale doesn’t bother to leave your previous ‘kilo room’?

The answer is – you might have to make some changes in everything you are doing and maybe the way you are doing right now.

1. Right eating is only half the battle

They say weight loss is 75% of food and 25% of exercise! Basically, your abs are made in the kitchen and if you think that only workout is going to give you that chiseled body, you are on the wrong side of the game. What to eat and what not to eat depends on how active you are, your age, metabolism, what kind of workout you are doing, etc. Dieticians suggest to eat a mix of carbohydrates and protein on days when you go for muscle training, but on days when you skip your exercise or take a rest day, or even doing light cardio, your ideal food list should contain loads of veggies and protein sans starchy foods.

2. Counting the sheep 1 2 3…

You might have heard already that sleep plays an important role in weight loss. Here’s the reason for sleep lovers to rejoice and go for a hibernation state for a week. On a serious note, less than 7 hours of sleep a day makes your body prone to weight gain as your body sends the signal to your brains to create a craving for carbohydrates and fatty foods. According to a study, people who slept about four to five hours a day consumed about 300 more calories than those who slept for 6-7 hours a day.

3. You are Eating like a P*g
   

Your workout at the gym doesn’t excuse you to eat a humongous amount of food or gobble junks. Eating the wrong food can make you gain weight and slow down your progress. Or, if you are among those who eat clean and follow a low-calorie diet, there is a word of caution for you too! For example, nuts are good for health but if you consume more than required for your body, then this may also cause weight gain. The calculation that works behind weight loss is, the body needs to run out of calories or maintain a calorie deficit, which means you burn more calories than you consume.

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4. Too much dancing, running, jogging anyone?

Cardio and we are not foes, guys! But, goodness loses its essence when it’s in profuse. Cardio should be an essential part of your workout, but too much of it can cause you to lose muscle mass which is the catalyst for increasing your metabolism and help your body burn more calories. While cardio improves your endurance level, it also signals your body to store energy as fat to use it when you do such endurance-building activities. This leaves you ravenous and makes you consume more than your daily calorie requirement.

5. You wait to lift weights

And the wait never ends! Weight training is either too scary for you or you have nurtured myths in your heart to have innumerable reasons not to touch those malevolent weights. Well, the fact is your muscles get toned by weight training. The more muscle mass you build, the more fat you burn. Cardio along with muscle training or strength training can help you lose fat and shed those extra bulges.

6. Following the same routine?

Your target should be to challenge your body and push a little further towards improvement with different types of workout. If some workouts are no more tough for you, it’s time you add some more intensity to your regime. Moreover, in weight training, a particular set of workouts should be replaced by newer and little advanced workouts ideally within six to eight weeks.

7. Working hard or hardly working!

Just like having a car doesn’t make you a good driver, having a gym membership doesn’t make you fitter. How many of us have bought the yearly subscription as a part of the new year resolution but cannot make it to the gym more than a few times in a month? Guys, you better transfer your membership to the needy or visit the gym more often to do some justice to yourself. The other part of the world has people who go to the gym to workout but the time goes in chit-chatting and socializing. Well, the stories are quite self-explanatory.

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8. Missing rest day?

To make your body understand the equation and get healed, you have to nurture it, and a rest day does that part. Recovery of muscles plays a pivotal role in re-energizing your muscles. Tired muscles can cause adverse effects in your body. While your body is in rest mode, the after-burn effects of exercise work, and burn more calories. Exercise works as a stressor on our body and hence, there should be an ideal balance of exercise-associated stress and recovery time because less or no recovery time can make the body produce more stress hormone (cortisol). A higher level of stress hormone for a longer period can increase the fat percentage in your body.

Well, if you have found more than two reasons familiar to your reasons for weight loss plateau, let us know in the comments section below! Share what you think and if you found this article helpful, don’t forget to give a thumbs up! We’ll see you on the other side. Till then, stay fit, stay happy!