Reasons Your Not Losing Weight

This post might be a little technical but, and I have written about this several times, you have to be serious about your weight loss and you have to know why your overweight. And most of all remember that you can't exercise away a bad diet. So having said that, read on.

The one thing that's so hard about exercise and weight loss is this: It's hard to burn enough calories with exercise to make a serious dent in your weight. In fact, the workouts that are most effective for weight loss are the hardest ones:  High intensity interval training, tabata training or metabolic conditioning. 

If you're a veteran exerciser, you might enjoy torturous workouts on a regular basis. If you're not?  You may find any amount of exercise hard to accomplish. Unfortunately, that may end up hurting your weight loss efforts.

So, how much exercise do you need and how can you fit it in? Use these tips below to make the most out of your exercise time.

Cardio

For weight loss, you'll need to do at least 5 days of cardio a week at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes but, frankly, it usually takes more than that to really burn calories. Your best bet: Interval training 2-3 days a week and more moderate workouts on the other days. By alternating high intensity segments with recovery, you'll burn more calories and build endurance more quickly. You'll also get a great afterburn. You don't have to be an experienced exerciser to try interval training.  So to simplify that, depending on your age, you want to do 2 or 3 hard workouts a week and 3 moderate workouts a week like speed walking. If your only want to workout 5 days a week, don't take two days off in a row. I'm over 65, so I take two days a week off, Thu rsday and Sunday. Why, because of my age, it takes my body longer to recoup from the hard days. The younger you are the quicker you recoup.

Strength Training

Strength training is incredibly important for weight loss, but some people - well, let's just be honest...women - stick with cardio because they like it, it burns more calories in one fell swoop and they don't want to get bulky. But muscle is much more active than fat, so the more you build, the more weight you lose over the long term and if you don't strengthen your muscles they will grow weaker over time and that ages your body.

Your best bet with weight training: Circuit Training. By doing an exercise, one after the other, you keep your heart rate up and burn more calories. It also makes the workout a little more exciting so you're not as bored.  If you're a beginner, start with a Basic Cardio and Strength Circuit of body weight exercise. Look on the internet for basic programs. Do a couple of circuit workouts along with your cardio and you'll start to see some results.

Note:  Many people don't lift enough weight to really challenge their muscles. If that sounds familiar, check out Weight Training 101 on the internet. If your in doubt and just can't find anything on your own, you might need help. A trainer might be what you need. You can start at a popular fitness center near you. Or look on the internet for someone who will come to the house. Be sure to interview a few trainers. Find one you can relate with. They have to know your complete medical history. You don't want someone who is trying to sell you pills or some meal program or a piece of equipment. But they will expect you to follow a diet and exercise program. You can use a trainer as long as you need them. One month, three months, or one year. Usually there's no committment.  

2

You're not getting enough sleep

Lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain, though experts aren't exactly sure why. In her article, Sleep More to Lose Weight, Mary Shomon discusses a recent study that found that women who slept 5 hours a night were more likely to gain weight than women who slept 7 hours a night.

The reasons? Some studies have shown that losing sleep could affect metabolism by making you feel hungry, even if you're not. Sleep deprivation may affect the secretion of cortisol, one of the hormones that regulates appetite. There's also a theory that we move around less when we don't get enough sleep, which means we burn less calories.

Getting enough sleep is crucial if you're trying to lose weight, not just because of how it affects you physically, but mentally as well. Sleep deprivation makes you cranky, confused and can even make you feel depressed or angry.

Make sleep a priority by trying to get to bed at the same time each night, shooting for about 8 hours, if you can manage it. Having some bedtime rituals such as a hot bath or some time writing down your worries can help you unwind before bed. You can also try power napping, which can be a great way to reduce stress and increase your productivity.

3

You're too stressed 

Stress and weight gain (or lack of weight loss) go hand in hand. Though you may not be aware of it, being under constant stress can increase production of the hormone cortisol which can cause an increase in appetite as well as extra fat storage around the abdominal region--a big no-no since abdominal fat is linked to diabetes, high cholesterol and other health problems.

Dealing with stress can be as simple as taking a few minutes a day to relax, scheduling a massage as often as you can or cutting down on work hours and increasing play time. Get started with these excellent resources:

Stop Emotional Eating
Exercise & Stress Relief
Relaxation Techniques for Stress Management

4

You're eating too much

This may seem obvious, but unless you're tracking your calories each day, you may be eating more than you think. Portion control is one culprit, especially with restaurants providing enough food in one meal to feed several people.

If you're really serious about losing weight, you need to get serious about your eating. Start by keeping a detailed food journal for one week, without changing any of your eating habits. Be as specific as possible, measuring when you can, looking up your calorie and nutrient content and adding up your calories for each day. You'll be surprised how those calories can sneak in when you're not keeping track. These resources can help you get started:

10 Ways to Control Portions
Keep a Food Diary
FitWatch Fitness Tracker

Something else to think about is metabolism, which can drop as you get older if you don't preserve your muscle mass. Some estimates show that muscle mass declines about 4% each decade from age 25 to 50. If you're still eating the same number of calories as your metabolism drops, your weight may creep up over time. Start exercising and lifting weights now to keep your metabolism in check.

5

You're not consistent with your exercise and healthy eating

This is the reason most of us fail to lose weight. You have to be committed to getting in shape. To living a healthy lifestyle from now on.

If you find your workouts are hit-or-miss and that you give in to temptation a bit too easily, your weight loss may hit the skids. For exercise to work, you have to do it on a regular basis. Once your body adapts to your program, you then need to change it to keep your body challenged. If you skip too many workouts, it's almost like starting all over every time.

Sticking with exercise starts with finding a program you enjoy and that fits in with your lifestyle, goals and needs. That means being realistic about what you'll really accomplish each week rather than going by what you think you should be doing. Use these resources to learn more about enjoying your workouts and making exercise a priority:

Learn how to Enjoy Exercise
Get Out of Your Rut
Is Exercise a Priority for You?
10-Minute Timesaver Workouts

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks.  “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.