Losing weight isn't easy and not losing weight when you've been trying to for a while can be extremely frustrating. Not only that, but the yo-yoing is even worse and not being able to stay consistent or maintain a certain weight can be exhausting and getting in the way of you really living your life.

Not seeing the numbers declining on the scale is definitely discouraging—especially when you are putting in so much work. I usually find that people then become less motivated and it is a vicious cycle.

Have no fear I am here to help. I have seen and helped a lot of people find a happy balance between healthy eating, workout routines and more and it takes time and consistency to build these new habits and find what works for your body and lifestyle.

Here are 6 Reasons you may not be losing the weight:

1. You’re Diet is Not Balanced

If your diet is not on point, you are not going to magically lose the weight and reach your goals.  Give your diet the attention it deserves, because if you fuel your body right, you will become healthy from the inside out. Give yourself the right amount of calories from protein, fats and carbs plus all of your vitamins and minerals. This takes time, and will not happen overnight. I know many will hate this answer,  but there is no quick fix “diet” or pill that will get you the results you want or at least the maintainable results. There is so much more to this and we can dive into this in a later blog if you are interested! Gut health is so important.

2. You’re Not Calorie Deficient or Too Calorie Deficient

It is essential to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. This involves the body burning more calories than it receives from the diet. (For some, this can be harder including thyroid and other hormonal issues metabolic conditions ). You know that saying “you can’t outwork a bad diet”. It is true. On the flip side, I have had some clients who are too calorie deficient and are overtraining and their bodies are super stressed and it is not maintainable. This can then lead to the diet/binge cycle of eating that I see. It is all about finding a balance where you are getting enough nutrients (and like number 1, the right nutrients) and at the same time are burning more calories than you are consuming. 

3. You’re Not Changing Up Your Workout Routine

You may have a good workout routine and it is working well, but it won’t work forever. Eventually your body will get use to what you are putting it though and get stagnant. Not only that but if you’re like me, you’ll get bored! Ideas on how you can change it up can be as simple as increase the amount of weight you lift, increase the number of repetitions, change exercises or change the group exercise you are doing! My 8 week at home Workout program can help you change up your workout routine!

4. You’re Not Getting Enough sleep

As a mom, it is so hard to get enough sleep—trust. We are expected to meal prep, do laundry, clean, keep the small humans alive, go to work, and then getting our own workouts in, etc. Then in telling you you need to sleep, too? Yes! Poor quality or insufficient sleep may be what is affecting your weight loss. Studies show that poor sleep can wreck havoc on your body one of that being that it can disrupt the body's ability to regulate hunger and creates stress on the body. Read more about recommended sleep times for by age group at Sleep Advisor.

5. You’re Not Exercising enough

A study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests at least 225 to 420 minutes of physical activity per week for effective weight loss. It is important to note here too that consistently is key. You can’t expect to workout hard for a month and then call if off because you aren’t where you want to be. Short on time, opt for HIIT workouts that attack your whole body, but be sure to add weights to your routine to really ramp up your results.

6. You Are Drinking Your Calories 

Sugar is hidden in so many places that you may not even think about. It adds up so fast. The biggest thing I see are people drinking high sugar smoothies, frappuccinos, sodas, and the biggest culprit, alcohol. Remember that it is all about balance and you can make a plan for the times when you know you will be going out or when you are craving a sweet drink, but when in doubt, go for water. (Haha in an ideal world). Some things you can do are to make your own “healthier” versions of high sugar drinks, and opt for low calorie alcoholic drinks.

Conclusion:

Losing weight can be difficult. There are no shortcuts, and it requires hard work and patience to see results. There are so many factors and it may seem overwhelming, but don’t let it stress you out. You can do it and you are worth it. Start small and work on finding your biggest area of improvement instead of fixing everything at once. 

The key to losing weight is different from person to person, but if you find your own happy balance you will be more consistent and able to maintain this new amazing lifestyle. Once you start to see results and feel better, the results are addicting :-) Learn to love your body and treat it right.

xoxo Taylor