You go to the gym regularly and do your best to eat green salads instead of a cheeseburger, yet your pants size remains relatively the same. What gives?
If you’ve been struggling to lose weight recently, there’s likely an explanation – and most importantly, a solution. There are some basic steps you can take that can set you on the right path to achieving your health goals.
Below is a breakdown of why you have reached plateau as well as expert advice on how to troubleshoot any issues.
1. You’re losing weight – it happens slowly.
to me Lisa De Ellis, A registered dietitian in White Plains, New York, there’s a common misconception that a successful diet will cause someone to lose 10 pounds per month. For most people, this is an unrealistic standard.
She said, “I made it clear to my clients that losing only half a pound in the week ended with a total loss of 26 pounds per year.”
Ellis added that losing at a slower pace is also a safe way to ensure continued weight loss. “Half a pound per week is the rate at which the human body does not make weight loss as famine,” she said, noting that when the body feels starvation, it tries to regain weight when the famine is felt. More, and this is one of the reasons why people put back weight at the end of a harsh diet.
2. You are not drinking enough water.

Michael Jay Nussbaum, Surgical Director of Metabolic Medicine and the Weight Control Center Atlantic Health And Head of the Department of Bariatric Surgery at Morristown Medical CenterYou cannot burn fat if your body is dehydrated.
“The process of burning fat is very expensive in water terms. You should drink more than 48 ounces of fluid per day,” adding that if you notice that your stools are hard or that you are constipated and unable to move your bowels easily, your body is telling you loudly and it is clear that you are dehydrated “.
3. You are not sleeping enough.
Get those ZZS. Your brain And the The body will thank you for that.
He said, “Anytime we sleep for less than seven hours, our metabolism slows down.” Craig Primack, Obesity Doctor in Scottsdale, AZ. ”One study It showed that the same person burned 400 fewer calories when he slept for five and a half hours versus eight and a half hours. “
4. Your medication may be to blame.

Primak said that some medications – such as those for blood pressure, diabetes, and depression – can not only slow weight loss, but may also promote weight gain. But that doesn’t mean you should get rid of it: Talk to your doctor first.
“For our patients looking to lose weight, we try to talk to their primary care physicians to find out if there is a good alternative to these medicines. If not, we are working on implementing low-carb, low-calorie diets to bypass the weight effects of these drugs.
5. Eat healthy sometimes.
“A lot of the reasons people have a hard time losing weight in the beginning is because they’re not completely committed to the process. They’re always almost dieting,” said Irene Wathin, certified life and weight loss coach and author of the upcoming book. Why can’t I stick to my diet? “For example, on weekdays, they are fine. On weekends, not much.”
In order to make a serious impact on your weight loss plan, Wathen recommended rolling out the concept of a short-lived diet for a healthy lifestyle change.
She said, “You totally commit to making a permanent change – not until the reunion or the wedding or until you reach the magic number and then you can always eat the way you want to.”
6. Exercise may not be a challenge to your body anymore.

Said Justin Bloom, CEO and Owner The Rough Fitness franchise. “If this happens, change your routine to incorporate other types of activities that you are not currently doing.”
If all you’re doing is hitting the stationary bike, for example, Blume said, try adding strength training, sprints, high-intensity interval training, or trying new fitness classes throughout the week to “get your body moving again.”
7. You’re nervous.
Bloom said that stress can play a major role in weight loss, especially chronic stress because it “makes your body think it’s using calories to deal with stress and makes you” hungry “because your body thinks you need to replenish it when you don’t.”
Plum added that cortisol and comfort food are the biggest culprits when it comes to stress that causes weight gain and prevents weight loss.
He said: “Managing stress is just as important as dieting, but the good news is that exercise is one of the greatest ways to combat chronic stress.”
8. You prioritize exercise over nutrition.

You can spend hours in the gym, but if you aren’t eating well enough, you may not be struggling with the weight loss you want.
People often think that if they exercise more, they will lose weight. However, losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight boils down to 75 to 80 percent of nutrition and only 20 to 25 percent of physical activity and exercise, ”said Molly Devine, a licensed and established dietitian / dietitian. Eat your keto. “So if your nutrition is not as well, it doesn’t matter how often or how hard the exercise is, the weight loss may not come.”
9. You don’t keep track of how much you eat.
A few chips, a handful of nuts, and several cookies can make a difference if you eat them daily.
Often times, people grossly underestimate how much they actually eat in a day. They might not count liquid calories, a gastronomic, or afternoon snack. Little things really add up. ” Pam Sherman, Certified trainer and founder of The Perfect Balance. I suggested logging your meals into a tool like MyFitnessPal or Lose it! To keep track.
10. You don’t count alcohol.

“You don’t have to have a problem drinking because alcohol is holding you back from achieving your ultimate weight-loss goals.” Said Carolina Rzadkovolska, founder. Cheerful, alcohol-freeA space where people can break free from alcohol for a happier and healthier life.
According to Rzadkowolska, alcoholic drinks can contain empty calories. “One cup of wine contains 150-200 calories. An hour of beer is between 100-200. And some important heavy plant plants can contain 300 calories.
Rzadkowolska added that alcohol can increase your appetite and lead to unplanned snacking. (Hey, drunk snacks!)
11. It may be an underlying medical problem.
If you are making the right lifestyle choices and still having trouble, you may be facing an underlying problem Jill Brown, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Coach in Los Angeles. By trying it, this could mean that something is slowing down your metabolism or that you may be experiencing a hormonal imbalance.
An underactive thyroid gland or low levels of the hormone estrogen can cause this, for example. Quite simply, you need to burn more calories than you consume, and if your metabolism slows down, you may want to know why.
12. You may have a nutritional deficiency.

“I would say that one is often overlooked because the problem of losing weight is a lack of vitamins,” said Ariel Levitan, MD and co-founder of internal medicine. You are a vitamin LLC.
studies She suggests, for example, that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to obesity and that people with vitamin D deficiency have difficulty losing weight.
“Additionally, we find that depleting some of the other key vitamin deficiencies like iron, B12 and magnesium can allow people to feel better, more energetic, and as a result, have an easier time living a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and adequate sleep,” Levitan said.
13. You don’t eat enough protein.
studies They show that people feel full for longer and consume fewer calories over time when they eat more protein.
“Your body digests protein more slowly than any other macronutrient, which means your blood sugar and hunger don’t go up, so you’re unlikely to overeat,” he said. Greg Pinataro, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
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