Weight loss can be tricky. We all know we need to consume fewer calories than we burn to lose weight, but sometimes—even when you’re doing all the right things—that weight loss can come to a screeching halt.
This can happen for a number of reasons, but, more often than not, it’s comes down to something that requires a serious lifestyle change to fix. Here are 5 of the most common, yet not-so-obvious reasons you’re not losing weight, plus some tried-and-true.
1. You’re Stressed “Stress is the silent killer.” This is especially true when it comes to weight loss. Stress releases cortisol (often simply referred to as “the stress hormone”)—and in today’s society, excessively high cortisol levels are incredibly common. Cortisol degrades muscle tissue and encourages the storage of body fat, and is has been linked to other health issues that are a lot more serious than a few extra pounds around your waist.
If you want to get lean, then you need to make a serious effort to lower your stress levels. (Easier said than done, I know!) Try limiting the length of your workouts to 45 minutes, surrounding yourself with positive people, meditating, and getting plenty of sleep.
2. You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep Not only does enough sleep reduce levels of cortisol, but it also produces growth hormone (GH). GH pretty much has the opposite effect of cortisol on the body—it encourages fat loss, supports your immune system, and helps to keep your organs functioning properly.
Sleep also balances the hormones that control hunger. If you’ve ever gone to bed hungry and woken up not hungry, this is why. On the flip side, if you miss a night’s sleep you are likely to eat more calories the next day. While it varies from person to person, most of us should aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
3. You’re Not Drinking Enough Water You’re probably sick and tired of hearing about how important water is to your health, but most people still don’t drink enough of it.
There’s a whole host of benefits to drinking enough water, one of which is proper kidney function. Dehydration impairs your kidneys, and when your kidneys aren’t working properly, your liver has to pick up the slack. Your liver is responsible for the metabolism of fat, which means fat cannot be metabolized as efficiently when your liver has to work twice as hard to remove toxins.
The solution is simple: when you’re thirsty, drink water. In particular, ensure that you are hydrated around workouts.
4. You Have Poor Digestion The gut is incredibly complicated, and scientists are only scratching the surface when it comes to understanding how the natural micro-biome of gut bacteria works. But one thing is clear: whether you want to improve your ability to lose fat, boost your immune system, clear up your skin, or even just feel better on daily basis, it all starts with gut health.
Unfortunately, most people don’t usually realize their gut isn’t functioning properly until it’s too late. But there are steps you can take to help prevent any malfunctions: reduce stress, eat fewer meals or even consider periods of fasting to give your digestive system a break, minimize the consumption of legumes, grains, sugar and pastured dairy, and chew your food until it’s mush before swallowing.
5. You’re Not Eating Enough Fiber Fiber aids digestive health and helps to create a sense of fullness, which makes consuming fewer calories easier.
It’s estimated that only 5% of Americans get enough fiber. Why are people missing out? Most of us assume we’re getting enough from grain-based products like bread and cereal, but the reality is these highly-processed foods have been stripped of their nutrients and fiber. Instead, eat more fruit and vegetables, and opt for whole grains, like brown rice and steal-cut oatmeal.
Could one of these issues be to blame for your weight loss plateau? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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278 Responses
Thanks for this… I eat low cal, allowed around 1900 cals a day because of running/work out. Only eating about 1200 to 1500. Eating low carbs as well. Drinking loads of water. Feeling rather uninspired right about now. Age 49… Height 5’9″… Weight 159. I want to go back down to 140 lbs. I don’t think I’m stressed. I may not sleep all that well but that’s an age thing I think.
nmandine, if I may… sometimes eating too few calories can slow weight loss efforts. It’s hard to believe because it seems the opposite would be true, but I learned this the hard way. Maybe bump up your caloric intake for a week or two and see what happens? I wouldn’t exceed the allowed 1900, but some increase may help. good luck!
Also low car is a bit tricky. It’s a fast quick fix but it’s not easy to keep your weight down with the low carbs method for a long period of time. Once you stop low carb your weight will most likely go back to where it was.
Once you stop counting calories and go back to your old eating habits, you’ll gain weight, too. Does that mean counting calories doesn’t work? Of course not, because that logic is flawed. Just like with any other lifestyle change, you have to form habits that help you succeed.
Low carb has been shown to be at least as effective as other ways of eating for losing weight and maintaining weight lost.
Counting keeps you honest to your self. I too stopped counting and gained some weight back bit got back on track.
Low Carb is not tricky…a ton of people have been doing it for years. I know someone that has been doing it for 10 years. I have been doing it since May and I never cheat and I will never go back. I wish I had not wasted my health by eating grains, starches and sugars. But I know now!
Nothing tricky about low carb. So many people,assume that “low carb” means you never eat a carb which is far from reality. I am 52 yo and have been living a healthy low carb lifestyle for over 5 years. I’m 5’6 and a healthy 130. Eating healthy is a lifestyle…not a quick fix. Whether it’s fat or carbs or calories you omit from your diet…if you revert to your old ways, the weight returns. Period.
I think the issue is that, with the current food environment, it’s MUCH MORE DIFFICULT to stick to low carb — psychologically — vs. just lowering your calories. When many people give up a low carb diet, they never liked doing it in the first place, and they fall fully off the wagon. I think this happens less of the time with a calorie counting diet, though it certainly happens with that as well.
+1 on the Fiber and the water!
I constantly read about our current society being too stressful and fast-paced yada yada so I ask, why is reducing stress NOT a priority in this country (US)? It always gets brushed aside as if it’s just the way things are. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier and give us more free time. It’s done the exact opposite!
People cause their own stress. People make life harder than what it is. People live far beyond their financial means-causing their own stress. People create their own debt-causing stress. People wait till the last minute for work projects causing their own stress. People choose to converse on their cell phones or spend time on Facebook rather than getting their work done-causing their own stress. Majority of the stress in this country is caused by their own undoing. Who do you want to fix this?
Sometimes that is true, but be assured other stress is very tough to wish away. My Mom is very sick, suffering from dementia, Parkinson’s disease, going blind, and I am a single Mom needing to work full-time. We have been through three caregivers already, none of which have worked out. I sometimes have to travel for work and between hoping my daughters are OK when I’m away, I constantly worry that I’ll be receiving “the phone call” one day when I’m out of state. With no siblings and my Dad gone, this falls to me. I would love to destress, but it is much easier said than done.
Lynn, I am sorry that you are having such a tough time. My own mom has been quite sick, and her best friend just died of Parkinson’s disease. Destressing definitely is easier said than done, especially with the responsiblities that you have. Have you seen the poster that says, “Women are like tea bags…you never know how strong they are till you put them in hot water”? Praying for your physical, mental and emotional strength. Be kind to yourself. 🙂
I’m in the senior homecare business and it sounds like you are having trouble with caregivers. If you’re hiring them privately I’d recommend you use an agency that has contingency plans in place to ensure you get the best caregiver AND backups should they be ill or quit. I feel for you. You’re in a tough place. If your mom is low on finances see if she qualifies for home help through your local office on aging.
Also some Parkinson’s local organizations have grants for respite care
There needs to be a large push for it. I would like to see NIH or other health organizations know about just how bad stress is for the body. There isn’t one entity that can do anything about it. For now, only the individual must learn to cope with stress.
I have low thyroid. Been battling it for 22 years and I’m only 41. No.matter what meds your on I have always been told it is twice as hard to lose half as much weight as everyone else. Running seems to be my only way to lose it at a decent (albeit slow) pace. I recently had a friend find out his classic thyroid symptoms were actually cushings disease! Scary adrenal disease. He had a pin size tumor in his pituitary making him over produce cortisol (the stress hormone mentioned in this blog) he gained over 125 pounds over 3 years while he begged endocrinologists for help. They turned him away with diet pills and told him to eat less and exercise more. Talk about stereotyping! Look it up if your struggling hard and feeling lousy. He is on the long road to recovery but it has done serious damage to his muscles and bones.
I totally agree with you Cora! I’m in the end of the baby boomers age and I see my children choosing to text, talk, or navigate on the internet wasting too much of their much needed time to do life’s chores or simply to sleep! They live life on the edge; which to me is a waste of valuable time! People are acting like slaves to their technological devices! You can lump television into that category as well!
See musicmaing comment, above. Right on target.
They say people don’t even make eye contact anymore. Used to be major criteria during a job interview, that the applicant looks you in the eye (speaks to sincerity, honesty, competence, etc). Now neither one makes eye contact, the interviewer or the applicant! They’re both preoccupied wiyh their devices!
Totally agree with the above – life is NOT easier with technology – social media, etc. Stop typing so much and move more!
While I do like Brown rice; if I steal my cut oatmeal they’ll put me away
LOL!
WOW. The information you shared about water, kidneys, liver, etc. was quite illuminating! No one ever explained that to me before. Thank you.
So I need to minimize consumption of grains for gut health… yet make sure to eat steel cut oats and get enough fiber?
It’s also possible that a disease such as Cushing’s Disease/Syndrome is not only prohibiting weight loss but causing weight gain.
Before my diagnosis with Cushing’s Disease, I was working out 3-4 times a week at a gym and going to Weight Watchers – and NOT cheating.
I was gaining an average of a pound a day, despite doing things that should have caused weight loss.
I fast 16 hours ever day and i choose to eat around 4 and dinner time and stop at 11 which usually a snack like sugar free pudding or pistachios and then i don’t eat again till 4 the next day. I stopped eating dairy and and most sugar filled foods, i eat plenty of vegetables and turkey in place of red meat but i make sure to have a cheat day every Friday with my wife and eat what ever we would like for dinner but i don’t go overboard cause even though its a cheat day doesn’t mean its a go nuts day but we will occasionally have frozen yogurt from sweet frogs. As long as your diet makes you feel comfortable and you dont look at it like work it will work for you but the moment it becomes about numbers and you stress about the every little bite you have then that stress is going to weigh you down and its going to slow the process.
Dont fight the urges just control them, if you body tells you it wants something to eat then eat, if all you can think about is a candy bar or a bag of chips get it and maybe just break a piece off or hell eat the whole thing but just have that one and say i had my craving that’s it im done. It goes that way with everything if i want some pasta i will have some regular pasta but i will only have some i wont sit and eat a giant plate cause there’s no need for it cause you stomach isn’t telling you it wants a half a box of spaghetti that’s all your brain.
Enjoy your life and diet at the same time and look up Intermittent fasting and read everything on what it is and how it works and why it works and dont listen to the people saying it will harm you just follow the direction that work for others like hugh jackman and Dwayne the Rock Johnson, you can either lose allot of weight doing if or you can build allot of muscle.
One more thing for anyone who finds this and wants to try (IF) dont use it as a way to fast 1 day and eat all you want the next like some suggest cause that defeats the purpose.
It’s taken me over a year of going to the doctors here in the UK to find out what’s wrong with me. Being told I am overweight and need to work out more, eat less is no good when you go to the gym 5x a week, and follow a 1300 cal diet. They even took me off the contraceptive pill, citing my wright ad an issue. My weight is still going up, now over 200lbs. Finally a locum listened, diagnosed PCOS, and I’m now working through treatment options for that and pre-diabetes and hypothyroidism (both are complications of the condition). So if you think something is wrong, don’t give up. Sometimes something is not right and you have to fight to prove that.
I have PCOS, diabetes and hypothyroidism. Crazy how its all tied together.
Insulin and thyroid, estrogen. Testosterone… all hormone related. Finding a balance is key. This is why I eat low carb (12 years now).
So many people talk about not eating so many carbs ! What r carbs??
food has three kinds of energy or calories.,… fat, protein or carbohydrates. there are other nutrients, of course. but carbohydrates are just one form of calories. some foods like wheat, pasta, and rice break down into sugar very quickly. when people say they are cutting back on carbs, it’s usually foods with refined sugar and flour, potatoes, etc. does that help?
Carbs also include vegetables, I’m limited to 60 Grams of Carbs for dinner, that’s slightly more than 2 ounces, You need to begin reading the nutritional listing on the food you buy to determine how many calories a serving size has or in my case how many carbs.I use a kitchen scale and I measure out how many pieces of broccoli or cut up green beans or individual Brussel Sprouts equal 60 grams. If I eat pasta I only eat whole wheat pasta and on the package it says a serving size is 2 ounces and that equals 41 grams, but I want to add a vegetable, I cut the amount to 1 ounce or 20 grams and I can mix in 40 grams of broccoli. Work with a nutritionist.
Ed, With the edit function, you really should check your spelling and punctuation. It’s Brussels, not Brussel and there is a proper use of a comma. You may want to research that. Also, glass houses and all that….
you can start do protein diet ( egg without York, chicken breast, tofu, soybean with lots of vegetable and fruits like all berries, apple, guava and nuts except cashews, stop eating sugar and sugary fruits, potatoes, and banana and less wheat and rice). You can eat total calories 1200-1300 only. Along with that do all weights like bunch press, shoulder press etc for an hour. Eat 3-4 meal in 8 hours not later than 8pm. You will definitely loose weight at least 2 pounds in a week. Eat flex seed with this.
Just a comment on your spelling. Since they allow us to edit our comments why don’t you correct your spelling mistakes? It doesn’t put your comments in the best light.
Anyone who says eat 1200 calories as a rule is setting you up for failure. For most people, depending on metabolism, that is starvation…not a long term weight loss solution.
1200 calories is not starvation for most people. That’s an over-generalization, to say the least. In fact, depending on your size, age, gender, etc., it may be more than you need on a daily basis.
I’ll let you re-read my comment. Pay particular attention to the use of “as a rule”, “for most people” and “depending on”.
Starvation mode is an over generalization just like 1200 calories is….setting rules based on generalizations is asking for failure.
I agree protein rich diet diet is great. I would not recommend such a low calorie intake. You should check with your nutritionist or primary doctor to see what the lowest calorie intake would be for you.
I was the same Becky but even after diagnos I still put on weight. I now have the tool that is helping me lose weight. Message me if you would like to know more.
I was always super thin my whole life . Three years ago I kept gaining weight found out hypothyroid , pre diabetic . I had back surgery 2012, total knee replacement 2013. Activity not like it use to be . But very discouraged with my weight . Just seem not be able to lose 5 pounds even . I want to get back to where I should be and that’s 55-60 pound to lose . Any suggestions as to eating or anything ?
Ideal protein method
Tell me more….about the protein method.
Did you gain it all back.I did
So did I , Jeannine! Lost the 30 lbs I needed to lose in about 4 months and was never hungry. However, I gained it all back within a year and a half! Now I’m doing it the old fashion way … Counting calories and exercise….and giving myself a year to lose it…..down 11 lbs!
I can relate to that, I found out reason for rebound is if you do not completely get rid of all toxins circulating when releasing fat or as they say fully detoxing. Rebound happens.
There is no such thing as a need to detox. Your body handles that quite well all by itself.
Constipation in your bio system holds food waste and does not completely removed the waste, therefore the term detox comes, I agree our body should handle clearing out our gut and eating more daily fiber foods helps with that clearing process.
Detoxing is a fad, your body has the capability to take care of itself. Just eat clean and healthy, maintain an active life style – through walking, hiking, swimming, mowing, gardening, play, laughter, family, good friends, turn off the television–don’t take ourselves too seriously, and know that there more to life than just weight control.
Detoxing is the eliminating unhealthy habits… sugar/trans fat/alcohol/OTC drugs/cigarettes, etc in conjunction with ingesting easy to digest/nutrient dense, natural fuel to allow your body to “handle” the gunk and toxins more easily. That is the whole point.
There is a smart, sensible way to go about an thorough cleansing using only foods anyone can find in their supermarket… no gimmicky products or pills. It is a great way to kickstart a new lifestyle.
Can you share what you did, I have serious IBS ( diarrhea) thanks
Upping the protein and lowering carbs to under 50 net carbs a day (carb total – sugar total) has helped me tremendously. I was taken off of my thyroid meds in August of last year. My weight loss has plateaued for the past 4 months but I can only chalk that up as letting stress get the best of me.
I’ve had the same issues TJ and I started the Atkins diet with much success. I cut out coffee and switched to un sweetened tea. No sugar, pasta, potato or rice. If I were more active I could have gone an easier route. This is working for me. After 3 weeks I’ve added in a couple slices of wheat bread and a bit of rice or pasta here and there. Now it makes me feel bloated when I eat them. It’s working for me. I’ve never eaten healthier in my life. All fresh veggies with any meat cooked as you like. I even got a veggetti maker to use on zucchini. I don’t really miss the pasta. Hope you find what works for you. 🙂
Hi….congrats. .. just wondering how you follow the program without joining I am very interested and Ideal Protein but it’s way too expensive
good for you how did you do it can you share it with me. I can’t seem to lose a pound
Check your sleeping habits. Try 6 to 8 hours for one week as a test to see if any weight comes off. It worked for me
Lisa Allan, where do you find the Ideal protein diet information?
Can you tell me more about that program
Hi Lisa, It’s been a year since you wrote this but I have to congratulate you on your success!
The program is working for me but I would like to be able to do it on my own.
Is there a way for me to message you directly to ask you a few questions?
Thanks so much!
I found this place that I love! Not sure it would work for everybody but definitely worth trying. Straight Up Fitness. They are awesome!
Are you taking pills to balance your thyroid? The thyroid must be balanced in order to loose weight and keep you healthy.
I would also suggest you go to a good nutritionist that will help you come up with a diet that will match your health condition and blood type. There are certain type of vegetables that needs to be avoid in Hyperthyroidism such as corn, broccoli etc. I am no Dr, so please do not just adopt this idea, but do go to a special health naturalist who can give you a healthy diet. Good luck!
raw cauliflower and raw broccolli can inhibit thyroid function, but they are fine if they are cooked. Applies to other members of the family, like kale, rabe, etc.
I agree, I eat them but have to cook them well which is a shame because I always liked crunchy veg.
Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid are two different things.
The first being underactive, (which I am). The second is overactive.
Hypothyroid makes for weight gain.
If you are able to walk without discomfort to your knee, then I would recommend walking. Sounds simple but very effective. Add in weights and your set. Also, I find yoga to be a great regulator of weight, but not for the caloric reduction during the exercise. It really helps one focus on mind/body so you naturally do what is right for your body, including nourish it.
I agree!
I would find myself walking twice a day for 1 hour or more at times. I was 185 pounds. After 3 months without paying any attention, I ended up weighting 152 pounds. Wow!
Crazy thing is , I gained it all back after a year. I did noticed that eating the things that did not help you loose the weight will catch up with you in time. Stick to it, pray and stay positive. Now it’s all coming off again. Down to 167 pounds. I can do better but I’m proud of myself.
I would love to know more. I am on the same position. I have been eating low carb high protein diet, do gym x6 a week and although I lost 35 pounds a couple of years ago out is back on. I continue with my diligent regime and can’t loose weight. Frustrated beyond belief. Been to a doc,, he said thyroid marginally low pot meet on cynthroid 0.25. And still nothing. Help anyone?
Hiya, what have you done too help you?
Laureen, I have the same problem. Please share what has helped you. I am desperate for a solution.
Please let me in on your weight loss tool! I thought it was just a part of getting older. I am active and eat healthy! Help!!!
Thank-you so much for that comment. I have been having a similar problem here in the US and my doctor just keeps trying to push diet pills with all sorts pig crazy side effects! I haven’t been diagnosed with anything but I know something is wrong. What is PCOS?
Hey Laureen Glenda is interested in how you did it
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
PCOS is polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is a metabolic disorder. There are several hormonal imbalances associated with it and is best to see an endocrinologist to have treated. Hope that helps.
Hi I have same problem, Dr still doesn’t believe me even though I have diagnosed auto immune throditis and my antibodies of thyroid are sky high, won’t medicate me for my thyroid and I’m not able to reduce my weight! Sooo depressing 🙁
Find a new doctor!
I apologize for the lengthy reply in advance… I understand your frustration, but I would encourage you to ask specific questions about your lab results. The clinic will have treatment guidelines based on national information that give the doctors ranges–and those limits determine whether or not they can prescribe medication (and also determines if your insurance will cover it) . Call your doc/clinic/lab and simply ask what the range is for your thyroid tests. I have online access to my lab results and I found the limits listed alongside the test with a link to more information. For TSH, one clinic was 399, for another 40 miles away it was 499. So, if you want to see another doctor, ask for a second opinion either in their network or at another medical system, and make sure you see an Endocronoligist or an Endo Nurse Practitioner. It can cost the same either way. Check with billing. It wasn’t until I systematically followed through with these steps that I found a great Endo NP who figured it out. Don’t give up on yourself. Keep looking. Every doc and every system is different and if you are not getting relief, keep asking for referals. Low thyroid is difficult because you already feel exhausted, but you have to try to remove the physical and emotional feeling of defeat and frustration, and just break it down into a simple list of steps.
I was diagnosed with PCOS 2 years ago and was put on Metformen, which helped me lose the weight but had awful side effects. I couldnt eat a single carb without getting sick! Not only that, but it never really fixed the problem, only acted as a “bandaid” for the PCOS, so at the age of 14 I was on a pill that I would have to take for the rest of my life. Seeking a better solution I went to a well trusted OBGYN and got blood work done. We found that on top of the PCOS my thyroid wasnt working properly due to low vitamin levels, which led to fatigue, muscle pains, and an increase in my hypoglycemic index levels (which contributed to my PCOS). This meant that despite the fact that I was eating healthy and working out regularly, I could never reach my ideal weight. So I started taking the vitamins I need and not only am I losing the weight quickly, I also feel so much better! Moral of the story, there can be underlying problems that, with the right doctor, can be diagnosed and essentially fixed!
what vitamins?
I have been to a new doc recently. I found that I have very low vitamins and borderline thyroid issues and PCOS and reactive hypoglycemia. Very low EPA and DHA so taking liquid fish oil 3 times a day plus very low iron so iron infusion plus liquid iron. Starting to feel some better but not a lot. Slow weight loss too. Discouraged!
I have reactive hypoglycemia as well, I find it so hard to drop weight or curb cravings if/when my blood sugar tanks, especially with a stressful job where I can’t always get up, just eat what’s handy
Stacy, The PCOS is going to be your worse weigh loss enemy. I got diagnosed with PCOS in May and after two different DR told me that it causes obesity even more. I was doing weight watchers before and sometimes would gain weight. I have been on medication now for the PCOS for 3 months and have already dropped 10 lbs. Make sure they are treating that and it will help.
What is ‘unusual’ about any of these? All of the points you made are rehashed in most weight loss articles out there.
Exactly. . I was counting on something like under active thyroid at least..
I think the title should have read “usual”. Not trying to be snide, I actually think it’s a typo.
Actually, I had never heard the info about kidney and gut health and found it quite interesting, as I have both those issues. I also liked the “tone” of the article.
its simple the reason people are not loosing weight is because they are eating over the calories they require and they are not doing enough physical activity
Sorry Asrar, totally disagree, that is not a “simple reason”
True. It is the only reason, though the causes are very far from simple.
Stressed? I had a dream last night where I was going over some of the items on my weekly report with my boss. Ah, and they say your dreams die as you get older. But hey, I get enough water. That’s good, right?
I really love this article.. its clearly me, because I try so hard to lose the weight but its slow, so yes I’ll definitely take this advice.
5/5 for me, not good!! I had my gall bladder removed about 5 years ago and in that time I’ve gained 4 stone, most of which was in the first 2 years. I’ve tried to lose wieght but nothing works. I’ve heard ox bile tablets help with digestion, so I’ve ordered some and will wait to see if this works. As for stress, lack of sleep and not enough water, well these are things I need to work on. But being stressed and a bad sleeper isn’t going to make it easy.
my weight was 75kg .I lose 3 kg in a month then I tried so hard to lose w8 bt when I check my weight….its 73 again..em realy tensed…:( i worked so hard bt stil gain 1kg w8…it make me upset…
Sorry about that. My hubby has a similar problem, I introduced him to mfp and he has lost just 3kg and sometimes regains 1kg. I too use mfp and have lost 11kg so far in 2 months. The differences in our apprach is that he tries to consume the calorie goal given to him at all cost and even when he exercises, he eats up the deficit. I on the other hand se3 the goal calorie as my limit, mea ning that I dont have to eat up to that and only get to that in the worse situations(u know when u have so many delicious foods around 🙂 ) I also have a sedentary life style bc I am a med Dr, so barely have time outside the hospital but try to work out for about 4x in a week. Its working for me so far. So try thes3 adjustments and see w here it takes u. Goodluck
I don’t loss weight at all. But I admit I don’t get Enough sleep. Also, I don’t eat a lot cuz my appetite is so little and I throw up when I get a little bit full..sometimes I feel like I have eating disorder cuz I get bloated quick and I stop eating. So I don’t know what to do and why it happens. When I eat I always go to washroom in the morning. But same weight at all. Been having this for 6months now. Help! Thank u
I used to feel the same way when I ate with the bloating and having to know where a restroom was everywhere I went. My digestive system was very much out of whack. Our city finally got a Natural Grocers store and they have a nutritionist on staff with whom I scheduled a free hour consultation. We discussed everything and with a diet change, avoidance of some foods, and adding some simple supplements, I know feel great. It has been a couple of years now and I’m able to eat the foods I couldn’t eat before without getting sick. It’s almost like the changes I made allowed my system to heal and now I can maintain a healthy diet and still enjoy a night out without paying for it. I would highly suggest seeing someone about your symptoms and keep a food diary so you can keep track of what you eat and how you feel after eating certain foods. You may also just have food allergies which can really wreck havoc on a digestive system too.
From what I have read, and learned from the video, I need more fiber, even more water than I currently drink, and keep up the fruits and vegetables. I am 5’9″ and 200 lbs., age 48. One thing I haven’t been able to give up is coffee (w/ flavored creamer and Stevia). The video that I just watched taught me how to safely exercise my core without causing my lower back pain to flare up. My ABDOer TWIST exerciser has made me feel like my abs are gradually getting toned. But, I know that I have quite a way to go. My goal, unrealistic though it may be, is 149 lbs. I do take meds that are known to shut down metabolism.
My diet, that is meant to avoid developing kidney stones, might make losing weight even harder. Herbalife helped me go from 243 lbs. to 200 lbs. in about 18 months. I feel as though I have topped out. Is it possible to get to my dream goal of 149 lbs.?
Best post I’ve seen on this topic yet…clear, concise and thoroughly understandable. And I’ve been struggling for a couple of years now so I’ve been researching this problem extensively. However I’ve been aided with few helpful insights and the. sensitivity that some if the commentators here have demonstrated ;-). While many of the reasons cited in this post may be cited elsewhere, I’ve not seen it done together or in such an understandable way. Yes, there may be more serious barriers to weight loss but if you’re wondering about those, don’t consult an online source for Pete’s sake, consult your physician(s). These reasons are great conversation starters for you and your physician. Thanks, Will.
Is there any research for those of us that wrecked our metabolism with an eating disorder in our youth? The end of high school and beginning of college I quit eating and at 5’8″ got down to 96 lbs. Ever since I got pregnant for my first child I have had a lot of problems loosing. I will loose about 30 lbs and then plateau and put on a few more. After 20 years that few more is out of hand but I am at a loss as to what to do!
help!!!!!
Anyone consider or have experience with the “eat right for your blood type” to kick weight loss into gear? My naturopathic doctor asked about my blood type. Turned out I was eating what I thought was healthy, my husband is a vegetarian so we eat a lot of lenits, beans, mushrooms…..turns out a lot of what I’m eating is bad for me (when considering my blood type) according to this method I need more lean meats, coldwater fish and should AVOID lentils, it’s not so much low carb, it’s more specific than just eliminiating an entire food group – which I like. I definitely feel more engergetic, we’ll see if the weight loss kicks in, still early on in the game.
you might be insulin resistant
your Reverse T3 thyroid may be out of balance with your free T3
your thyroid may be out of balance in general
your hormones may be out of balance
your insulin may be spiking even though you are not insulin resistant or diabetic because you are getting more than a net of 15g of carb. per meal (total carb – total fiber = net carb)
Fiber, water, and prayer. Where the changes I made and Ive lost 40lb.
I wish it was something as simple is this…..I have PCOS and underactive Thyroid and I diet and exercise to MAINTAIN my weight…..frustrating is an under statement 🙁
Doesn’t drinking alcohol slow your metabolism down? Even if you count the calories, does your insulin spike? I like a few cocktails after work but I’m wondering if it’s slowing down the weight loss. Help please
NO, it doesn’t slow it down, and yes, insulin will spike with alcohol. They are empty calories and usually carbs, so they will spike the insulin.
Too much protein at one sitting will turn into sugar via the mTOR pathway. Not enough healthy, saturated fat will make you hungry sooner, since it is fat that tells your body if you’ve had enough to eat or not.
1, 2, 3, and 5. I dont know about #4. But those were the reasons why my weight went up 20 pounds in 2 months (Mid-March to Mid-May.) I know I can’t believe it either, but when you are a college student its pretty hard to get in 1 & 2. I drank so much coffee that I hardly even bothered with water. I also didnt eat much fruits, more like chips and pop-tarts as my snack. So terrible, it was hard at first but I adapted this summer to a good diet and it has stuck for the Fall Semester. Thank Goodness. I don’t think I can handle another jump of 20 pounds, I cant afford to buy new clothes again :/
I apologies to myself for allowing others make me feel bad about myself. I apologies to myself for committing all the previous disasters. I apologies for letting those abusers getting to my poor nerve. One year of my life coasted me gray hairs, wrinkles, black eyes and extra weight while I’m only 26 years old.
I’ve been under my calorie intake every day and exercising everyday. I gained 15 lbs. Could it be my insulin? My doctor thinks so. If so what can I do?
What did you change??
You should never restrict calories and force your body to lose weight. Eat more nutrient rich foods, aka VEGETABLES, a and the weight will just come off. All of this stuff is true. The body’s natural state is to be healthy. Nourish your body correctly, make nutrition your number one and the weight will fall off. Just from changing to an almost all vegetarian diet, I’ve lost 11.4lbs. Everyone should watch Hungry For Change on Netfix. It changed my life 🙂
Everyone’s body and system is different and what suits one may not suit the other. My mom lost 10 kilos (about 21 lbs) by eating a mostly vegetarian diet with only chicken and fish allowed for dinner. When I tried that … it didn’t work for me. I’m not eating cleaner, eggs, chicken, fish and vegetables but restricting myself calorie wise daily and the weight is really coming off.
I think you wrote this article for me. Every last one of the items above pertain to me, the most important, being the poor digestion. I’ve learned that carbs do not like me. However, I am having a very difficult time removing sugars, flour and white items from my diet.
Alot of what he says is true, slow down, enjoy your food and take time to appreciate it all. Be grateful for small things, including portions.
It’s steel-cut oatmeal, not steal-cut.
will owen is cute good article but heard this before
To have a healthy gut, you need to nourish the good bacteria that live there. Many legumes (beans, lentils) and grains (such as whole-grain barley) are excellent sources of fiber, which is what bacteria eat. Limiting these things will in fact not aid in better digestion/health.
I agree, that part of the article gave me pause too. I’m disappointed that someone would post an article suggesting that beans and whole grains are bad for you.
And on top of that, they made no mention of probiotics or fermented foods. They make a difference!
For a lot of people with IBS the types of sugars in legumes and wheat are harder to process. My gi doctor encouraged me to lower these foods but take a fiber supplement to get the fiber benefits without the discomfort, bloating, gas, that these foods give me. I think that might be what they’re getting at but it would really vary depending on what type of guy issues a person has.
LOL “guy issues”, talk about a RPITA!
Actually there could be something to that, emotional factors and their effect on digestive health. (I realize it was a typo, I just love when they provide a harmless giggle!)
MY NIGGA
This list sums me up. I was never “thin” around high school I was at a size 15. Then when I got prego I wasn’t gaining weight fast enough. (About 215 around week 27) then after my daughter a week later I was 311.I stress easily with my job, a three year old with autism, her scholol, my school, and her dad. I often find my self waking up every hour at night. So I think my biggest problem is stress.
I’m not losing weight for the usual reason – I’m taking in more calories than I expend.
More like 5 extremely common reasons that affect almost every single person trying to lose weight!
“Pastured” dairy? “Steal”-cut oatmeal?
Can I apply for a job as your proofreader?
Yeah, but you have to wear “high-heals” to the interview, k?
Some of the misspellings and typos almost make me “loose” my mind, sometimes.
Low carb is the way to go. I started a national weight loss challenge at my gym and cut out carbs, sugar and alcohol and I lost 4 lbs in first week. I am 5′ 3″ and started at 144 lbs. I also increased my workouts to 4/5 times a week; although, I truly believe that weight loss is 80% diet based and only 20% exercise. If you truly want to lose weight, you need to cut out all of the junk food (this include diet sodas) and eat clean. I plan to incorporate good carbs back in soon in moderation (oatmeal, whole grains, etc…), but really – I cannot eat pasta or potatos (except sweet potatos) anymore. They are out of my diet all together and when I have eaten them, I feel bloated and yucky.
I have IBS although it is under control. I have recently been diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome. So my joints are really loose and being over wieght does not help. The more wieght that is one them the more pain I am in. I am taking amytriptilene to help with sleep at night. My sleep is never good. Other than that I work out for aprox 70 mins a day on a crosstrainer (gentle on my joints) I drink 8-10 cups or water a day. I have added spirulina with alfala anf barley grass to help balance my sugar and ph levels. I am also drinkng Plexus slim as it is supposed to help with the sugar cravings. I even tried sugar stop pills. I lost a 1kg in my fist week of my new diet and exercise regime an now nothing. I have been at this now a month and I have not lost anything more. I am eating protein at every meal. I am feeling frustrated and ready to give up. I won’t though. I have to be getting healthier right. Any help would be great
Being tired everyday, even when I slept plenty, sent me to the doctor. My hypothyroid was under control, vitamin D deficiency close to normal, but still sooooooo tired. I went for a sleep study and was found to have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea means you stop breathing at night, and even if you don’t remember being woke up, you do wake up enough to start breathing again. You just never get a good nights sleep.
Treatment was a device called a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) that you wear to bed. Made a world of difference. Talk to your doctor about it. As for sugar cravings, I read that Magnesium supplements can help with that. I take a Calcium Magnesium tablet and it helps me.
Okay, so I have been reading this and put mental tick against each of your points. This is not good.
I have lupus and Cushing’s Disease which causes excessive cortisol. I have nice legs and arms and a huge midsection. When lupus is in remission, I am a runner. Imagine the looks I get when people see my 5’9″ 220 pound body barreling around the greenway. No matter what I do it won’t go away. I’ve been eating clean and exercising for years. But I’m just thankful I can maintain it somewhat.
for 6 years now I have been living on fluid milk products, skim milk and cream. Every day I drink between a half to one-and-a-half gallons of skim milk, plus a little cream here and there, and hardly eat or drink anything else. I am six feet, one inch, today I weighed 153 pounds.
These are not “unusual” reasons for not losing weight. How about addressing hidden reasons for not losing weight – like medications, thyroid function, PCOS. Getting proper treatment for underlying medical conditions is essential for successful weight loss. Sometimes it takes a long time to get the right diagnosis of a disease (many doctors don’t even test for them). Also, very few doctors will tell you what the side effects of medications are.
Ignoring health conditions that affect weight loss is only giving your readers half the picture.
Every one of those steps describes my health. Making the choice to go to a liquid diet. More sleep and stress free time each day!
In number 4 you say “minimize consumption of legumes,” then in number 4, you advise “increase fiber.” Legumes are high in fiber and one of the few ways to get the 25-30 grams of fiber recommended for heart health. Very difficult to consume that amount with just veggies and oats. So 4 and 5 are somewhat contradictory.
After years of heavy exercise, cutting everything imaginable out of my diet including dairy, gluten, sugar, all processed foods etc..and trying every diet you can imagine…working with acupuncturist, ND and MDs…get this…I was gaining and not able to lose weight because of parasites. I’ve learned more about it and up to 75% of people who can not lose weight have one or more parasite in their gut..They cause major inflammation and interfere with the nutrients your body is getting so it holds onto fat for dear life thinking there isn’t enough. My ND had me take a parasite test and was positive…I’ve only been under treatment for 2 weeks and have already lost 10 pounds effortlessly. As gross as it is…I’d highly suggest anyone who can’t figure out their weight issue to be tested for parasites.
My could be stress. My beloved grandma just passed about 5months ago 🙁
LOW cortisol levels are pandemic among women and also correlate with compromised thyroid function. The resulting slow metabolism makes it impossible to lose weight without proper optimized medication.
Hey do u all cut out chocolate all together and if you don’t know often is ok to eat it
Does anyone eat chocolate ? How much do you eat a week and what do you limit yourself to?
More fiber is also great because it means I can spend more time not working and instead sitting on the toilet with crippling stomach pains.
your taking in more calories than your burning, all other factors aside this is what matters.
I am a 51 year old female…….4 years ago I lost 45 pounds……felt and looked great, The weight seemed to fall off me, I gained 30 back because I got lazy and now that i’m trying to lose it again, it just will not budge. Any suggestions??
This is why my gastro doc put me on phentermine. I eat organic, low carb..I work out 4-5 days a week..still, i am 120 lbs over weight. I started 1/2 a pill a day a few days ago.
For years I was consuming on average a bottle of red wine per night. I quit alcohol entirely a month ago and am pretty shocked that the pounds haven’t melted off. I am watching what I eat, keeping a log and exercising daily, but I’ve only lost a couple of pounds. Don’t understand it.
Are you kidding me?
Is there even 1 piece of research that shows *any* of this? How can you post an informative article without any research?
This is terribly under-researched. For example, can you PLEASE cite an article that participants who (for example) drank more water or reduced stress lost weight?
If so, how effective is it. Without quantitative research, its another of a long list of wives tales nutritional advice.
Worthless
Seriously? I am a lifetime membership Weight Watcher who has struggled with weight issues all of my life. I reached my goal weight for the third time in 2000, kept my weight off for a long time. In 2008 my daughter started having chronic health problems, I was working part time and going to college part-time. The next summer I hosted a graduation open house for my daughter, one of my sons rehearsal dinner for his wedding and started working full-time after graduating from college. I have gained so much weight since then, have been on anti-depressants and other medications, had my gallbladder removed and weigh more than I ever have. Stress – check. Not enough sleep – check. Not enough water – check. Poor digestion – not so much so since the gallbladder was removed. Not enough fiber – I don’t think that’s a problem since I eat plenty of fiber and lots of fruit. But too much processed food, too much salt, yes. Not enough exercise – check . . . although you didn’t mention that.
Another thing to think of is sleep apnea — especially if you are seeing 1, 2 AND 3 going on. When you have sleep apnea (and about 10% of Americans do, which makes it “unusual” but certainly not “rare”!) it starts with your airway partially or fully collapsing when you are asleep. When you stop breathing your blood oxygen levels dive. This sets off a chain reaction that is basically a full-blown panic attack: cortisol pours into your blood stream, your heart rate spikes, you partially or fully wake up, and then you start breathing again. Then you go back to sleep — either right away or eventually — and your kidneys kick in and clear out the cortisol and fill up your bladder. And because you are asleep, your airway collapses again and the vicious cycle starts again. It happens dozens or hundreds of times each night. You continuously wake up, and every hour or two you wake up with your back teeth floating, and then a few times of that and you get desperately dehydrated. Your sleep pretty much goes to pot — even when you are not waking up in a panic feeling suffocated, you are trudging back and forth to the bathroom, and/or getting yourself water.
I knew that my sleep was crappy, but I didn’t think that it could be apnea. My husband says I don’t snore, and don’t stop breathing, but the sensors sure say that I do. The 79% oxygen desaturations got everyone’s attention, and I only have moderate apnea — someone who has severe apnea is in a world of hurt. They have home screening tests (they give you a battery-operated set of sensors to record your sleep throughout the night) and these are pretty cheap. (At my local hospital the volunteer auxiliary raised money to buy the screening machine, and they do the screenings for free.)
So, if you wake up feeling panicky and/or smothered, and/or you run a continuous loop to the bathroom all night, consider sleep apnea. It’s totally treatable, and you’ll live longer than if you spend the night having panic attacks.
I discovered my problem. Even though I was eating very healthy foods and getting a good amount of exercise, I had still hit a barrier. Went back to the very basics, and kept track of EVERYTHING I consumed. Lo and behold, I was taking in a lot more calories than I realized. So I cut way back on my portions, and ate SLOWER. I take tiny bites, and chew it thoroughly, meaningfully. Now a very small portion feels like more than enough. Got immediate results.
I have Hashimoto’s. My specialist nutritionist told me I have gained for years because I don’t eat enough calories. I have to eat more calories. I have been doing so and have lost some weight. I have to eat even when I am not hungry so I can get the right amount and eventually mend my metabolism and get it working better again. He said most women he sees with a thyroid condition have the same problem. They don’t eat enough.
I would appreciate if the author would give a source for their statement at the end of #4, specifically that legumes, grains, and diary contribute to weight gain.
Whole grains and legumes are prime sources of fiber, which, as you note in #5, are essential to a properly functioning digestive system and weight loss in general. The only thing I can think of is “rumbly tummy = bad” and that anything that makes your bowels *ahem* unpleasant to be around must be bad for digestive health, but that is neither true nor even logical, since the production of gas is directly related to the gut bacteria which FEAST ON FIBER.
Read Wheat Belly or Grain Brain and you will understand why today’s grains are so bad for us and cause weight gain. If you eat low carb and high (healthy) fat, you don’t need as much fiber because your digestive system will function so efficiently. We’ve been told for years that we need so much fiber, and we have needed it, eating a SAD (Standard American Diet), but only because of the bad foods we’ve become used to eating. The fiber was needed to flush all that junk out.
Thank you for a Straw man response.
I wasn’t talking about SAD – I specifically said WHOLE grains. And of course in moderation. And what about legumes?
I am 6’1 and weigh up to 210 pounds been trying to lose weight for a long time it isn’t working don’t really know what to do
I recommend these books, which will help you:
Why We Get Fat
Wheat Belly
Grain Brain
The Calorie Myth
How do I get the books
While much of what is stated is true and does have research to back it up, there are a few things not mentioned. Today’s diet is void of many of the nutrients you need for optimal health and proper digestion. My wife and I struggled for many years to find a balance and we finally found a program that works. Dieting is not the answer! You need to change your lifestyle and maintain the change to progress towards your goals. We did find a lifestyle system that did just that for us. The system taught us how to eat properly and with added supplements we are getting the nutrients that were missing from our daily diets. We lost a combined 110 lbs in less than 6 months. My wife was able to get off of 7 different prescription meds that were treating her chronic pain from fibromyalgia and back issues. If anyone wants additional info , please let me know.
I am interested in the details! Please elaborate!
Can they test or does a test exist to check your cortisol levels?
Then is the GH affected by low testosterone or can either cortisol and the GH affect your testosterone?
And I see where not enough sleep effects everything too and I have sleep apnea so what vicious cycle can they all have on each other? Thanks and sorry for the complicated questions!
yes there is a test for cortisol
Sleep apnea can cause weight gain as well. Along with other problems of depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and pre diabetes. With fatigue, one tends to eat more for energy, which leads to weight gain, stress etc. You may want to rule out apnea. It can strike at any age. I know a boy who was diagnosed at 19. They thought he had severe ADD. I have recently been diagnosed with it, and hopefully with treatment will see good results all around.
Since mid April I’ve lost 40 pounds, but for the past month I’ve had a difficult time losing weight, but my doctor and my nutritionist pinpointed much of the problem and it is Number 3, not enough water consumed. I admit I got into a bad habit of not drinking water during the day and not doing that was also delaying bowel movements, I could wait 5 days for one.
I’m on a meal plan from my nutritionists where I’m limiting my consumption of Grams of Carbohydrates to 180 per day, so 1/3 comes at breakfast where I eat Oatmeal with fruit in the morning and 1/3 at dinner with brown rice or green vegetables with meat or fish at night. The last 1/3 I get in Snacks during the day or after dinner, so I know I’m eating enough fiber. Getting back to drinking water or drinks like Crystal Lite and I should be back to losing weight shortly.
Along with my diet, I walk 3.5 miles 4-6 days a week.
Six. You’re skipping year daily exercises. Personal training at home nightly is recommended to battle the bulge. Even if it’s slightly shrinking, it helps in 60-120 days but continuous 365 days is best.
Good catch! I thought it somehow looked off, but didn’t realize it was a spelling mistake.
Ugh check on all these….why Leo why
Just be careful asking for a switch up. I have tried this and had bad results. I ended up in the ER with palpitations on one change, and high blood pressure on another. (As soon as I went back to Levothyroxin, it was all good.)
I also find that when I don’t eat enough protein, my weight stalls.
steel-cut oatmeal
STRESS OUT!!!!! I know thats what is causing me not to lose the weight. I know how to eat right, I used to work for a weight loss plan, I enjoy working out, but I am stressed out. Every which way I turn I am getting slammed, with one thing or another,Lucky I don’t work so could you imagine. My biggest slam is everyone expects me to be at their beck and call, especially since I don’t work, and then ther is family life, my husband and child, enough said. All I want is to find some balance
Great article. It’s amazing how much gut health affects overall health. Lots of diets don’t do anything to address this, and many diets, even though they may help you lose weight, are damaging to such things as kidneys. Do your research!!!
I have lost 55 pounds and now I’m stuck. I would like to know more about the protein diet.
I’m a 48 year old female. Use to weighing 125 at 5’5″. I took a job 3 years ago as Athletic Director for a public school district for a fairly large school. I now weight 155. I feel terrible!!! I’ve always worked out, run, and strength training. I’ve been told by my doctor that I’m in “full-blown” menopause. I stopped eating meat. I use a juicer once a day and nutribullet once a day…while also maintaining a healthy diet but still can not drop any weight!!!! I’m believe it’s the stress of this job. But, don’t know how to lower my stress. Very frustrated but not giving up.
Always remember that just because something is healthy, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have calories… nor is there such thing as a specific food or specific category of food that will make you gain or lose fat any more than any other.
If you ate over your maintenance level of calories in carrot sticks you would still gain weight. If you stayed under your maintenance level of calories eating nothing but brownies, you would lose.
I hate to sound so simplistic, but the reason for your gain is because you have been in a slight calorie surplus over the past 3 years.
I raw juice 3 times a week and count every calorie… even if it’s celery. I count the 25 calories in the two flaxseed oil capsules I take everyday. I count the tsp. of coconut oil I use when I make an omelette. I count the one peppermint candy I have after dinner. ALWAYS think in terms of calorie surplus/deficit.
Now, that said, it is highly recommended that your diet be made up of lean proteins, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbs for overall health, satiety, and lean muscle maintenance, but the paramount focus is on calories in and calories out.
Google the term “TDEE Calculator” and figure your estimated total daily maintenance calorie amount. Once you do that, take that number and reduce it by 20% a day and the fat will come off… even if you eat meat, bread, whatever. Just write down what you eat, the amount and the calories and focus on the deficit. After a few days you’ll probably have written down a majority of the things you consume on a regular basis and it continually becomes easier to track. Within 2 weeks you’ll be doing it second nature.
i started on a new diet which consisted of counting calories and cutting out the sodas d some moderate eating, and with in 6 months I had lost 45 lbs. I want to lose 65 more but I feel like I am at a stand still. Any suggestions?
The heavier a person is, the higher the amount of calories they need to consume to maintain that weight. By using a TDEE calculator for instance (google), a sedentary 35 y/o woman at 5’6″, 205lbs needs about 2050 calories per day to maintain that weight.
An ideal rate of loss is a 20% deficit of your current maintenance intake which looks like this… 0.20 x 2050 = 410 calorie deficit. So 2050 – 410 = 1640 calories a day for optimal fat loss (not water/muscle) with no added activity/exercise.
At approx. each 10lb drop, you would re-figure your TDEE to reflect your new maintenance requirements, and then re-calculate your 20% deficit. So after losing 10 pounds and dropping to 195, the same woman’s maintenance calories are now about 1975 per day, and optimum fat loss intake is 0.20 x 1975 = 395. So 1975 – 395 = 1580 calories per day. So you can see that the 10 pound loss now results in the need to increase the deficit an additional 60 calories a day to continue losing at the same rate.
When you drop a significant amount like yourself and are still eating the same amount you were while losing at a heavier weight, you will plateau. So if we take our fictional woman who started at 205lbs and is now down to 160lbs (reflecting the 45lb loss you’ve accomplished) her daily intake to maintain that weight is now 1800 cal. per day… 250 calories a day less than when she was 205lbs.
So you can see, you will stop losing fairly quickly if you don’t regularly re-adjust your intake as you lose.
So when does the higher metabolism due to more exercise/strength training come into effect in terms of calorie intake?
Your regular activity level would be figured into your TDEE. Most TDEE calculators will give you the option to choose if you are sedentary, or regularly engage in light activity, moderate activity, or strenuous activity. It will then spit out an estimated (but usually pretty accurate) calculation of your daily caloric intake for your particular lifestyle… provided you are honest about how active you are.
For instance I do full body split strength training MWF, and LISS activity TTh and Sunday, with Saturday off. This is in addition to my regular routine of housework, light lawn work, playing with dog, climbing steps at home and work, etc. When I figured my TDEE, I chose ‘moderate’ which I used as a baseline to start with. I no longer want to lose, so I stay just above maintenance so I can provide the extra calories needed to gain strength and lean muscle recovering from workouts.
Isagenix! I am 53 and have gone from a size 14- size 6 in 4 months! losing 41 lbs has been so easy!
I’m 53 I have try everything to lose weight.I have try diet pills ,herbs,exercising .Walking two miles every day no luck.
Unfortunately, metabolism is still a black box to medical science. It appears to be largely driven by genetics. If it were simply a matter of diet and exercise, then lower calories and more exercise would predictably and always work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The “diet and exercise” theory around weight loss also doesn’t explain why some people can eat crap, be couch potatoes and still be very thin (perhaps not healthy in other ways, but still thin) while others who are very active and eat fewer calories still retain fat. Diet and exercise probably only return a person to a genetically pre-disposed level that had been exceeded through inactivity and poor diet, but eventually the genetic setpoint will re-assert itself.
There is an emerging viral infection (per the CDC website) called adenovirus 36. It’s an upper-respiratory infection whose symptoms resemble a cold and it changes the infected person’s metabolic rate over the course of 1-2 years. It modifies the DNA of fat cells and makes them resistant to release fat even with diet and exercise. Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment for this infection.
And this is why I LOVE My Plexus!!! Plexus promotes health from the inside out – weight loss is merely a side effect!!!!
There is no such thing as “rebound.” That is a term by someone who is trying to sell something, or get you back on their program. If you fill your body with crap, it will turn back into crap. If you fill it with lean proteins and nutrient-dense fruits and veggies, then you will remain lean.
I’ve been getting mixed answers about water consumption for me. I have Congestive Heart Failure and have been told that a. I should only consume about 32 ounces of fluid per day or b. the normal 64 ounces of water is fine as long as I don’t have any retention problems (swelling) and I’m not on Lasix. Which is accurate? I really need to lose weight as it would be better for my overall health (diabetic as well), and water consumption has always helped. I lost 70 pounds about 5 years ago by replacing food cravings with good, cold water and have been able to keep it off until my first incident with CHF in May 2014. Since then my weight has creeped up and now I have put back on nearly 20 pounds! HELP!!
so i see this won’t be released for another 5 days on amazon..is this true.. Am hoping this will work for those of us with RA??
Hi Jan,
I’m a rehab therapist and the exercises in Arthritis Relief Walking Workout are the same exercises I teach in physical therapy for RA with the exception you don’t get stuck with the huge co-pays:) (I saw too many patients struggling with their medical bills, so I made this DVD).
Healthiest blessings,
Suzanne Andrews
I was shocked when I read the section on sleep. Whether I have eaten a perfectly balanced diet the day before or ate poorly as in eating a lot before bed either way I am ALWAYS HUNGRY WHEN I WAKE UP! Can anyone shed a bit of there insight, knowledge and experiences with this please!!
Only 5 of those apply to me. So why aren’t I losing?
*steel-cut oatmeal
Unfortunately, Armour Thyroid is not a consistent dose every pill, which is why most endocrinologists use Synthroid.
I started T-tapping. Theresa Tapp works with people with all sorts of problems, RA, Thyroid, knee problems, and her method is for everyone. Theresa is not so much focused on weight loss as she is about health, but her method will help you shed inches and put your body back on track. Her program is inexpensive and amazing. I’ve helped so many of my friends who hate diet and exercise “because they’ve tried it all.” Then they tried this. And they’re still doing it. Just Google T-Tapp
True for me, I was not getting enough sleep ffive hours at best, so I changed my sleep habits and weight began to fall off.
I hit a lot of plateaus in my weight loss about every ten pounds or so. I have a easy time maintaining but losing is hard with the constant interruptions with the plateaus
To answer to your question, Yes, I’m positive I don’t drink enough water and I take at least 10 different medication that so far have taken the blame for my enability to lose weight. You helped me understand that if the kidneys dont get what they need that the liver can’t metabolize fat. I didn’t realize that. I may have heard it before be it didn’t compute for some reason. .lol
Thank you!
It’s quite ironic you mentions the five different reasons why people don’t loose weight, however African Americans here in Chicago have the exact same difficulties. Is it safe to say a sixth reason would be a lack of lifestyle causes a black person not to loose weight properly?
I hope he meant to say “pasteurized dairy” under point 4 instead of “pastured dairy.”
Another unusual reason, that doesn’t seem logical, is some degree of heart failure. I run 40 miles a week and eat less than 1500 calories a day. The only way I can lose weight is from diuretics prescribed by my cardiologist and GP. The reason for the weight gain is the build up of fluids.
Most people don’t lose weight for one simple reason… they are not in a calorie deficit. Barring some illness/condition and or medication, any person will lose fat when on a sensible calorie reduction plan.
Use google to find free calculators to figure your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and simply follow a diet that approx. 20% below that. Try to get a good portion of those calories from lean proteins, healthy fats (avacados, olive oil, seeds), and the remainder in low-glycemic (higher fiber) carbs. This will yield a steady and healthy loss of fat that is sustainable.
It is important to reduce stress and get enough fiber and water, but you will still lose no matter what when in a calorie deficit. If you engage in moderate to strenuous exercise for any length of time it is important to have a small, high protein/moderate carb pre and post workout meal (figured in your total calories for the day) that will help prevent amino acids from being metabolized as fuel, as well as inhibit the production of cortisol.
I’d like to add that it could also be because you’re eating foods that your body has developed a reaction to. After doing all of the right things for 6 months and not losing a pound, I finally went to a functional medicine doctor. I had a food allergy test done to find out that I my body could not handle dairy any longer, along with pineapple, peanuts, and eggs. I had already been diagnosed with celiac and had not touched gluten for years, but I was amazed to see the pounds fall off after cutting the other foods that I apparently didn’t tolerate either. Totally worth the non-insurance covered trip to the functional medicine doc! 😉
Weight is falling off a pound a week. Urg! 10k with the five steps above isn’t enough. Muscle does weigh more than fat I’m telling myself. It’s only been 1 month
Losing a pound a week is very, very good. You are experiencing STEADY LOSS… focus on that positive aspect! A combination of sensible calorie restriction, and low intensity, slow and steady activity (LISS), you will ensure consistent progress with a majority coming from pure fat loss.
If you are carrying a significant amount of excess weight, you can reasonably lose about 2lbs of fat per week. Any more and you are likely experiencing depletion of stored glycogen, water, and metabolized muscle tissue used for fuel. Just increase your calorie deficit each day (certain to maintain good amt. of protein) slightly to drop a little quicker 🙂
These are exactly my issues. I overwhelmed myself with stress, as a result, unable to sleep and care for myself. At time, I eat fewer than 1000 calories, don’t drink enough, lay on the couch watching televison and only eat when I am starving.
I have lost 110 pounds with WW. I switched to MFP a year ago only because I was tired of all the changes WW makes. I have been at lifetime for 3 years. Cutting out food groups does not work in the long term. I have done them all! This is the first time I have had a sustained weight loss. I eat a healthy well balanced diet and continue to attend WW meetings for the support.
I went from 250 pounds to 175 pounds back in 2007. Nine years later and I am still bouncing around between 175 and 185. How did I do it? I changed my lifestyle to include exercise and healthier eating. Back in 2007 my wife and I both wanted to get in better shape and lose some weight. We bought an elliptical trainer. The manual that came with the elliptical trainer suggested a good pace for fat burn is 44 rpm. The first day I got on the elliptical I lasted 4 minutes with it set to zero resistance and I was panting and sweating. I told my wife and when she used it the first time she made a point to last 5 minutes to one up me. So the next day I pushed and lasted 6 minutes. This went back and forth for weeks. Now, after nine years I still use the elliptical trainer at least 4 days a week. I record TV shows on my DVR and watch a show in the morning while I walk on the elliptical. Fast forwarding through the commercials it takes about 45 minutes to watch a show and I can walk on the elliptical with resistance set to 5 for the 45 minutes.
The other half of my story is eating better. I used to eat fast food a couple times per week and ate just as badly when I ate at home. I am not good at portion control so I needed to find things that I could eat until I felt full. So I found some foods that I liked that could be made healthier. For example, if I made tuna fish for lunch I would use the whole can along with 4 or 5 tablespoons of mayo and 4 slices of bread and 2 slices of cheese to make 2 sandwiches. Tuna sounds like a healthy lunch but that was 1350 calories in one meal. Now I still use the whole can of tuna, but I switched to fat free mayo and I use Flatout flat bread wraps and no cheese so my new tuna fish lunch for 2 wraps is only 440 calories. And I still get filled up. I make French toast with 60 calorie per slice bread and egg beaters with no butter and sugar free syrup. Is it as tasty as Grandma Sycamore bread with real eggs and butter and real syrup, NO. But I can eat six or seven slices of my French toast and it is less calories than two slices that way I used to make it.
You also may not be eating enough. I’ve found that only consuming 800-1000 calories day (yes, eating nutritious food) has made me stop losing weight. For two weeks I had eaten high fiber, high protein foods, and drank over a gallon a day, and didn’t lose a single pound, all the while getting 17,000+steps on my fitbit and I didn’t lose a single pound. Hence, I started eating 2,000 calories a day, eating something every two-three hours, and now it’s starting to really come off.
In that span of two weeks, did you eat some meals like fastfood, sugary foods, or drink sugary soda ?
No, I’ve shut everything off. I stopped soda a month ago yesterday, and have not consumed any of that kind of stuff. We purged our pantry on 1/14/16 and began in earnest on the that same date. I’ve also been faithfully tracking everything I eat.
So, its seems you are pretty organized about loosing weight? How are you tracking what you eat? Are you labeling your foods by categories?
I track using the tools on My Fitness Pal. It’s very simple and for me there was a short learning curve. There are quite a few useful and free tools to use. I’ve pretty much narrowed down 3-4 different meals each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that I like and can safely eat, as well as snacks that I can consume. As we learn more, we’ll start expanding our meals.
In this short learning curve, did you have a need to discover anything about tracking your blood glucose levels while safely consuming 3 or 4 meals a day?
Not that I’m aware of. I’ve recently been checked for diabetes and had other things check out as normal.
I think the focus on weight gain or loss is wrong. It is much better to focus on percent body fat (Calipers, DEXA scan, BODPOD, InBody, etc.) or how you fit in your clothes. If you add strength training to your exercise (everyone should) – you will gain muscle. Muscle weighs substantially more than fat for any given volume. If your total fat remains constant but you add muscle your lean mass increases and your percentage body fat goes down and you body size becomes smaller and your clothes feel looser. The lean body mass also increases your BMR (basal metabolic rate) which means that you will be burning more calories 24X7.
I know a young lady who has maintained her weight to within 1 lb. but has dropped her percentage body fat by over 5% and her waist size by an inch.
If you reduce alcohol consumption everything gets better and if you eat a really good mix of macro-nutrients as Elle Penner has described then the fat will drop. But your weight might not drop much!
So don’t get too focused on your weight. Just my 2 cents. 🙂
I can definitely put part of the blame for my plateau on the stress, gut health, and fiber issues. It’s hard not to be stressed when you are poor and have bills (especially when you are trying to eat better quality foods!), but I am thinking of trying meditation to help with that. My gut has always had issues – I have been to GIs, tried various prescription medications, and have been told that some people like me just have super low digestive systems. Cutting out legumes is hard, especially when I use them as the bulk of my vegetables – to combat the lack of fiber. I am considering adding a powered fiber supplement to my diet, perhaps in a smoothie. Hopefully I can reduce the influence of these three factors on my weight loss.
Check #1 and #2 for sure! I find when I am tired, which seems to be often, that I crave carbs. You know what happens when you crave carbs. Add stress to that mix and it’s not pretty.
I’ve lost 2 lbs this week using this app. It really sheds light on exersize vs calories I can consume!
Did you run or jog to achieve your goal of 2lbs?
I think I fall in all categories,been doing this for over 100 days started to lose then I gained and haven’t lost anything. My exercise is limited due to arthritis in my knee.
The prevailing narrative that you need to exercise to lose fat is actually nonsense. Although I personally work out regularly, I INCREASE my caloric intake to compensate for the additional calories burned and muscle growth. If I wanted to lose fat, I would simply adjust my calories to consume an amount below my maintenance level (the amt. needed to maintain my current weight). If you stay at a reasonable caloric deficit, with a proper proportion of macros (or close), you will lose fat even if you don’t get out of bed.
I would be willing to bet dollars to dimes that most people who think they have some underlying “problem” that is preventing them from losing weight are simply underestimating the amount of calories they consume; overestimate the calories they burn; or both.
Weigh and track everything that you eat, and this includes things that are seemingly harmless like condiments, or supplements like fish oil/flax oil, or fiber capsules. Many people will also not figure in small amounts of oil that they use while cooking or measure the amount of salad dressing they use. This all adds up and understanding the margins is what is essential for successful fat loss and maintenance.
Is the arthritis in your knee related to being over weight or even diabetes complications?
Stress and not enough sleep are my main problems with weight loss
Actually, your problems with weight loss are almost certainly due to an insufficient calorie reduction.
I make a lot of homemade meals. I can try my best to estimate calories per serving, but sometimes I wonder if I over-estimate or underestimate. Sticking to a 1200 calorie diet is hard. I’m hungry. Plain and simple. When I look at how little I’m allowed to eat once I reach my goal, I’m thinking, good Lord, I don’t want to starve for the rest of my life. I’ve plateaued at 142 lbs. I lost 14 lbs very quickly. Sometimes you want more than 3.5 oz of meat!
What were the barriers for you sticking to 1200 calories?
I not quite sure what you mean by barriers. There was one time for lunch I was eating a salad, and I just stopped. I thought to myself, “What the heck am I eating? I hate this. I hate eating leaves!” I have to cook for a family of five. Not to brag, but I am one good cook! I am usually ok for breakfast and lunch. It’s when dinner comes around that I usually have about 500 calories left. Sometimes I have more or less depending what I had for lunch. I find it incredibly difficult as I can’t have a full satisfying dinner. I have been drinking Zipfizz that is a big vitamin B energy drink to help when I want to eat more. I dilute it in a quart of water to help with feeling fuller. If I manage to save 60 calories, I will make some hot tea and put a tablespoon of honey in it. It’s cold. I like to have something hot in the evening. Other times, I curl up on the couch and hope I fall asleep as my gut gurgles. I have been so tired and having head aches, but if I don’t stick to a 1200 diet, I do not lose. Extra exercise has never helped me to lose weight. I can swim laps for an hour, and afterwards, I’m starving. I’m 43 and I am trying my best to keep off that middle aged pudge. I just don’t want to starve or turn into an exercise freak. During the summer I usually weigh 5 to 10 pounds less because I can actually get outside. During the rest of the year, I have to sit quite a bit.
1200 is probably too low for you unless you’re an inactive, 90lb, 70 year old woman. Give me your age, sex, height, and general activity level (sedentary, light, moderate, etc) and I’ll breakdown your calorie needs and macro breakdown for maintenance/loss.
Suppose, I am a 40 year old black male with a sedentary lifestyle?
height and weight?
5 feet 2 inches and 110 pounds
Total intake for maintenance (sedentary) is 1550 cal per day. Macro breakdown is 90 g protein (360 cal), 45 g fat (400 cal), and the remainder at 200 g carbs (800 cal)… preferably low glycemic carbs derived from vegetables, legumes, whole grain, seeds, nuts, etc. These will provide fiber and keep you full longer.
You know I thought my estimated total daily intake in calories is about 1800 to 2400 per day and protein was about 45 grams per day?
Well, it’s possible you are underestimating your activity level. Sedentary basically describes activity just above a coma. Moving from bed to the couch to the refrigerator, etc. If you were to figure your calories using a ‘lightly active’ variable, your maintenance intake goes up to about 1850 calories per day.
As far as protein, most people do not get near enough. For men in general, about 0.8 grams per pound of body weight should be the goal. If you were to engage in progressive overload type bodybuilding, the amount goes up to about 1.2-1.5 grams per pound of body weight (as would your overall calories).
Higher amounts of protein help maintain lean muscle and will keep you satiated much longer than carbs. Protein intake is especially vital when body fat % is relatively low and you are trying to lean out to a visible six pack type physique. The body will metabolize amino acids that would otherwise synthesize into muscle tissue for fuel just as quickly as it will subcutaneous fat when in a deficit. I mention that because your height and weight indicate you are already quite thin.
What about the Muscle Milk protein mix?
Perfectly fine as long as it fits into your daily calorie limit and macros, and that goes for anything… bread, fruit, even sweets. I regularly drink whey protein with plain, fat free Greek yogurt, powdered peanut butter, and a few blueberries all blended together.
I’m a 43 year old female. I was 5’5″, but after a car accident I had two compression fractures in my spine which reduced my height to 5’4″. All doctors go by my current height of 5’4″. The injury has not prevented me from being active. In fact, I need to stay active or my back will start to ache. I would like to get down and maintain at 130. I think that would be a good weight for my build. I tend to build muscle mass in my arms and legs and end up with this tiny waist. I carry extra weight in my legs and butt. For example, I’ll wear a size 6 or 8 shirt but need a size 10 or 12 jean to just get my legs into them, but then I have this huge gap of extra material about my waist (I usually have to alter pants.) My mother died this past summer in a horrific drawn out battle with cancer. I had lost a great deal of weight while caring for her. I was down to about 137, but after I returned home, I admittedly ate a lot of comfort food. After New Years, I stepped on the scale, and the scale said, “OUCH!” I weighed in at 156. I immediately began my diet. I lost 10lbs the first week which I think was more about cleaning out the junk in my system than real fat weight. I lost 2 lbs the next week, 1 lb a week after that, a half pound here and there. I’ve ground to a halt. It’s discouraging. I think that maybe this is just the weight I am to be. I’m at about 142 lbs. I haven’t weighed myself in two weeks because I’m too scared to see if I stayed the same or even put on some more. I haven’t been able to get out for a week and a half to the gym. We had a big snow storm, and I have been busy with family. I did shovel a whole lot of snow multiple times! I’m fairly active throughout the day more so in the summer. After dinner, I tend to chill with my kids or husband; so evenings are pretty sedentary unless I go to the gym to swim laps for an hour.
Since you don’t have a regular work out routine but are generally active I used the ‘lightly active’ variable in the equation. For your age, current weight/height, and activity level, your intake should be around 1750 calories a day to maintain your current weight. Ideally you should be between about 120-128lbs, so you’re not that far off. A 20% reduction (which is generally recommended for fat loss) would put you at 1400 calories a day.
Aim for about 85 grams protein (350 cal), 35 grams of fat (320 calories), and the remainder in carbs, preferably high fiber/low glycemic carbs in veggies, legumes, whole grains, etc.
Just get a notebook, pencil, calculator, and read every food label. Buy a cheap digital food scale and weigh and write down everything you put in your mouth… even a single Ritz cracker, or tsp. of cocktail sauce, etc. By using online calorie charts and labels you will quickly build a comprehensive list of the things you likely eat over and over, and soon it becomes very easy to track. Stick to your goal of 1400 a day and see how the weight comes off. If it’s too fast (more than 2lbs a week) then up your calories per day a bit, and vice versa.
Try to stay off the scale and just weigh yourself once a week at the same time, naked, before eating and after going to the bathroom.
I didn’t see thyroid mentioned. It is very underdiagnosed due to the modern western medicine’s range for what is considered normal. Also, a lot of doctor’s don’t run a full panel unless you ask for it. Thyroid problems are almost an epidemic in my opinion. It really makes weight loss difficult and affects, mood, energy, digestion, and more.
Hypothyroidism is a big silent killer in the African American Community. Especially in Chicago, white doctors are not able to relate to Black patients about the thyroid gland. Well, if you don’t have good insurance then we can not get a full diagnosis?
been working out with weights and aerobic class and the weight has stalled, trainer says i’m building muscle and am losing just not showing, but you’d think my clothes would tell a different story, but not as of yet, any suggestions
Lower your calorie intake.
Have you ever heard of kettle balls or medicine balls to do a workout?
My husband and I started a new lifestyle of eating at the end of January 2015. He Lost 65 lbs and I lost 30. He has time to exercise, where I do not have the time to designate for working out. We did very well in the first year but we hit those plateaus occasionally. I will soon have time to start excersizing which is my game plan to lose more weight this year. I know I am stressed and don’t sleep well so I also plan to work on that
Do you think being supportive of each other was a big factor in loosing 95 pounds total?
But whatever your plan is I believe you need to start out with small changes so you stick with it.
These things are great I think if you have that “last 10 pounds” to lose. I had 100 pounds to lose and I drank water and ate veggies like a freak! The only thing that ultimately worked for me was giving up sugar… I had to hire the skinny coach to actually stay off the sugar.. She trains your brain through behavioral modification to be able to say no to the sugar. Anyway, tt was all pretty miraculous- I’ve already lost 58 pounds! 🙂
Sugar abstinence is especially the only way to lose weight if you are pre-diabetic- which I was, but after being on the skinny coach program for 5 months I am no longer pre- diabetic!!
You mentioned Behavioral modification as a method of saying no to sugar. How many days did you train your behavior to say no to sugar? What type of sugary foods did you say no to with Behavioral Modification?
Hey Eric. Sorry it took me a while to respond- I just saw this. I started on day one of the program with Dr. Tiffany Wright. We started with an in depth meeting in which she explained everything to me and how I was going to retrain my brain to say no to sugar. Then I on Day 1 stopped eating sugar. Boom. Just like this. Tbh, the first 2 days were very difficult. But every day I would talk to Tiffany and she would tell me “you just don’t eat that!” And everyday, I would vow “I vow to myself and my skinny coach to eat only what I have planned and nothing else, and I will be skinny forever.” I then committed to eating a plan that was sugarless and flourless. But every time I wrote those words, everytime she said them to me “I just don’t eat sugar,” and then I JUST DIDN’T eat sugar, I felt like a completely different person. A skinny person. A person who could control what I put into my mouth. It’s exhilarating. Lol. I just realized I wrote you a novel. It’s all still exciting for me and I kind of love talking about it….
Geez. I realized I didn’t answer your question. I talked to my skinny coach everyday for probably about a month, then I did primarily emails. I don’t “use” her barely at all now, her program is a lifetime program so if I need her I can use her forever- but I honestly feel like I can do it mostly by myself now.
No problem. It’s great that you were able to get back to me about behavior modification. When you start on day one, no more sugar what was your reaction? You mentioned a vow to yourself. What were vowing about giving up sugar? What was your commitment about giving up sugar? It seem like you are being loyal to yourself?
Okay. So the first day it was no big deal, a diet is always easy on the first day. It was the second and third day that was difficult. I started really craving the sugar, and my night time, post dinner, treat. But I just kept eating my two servings of fruit daily. My skinny program has a whole food plan for the entire day so that I get everything I need and don’t have cravings. After about the third day, almost like I had detoxed, I stopped craving the sugar. Now, I just eat my fruit and I don’t even think about those yucky sugar piles that were making me fat.
So technically, I make a vow to my skinny coach, and I just vow that I will only eat the food I’ve written down and committed too. And I know that if I only eat what I wrote down and emailed to Tiffany that I will be skinny forever. 🙂 It really works…
You mentioned craving for sugar around dinner time and night time. Did you feel a need to think about your blood glucose levels? Was your sleep affected by the sugar crave?
The way the plan is created is to balance all of your levels all of the time. Food combining and proper foods make it so that I don’t have to really think about anything but following my plan.And because I eat fruit with yogurt before bed I get the “sugar fix” so it does not effect my sleep at all. 🙂
When you combine foods and proper foods, what are some other examples of food combinations that can prevent me from having an overnight sugar fix?
Well after dinner there is a skinny snack. It includes dairy or protien in a small measured portion and a half a piece of fruit. So I sate my sugar need, and I pair it with a protein and that makes it digest more slowly, therefore not spiking my blood sugar- and in turn not crashing.
Did you count the calories measured in the small portion of fruit? Or was counting calories important? When you paired it with proteins, how many grams of protein did you measure? You mentioned a blood sugar spike, did you measure from start to finish your blood sugar after dinner?
I love how interested you are… But I just feel like I’m not the expert and I don’t want to give you wrong info. It old the Skinny Coach about you, she said she’d be happy to chat with you about her program. 🙂 Good luck!
Thank you. You don’t have to be an expert about your body, because that is what blogging is for. Okay, the Old Skinny Coach? Can you give me her information? Thank you.
Help please? I’m 52, female and struggling with fat! I’ve been using my fitness pal for a month and have lost 9 lb so far. I’m eating between 1000 – 1490 cals per day (max only on Fridays and Saturdays, the rest of the week I’ve stayed between 1000 and 1200). The problem is, it seems to have stopped. No matter what I do, the scales aren’t moving. I use my Fitbit and make sure I’m walking at least 10,000 steps daily. I want to be fit for surgery by August this year but still need to lose at least 2stone 10 lbs. any advice on what I’m doing wrong gratefully received, thanks.
I have a question. I need more sleep. I sleep 3 to 5 hours a night. Unfortunatlely the medication that I’ m taking lost of sleep is one of the side effects. A tried the other medications but they have the same side effect. I lie down during the day try to get a nap but not success. I do not want to use sleeping pills. Any ideas? I tried reading or mint tea ( I’m allergy to milk) before I go to sleep no success.
#4 and #5 are counteracting each other. Without some whole grains and legumes, it is nearly impossible to get enough fiber in your diet…unless you plan on eating an entire truckload of iceberg lettuce.
In other words, I’m sorry to say, but this article is nothing more than an incompletely informed author opining on things without a basis in science or fact.
For me stress is a big factor. I have lost over 150lbs in a year. I have got a plateau myself but I am trying to switch things up. Especially concerning my excercise and weight loss program. Woohoo me lol
I’ve lost 70 lbs. using exercise and keeping track of my calories with a smart phone app. I’ve kept off for a year by still keeping track of my caloric intake and exercise. After 2 strokes, I weighed 240. Iknew if I didn’t do something, I’d end up in a wheel chair.
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I read on which foods are the best fiber filled foods that can help you feel satisfied.. 1.hummos 2. Oatmeal 3. Avocado 4. Lentils 5. Broccoli 6. Brussels sprouts 7. Kale 8 raspberries 9. Pears 10. Apples 11. Barley 12. Chia seeds 13. Carrots 14. artichokes 15. almonds! I have recipes if you guys are interested
also those with a metabolic issue have a hard time losing weight as well. its really slow,I know I have one and its taken me 4 years to lose 44 lbs.trying to lose more and no matter what I do it wont budge.
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When I was just counting calories I was losing weight like crazy. Now that I have had my knee replacement and started going to the gym on top of counting my calories I am on a stand still with my weight loss.
My question is…. am I suppose to eat my daily calorie limit after calories burned.
Example: My goal is….
No more then 1200 cal./day & No less then 1000 cal./day.
Lets say I eat 1200 calories….
I worked out and burned 300 calories = 900 calories after calories burnt
Do I have to eat more to bring it back to 1000-1200?
I have started and falling off away many time and now I seem to be lost and can’t get started again. I need some help to get started once more?
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I used to use this and for the last coupe of weeks I have been taking the Lady soma Fiber Cleanse.
I have lost weight in these weeks, 5lb.
I haven’t joined any diets, and I usually try not to diet because I want something that’ll last. I noticed that I was gaining a lot of weight and I thought I eat healthy and exercise regularly, what’s happening. I started portioning my food, counting calories, reducing sugar, more salads, etc. I was under a lot of stress for years, went through a stressful divorce, lost my job, career change, moved to another state, wasn’t sleeping well and I continued to gain weight. Two years ago, I was hit by a van while crossing the street, which was life threatening, traumatic brain injury, broken ribs etc. This year (2016) around April I cut my sugar intake back to 3 -5 teaspoons/day; lost maybe 10lbs in those four months. In August I eliminated wheat, rye, pumpernickel from my diet. In 3 months I lost 30 pounds. My fat stores are getting smaller. I don’t eat out any more. If I’m out and don’t have something to eat I get a salad, a plain meat patty (something not breaded) and drink water. It has been a radical change in the way that I eat. I cook all my meals; use chick pea, coconut, almond, arrowroot, tapioca and rice flours. I am adding multicultural roots and tubular foods to my diet. I still eat ground beef, lean meats, fish, chicken, goat meat. My daughter doesn’t live with me and is glad because she’s not there yet! My son lives with me (both my children are in their 20’s), has been my caretaker, physical therapist etc., since the accident and it has been more rough on him to change his diet to eat how I eat because he loved breaded foods (chicken nuggets, chicken fingers, pasta etc.). We are learning how to use the different flours to make our own breading, but it’s not easy. The body is so complicated and where we were using the chick pea flour as our main staple, now maybe not so much because too much legumes are not good for leaky gut issues.
The weight is falling off. The fat stores are reducing themselves. The body is doing what it was created to do. I drink more water, I’m starting to get more rest, and I’m intentionally de-stressing. I want to lose 18 more pounds, which will put me at my goal of 150lbs, and then I’ll see what I’ll do from there. I exercise small amounts. I ride a stationary bike 3 – 4x a week for under 2.5 minutes. First week 3x, then next week 4x. My son bought some weights and I do maybe 20 minutes of workout on the same days I do the stationary bike. And if I really have the energy, because I’m trying to build up my stamina and endurance, I may do some step exercises for 10 minutes. That’s my wildcard exercises to break up the monotony. Eventually I’ll get some Pilates in there I have a machine for that and tapes, etc. All this is to say that once I figured out what my triggers were I was able, even in my condition to start the weight loss process. I had to learn how to walk again and I’m trying to get to a trot, and eventually a run. It is an uphill process, but I know the view is going to be great once I get to the top!
I hope this can help someone through what they’re trying to accomplish. Writing it down and looking at it has helped me to see what I have been able to achieve. I can print it out so on days when I don’t ‘feel ‘ like I can do it or think that I’m not getting anywhere I can say I was just south of 190lbs (never thought I would say those words, I weighed 189lbs), and in less than a year I’m at 167lbs consistently. This is not something that’ll rebound or that I’ll have to worry about regaining. I’m not dieting, this is life! For real, for real!
Find your lifestyle change, that fits you and your body’s health. It takes time and is gradual (that’s the perseverance part), but it’ll be lasting.
Happy New Year! Be Healthy and Live Healthy!
I’m not drinking water enough ;( But I’m glad that I’m not really that kind of fat. I have maintained my body figure even if i’ve just had a kid. 🙂 well, this is good article and very informative 🙂
My sleep is weird during the week because of school Some days I get (rarely)7-8 but when
most of the time I get a lot of work where I get like 2-3 hours a night for 2 or 3 days in the week and then the rest 2 or 3 it depends on the week days I get 5 hours of sleep then on the weekends I get like 12-13 hours on the week if i’m lucky but no i’m not most of the time :/ my family likes to do something because we don’t talk much during the week
Honestly You get use to doing it and it
made me have a new appreciation for
sleep that i did not have before high school
I regret posting this with out re reading
well you should flag this to get it taken down
I can honestly admit to at least being affected by at least 2.5 of rhe above listed causes of weight loss plateaus; lack of sleep, not drinking enough water, & the .5 is stress. I’m making a commitment to getting more sleep & drinking more water & am going to actively work on reducing my stress & what I allow to affect my stress level. I want to become a member of this fitness blog & am signing up now.
I got my sanity back when I modified my low carb diet by adding a couple of fruit servings and a slice of Ezekiel toast daily. Now I feel great, and the diet feels more sustainable for a longer period.