13 Things That Are Stopping You From Losing Weight

JPThomas

5 years ago

Losing weight isn’t easy at any stage of life, but you’ll make things infinitely tougher by falling for the common pitfalls. Conversely, dispelling a few simple myths can give you a serious edge in the battle to finally shed the pounds for good.

Here are 13 issues that are stopping you from losing weight. Let them hold you back no more.

Issues That Are Stopping You From Losing Weight

#1. You Need To Reach A Set Weight

When taking on the weight loss challenge, most people are primarily concerned with the figure that is shown on the scale. While this is a useful metric to use, it’s not the only one. In truth, noticing a change in your body’s performance and appearance is far more rewarding than seeing numerical changes.

Unless the medical experts have advised you to lose a set amount of pounds, try to focus on how you look and feel instead of the numbers on the scale. Apart from anything else, this makes it more about the process, and it can remove a lot of the strain. Focusing solely on the scales, and perceived shortcomings can make success feel like a failure. When you are working to lose weight, even the small wins should be celebrated. Don’t allow the idea that you need to lose a certain amount of pounds by a certain amount of time be a barrier that is stopping you from losing weight.

#2. There’s No Shortcut To Success

There is some truth to this statement, but you can certainly give yourself an initial boost. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, there are options such as the HCG diet with Nu Image Medical. While it’s not a sustainable approach for long-term success, this initial progress puts you on the right track. If nothing else, seeing the weight loss can work wonders for your mindset.

You can’t outrun a bad diet, which is why your initial progress needs to be followed by a sustainable routine that you can keep to.

#3. Cheat Days Aren’t Allowed

Most people fall in one of two camps regarding cheat days. If you’re someone that believes a day off will ruin your hopes of success, you need to stop. A night out of food and drink with friends can be hugely beneficial for your mindset. Besides, there’s little point in losing the weight if it doesn’t bring the rewards of a better lifestyle.

Also, it is possible to eat tasty cheat meals without throwing your diet completely out of the window. Likewise, smarter alcohol choices will leave you feeling less guilty. Or if you decide to completely let your hair down, that’s fine. Just be sure to get back on the proverbial horse ASAP.

#4. Only The Gym Will Do

While the gym is certainly a great place to burn calories, it’s far from being the only place to do it. A lot of people don’t enjoy this environment, which is fine. In this case, you may find that exercise classes, swimming, or long walks are your key to success.

The importance of enjoying the workouts cannot be emphasized enough, not least because you need to keep it up for the long haul. As soon as you start dreading the physical activities, you’ll be defeated. Whether you find a sport that you love or trying a range of activities is up to you. One way or another, this should be a hobby rather than a chore.

#5. You Need To Go It Alone

Losing weight is a personal battle, and only you can take true accountability. Still, there’s nothing to say you shouldn’t seek a little support along the way. Personal trainers can be useful while advice from friends and relatives that have lost weight in the past can be very rewarding too.

In today’s environment, it’s also possible to download Apps like Calorie Counters to take added responsibility. Running Apps and step counting Apps can be used to embrace a competitive edge against friends and strangers. This added incentive can have a big impact along several steps of the weight loss journey. Feeling lost isn’t necessary.

#6. You Can’t Target Certain Areas

While it’s true that losing weight will see reductions across the whole body, you can target some areas. We all know that some places accumulate fat quicker than others while they may also be more stubborn. Still, it is possible to target those problem areas.

Knowing how to target back fat or lower ab fat can be a game-changer. The extra effort in this area can be combined with overall weight loss strategies to achieve great results. In truth, if you have a predetermined vision of what you want the body to look like, this step is vital. Otherwise, the success of your transformation will feel somewhat limited.

#7. The Right Nutrition Is Expensive

The perceived costs are a major stumbling block, particularly with regards to food. It certainly can be if you make the wrong choices. However, cooking from scratch can actually save you a lot of money in the long run. With gadgets like Crock Pots and soup makers at your disposal, creating tasty treats has never been easier.

There are plenty of online resources to find great recipes, including those from Jamie Oliver and other great chefs. Meanwhile, learning to make use of the leftovers by freezing them or turning them into something else will reduce your budget too.

Sometimes you have to be creative and work to remove barriers that may be stopping you from losing weight.

#8. Eating At Night Spells Disaster

The common belief is that eating after a particular time of day will lead to increased weight. Extra calories won’t help if you’ve already consumed more than you’ve spent. However, it has been shown that a small amount of protein can actively boost metabolism rates.

Moreover, if you’ve completed an evening workout, failure to refuel could do more damage than good. Besides, your body will be working overtime, burning calories at an even faster rate. This is another reason why it may be wise to consume some food – albeit healthy choices – at this time of the day.

#9. It’s Too Early For A Challenge

Whether it’s a 10km run, a charity bike ride, or a swimming gala doesn’t matter. Those sporting challenges are a great way to incentivize yourself while also celebrating how far you’ve come. If you’re worried that you’ll embarrass yourself, you are not alone. Stop worrying about others, and allow yourself to enjoy the benefits of accomplishing this fitness goal.

Even if you come dead last, it’s a massive improvement on where you were before starting. Finding events is easy while Run For Charity lets you raise money online. Those donations can inspire you to greatness while helping the community in the process.

#10. Gaining Weight Is Always Bad

Losing weight isn’t a linear process. Some weeks will show major progress while others may show slight regression. It will all return to the mean at some stage, and the key is to remember that this is a marathon rather than a sprint. Once again, though, it’s important to remember that gaining a little weight isn’t always a bad thing either.

Muscle is denser than fat. Therefore, it may be that you’ve gained a little weight while still seeing your waistline or shirt size decrease. This is further evidence that you shouldn’t be ruled by the scales alone, as they don’t always tell the whole story.

#11. Any Workout Attire Will Do

While your looks in the gym or on the tennis court aren’t overly crucial, the choice of clothing is vital. The wrong attire – fit or material – will bring problems. Blisters, sores, and discomfort become far more likely. In turn, this can force you to quit workouts and potentially turn your back on exercise altogether.

In addition to the generic clothing, you need to consider supports and other items that are needed for your specific needs. Workouts should be tough, but they shouldn’t be uncomfortable. Most people find that having the right gear makes them look and feel ready to attack workouts too.

#12. Food And Exercise Are The Only Concerns

The basic formula for weight loss is that you need to burn more calories through exercise than you eat. However, this is a far too simplistic idea, especially for something as complex as the human body. As such, you need to understand the metabolism and how to boost it. Likewise, you may have to consider your genes along with various contributing factors.

Other lifestyle choices such as smoking may influence your weight as well as fitness levels. Similarly, sleep patterns and other daily routines should not be ignored for a second. Only a comprehensive approach to weight loss will bring the results that you crave.

#13. It’s Best To Lose ‘X’ LBs Each Week

It’s very natural to begin the weight loss journey with preconceived ideas about how much you’d like to lose in a set amount of time. Likewise, you may have read that it’s best to follow a set program of losing weight at a set rate depending on your start weight. Honestly. It does not matter whether you lose the weight fast or slow. The key is to keep it off.

The best strategy is a strategy that works for you. It truly is that simple. So, stop comparing yourself to others, especially if they seem to be progressing far quicker. As long as you keep moving towards the intended destination, health and happiness are assured.

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