Why You’re Not Losing Weight

At some point in your life (possibly even this very moment), you’ve become frustrated with the number on the scale. Maybe you’ve tried working out five, six, or even seven days a week, spent countless hours on the treadmill and in the weight room, only to discover that number won’t budge. You probably feel better, look better, and know you’re doing the right thing by exercising. But you’re not losing any weight. In fact, you’re gaining it!

So what gives? After all, we all know that in order to lose a pound of fat, which is 3,000 calories, we must create a daily calorie deficit through exercise and/or food. If you do 30 to 60 minutes of high-intensity cardio or weight training most days of the week, you can potentially burn up to 600 calories each day. Great! But wait...what about that food part? Let me guess, you figure that since you’re working out you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Or maybe you’re thinking the post-workout smoothie from Jamba Juice couldn’t possibly contain the same amount of calories, or more, that you just burned. Better yet, maybe your stellar workout sessions are actually making you more hungry, which makes it difficult for you to watch what goes down your pipes when hunger sets in.

Any of that sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many, many people find that over time the number on the scale starts to plateau or go up even though they keep up with their workouts. And nine times out of 10 it’s because they’re simply not paying attention to what they’re eating. Which leads me to the point:

The Compensation Problem
No I’m not talking about the aging man driving the red Porsche down the freeway. We often over-compensate with food because we can easily justify it after just one good workout or a week’s worth of them. In the beginning of an exercise program you might be diligent about what you eat, but as time goes by you start to slip here and there, then you start to slip more often than not. Pretty soon - BAM! You’re suddenly not losing any weight and now you’re discouraged.

Contributing to that downward spiral is the fact that exercise can actually stimulate hunger because it revs your metabolism. This can cause you to eat too much, which will negate any weight-loss benefits you’ve just accrued. With that said, you may be thinking ‘Why exercise if it’s just going to make me fat?’ and I wouldn’t blame you for that initial thought. However it’s not that exercise makes you fat, it’s that your food choices (along with your self-control when it comes to post-workout hunger pangs) may need some serious tweaking. Do you like to drink a Gatorade as soon as you leave the gym? A standard 20 oz bottle of the stuff contains 130 calories. Now I’ll agree that Gatorade is a great drink for replenishing electrolytes, but save it for hot weather sports or intense exercise bouts of one hour or more. Otherwise you’re not doing your body any favors and you’re wasting some precious calories.

The Art of Self-Control

Just like our muscles, your self control weakens when you don’t use it. I don’t think I need to explain this one – just think of the last time you went on an all-out weekend binge because it started with one “cheat” meal Friday night and you figured you’d already done enough damage that you might as well keep indulging and start over on Monday. Hmmm...sound familiar?

In order to get your self-control on track, I suggest asking yourself why you exercise. Is it because you want to be able to eat whatever you desire? If so that’s fine, but you need to be OK with the fact that you won’t see much, if any, in the way of weight loss. There are many benefits to exercise other than weight loss including stronger bones, regulated blood sugar and cholesterol levels, elevated endorphins (aka: good mood vibes), etc.

Not OK with zero weight loss? Do you exercise to feel good about your body, to build strength, to increase your energy, to regulate blood pressure or diabetes, or maybe even just to look good in a bikini? Then start paying more attention to the food you put on your shelves, the lunches you take to work, the products you buy in the grocery store, and what you order when eating out. Ask yourself if that whole-grain but sugar and fat-laden blackberry muffin is really worth it after a workout. Some days it might be, but make sure it doesn’t turn into an every day treat.

Be sure to stress equal importance on healthy eating and exercise. Too much of one without the other is never a good thing. And if you forget this piece of advice just think about the eater’s remorse you felt the last time you scarfed down a Starbuck’s grande mocha and muffin after a great workout at the gym. Then ask yourself, ‘Is it worth it?’

For more info on ways to control yourself when it comes to food, check out the next newsletter topic ‘How to Read Nutrition Labels.’

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified personal trainer through the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has a passion for
helping others live a healthy lifestyle and coaching them to
push their limits beyond what they think they are capable of.