You’ve browsed through the internet countless times on ‘How to Lose Weight?’, tried various diet plans you’ve heard about and followed all sorts of workout routines that claim to be the most effective way to lose weight. Despite the blood, sweat and tears that you have put into dropping a size, the weighing scale still shows the same digits that just don’t seem to go down.
According to Business Insider, the estimated amount of Google searches on weight loss was 88 billion with more than 50 percent of the keywords mentioning either ‘quick’ or ‘fast’. To no one’s surprise, people are seeking for quick methods on achieving weight loss in this fast-paced society.
In order to obtain fast results, people are neglecting their body’s needs and might be doing it all wrong. Here are some of the challenges that you might be facing when it comes to shedding those kilogrammes and may not be aware of them.
Habits that are ruining your plans
We’ve all heard about the importance of getting enough sleep, drinking sufficient amount of water and having breakfast, but the truth is that we are just doing the bare minimum. Being sleep deprived lowers your metabolism which makes it harder for your body to burn calories. H2O does wonders to your body and this includes helping our bodies to burn calories. You might think that skipping breakfast is benefiting your weight loss progress but when hunger strikes, you’ll find yourself gobbling up more than needed.
Your genes might be the culprit
Yes, you’ve read it right. Unfortunately, a slow metabolism can be inherited. Everyone has a distinct genetic predisposition determining their susceptibility towards weight gain and obesity. This attribute may require you to workout harder than the others to boost your metabolism which explains why some people are able to eat more without gaining much weight.
You are ignoring your needs
A lot of times when people do not see positive results on their body weight, it is simply because they’re not eating right. The fact that many healthcare professionals always emphasise on a well-balanced diet tells us about the importance of it as issues such as nutrient deficiency can cause metabolic disorders which hinders your weight management system. Depriving your body from food can also do more harm than good as it increases hunger and promotes binging which eventually leads to weight gain.
So, now that you’ve learnt about what might be making your efforts futile, let’s head on to setting yourself on the right track, shall we?
Focus on the quality over quantity
Opting for whole foods instead of processed foods is more likely to induce satiety and supply nutrients to our body which benefits in a long-term weight management.
What you can do is by replacing refined carbohydrate with complex carbohydrates, refined oils with healthy fats and fatty meats with lean meats. The food pyramid also comes in handy as it improves our diet planning with healthier choices.
Be realistic with your goals
Having unrealistic goals and being too hard on yourself can sometimes exhaust you. The general rule of losing weight is to drop 1-2 pounds (0.5 to one kilogramme) a week by practicing a calorie-deficit diet and regular exercises. Bear in mind that you should always make rational choices on your daily lives and plan your diet according to your lifestyle and body condition.
Stay motivated and committed
Do not expect to see yourself losing weight overnight as it doesn’t come within the snap of a finger. Losing weight takes time, effort and determination for one to see promising results. Always be reminded of the reasons you started this process and your ultimate goal. Being consistent with your diet plan and workout routine typically stands as the key to successful weight loss.
At the end of the day, we shouldn’t be too mindful of the numbers displayed on the weighing scale as it does not completely define us. Most importantly, keeping your ideal weight within the healthy range and being confident in your body will do the deal. Instead of being fixated on your body goals, try to emphasize on improving your quality of life. Ultimately, the joys of life is beyond the weighing scale. A healthy balance and a good quality of life will give you a more positive view of your health and life.
Sources: Healthline, Webmd, Business Insider, NBC News, Mayoclinic
