Here’s what I’ve learned about weight loss: it’s not a one-size fits all approach. I firmly believe that there is a base line of how to effectively lose weight which is something that I offer in my 12 Week Smarter Weight Loss System. But, some of my clients need extra fat or carbohydrates with their meals, while others, it may be different ratios.
So, if you’re feeling like you’re approaching weight loss the right way, but you’re still not seeing the results, you may want to take a look 6 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight.
Eating too many refined carbohydrates
Hot damn, this was me! Especially when I embraced a vegan lifestyle, I didn’t realized when I was at my heaviest that my chickpea curry on top of brown rice was contributing to my weight gain. I’m not saying that eating vegan will get you fat, but chickpeas and rice are the starchy carbs that increase blood sugar (insulin) and when it’s produced in excess amounts, it gets stored as fat! I am to eat low-carb vegetables, like cauliflower, broccoli, or spinach and if you’re into bean/lentils, choose lentils or black beans.
Eating too much
Okay, this was also my problem. The thing is, even if you decrease your carbohydrate intake, you can still eat too many calories. If you are a volume eater like I am where you need to feel full after you have eaten, focus on adding low-carb veggies like cucumber, celery, and lettuce into your meals to add bulk without the mega calorie hit. You’ll also need to watch the amount of fat that you incorporate onto your plate as well because fat also contains calories!
Eating too little
There was a time when I restricted food where I was a mere 100 pounds. Totally not healthy. The thing is when you calorie restrict, your body will start to eat away at your lean mass. It does this to get the energy it needs to maintain its current state. When there is too much of a calorie deficit, your metabolism will down-regulate to ensure that your body is able to function properly.
Not enough sleep
I’ve been ranting out the importance of sleep for years. Lack of sleep messes with the body’s internal clock and circadian rhythm. If we’re not getting adequate sleep and within a regular sleep schedule, the body won’t operate at it’s optimum level and maximum fat loss simply can’t be achieved. When we are sleeping properly, it helps to regulate hormones especially those hormones that help to control our hunger. When we’re lacking in sleep
And then there’s hormone regulation, including the hormones that control your hunger. More specifically, two hunger hormones are negatively impacted by a lack of sleep. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes you feel hungry and it’s increased when you don’t get enough sleep. Then there’s leptin, which is the hormone that makes you feel full. Leptin levels are decreased when there is a lack of sleep. This combination is deadly when it comes to weight loss.
Too much exercise
Let me be clear that there is nothing wrong with exercising and it’s essential for overall health, including weight loss. But over exercising can lead to both oxidative stress and internal inflammation. And, as we’ve learned, inflammation can
The other reason over exercising isn’t the best thing for weight loss is that if you are doing things like high intensity cardio, you can burn so many calories that your body feels deprived
leaving your ravenous. What will happen is that you may overeat to restore the calories that you’ve burned. The sis where a lot of women get frustrated because they’re exercising regularly and strong, but they’re not seeing the results.
Food sensitivities
A lot of people unknowingly have food sensitivities especially to dairy, gluten and grains. These sensitivities lead to problems with the gut, which leads to gut imbalance, which then leads to inflammation. Inflammation has to ability to turn into chronic diseases, but also weight gain.
Stress
Cortisol, our stress hormone is much needed as it helps us with our response to stress. However, high stress can often lead to issues with weight loss because of cortisol’s role in the body. Cortisol, in excess, gets stored as fat around your stomach. When there is excess of the cortisol hormone, your body will struggle with weight loss.
Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this email is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of practice and experience by Julie Pecarski Nutrition. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem.
Information provided in this e-book, email, blog post and the use of any products or services related to this email by you is designed for educational purposes and does not constitute nutritional advice. Please always consult with a medical practitioner.
