Whatever tactic you try, the fundamental principle to weight loss is a calorie deficit<\/b><\/a>. There\u2019s no other way to achieve it. It\u2019s the sole cause of reducing body weight. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. But applying that science to real life is where it gets tricky.<\/p>\n If you feel like you\u2019ve been putting the effort in for a while now but getting nothing out, here are the most common reasons why the weight isn\u2019t being lost.<\/p>\n And before we start, we always like to caveat that weight loss isn\u2019t for everyone. You decide your goals. Whatever they are, focus on feeling good.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without knowing how many calories you\u2019re eating, it\u2019s hard to tell whether or not you\u2019re in a deficit. Calorie counting isn\u2019t for everyone, but it\u2019s a handy tool for those looking to lose weight.<\/p>\n It also helps educate you about portion sizes, low-calorie options, and encourages you to eat more fruit and vegetables. This is because of their high volume but low energy density. You can have a meal that looks huge but contains a lower number of calories when it\u2019s packed full of your 5 a day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The easiest way to increase the number of calories you burn during the day is to move more. And not the type of movement that requires heavy sweating and gym gear.<\/p>\n Going for a walk, cleaning the house, taking the stairs. This type of general physical activity<\/b><\/a> is quickly going to increase your total calorie burn for the day without you even realising.<\/p>\n When you shift your focus to moving more, you don\u2019t rely on a restrictive diet as much. Because you\u2019re creating that calorie deficit differently.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fitness trackers<\/a> are beneficial in relation to point 2. Measuring your general activity level and seeing the total number of calories your burn in a day gives you an insight into how much impact moving more has.<\/p>\n But when it comes to tracking gym workouts<\/a>, runs, or sports, most fitness trackers have a tendency to over-estimate. Plus, it can never be entirely accurate in understanding your metabolism. It sometimes reports a calorie burn figure a little higher than reality. This means, your calorie deficit could be much lower than you thought, or even not exist at all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are lots of average calculations that can give you an indication of how many calories you need. None of them are ever entirely accurate. They can\u2019t take into account individualities like genetics and body composition.<\/p>\n The only way to truly know how many calories you need is by listening to your body. Following natural hunger cues and feelings of fatigue is a good start. But in our modern world, that\u2019s quite hard to do. However, once you start monitoring your calories, you\u2019ll know if you\u2019ve overestimated or underestimated how many you need by your rate of weight gain or loss.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Healthy and low-calorie foods don\u2019t always go hand in hand. Healthy foods<\/b><\/a> are those packed with the essential nutrients the body needs to survive. They offer us vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and energy sources that allow us to thrive and function. However, these nutritious foods aren\u2019t always low in calories.<\/p>\n Nuts, avocados, beans, pulses, olive oil. These are foods that can be considered healthy, but they pack a punch when it comes to calories. Even for a small portion. Without understanding the amount of energy they come with, you can easily consume more than you need without even realising.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to think the weekend is a time to relax the diet and enjoy more treats. And you\u2019d be totally right. It is. A diet that doesn\u2019t allow for the enjoyment of food and is overly restrictive will never be successful.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s easy to undo any calorie deficit created in the week by overdoing it at the weekend without realising. This usually happens because of a diet that was too harsh and restrictive during the week. It then becomes a bit of a cycle. Diet hard, lose control, then diet hard again. Not only is this an ineffective way to lose weight, but it can also trigger an unhealthy relationship with food.<\/p>\n A little bit of self-compassion and patience is a much better tactic. Pick a diet and a routine that works for you and doesn\u2019t impact your lifestyle too much. Track your calories every day of the week, even on the days you\u2019re planning to be more relaxed. This way, you can monitor your total calorie burn across the week and not day today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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\n <\/p>\n1. Not tracking your intake<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\n2. Not moving enough<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\n3. Relying on a fitness tracker too much<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\n4. Overestimating how many calories you need<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\n5. Eating healthily but high calorie<\/h4>\n
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\n <\/p>\n6. Ignoring what happens on the weekend<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\n7. Not waiting long enough<\/h4>\n
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