Below are the top 10 reasons you fail to see the results you want, take your time and think about them try to identify where you are lacking and make the changes right now…
Your Exercise Plan Lacks Efficiency.
Not all workouts are created equal. No matter how much time you spend doing something, if it’s not efficient at burning calories and fat then it’s pointless. For example, if your workout started off as a 30 minute walk, 3 months ago then you should not be doing that same thing now. Your body adjusts to workouts and now that is just a “stroll through the park”. The same goes with any workout. Make sure to progress by changing routines, adding new exercises, speeds, times and overall intensity. With the walking example, it’s time to try jogging for a minute, walk for a minute, and repeat. Sorry to say, walking a mile is not equal to running a mile.
Are you lifting enough weights??
Women are conditioned to rely on cardio for fat burning workouts.
They feel they will bulk up if they start with weights sooner.. But let me tell you that it will require lot more weights and hormones to get you all pumped up.
Both are needed right off the bat to get results moving and fat melting. Strength training not only tones muscles but helps to give your metabolism a serious upgrade so you’ll burn more calories throughout the day.
Don’t neglect this.
You Workout Too Much.
I’ve talked on this topic several times in the past because it’s an issue I have faced a time or two. The idea that the more you workout, the more calories you burn, the faster results you’ll see is a complete lie.
There is too much of a good thing. Results come from what happens while your body is recovering from workouts. Without that recovery time your body will never have the opportunity to reflect the hard work.
Make sure to never workout the same muscles on back to back days, give yourself at least a day or two of rest days a week, and if your body feels too exhausted to have a great workout, it probably is.
Your Diet Is your real culprit.
The saying that abs are made in the kitchen is 98% true. Few people are blessed with a naturally flat and defined stomach. Those that do have one work for it. What you eat is responsible for about 80% of what your body looks like. No matter how great of a workout you have, if you put junk in your body you’ll continue to look soft and feel like junk.
Eat all natural, clean foods. Not just during weight loss phases, but as a part of life. I go by the 90-10 rule. 90% of the time I eat clean, 10% of the time I let lose and indulge.
You Overestimate your calorie expenditure and underestimate your intake
If you rely on the calorie counters on the cardio machines, your watch, phone, etc… then chances are you’re giving yourself too much credit for how many calories you burned during your sweat session.
This leads a lot of women to accidentally over eat. They’ll say something along the lines, of “Wow, my app tells me I burned 1000 calories during that workout! I should eat seconds and a bowl of ice cream… no problem because I’ll still come in under my calorie goal.”
See the problem? Stick to a sensible nutrition plan.
You Don’t Eat Enough
This is something else I see A LOT! I have been here too. Just like too much exercise, we think that the least amount of food we can eat in a day is going to help us shed the pounds faster.
Actually it causes more harm than good. The body doesn’t know how to react to sudden low calorie diets, so it adjusts by burning off lean muscle mass to decrease the amount of calories you need in a day (lowers your metabolism).
It holds on to body fat for safety because it things you’re starving! Sure you might see weight come off on the scale, but it’s water weight and muscle. Keep calories in a safe zone, depending on age and activity level. Never dip below 1000 calories and apps like My Fitness Pal are great at helping you stay in a healthy area.
Are you journalling??
This is again nutrition… but foods you think aren’t affecting your waist line can be the cause of why you’re stuck in a fitness rut. My number one rule for losing weight is to keep a diary. What you ate, when you ate it and how much.
You might see some patterns in your day to day life that you didn’t realize. Are those cups of tea adding up? Do you snack a bit too much at 3pm? Track for a week and see if there is anything that can be tweaked.
You’re Not Giving Your 100%
Saying you work out and actually working out are sometimes two different things. If you’re doing a great workout, using weights, and following a plan then great. But are you really doing it as prescribed?
If you set out to do 3 sets of 10 lunges, are you using a weight that makes that 10th lunge a real challenge? If not, then up the weight. Workouts are work. They should take effort. Just going through the motions isn’t enough, let your muscles burn, let the blood flow from your core to the targeted areas!
Once you do a really killer workout you’ll immediately say… “wow, that’s what a workout is suppose to feel like.”
Are you being Consistent?
Having a great week of diet and workouts followed by a not so great week isn’t moving you forward. It’s locking you right in place or pulling you backwards. Consistency is key.
If it’s something that you really want, then be open and honest with yourself. Are you really dedicating yourself to the change?
You’re Being Silly
I know it sounds crazy but some women don’t realize when they hit their goal. We get wrapped up in what it feels like to lose weight and when the weight loss stops we can get frustrated.
Our bodies have set zones, the weight it feels and works best at. Evaluate your body, is it in that area? Do you really need to lose more weight? Perhaps instead of trying to drop weight it’s time to make some new goals like to tone up your trouble spots, increase your endurance so you can complete your first road race, or get strong enough to perform a full push up.
Take a quick minute and think about these reasons and ask yourself (if you’re trying to lose weight) what is the real culprit behind your stagnant results and make the change right now!
Good Luck!!
Recent Comments