A dietitian has shared the 10 reasons why you’re not losing weight, and it all starts with a weekend slump.
Leanne Ward from Brisbane said the most important thing for losing weight is consistency, but too many of us aren’t honest about how much food we eat and how often we move when we want to lose weight.
The fat loss expert said she normally has clients who want to lose between 5-10kg, and they always struggle to lose the last 1-2kg.
Leanne said her tips will help you stay on track.
A dietitian has shared the 10 reasons why you’re not losing weight, and it all starts with falling off the wagon at the weekend (Leanne Ward pictured)
1. You’re not consistent
The number one reason Leanne said you’re not seeing results is that you’re not being consistent enough.
“If you’re healthy Monday through Friday and completely slack off on the weekends, then that’s not enough,” she said during a recent podcast episode.
“Two days is enough to get you out of a deficit and you probably eat and drink a lot more than you think on the weekends.”
Instead, she advocates keeping an honest food diary for two weeks, so you can see any inconsistencies in your diet.
You might notice there are a few bad habits, whether it’s that second glass of wine on a Thursday night or the breakfast muffin when you’re in a hurry on a Friday.
The dietician (pictured) has said all too often that it’s the weekends that derail our fat loss journeys because we have big brunches and restaurant meals and lots of drinks
2. The weekend derails you
In the same way that consistency is king, Leanne explained that too often it’s the weekends that derail her clients.
“Weekends are typical times when we lose structure, consistency and we don’t eat as much at home,” Leanne said.
“When you don’t cook the food yourself, you will always find that things have been added to make it taste good.”
The easiest way to combat this is to try to take it into account.
For example, if you plan on having larger meals on the weekends, maybe stop snacking.
Alternatively, come down to brunch and dinner if you’re going for a few drinks.
3. You eat healthy foods, but you are not in deficit
The “golden rule” of weight loss, Leanne explained, is to be in a calorie deficit.
This means eating less food than your body needs.
“If you’re not losing weight, you’re not in a deficit,” she said.
The opposite of being in a calorie deficit is a calorie surplus, and if you want to stay the same weight, you need to be in “maintenance.”
4. You eat without hunger
While many of us think we only eat when we’re hungry, in fact, Leanne said too many of us are “head hungry” rather than “stomach hungry.”
“Head hunger is eating when you’re bored, sad, or happy,” Leanne said.
“But it’s important to remember that no amount of food will ever truly satisfy you if you weren’t hungry to begin with.”
5. Your tracking is incorrect
Many people use apps like MyFitnessPal to track their intake, but then they’re surprised not to lose any weight.
The dietitian said it’s worth remembering that you might underestimate how much food you’re eating when you insert it into the app, and you might also add cheeky extra handles and bites here and the.
6. You miscalculated your needs
“Look for a calculator online and add your height, weight, age, activity level and body fat if you have it for the most accurate calculations for your body,” Leanne says.
Next, remember that you need to eat a 10-20% deficit to lose weight.
Leanne said to make sure to provide as accurate information as possible to get the most accurate results, because too many of her clients get it wrong.
“Most of my clients have desk jobs and think they get a lot of exercise doing a 30-45 minute workout every day, but moving your body for half an hour out of 24 just isn’t not enough,” Leanne (pictured) said
7. You think you move more than you do
When it comes to activity, Leanne said more people think they move more than they actually do.
“Most of my clients have desk jobs and think they get a lot of exercise doing a 30-45 minute workout every day, but moving your body for half an hour out of 24 is not just not enough,” she said.
Instead, if you want to squeeze a little more out of your weight loss, Leanne said you should make sure to take about 10,000 extra steps from your workouts.
“Steps are really underrated for weight loss,” she said.
8. You make critical health decisions when you’re exhausted
A big reason so many of us don’t lose weight is because we sabotage ourselves by making big health decisions when we’re tired, Leanne said.
You’re much better off making good, healthy decisions earlier in the day because you’re more likely to stick with them, rather than leaving your decisions until 9 p.m. when you’re likely to be tired and emotional.
“Plan your day and make good, conscious decisions early,” Leanne said.
This should contribute to weight loss in no time.
9. You need a break
Often when we plateau with weight loss, it’s because we just need a break.
“If you’ve been consistent for four weeks and the scale is still stable and not moving, that’s probably a sign you need to take a break from your diet or even try a reverse diet to eat more for a while,” she said.
“Too many of us are pushing through a fat loss phase and not getting the results we need.” Later, you can fall back into a deficit, but give your body the fuel it needs when it needs it.
Leanne (pictured) also said that sometimes you need to take a break from your weight loss goals in order to see the best results.
10. You give up too quickly
Finally, the dietitian explained that weight loss and especially fat loss takes time.
When you start a diet, Leanne said you shouldn’t step on the scale for two weeks because you won’t see any results.
In the meantime, if your weight loss goal is 10 kg, remember that it can take up to six months.
“Take the lifestyle approach and do something sustainable for a decent amount of time,” she said.
“A lot of the fat loss happens in the background and you can’t see it initially on the scale.”
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