Not Losing weight? Here are the hidden reasons!
Yet again you are left fuming, devastated and cynical. Yet another effort of yours to get rid of the extra kilos you had piled up, has gone waste. You are left completely drained out and angry after this effort, like the others before it, also failed. You are wondering what went wrong, you used the pill that your friend recommended; you went for walks in the morning, abstained from rice and potato and were watching the latest yoga DVD of the Bollywood superstar and practicing in her footsteps.
So, why are you not losing weight?
Here is why - even with the enthusiasm and the determination that you have, you may be missing out acting on critical things that make you gain weight unknowingly or, equipped with improper information, you are trying to lose weight the wrong way.
Emotional Eating
You have issues at work place and you bite into your favorite chocolate to forget it all. You are tensed about the exams and you prepare and eat the entire packet of maggi while studying. You are waiting in the traffic and don't realize that you have finished the entire packet of chips.
Are you seeing a pattern here? Yes, you tend to eat when you feel these emotions and not necessarily because you are hungry. And do you remember what you do once you are done with eating? - You feel the guilt and to feel better indulge in a brownie from the fridge. This vicious cycle of emotional eating ruins all your efforts towards losing weight and dieting and you may feel like a failure!
Don't reach for the chocolate yet, here is what you can do:
Get in to the habit of eating small meals.
Keep healthy snacks like popcorn (unsalted), fruits, nuts (just handful) at hand.
Indulge in activities other than eating, like reading your favorite book, listening to music, calling your best friend, etc.
Resist the guilt, it's worse than eating, eating a cake once in a while will not make you fat, relax!
Eating too Fast
You have a hurried breakfast because you are late and you cannot skip it because you have heard that it is the most important meal of the day, same for your lunch (hurried because you have a meeting after that) and dinner (because you are bored or sleepy). While you cram food and chew thoughtlessly, did you know that eating too fast can make you overeat and thus lead to weight gain?
Surprised? Don't be, eating has to be a process where all the four senses are stimulated. The sight, smell, touch and taste all play important roles in preparing the stomach for the food that is coming its way. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to signal that it is full, thus cramming food simply makes you to eat more than you require.
Here is how you can avoid overeating:
Chew more slowly and enjoy the taste of every morsel.
Start with a small serving and take more if needed.
Don't be distracted (don't-watch TV, read or worry) when you are eating.
Eat before you are hungry so that you will not binge when you see food.
Not looking at the Portions
You eat healthy but you eat too much. That's the tale of your diet. You eat the low fat biscuits, chips and cakes, you eat the nuts that are healthy and even use olive oil in your diet but don't think about how much is too much. Here is something about portions,
Nuts- Eat not more than a handful (1 oz) as they are high in fats and high in calories (170 calories in a handful of nuts)
Rice- 1 serving of white rice - equal to 1 cup. This contains 242 calories. Unless you want to go high on carbohydrates, one serving should be enough!
Fruits- 1 serving size of whole fruit which is equal to 1 tennis ball. This contains 110 calories with plenty of fiber. Fruits are high in calories hence you must mind the portions you eat. Also remember to eat the whole fruit instead of juices.
Vegetables- One serving equals 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables which are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
Dairy products- One serving equals 1 cup of milk or yogurt. This has 90 calories.
Information courtesy: www.mypyramid.gov, www.livestrong.com
Low fat products though may be advertised as low in fats, contain only marginally less amount of calories than their regular selves so don't fall into the trap and eat them with caution on calories.
Overdoing the Sugar bit
What? Overdoing to sugar!? That's ridiculous, you say. But let's see how much sugar you eat in a day - morning - there is the extra sweet Indian chai or coffee with two teaspoons of sugar, then there are biscuits, then there is the dessert or the sweet or lassi, you have toffees and chocolates that you keep popping in, there is the mint you love, it is the energy bar in the gym, the glass of sweet juice and soft drink at night.
Understand, what we mean? Over and above these there are other processed foods that contain sugar- ketchups, cereals, soups, etc. Sugar craving starts from birth and once we are get used to it, there is no looking back. Craving for sugar works like this - once sugar enters our body, the brain releases chemicals that give us feelings of elation and wellbeing and body craves for it more and more. However too much sugar causes insulin action that leads to an instant feeling of high that is not quite healthy. Insulin action also increases the tendency of fat to deposit in the body instead of getting burnt/flushed out. Long term effects of high intake of sugar include - diabetes, suppressed immune system and mood swings.
To avoid overeating sugar:
Eating whole fruit is a good way of eating sugar along with fiber and vitamins, don't eat too much of dry fruits though. Refer portions discussed above.
Avoid soft drinks and juices that professedly contain no fruit juice or fruit pulp, since they are said to be like sweetened water with little nutrition.
Make sweet treats and desserts weekly treats not daily ones.
Read nutrition labels of processed foods and look out for ingredients like- corn syrup, glucose, sugar and avoid products with too much of sugar.
Don't prepare and store sweet snacks in your fridge where it can tempt you. Just make enough for one intake.
Sitting too much!
Sitting too much? We do no such thing, you say. We only sit when at work, when watching TV, waiting for the bus/train and while in the loo. But sitting for a long time has adverse effects on your body that it no longer remains a sitting matter but makes it a serious matter.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine states that 4 hours of prolonged sitting causes the body to start sending out harmful signals in the body. The study further states that the genes which regulate the amount of fat and glucose in the body begin to shut down after prolonged sitting, leading to diabetes, heart diseases and many more such serious conditions. Another research shows that sitting reduces production of the fat fighting enzyme in the body by 50%. It is not a surprise that most of us with sitting jobs have an unflattering paunch.
How to avoid prolonged sitting:
Take frequent breaks. Instead of conversing in mails, go to your colleague and chat, take a break to stretch your muscles and walk when you are talking on the phone indoors.
Do not spend long hours on the couch watching TV especially avoid munching on potato chips while doing so. One quirky idea is to hide the remote and move to the TV to change the channel, finally tired of walking up to the TV, you will give up watching TV!
Looking for the Quick Solutions!
If you have invested in a new sauna belt that burns calories as you sit watching TV or have bought the numerous health equipments sold on the home shopping program, you know you have been duped. You will also know that you have been fooled when the 'detox' diet or the liquid diet makes you feel weaker but no lighter!
Looking for diets, pills, equipments that burn your fat in no time will not work. And if it does, it will not be a permanent weight loss or a healthy one. There are no quick fixes like there are no diets for all. Consult a dietician and get a diet plan that suits your body and your habits. Join a gym or a dance class or opt for morning walks - with your spouse, if you are married. To know more about Not Losing weight? Here are the hidden reasons!
