Why You're Not Losing Weight

Losing weight is different for everyone. Some can drop the weight in a month or two. Others struggle for a year or more. When losing weight the most important thing to keep in mind is that you're not planning on gaining the weight back. So in order to succeed in you're weight loss journey you need to keep a positive mindset that includes balance and consistency. If you have found yourself having trouble with losing weight and/or keeping it off, then this blog post will be a blessing for you! So let's jump right into the details!

Remember, consistency is key. I don't care how you're trying to lose weight you can not do it with only dieting, or only exercise. No matter what you do in order to lose weight and keep it off you need both. And you need to remind yourself everyday that you NEED both in order to stay consistent.

 It is very important to set up a routine that works for you. I understand that you're busy! Everyone is busy. Whether it's school, work, kids... you have to find a time that works for you. Take at least 30 minutes a day and AT LEAST 4 days a week. Set up a time that would work for you, on those days, no matter what. For example, I used to go the gym every week night after 7 o'clock when I got out of work. Now that my schedule has changed, I'm all over the place (morning two days a week, middle of the day on monday, sometimes in the afternoon) but regardless of what day it is I have a period of time set aside for the gym. If something comes up, I don't beat myself up I just make sure I go the next day. Take a rest if you need it (not telling you to kill yourself if you can barely get out of bed) but don't make excuses either!!!

Fad diets do not work! You can not rely on them to lose weight and keep it off. If you want to do a cleanse after a terrible week of eating, GO FOR IT! Cleanses are great! But after 7 days of only drinking liquids you are bound to fall in to a pit of binge eating! When I got my wisdom teeth out (worst experience of my entire life, I've never been in more pain) I drank nothing but Gatorade - I don't approve of drinking this ever but I was desperate for calories - and a few smoothies. I probably consumed around 300 calories for 3 days straight and then I slowly added about 200 calories. I lost 7 pounds and gained it back in two days because as soon as I could chew I had a burrito from Taco Bell (I know don't judge me). So if you starve all you get in return is a slow metabolism because you're body goes into 'starvation mode'. Remember balance, don't eat too little...

Or too much... Another terrible habit is cheat meals. I remember how much I would eat in one sitting because I felt like I deserved it. The mistake I made was thinking that food was a reward. Sure food is a great thing, but to lose weight you need to change your mindset completely. Before I would binge on the weekend and that would set me back to where I was the week before. It was a never ending cycle of me gaining and then losing weight only within a week! Eventually I realized how crappy all that food made me feel and that if I knew how bad this stuff was, why was I still eating it? I am still working on this but I have definitely improved! If I feel like eating a slice of pizza I'll eat one slice, not 4. As long as you don't keep a ridiculously strict regime during the week you won't feel the need to binge the second you see junk food.

Sorry but I died laughing at this...

If you jumped on the fitness/wellness train a while ago, I can guarantee that at some point you've hit a PLATEU. If this is the case, I have two things to recommend. First, calculate your BMI, or Body Mass Index, this is basically just a simple calculation that can lets you know if you're underweight, average, or overweight. This test does not take into account muscle mass but it does give a general idea of where you stand. To be more specific you could take your body fat percentage or consult your doctor. What you need to do is make sure you actually need to lose weight, remember the key is to be HEALTHY!!! The second thing to do in order to break through your plateau would be to take a break. Yes, a break. Not too long that you get off track and never come back to the healthy side - although if you're really serious, a week will seem like forever - but nothing less than a week. In this week I ask that you skip the gym. The occasional stretch or walk around the park is acceptable but nothing more than that. As far as diet, eat whatever you'd like. This will restore balance back into your routine and make you look at this lifestyle with a whole new perspective. You will appreciate your health more and your time at the gym will no longer feel like a drag! The best part is that you'll be able to break through that plateau. Sure you probably gain a few pounds, but you'll be able to lose that weight and more! This is different than binging, I am not telling you to consume a crazy amount of calories. However if having that piece of chocolate after lunch makes you smile, go for it and most importantly DON'T regret it.

Be open to trying new things. I started out working out at home, along to the Insanity videos (which are wonderful and I totally recommend) but I got tired of it after a while. I joined the gym 2 years ago and I have been going ever since. In the meantime I did Insanity every few months, went to Boot Camp with my awesome aunt, and sometimes just went for a run with my boyfriend in the park. If a friend invites you to go to yoga, GO. Switching it up is never a bad thing and the worst that can happen is you wake up sore the next day (which is awesome so seriously where is the bad in this?)

You're probably just lacking some motivation. Every once in a while I lay down in bed and think of how horrible it's going to be waking up at 8 in the morning to workout. Then I get on Instagram, scroll through my news feed and suddenly I feel like going even earlier! Motivation is all over social media these days. Personally, I post pictures on my Intstagram, @lifemeetgym, to try to motivate people as much as I can throughout the day. Find someone who inspires you. Whether it's a celebrity, fitness guru, friend, family member, or hopefully me (god, please let it be me), find someone that you can look up to so that you get that extra push everyday.

Hopefully this wasn't too overwhelming or hard to understand. I tried to add as much personal information because this is the stuff that worked for me! I know it can be harder for some people to lose weight but as long as you give it your all you are UNSTOPPABLE!!