#1   Lack of guidance

Are you an independent person who likes to do everything on your own? Do you have someone to turn to when making changes in your life?

When making any important change in your life (starting a diet or exercise routine, starting a new job, etc), it is imperative to have professional guidance and support.

When starting any weight loss program, it is important to get a full physical and evaluation from a physician to assess if you have any medical issues that may be contributing to your weight such as an under-active thyroid or other hormonal conditions, and also to assess things that may be exacerbated due to the weight such as your cholesterol or even diabetes.

In addition, it is important to have an assessment of any joint or soft tissue problems that you may have, such as a old injury, that might prevent you from doing certain exercises.

#2  Most people do it as a temporary measure rather than a lifestyle change

#3  Lack of accountability

How many of us have made a commitment in the past to lose weight or get in shape, but decided conveniently not to tell our family or friends. Why do we this? So we can cheat. That’s right so we can cheat! Now, if your friends and family know, not only will they be cautious about not tempting you with that delicious piece of chocolate cake, but you will actually begin to commit to your goals and have the support you need.

It is also helpful to have accountability with a professional such as a trainer, nutritionist and physician to assess your weight loss plan on a regular basis, to make changes as necessary, and to hold you accountable.

#4  No regular routine

Are you a routine type person, or do you wing it?

Changing the time you eat and how much you eat, throws your body off and effects your metabolism. For example, if you are very busy at work and skip lunch, your body goes into starvation mode and decreases its metabolism and starts storing fat. This is your body’s way to “protect” you, but in essence this increases your weight. Set an alarm if you need to remind yourself to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. In addition, have a professional help guide you through a regular and healthy diet so there is no guesswork on your part.

#5  Eating Large Portions or Eating more because you worked out

So the French don’t just stay thin because of their genetics, but rather the small portions they consume. If you are used to big portions like I was growing up, try cutting your portions down little by little and keeping healthy snacks on-hand in between like fruit or walnuts. Whatever you do, do not let yourself starve while attempting to cut your portions

Often times people think it is ok to eat more just because they worked out. It is all about calories and simple math. It actually takes more time and effort to burn 500 calories (usually an hour) and only 5 minutes to consume them. Exercise and a healthy, moderately portioned diet go hand in hand. Working out should not give you an excuse to binge on bagels. Enjoy your meals in moderation and always keep in mind the hard work you just put in to maintain your weight.

Today we talked about the TOP 5 Reasons you may be having trouble losing weight, 

stay tuned…

for the TOP 5 Solutions to losing weight in our next Blog!