One of the most common questions asked when people finally make the all-important decision to stick with a fitness plan is “Why aren’t I losing weight?”, with variations to include:
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Why haven’t I lost weight yet?
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Why is [insert name] losing weight faster than I am?
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Why did I stop losing weight?
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What am I doing wrong?
Do you want to know something cool? The answer is, 99 times out of 100, a positive one!* The short and all-encompassing answer is somewhere between “Give it time” and “Do the work”. Let’s explore…
Why haven’t I lost weight yet? Let’s say you began your new fitness program 3 or 4 weeks ago and have been fastidiously sticking to your workout plan and dietary regime, but, alas, not a single pound has decided to melt away. Or [gasp!] you’ve actually gained some weight!
No worries, friend. I’m here to tell you it’s most likely due to adaptation. Your body is interpreting the new strenuous exercise and dietary restrictions as stress, and is consequently responding by releasing cortisol. This “stress hormone” causes excess water retention / inflammation which helps you to rebuild your broken down muscle tissue. It’s a process called adaptation and your body continually adapting to your new healthy habits will ultimately make it stronger, however the inflammation can bring on a short period of time with either no weight loss or even a slight gain. During this time, it’s important to focus on your fit test results. Are you doing the work and getting stronger? That’s what matters right now! The weight is soon to come off. I promise.
Takeaway: Be patient. As your body repairs muscle tissue, you are increasing your metabolism which will ultimately result in weight loss.
Why is [insert name] losing weight faster than I am? It is always extremely important to remember that adaptation takes a different amount of time for everyone, as we’re all put together differently. Beachbody has done countless test groups and, time after time, they have consistently found that 2-week results have almost zero bearing on who will do best in the end. So, if you and Fern are at the end of Week 2 and she’s down four pounds and you’re up two? Not to worry. If you stick with the program and do the work, you’ll see the results you are striving for. Period.
Takeaway: Don’t compare results. We’re all built differently, with some of us losing weight quicker in the beginning, and the rest of us a little further down the road.
Why did I stop losing weight? I’m willing to bet that the answer to this, more often than not, is that your metabolism decreased to compensate for the low amount of calories being forced to fuel your newly fit body. Body: “Uh-oh, I’m starving. Now I’m stressed. Where’s that guy Cortisol?” And then, well you know the rest. So make sure to eat enough so that your daily workouts improve, leading to increased metabolism and the continued path to strength and optimal weight loss.
I should note here that, every now and then, a lull in losing weight may simply be the result of gaining muscle while losing fat. This is a good thing!
Takeaway: If you stopped losing weight, while continuing to workout and eat healthy, please make sure you’re eating enough to ensure your body is getting stronger and less stressed.
What am I doing wrong? Ultimately, you want to create a strong, healthy body, and not so much focus on losing weight, as you are on gaining strength and a higher metabolism. With a strong, healthy body, the pounds will melt away. Here are key things to remind yourself of during your exciting new fitness program:
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Diet is 80% of the weight loss battle, so eat healthy and don’t overeat!
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Food is fuel: Avoid processed foods, eat clean, and eat throughout the day. (Constantly supply your body with the energy it needs to burn those calories!)
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Strength train with cardio.
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Work out hard – just 30 minutes a day will do it!
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Not giving your body enough time to recover will cause stress (Hi, Cortisol!), so switch up your workouts to give the different muscle groups time to recover.
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Keep emotional/mental health in check to decrease stress. Meditation, gratitude, down time, etc. are all just as important as your time spent working out and eating healthy!
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To scare off plateaus, you need to continually improve performance by doing harder workouts. Increase resistance in order to force adaptations which will elevate your metabolism. You know the drill.
Basically, make progress, do the work, don’t compare, be patient, and get ready for exciting results!
*As always, if you have any concerns with your road to weight loss, please make sure to address them with the medical professional, nutritionist, health & fitness coach best suited to your needs.
Eat clean. Get fit. Be happy.
