Why You’re Not Losing Fat

Diet

• Eating clean but not in a calorie deficit

This is a common problem. Many people think all they have to do is eat healthy food and they will lose weight. This is simply not the case. Research has proven you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. You can do that with clean foods or less healthy foods. Of course, you should strive to make most of your diet healthy, but it’s not required for fat loss.

• Weekend binge eating and drinking

I also see this all of the time with my clients. They can do very well during the week, but then they let it all go on the weekend. You can absolutely ruin a good deficit you’ve created during the week by overeating on the weekend. Be mindful on the weekend, practice intermittent fasting or some other form of controlling calories while still enjoying yourself.

• Tracking calories but not counting bites, licks and tastes

What are bites, licks and tastes? This would include eating food off of your partner or kids’ plates. Tasting your friends ice cream, for example. These calories, while seemingly harmless, can add up to 200-300 calories per day. That can take you out of a calorie deficit!

• Eating at your predicted deficit which *can* still be too high

Your predicted deficit is going to be somewhere around your bodyweight in pounds x 10-12. However, some people will be able to lose weight eating more calories than this predicted deficit. Others will need to go even lower to lose weight. Different factors – genetics, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), among others can affect your deficit.

Training

• Not consistent enough

Consistency is going to play a key role in your fat loss success. You need to get to they gym 2-4x/week with few exceptions. Otherwise, you will not be able to progress, and you’ll be regularly taking one step forward, one step back.

• Half-assing workouts when you show up

Your effort once you show up to the gym is also extremely important. You need to try your absolute best on every set and every rep. This will ensure you progress!

• Not utilizing progressive overload

You need to progress in some way each time you go to the gym. Increasing your weight is most obvious, but you can also increase sets or reps, make an exercise more challenging or shorten rest periods.

• Stopping sets too far from failure

This goes along with effort; if you are stopping sets when you could have done 5, 6 or 7 more reps, you’re not lifting heavy enough. You’re also not pushing yourself enough. I like to tell clients to have 1 or 2 more reps in the tank when they finish a set. This will ensure you’re building both strength and muscle.

• Winging workouts; having no plan

You need to know exactly what you’re going to do when you walk into the gym. Moreover, you should be on a 6-10 week program with 2-4 workouts per focusing on progressive overload.

Recovery

• Watching Netflix until 2:00 a.m. instead of sleeping

Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep. There is a direct correlation between sleep and weight loss – it’s been proven with research.

• Working out too frequently and for too long

While you want to be as consistent as possible, you need to take a minimum of 1-2 days of rest per week. Remember – you don’t build muscle while you’re in the gym. You build muscle on the days you rest. Allow your body to recover.

• Not reducing stress in other areas of life

Stress is will cause your body to release cortisol – a stress hormone. This hormone can cause fat storage on your midsection and actually break down your muscle tissue for energy. Controlling stress will help control hunger as well.

• Never taking a week off or a vacation

A week off, or a “deload” can help your joints and soft tissues recover if you are training with some intensity. It can also help give you a mental break from the rigors of training!

I hope this list helps you as much as it has helped my clients.

Please share below which one of these reasons you feel is most responsible for your inability to lose fat!