Want to lose fat but can’t? Ask yourself these questions
One of the most common complaints heard by health experts is “I want to lose weight but I can’t!”. Many people struggle with their weight, and in severe cases can lead to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, body image issues and mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
Many try dieting, exercise regimes, weight loss products and current trends in a hope to lose the pounds and feel better. Sometimes this works, but often it doesn’t. So if you’re struggling to lose fat, ask yourself these questions and reexamine your approach.
Have you calculated how much you need to eat in a day using an accurate total daily energy expenditure calculator?
How do you know you’re hitting your targets? Do you track macros/calorie count/follow a meal plan?
Do you eat junk food?
Do you drink liquid calories like soda or sweetened coffee?
Do you eat enough protein?
Is your carbohydrate intake in line with your current level of activity?
How do you measure portion sizes?
Do you eat more on days that you workout because you’ve burnt X number of calories?
How much water do you drink?
How many hours of high quality sleep do you get?
Are you stressed?
How long have you been consistently eating well and exercising for?
ALL these questions are ESSENTIAL for understanding why you may not be losing fat. You’ll be surprised how many people reach out to health experts and trainers as to why they’re not losing weight - it’s by far the most common concern! Our health experts first question is always - how do you know you’re creating an energy deficit? This question alone can cause the individual to reexamine their approach when it comes to weight loss.
Here’s the truth about fat loss SIMPLIFIED:
If you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, you’re not going to lose weight (except in certain circumstances like keto etc but that’s a whole other topic)
When you burn calories during exercise this doesn’t mean you can eat extra calories - it doesn’t work that way
If you eat junk food or sugary drinks - you mess with your hormones and your body holds onto body fat
If you don’t eat protein, drink enough water, are stressed, don’t sleep well etc. your body doesn’t burn fat stores in the same way!
It’s surprisingly straightforward to lose body fat in terms of the science. It’s only hard because people have emotional dependencies with food, a lack of nutritional awareness about calorie densities, sometimes a lack of self-accountability and honesty, don’t take care of their general and mental health and expect results too soon into their journey.
If you're struggling to lose fat, reach out to me - I'm a Board Certified Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach that can help you change your diet and achieve your goals.