5 reasons you’re not losing weight even though you’re dieting

If you’ve been on a diet for some time (three weeks to six months) and you’re not losing any of the fat you are working so hard to shed, then you’re probably pretty frustrated. And with good reason.

Here are some things to consider that may just provide the answer.

1. Are you really sticking strictly to the diet?

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The first thing you need to check is that you’re not kidding yourself. Are you actually doing the diet? And if your answer is something like “Yes, but I cheat twice a week” or “Yes, but I’ve tweaked it a little”, then your answer is actually “No”.

You need to do the diet you’ve chosen the way the diet is meant to be done. Doing a keto diet and adding bread is the same as not doing the diet at all. All diets require sacrifice, so find one you can do and do it.

2. You are eating too much diet food

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If you are doing your chosen diet very strictly, then one of the problems may be that you’re eating too much of the food that’s allowed on the diet plan.

And this could be true even if you have some system for measuring these things. You see, people always underestimate portion sizes. So if you’re using anything other than a scale and a calorie counter, you’re probably eating more than you think.

3. You’re ‘secret’ eating

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Just because you eat something in the middle of the night and you don’t write it in your food diary, doesn’t mean your body doesn’t count it. If you’re eating in secret, or when you’re half asleep, you need to regulate that somehow.

Don’t keep any banned foods in your pantry to tempt you. Ask your family members to keep you accountable. If they see you heading for the fridge or the pantry when you’re not meant to be, give them permission to say something.

A biscuit with your tea at work also counts. And a piece of cake for a friend’s birthday also counts. For a diet to work you have to be 100% honest with yourself about what you’re eating all the time.

4. You’re drinking calories

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If you like to have an alcoholic beverage in the evenings, then your diet needs to take that into account.

Alcohol contains seven calories per gram and it’s also considered a toxin by the body, so it gets digested first. This means that other calories may be stored while your body deals with the alcohol.

So it really does count, even though it’s nutritionally useless. My advice: don’t drink in the week. On the weekend, one drink per day is the maximum.

When it comes to hot drinks, make sure you’re including your milk and sugar in your calorie counting. If you’re drinking a few cups per day, the calories add up quickly!

If you’re drinking energy drinks or health drinks check the label – these are often full of sugars and sweeteners, and are actually high in calories. If you’re thirsty, rather drink water. If you want an energy boost, grab a cup of strong black coffee.

5. You’re cheating too often

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If you really want to lose fat through dieting, then regular cheat days or cheat meals are a pretty bad idea.

Dieting is tough, and it needs to be if you want it to work. So for three months or so, don’t cheat, just diet.

What if your friend is having a birthday tea? Go along, and enjoy it, but don’t eat any of the treats.

Take your own diet-friendly snacks or just skip eating altogether. Your presence is the important thing, not your consumption.

This post appeared first on All4Women

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