Do you keep asking yourself why you can’t lose weight?
Do you hear that little voice in your head that always seems to focus on food and why you can’t take control?
Maybe you already know or think you know why, but you still can’t lose weight.
Have you tried all the diets and attended slimming clubs?
Perhaps you are now looking for a magic pill, especially if being overweight affects your health and relationships. But there is no magic pill, as weight management is about many aspects of your life.
Weight loss and weight management are complex, and there is not one solution that suits everyone because it depends on the reason you are not losing weight, your health and your mindset.
But you can do it!
Start by understanding why you are struggling to lose weight, and then you need to change your lifestyle to do it.
Reasons why you are having difficulty losing weight
1. You have health reasons for struggling to lose weight.
For example, thyroid problems and some medications may contribute to difficulties in losing weight. Furthermore, the tablets you are taking for your health problem may contribute to the problem. For example, did you know that people who take steroids can put on weight? Some tablets for hi
gh blood pressure may cause an increase in swollen ankles and feet, so increasing weight. Solution: Always get a health check if you have a lot of weight to lose, especially if you are finding things difficult and check if any tablets you take may add to the weight problem.
2. You eat too much for your body.
This sounds obvious, but some people don’t know how much they eat. It’s easy to start a habit of eating too big a portion because you might not want to waste food if your favourite food comes in a large portion you just eat that portion.
In some restaurants, they may also dish up larger than needed portions.
If your body doesn’t need the amount you are feeding it, this may be due to low metabolism. This is particularly pertinent if you have hypothyroidism or when you get older, as the body needs fewer calories. Finally, your genes will play a part as all the family may be overweight. Although you need to be certain that it isn’t about the bad habits and lifestyle choices that are running in the family. Solution: Become aware of the amount that you are eating. Slow down when you are eating and choose a smaller plate.
3. Some diets are boring.
Agreed. Some diets are bland but eating healthy foods doesn’t need to be boring. Nevertheless, if you eat the same foods, like the same salad, same vegetables and same meat, then the sameness is bland. Eating should be enjoyable, so try and eat at the table with others and turn off the TV when eating. Solution: Think about the colours of foods. Eat more variety of colours in your food and discover easy-to-prepare new meals. Use spices and flavourings to enhance bland-tasting foods.
4. You haven’t increased your exercise enough.
Of course, you should do this within safe boundaries, and you might need to get advice before starting any
exercise regimen. Always start slowly. Maybe a personal trainer could help, but if you want to reduce your costs, you could get an exercise video to watch. If you feel any pain or difficulty, stop, as you don’t want to injure yourself. Solution: Change the word exercise to activity and do different things such as clean the house or car or go for a walk. It’s all activity, and if you achieve something, you will feel better.
5. You eat the wrong things.
It’s about understanding what you eat and making the right choices. At different times in our lives, we need different foods. For example, if you have been unwell, you may need more vitamins and protein. If you are a menopausal woman, you may need iron-rich foods. Solution: Read the labels on food packets. One way to reduce your calorie intake is to swap a shop-bought chicken and salad sandwich for a homemade sandwich because you could use low-calorie mayonnaise and no butter, and you would be able to measure the amount going into the sandwich. Choose natural foods that provide a variety of nutrients.
6. You need more motivation and support.
Any big task in life needs drive and support, so why should weight loss be any different? Take control and learn how to keep yourself motivated. Some people read motivational quotes, while others find reading weight loss success stories helpful. Solution: Get a personal trainer if exercise is the issue, and lose weight with a friend or in a group if you want general support. Finally, find a hypnotherapist or counsellor if you need help with your mindset.
7. You haven’t set yourself realistic goals.
Small amounts of weight loss at regular intervals are better than a crash diet when you try to lose a lot quickly. Solution: Eat healthily and plan to lose 1 – 2lbs a week. You need to make lifestyle changes that can take time.
8. You believe that losing weight is expensive and hard work.
This is a myth, and it’s a mindset problem. It’s also often cheaper to use a slow or pressure cooker. Solution: Preparing and cooking your own food is often cheaper than buying ‘take-away foods’ or convenience foods. Exercise, such as a daily walk, doesn’t cost anything either.
9. It’s not the right time.
True, weight management may be more difficult if its the wrong time, particularly if you are stressed at work or home. If this is the problem, and you really want to lose weight, decide when the right time will be. Solution: If you can, stop the stress. If not, get support from friends or family, learn to relax first, and then start again.
10. You are using your weight as an excuse to avoid something else.
Is your weight a way of avoiding something, for example, a relationship, an emotion, going out or flying to a hot country? Solution: Think about what you really want in life and what you don’t want. Can you change anything, or have you got to accept some things? Find your vision. You could use a coach to help you understand your values or attend a vision board workshop.
11. You are using food as an emotional crutch or a distraction.
Food should only be eaten to provide nutrients for the mind and body to survive and flourish, but some people use food for the wrong reasons; they use it to satisfy emotional needs. So if you are lonely, sad, unsatisfied, need comfort, need to be part of a community or want intimacy, you might use food as an emotional crutch. Food can also divert your attention away from an emotional problem. Solution: Do an emotional health check on yourself. What emotion needs to be satisfied for you? Once you have identified that emotional need, it is much easier to rectify the problem. Solution: See a counsellor, life coach or hypnotherapist.
12. You are not getting enough sleep.
We all need a balance between enough sleep and waking activities. Some people who can’t sleep will put on weight. This could be because the person gets up at night and decides to eat, or it could be because of increases in cortisol that are often related to stress. People with sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea may struggle to lose weight.
Are there any other reasons why you can’t lose weight?
For more information about losing weight, check out how your doctor might help through the NHS website.
But if f you need personal help online, please contact me for individual or group hypnotherapy, counselling, or coaching or get involved in one of my vision board workshops.
Regards
Linda
