Resources - Nutrition

Why you can't lose weight

You’ve started exercising more and eating less, so why isn’t the number on the bathroom scales dropping? You may think you’re using the best weight loss strategies, when in actual fact they could be the very reason why weight loss success eludes you. Here we reveal the top seven reasons why you can’t lose weight.

1.  You always choose fat-free products
Fat-free products do not mean they are kilojoule free, with some fat-free products containing the same amount of kilojoules (if not more) as the original version. Why? Many processed fat-free foods have extra sugar added to make sure they still taste good after the fat has been removed. So you won’t be saving any kilojoules there.

The Fix: Remember fat-free does not mean kilojoule free. Read the nutrition information panel and compare the fat-free variety with the regular to see if you’re really saving on kilojoules.

2. You drink your kilojoules
Large lattes with multiple sugars, sugary soft drinks, jumbo juices and mega milkshakes come laden with kilojoules, yet many of us don’t consider this as we slurp away. In fact, a full cream extra large latte with two sugars contains nearly 1300kJ – that’s the same amount of kilojoules found in a custard-filled donut with chocolate icing. On top of the excessive kilojoules, many of us don’t compensate by eating less, meaning we end up overindulging.

The Fix: Always choose the smallest option for any drink. For coffee, say no to added sugar and swap to skim milk. Enjoy soft drinks occasionally and choose the diet varieties. Remember a standard serve of juice is 125ml (½ cup) not 600ml.

3. You use exercise as an excuse to eat whatever you like
Completing your daily exercise session does mean you can eat anything and everything - especially when you’re trying to lose weight. Did you know that it takes a 65kg woman 3 hours of moderate walking to burn off the kilojoules found in a 300g bucket of hot chips? Therefore, there’s little change you’ll get the weight loss results you’re after if you are rewarding yourself with chocolate, chips or cookies after exercise.

The Fix: Enjoy a snack after exercising that contains less than 600kJ such as a tub of low-fat yoghurt, a piece of fruit, 20 almonds or a glass of low-fat milk. A Freddo Frog won’t blow your waistline, if included as part of a healthy balanced diet and enjoyed in moderation.

4. You skip meals
It sounds logical: skip a meal and you’ll lose weight. But in reality, skipping a meal slows down your metabolism, causing you to conserve energy and making weight loss harder. Skipping breakfast or lunch also makes it more likely that you will binge eat on the wrong foods later in the day, which also is not conducive for weight loss.

The Fix: Eat at least three meals a day. If you need snacks, include two to three each day and watch your portion sizes. Also plan your meals and snacks, as it will make skipping a meal less likely.

5. You eat without thinking
You mindlessly eat, paying little attention to whether or not you are actually hungry. The clock turns twelve so you head for lunch, or you nibble on nuts all day long because you’re bored. These kilojoules often go unnoticed and don’t stop you eating when you really feel hungry.

The Fix: Become more in tune with the physical feeling of hunger. Before you aimlessly put food in your mouth, ask yourself if you are really hungry. If not, have a glass of water and get back to work, or better still go for a run.

6. You are not getting enough sleep
A lack of sleep interrupts your internal body clock and plays havoc with your endocrine regulation (the release of hormones into the blood). Sleep loss causes the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin to decrease, while the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin increases. These actions have been found to promote weight gain and obesity. Less sleep also means you have more time to overeat.

The Fix: Aim to get somewhere between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. Quality sleep is just as important as quality, so make your bedroom is cool, quiet and comfortable.

7. You’re only healthy on weekdays
Following your healthy lifestyle from Monday to Thursday is not enough to achieve weight loss, especially when combined with Friday night knock-off drinks and weekend sleep-ins. Non-existent exercise sessions and long lunches with friends also tip the weight loss war against you.

The Fix: By all means enjoy your social life, but don’t let it jeopardise your bigger picture. Allow yourself one night each week to drink, and make sure you workout the day you hit the town, well as the day after. Get yourself a workout buddy if you need it for motivation.