…How many times have you tried to shed off unnecessary pounds?

I’ll answer this one myself: more than I can actually count! I was always a chubby girl, with thick thighs, a little, fluffy belly, and short, only 5’1”.

I remember that I started gaining weight when my dad had a friend that was the owner of a candy shop and they used to give me a lot of chocolate and biscuits that were full of delicious but unhealthy cream.

I used to stuff my face with a lot of processed desserts and chips and I didn’t eat that much nutritious food. When I realized that my weight was completely out of control for my height, I started to read about diets.

I tried the Dukan diet, the keto one, and the dissociated diet, but I couldn’t restrict myself. I even tried to be vegan to lose weight and get rid of that annoying fat, but the only thing that happened was actually gaining a few more pounds.

As you can see by now, I wasn’t that much of a lucky girl when it comes to the way my body looks, and I sure didn’t have a “teenager metabolism”.

My whole perspective started to change when I realized that I didn’t need a quick fix, but a permanent change. This is when I decided to completely change my lifestyle and forget about all the diets that I’ve tried.

I started practicing intuitive and mindful eating, along with working out and living a healthy lifestyle overall. By doing so, I discovered that I am able to have the body that I want, while I’m also happy and I don’t restrict myself.

I know that I’m not the only one who is sick of the extra pounds of fat, so in today’s article, I want to share all my tips and tricks with you. Without further ado, here are 7 uncommon reasons you can’t shed off the pounds.

1. You don’t eat enough PROTEIN

Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to start eating like a bodybuilder, but according to several data, if you want to lose weight while also building muscle, you need to incorporate protein into your diet.

That means that you need to eat 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. For instance, if your weight is 150 pounds, you will need 120 to 150 of protein in a day.

Protein is one of the most important macronutrients when it comes to reaching your weight loss goals. The reason why I’m telling you to eat more of it is that it keeps you fuller for longer, helps you burn more calories throughout the day, and can help you build more muscle.

Speaking of muscle mass, the more of it that you have, the more calories you’ll burn even if you lie on the couch, watching your favorite TV show. See, it’s a win-win situation!

Some great sources of protein are eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, beans, chickpeas, lentils, cheese, and yogurt! Make sure to load up on those, if you want to feel satisfied for a longer period of time, reduce cravings, and speed up your metabolism!

2. You are afraid of weights

…This one is for women!

We all know that men are all about lifting weights, especially if they want to feel strong and look like the guys in action movies! However, women are exactly the opposite!

The majority of them believe that if they lift weights when they work out, they will get bulky and look even bigger than they initially were! Let me tell you something: this is NOT true!

Women don’t have enough hormones, such as testosterone, to help them get that much amount of muscle, so it takes a lot of time, a lot of calories, and hundreds of grams of protein, to look the way men do!

Lifting weight helps you increase muscle mass, shape your body, burn fat easily, tone up, and burn more calories throughout the day! Another benefit of resistance training is the fact that if you push yourself hard enough, your heart rate will go up, which in the end can feel like both a strength and cardio workout!

3. You don’t eat whole foods

You might think that the golden rule when it comes to shedding pounds is to burn more calories than you consume. You are right, but you also have to be mindful of what you’re actually putting into your body.

For instance, you might burn 700 calories after a strength training session at the gym or at home, but if you eat an entire block of chocolate (which might have 500 calories), you won’t lose weight the way you want, even if you have a 200 calorie deficit from working out.

That is because chocolate contains a lot of sugar your body actually doesn’t need, so you’ll end up staying the same. This is why it’s important to eat whole, nutritious foods.

They will fuel your muscles, making them stronger, and improving your overall health. In addition to that, you will feel fuller for longer and you’ll reach your goals faster!

Keep in mind that there are many processed foods that have the words “healthy” or “bio” on the packaging, but that doesn’t mean they are good for you. Make sure to read the ingredient list and if there are any ingredients that you don’t know, it might be better to stay away from them!

4. You forget about cardio

Even though we said that you shouldn’t be scared to lift weights, you also need to include cardio into your workout routine, especially if you want to see results faster!

Cardio means cardiovascular exercise and is a type of movement that increases your heart rate and helps you burn fat and gain endurance! You don’t need to run an hour on the treadmill to get a good cardio workout in!

You can swim, go to a cycling class, jog, dance, run in the park, or even take a walk in your neighborhood!

…If you think about skipping your cardio days, remember that this type of exercise is great for your lower belly and your waistline!

5. You don’t sleep enough

You know that experts recommend getting at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night and they are completely right! Besides feeling moody all day and being unproductive, lack of sleep can make your body hold on to those extra pounds you hate, and it can also make you crave highly processed foods, such as sweets and chips!

When you don’t sleep enough, your body tries to make up for it by giving you signals you need extra food to survive the day! In addition to that, several studies have discovered that a poor sleeping schedule is one of the main risk factors for obesity.

For instance, both children and adults who don’t sleep enough have a 55% and 89% higher risk of developing obesity!

…Make sure to get your zzzs in every night! A great way to do that, if you feel like you cannot fall asleep fast or your sleep is unregulated, is to take some melatonin. Here is the option we recommend you try out!

6. You hold on to diets

If you’re one of those people who’ve tried all diets under the sun, your metabolism might be confused. If your body is used to losing weight with the help of diets, it might hit a plateau, which means that you won’t see any results for a certain period of time!

Long story short, it might be time to take a break and focus on increasing your daily calorie intake, lifting weights, sleeping more, prioritizing rest days, and focusing on whole foods!

7. You drink your calories

Even though flavored coffee and sodas taste very good, they are not healthy for you!

Drinking processed beverages, such as flavored coffee, sodas, energy drinks, fruit juices, and even sports drinks, can make you consume a lot more sugar than you need to!

Make sure to stay away from them or limit the intake to once a week only!

8. You are too stressed

Even though it might sound weird, stress can make your body hold on to those annoying pounds!

When you are involved in a situation that makes you feel stressed and tense, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This substance can make you overeat and it also increases your insulin levels, which will make your blood sugar drop.

As a result, you will crave sugary and fatty foods in order to help you cope with the stress you feel!

CONCLUSION

To sum up this article, we can say that you need to eat healthily, move your body, get enough sleep, consume whole foods, and make sure to stay away from stress in order to shed off the pounds you don’t need!

…If you want to read more about health and wellness, we recommend this article: 9 Shocking Reasons Why Your Stomach Hurts All The Time!