Wondering why you aren’t losing weight?! Weight loss is affected by so much more than calories in versus calories out. Weight can reflect many things happening in our bodies. Before chalking it up to “lack of motivation”, “lack of self-control”, or “being a failure”… tap into these 3 reasons to find out what may truly be holding you back.
- Lack of SLEEP
The importance of sleep is underrated, but I understand why some struggle with it. I too find it hard to get enough daily sleep when trying to balance exercise, work, time with my daughters, meals, & chores… it can be exhausting fitting everything in. However, I know when my sleep game is on-point, I feel more energized, make better food choices, & snack less in the evening. You may find a lack of motivation to stay on track when you are tired too – which may lead to decreased exercise, fast food, & ditching meal prep. Lack of sleep can affect hunger hormones too which won’t allow you to best listen to your body during meal & snack times. Aim for 6-7 hours of quality sleep to keep you feeling awesome every day.
- Too much STRESS
Whether stressed from work, home life, or social activities, it can affect what you eat. Have you ever used food to COPE with stress? Me too. Everyone does it from time to time… & the foods we choose when we are stressed are rarely a bag of cucumbers & carrots. However, what everyone doesn’t do is figure out the underlying cause or causes of stress & find healthy ways to MANAGE it. This is key! Can you manage your stress by doing some daily deep breathing, going for a walk, reading, cooking/baking, journaling, or playing with your pet? Whatever works for you, commit to practicing it daily.
- You aren’t EATING ENOUGH
If you skip lunch to “save” calories for dinner… you are heading down a slippery slope. In fact, the more you skip meals/snacks, the more likely you are to overeat later. If you become ravenous, your hunger may affect the types & quantities of foods you choose. What can you do? Aim to eat every 3-4 hours while focusing on fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins & low-fat dairy. Sometimes all it takes is an extra snack each day to help you feel your best!
In my 1:1 nutrition coaching program, we work to tackle all of these things because you won’t solve your nutrition issues until your sleep, stress & hunger are in check.
So, which of these 3 things can you improve on?! Hit REPLY to let me know which has resonated with you the most! Looking forward to hearing from YOU! If this was helpful, forward it to someone who would benefit from reading this too!
