Why You Might Not Be Losing Weight Even Though You Exercise
As an online fitness coach, one of the most common queries I get is from people who put in the effort to resistance train at home or in the gym, and are building strength, but are still not shedding fat. This can be a frustrating problem when you want to be rewarded for your hard work with lean muscle and a toned physique.
Here’s a look at some of the possible reasons for your lack of progress and what you can do to ensure that you are getting the full return on your investment in workouts.
You are not sticking to a calorie deficit
The science of fat loss really hinges on a very simple concept: you need to burn more calories than you consume. Even if you train every day, the fat still won’t shift if you eat too much.
Keep a food diary to track your food intake over a week, being completely honest about every snack and slice of pizza. Introduce improvements if they are needed, but remember the aim is not to deprive yourself of food and energy sources, but to get the nutrients and portion sizes in balance.
Your routine is not challenging enough
Over time, our bodies adapt to resistance training, so it takes less energy to perform the same moves. In order to keep burning calories to sustain fat loss, you need to increase the weight, intensity, and number of reps over time (known as progressive overload).
If your routine has become too repetitive, change it up with tougher challenges, such as lifting heavier weights, performing more reps, or introducing new moves.
You are not taking into account muscle gain
If you are purely using the scales as a means to measure your fat loss, this could be misleading. Weight training builds muscle, so you could be losing fat even though the scales don’t shift as much as you hoped. Instead, consider using additional methods, such as waist measurements and how well your clothes fit, to monitor progress.
Your overall activity levels are too low
If you are dedicated to your gym or home workout routine, but the rest of your day is mostly sedentary, you might still not be burning enough calories to sustain fat loss. Consider introducing some aerobic exercise into your daily routine, even if it is just a brisk ten-minute walk during your lunch break.
Small things, such as taking a lunchtime walk, can make a huge difference over time!