Health and Fitness Coach
Subscribe via RSS Feed (What is RSS?)
Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter:
- 5.5 Ways to Change the Shape of Your Body - Fast!
- Expert Answers: Spin Classes and RPM Classes. How Many Calories Will I Burn? And Other Questions.
- How to Improve Core Stability Part 2 - The Spinal Neutral Test
- How to Improve Core Stability Part 4: Functional Exercises - The Plank and Its Wacky Variations
- Last Minute Preparation for a Marathon, Half Marathon or Fun Run
- Over 50s Exercise - Seniors Training With Logan Franklin
- Take the Body Type Test- What Body Type are You?
- Workout Music: Music for Your Ipod to Listen to While Exercising
- Crazy Fitness Crazes, Fads, and Gadgets
- Running: Working Out Your Race Pace With McMillan's Calculator
- Beyonce’s Post Baby Weight Loss: Too Fast Or Healthy?
- Workout Music: Amelia’s Workout Playlist for Your Ipod
- When is the Best Time of Day to Eat?
- Why Aren’t I Losing Weight? Reasons Why You Are Exercising But Not Losing Weight
- The Fat Tax. Is it the Answer to Our Obesity Epidemic?
- Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?
- Celebrity Diet Fads
- 7 ways to lose weight subliminally in the kitchen
- Can You Be Fit at Any Size?
- Tips to get motivated and stay motivated
- steve: Hi Amelia. You're right, this gets you fitter faster. I am now into the third a
- Alex: just printed this off about 2 hours ago. Went through the drill twice. I approve
- fat loss: The best method to lose weight is to make a permanent lifestyle change
- Stay Healthy: Hi! Thanks for the great blog post! I found it really interesting and truly inte
- Stay Healthy: Hi! I found this blog post really helpful in dealing with my day eating habits.I
- Red rice yeast: I do not even know the way I ended up right here, but I believed this submit was
- Linda: Very interesting. I did the test and ended up as a Protein type, which i wouldn'
- Linda: Thanks for the great snack ideas. I love my protein shakes. There are so many ta
- Em: Hi Amelia, I'm very impressed with your blogs! So far I love this one the most.
- Hayley: Hi I reguly compete in sprint distance triathlons and was wondering if doing a
Why Aren’t I Losing Weight? Reasons Why You Are Exercising But Not Losing Weight
13 October 2011 9:56 am
This is a question I get asked all the time “Why aren’t I losing weight? I’ve been exercising regularly, doing all the right things but nothing is happening!” I’d say that this is the number one reason why people fall off the exercise wagon- lack of results. So why is it that some people seem to be doing all the right things but still don’t lose weight? I’ve outlined the five main culprits in order of importance. Point number one is, in my experience, the most common reason why people don’t lose weight and keep it off.*
1. You’re not losing weight because you’re eating too much:
Many people begin an exercise program and the increase in activity can make them hungry. However eating more will just counter balance the calories burned, leading to no weight loss at all. Similarly, I have observed a mindset of “Well I just trained so now I can have that hot dog and beer.” If you are trying to lose weight, sorry that just won’t work!
The Biggest Loser TV show is a fine example. Some weeks contestants lost virtually nothing or even put weight on. These people were exercising up to four hours per day, but if their diet wasn’t right no weight loss would occur. Many might argue that muscle gain must be the reason, but we are talking about extremely overweight people who already had strong muscles (due to their size) and who were predominately doing cardiovascular, not strength activities.
My advice: Diet is the key to weight loss. Commit to one full week of counting the calories of everything you eat (calorie King is a good website). Sounds like a chore but it works and educates you. Observe how much you are eating before you start your training regime, and be sure not to increase this amount. If you get hungry, drink more water or herbal tea.
The best thing you can do is determine their basal or resting metabolism (Click here to determine yours), and then use a heart rate monitor with the calorie option to see how many calories they burnt during their workout (this is how The Biggest Loser determine their daily caloric amount). A really rough guide of daily caloric allowance is 1200-1500 calories per day for women and 2000 – 2400 calories for men. Combine that with regular exercise and weight loss simply has to occur.
I would also like to point out that not eating enough can impact weight loss. However in my experience people who are overweight and not eating enough are often in a short term cycle, finding their optimum caloric intake. What led to them becoming overweight in the first place was not a result of not eating enough.
2. You’re not losing weight because you’re not training hard or long enough:
I love it when people tell me they went to the gym four times this week; they did 2 yoga classes, a swim, and a sauna. So why aren’t they losing weight? This is where the sergeant comes out and cracks his whip! Think back to your last week’s training. On a scale of 1-10 how hard would you rate the sessions? Another way of putting it, if the sessions were less than 45 mins, were you completely maxed out at the end, or could you have kept going?
The main principal of exercise is overload. The body needs to be overloaded in some form, to stimulate change. In fact, the body hates change. Your entire sympathetic nervous system is devoted to keeping you at homeostasis, where everything from your body temperature to metabolism stays the same. So if you want to see some change, guess what, you’ve got to overload.
My advice: Overloading your body is extremely specific for each individual. If you have been very sedentary of late, then a walk for 20mins might be a form of overload. But in less than 2 weeks, you’ve got to think of a new way to overload. The two main ways are increasing the intensity, or increasing the time (or both!). If you are a walker, try jogging for intermittent times, increasing the jogging time each workout from maybe 30sec to start until your can jog 10min straight. If you can’t jog, find some hills, stairs, or double your distance. Notice how quickly the body responds.
Someone came to me who runs 50km per week, but has been putting on weight. I bet lots of my readers would be a shadow their former self if they ran that distance each week, but this person has been running the same distance and speed for years, and their body is used to it. She needs to find a new way of overloading.
I believe that 3 workouts per week should be at 8 out of 10 in intensity. These are often shorter sessions (20-40min) but tough ones. If the thought of pushing yourself to max puts you off, that’s fine too. Then you need to increase the length of your session. It’s your choice, shorter and harder, or longer and steady. Both will overload, which is what we need.
3. You’re not losing weight because you haven’t been consistent
Weight loss takes time. Often it can take years to really shift lifestyle patterns to make a permanent difference. The body works in mysterious ways and if you are glued to the scales, it will just send you crazy. You might lose weight one week, but gain weight the next week. Life is enough of a rollercoaster as it is.
My advice: Weight loss is a shift in one’s personal attitude, a lifestyle change. So pick some other goals within this shift to take the attention off weight loss. Events such as fun runs, Walk-a-thons, social sports, in-house gym competitions, and social groups will be much more inspiring and most importantly fun! After a few months you’ll hop on the scales and be pleasantly surprised. These activities keep you much more consistent and motivated than losing a few pounds each week.
4. You’re not losing weight because you’re not drinking enough water
I don’t need to tell you this, right! It’s so obvious I know, but time and time again I see people mistake hunger for thirst. I see workouts wasted due to dehydration. I see dark circles under eyes, clogged up systems and lethargy. It’s just a habit that needs to be created. It’s one of the easiest, yet most effective ways to lose weight.
My advice: Get out your calculator and punch this in: 30ml for every kilo you weigh (1 ounce for every 2.2lbs you weigh). Add 1 litre (33 ounces) for every hour you exercise. This is a ‘not negotiable.’ And ditch the sugary drinks!
5. You’re not losing weight but your body shape has changed
Do you know I have quite drastically changed the shape of my body three times in my life but my weight has always remained within around 3kg (6.6lbs). Muscle is heavier than fat, so if you gain a lot of muscle that can hide the fat loss on the scales, but this really only applies to leaner people. If you are carrying an extra 6kg (13lb) or more this wont be an issue for you.
My Advice: Use other measurements not just the scales. Clothes and photographs are easy. Also using a tape to measure key areas is really motivating. The important parts are your stomach (belly button line), hips (widest part when you stand front or side on in mirror), and the upper thigh (measure a distance from your knee cap to the point on your upper thigh, so that you remeasure in the same spot). Take notes for accuracy. For example “Measured over pants, Foot on chair, 30cm from knee cap.”
Exercise will change your body shape for the better (in 99% of the cases, bodybuilders are the exception!), so even if the scales don’t drop too much, so long as you look and feel better, who cares!
6. You’re not losing weight because of shifts in hormone levels
Ask any post baby or menopausal woman, and she will attest to the influences hormones have on her body and cravings. The main culprits are the hormones that increase appetite (cortisol, Estrogen, leptin just to name a few) and hormones that reduce one’s metabolism (Thyroxine produced in the thyroid). There is no doubt that a sudden shift in hormone production can have huge effects on weight loss. Sleep also has huge effects on hormone production, so make sure you are getting enough sleep!
My Advice: If you have recently put a lot of weight on for no apparent reason, or your appetite has significantly surged, it is worth speaking to your doctor and having some tests to ensure your hormone function is normal. Thyroid issues are on the rise and can be harmful if not treated properly. Hormonal issues can be overcome and are by no means a deal breaker in weight loss. Living a healthy life, getting enough sleep, eating complex carbs such as fruit and vegetables are all important in regulating hormones. Our hormones shift throughout our life and it is important that we make lifestyle adjustments as we get older.
Have you struggled losing weight? Do any of the above issues affect you? Maybe you found another reason why you didn’t lose weight. I’d love to hear it. Just remember lasting weight loss takes time. Be patient and remember it’s not just about the scales.
* Please note that this article is directed to overweight people trying to lose weight, and does not apply to lean people trying to get even leaner.
Tagged As: diet, exercise, Fat Loss, Weight loss
Good list Amelia. Diet really is so important. A lot of people seem to think a good exercise regime can compensate for poor eating habits but it’s really the oposite. A good exercise regime should complement a healthy eating plan.
Never thought about hormones affecting weight loss but it’s a really good point.
Thanks Tom,
Yes diet is the key, then modifying it as you get older. You can’t eat the same as you did as an 18year old. Don’t I know it, I just turned 30!
Amelia
With all the high protein, low-fat, low carbs diets out in the marketplace at the moment, it can get pretty confusing in what’s best to follow for rapid (but healthy) weight loss. What’s the best ratio of proteins, fats and carbs. to follow?
This is a solid list. I really get on my clients when it comes to consistency. Immediate results can’t be the focus of an exercise plan. It needs to focus on lifestyle change and that takes time. The only way to get there is by being consistent with what you do.
Hi Suzie,
Great question, I think there is an article for me to write on this topic! There are a few different schools of thought, but I have had the most success on the 20 – 60 – 20 rule. 20% protein, 60% carbs, 20% fat. For example, if you are on a 1500 cal/day diet (The Biggest Loser female contestants are on 1200 cal/day), then you would be eating 75g protein, 225g carbs, 33g fat. But I would either focus on total daily calories, OR the ratios. If you think about both it gets way too confusing!
Hi Chad,
Yes consistency is the key, but to get someone to be consistent at something they need to fully understand it and believe it will work. Education fuels the fire of consistency.
As a nutrition student, I am most interested in proven solutions to weight loss.I think an article on macronutrient ratios would be very popular indeed! However, I would like to see this applied to peri-menopausal women because I don’t believe the same ratios can apply across the board. As we know, it’s not that easy to lose those last 5 kgs but if you’re 25 y.o. it’s a hell of a lot easier than if you’re 45 y.o. (I know !!!). There doesn’t seem to be a lot in the marketplace about the challenges peri-menopausal / menopausal women face when it comes to weight loss so any information would you share, would be very welcomed!
[...] If you have tried and failed, tried and failed, tried and failed again, chances are your weight is ruining your life. Every time you try and fail, I see it like a little piece of your soul has died. And when this has been going on for years, you feel like an empty shell. Not only is your confidence on how you look lowered, but your faith in yourself has diminished. This will often affect other areas of your life and it’s just not necessary. [...]
I drink plenty of water, I exercise 6 days a week (jogging/walking), I eat right (recently put on an omega 3 diet by my dietician. And I can’t seem to lose weight at all. It has been some time. I have been sitting on 64kg for the last 4 mths. I am 174cm tall. I am fed up and I need some answers, please…
hey Kristina
I know you’re looking for expert advise here but I have a question for you. Have you had your thyroid checked lately? If you haven’t, maybe a simple blood test would give you the answers to why you’re not losing the weight. Another question, at 174cm, isn’t 64kg underweight for you? I’m 166cm and weigh 65kg and very happy with the way I look. Good Luck Kristina
Hi Kristina,
I can really empathize with your situation, many people get to a magic weight that their bodies just don’t want to shift from. You have a BMI of 21.1 which is smack bang in the healthy range, but you still have room to move and be in the healthy range.
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Amanda’s suggestion about the checking your thyroid is a good one, but here is my advice:
I bet you are eating too many calories per day. Check that your new Omega 3 diet hasn’t raised your daily calorie intake. Omega 3 is a fat so you could have pushed your daily calorie intake over the 1200-1500 mark. I suggest you speak with your dietitian and establish your daily caloric intake for weight loss. Usually it’s around 1200 – 1500 per day. Then start counting your calories, seriously.
Remember to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper.
Finally cutting out all refined sugar or wheat in the evenings may help. IE no white at night, no bread before bed, well after 2pm actually.
With your exercise, RAMP IT UP! If you can jog, you should be doing that most days not walking. Why don’t you sign up for a boxing class or do some spin classes? Even instructors who train 20hrs per week wont lose weight because their bodies have become used to the activity, so you need to mix it up, while you ramp it up.
Good luck, and please check back in next month to let me know how you are going…
Amelia
[...] Why Aren’t I Losing Weight? Reasons Why You Are Exercising But Not Losing Weight (ameliaburton.com.au) [...]
[...] Why Aren’t I Losing Weight? Reasons Why You Are Exercising But Not Losing Weight (ameliaburton.com.au) [...]
Hi Amanda
I’m 51 and over the last 5 years I have slowly but surely put on about 25kgs to have me around 118kgs (I’m 178cms). I had lapband surgery last year and only lost about 6 kilos, but since the beginning of January my whole life has changed, but sadly not the scales.
Over the last 4 months I have been doing personal training and eating 6 small meals per day, as instructed and with content that has been advised as well.
I train 3 times a week and it’s all strength work and my trainer nearly kills me, I also do 40 minutes on a ’spin’ bike on the days off and I go hard on there as well, before having a day of rest on the Sunday.
In the 4 months of doing personal training, my weight has been up and down but I’ve only lost about 3 kilos in total. My trainer says that this can’t be right, my blood tests all show no problems, but basically, after lapband surgery (huge reduction in food intake and no alcohol) and 4 months of nearly killing myself, virtually no results to show.
Having said all this, people can see a positive difference in my shape and I seem to be slowly losing cms, but I’m also very tired all the time.
HELP Amelia!!,
With thanks
Paul
Hi,
Amelia, are you seriously a BMI of 21.1? That makes me feel much better about mine!
I am at the higher end of the 21’s, but still very comfortably in that category.
Also, my girlfrind has a really healthy BMI in the 20 range, but a bit of a tummy that she can’t seem to shift. I think genetics are playing a part here. We exercise and eat well without results. I seem to get them but it’s no always passed on to her!
Any thoughts?
Mel
Oh, oops… I see that Kristina is within my BMI!
I didn’t think you would be..
Hi Paul,
What a struggle! I can really sympathize with you and the hardship of battling the waistline. The first question I want you to ask yourself is how small are your portion sizes. 6 small meals per day is great in theory, but is it less than what you were eating before? or more? When we embark on exercise sometimes our bodies crave more food and before we know it our portion sizes have grown. The biggest factor to speed up (or slow down) weight loss is your diet.
Some personal trainers are hung up on muscle growth and will encourage you to train hard in the weights room and eat lots of protein to speed up your metabolism. Now you are a big boy and I am sure that muscle growth is not an issue for you, so in addition to keeping your portion sizes down, I would suggest changing your training program.
Switch the weights into boxing sessions with your trainer. That way you’ll still be working your upper body but you will be blasting way more calories. You need to be huffing, puffing, out of breath and red in the face.
Spin is good, I assume you are doing it in a class (if not, join a class) but you are probably getting used to it now so I’d suggest running on the treadmill. Yes running! Try this treadmill program to get you started: http://www.ameliaburton.com.au/2008/04/honestly-when-was-last-time-you-really.html
If you were my client, and your no. 1 goal was weight loss, I’d do the following;
Day 1: Boxing with trainer 1 hr
Day 2: Spin 45min
Day 3: weights with trainer (upper one week, lower the next) 1hr
Day4: Run on treadmill (10min Xtrainer, 20 run, 10min walk, 10min bike) 50min
Day 5: Boxing with trainer 1hr
Day 6: Outdoor activity (walk, swim, something fun and different)
Day 7: Reeeelax!
As for being tired, that will get better as you lose weight. Sleep is crucial when you are exercising and so is water intake. At least 3L per day.
But remember that diet is the main key, you can be super fit but still overweight. Getting your diet right will boost those energy levels and your weight loss.
Keep us all updated with your progress, and hang in there, it does get better, I promise!
Amelia
Hi Mel,
I have a BMI of 19, which is still very close to yours so you should be quite happy with your score. As far as that last 5% (which is always the hardest) my tip for your training is to mix it up. The body gets very used to the same activity so try something new. Boxing and spinning are huge calorie blasters but running is the highest. Why don’t you book in for a fun run and start training for it. In my last post to Paul I linked to a great treadmill running program you could try. But the secret to the last 5% is increasing your intensity of your sessions by 10%.
Give that a go but remember not to increase your food intake when you increase your activity.
Have fun!
Amelia
Hi Amelia
Thanks so much for your great response, I’m going to suggest this to my trainer and see how we go from there.
However, I’ve had a bit of a brainwave and I’d love you to tell me what you think.
Since I had my lapband operation 14 months ago (I was 118kg, I’m now 108kgs), obviously I’ve found it hard to eat. So as I’m eating my healthy wholemeal crackers and Tuna for lunch, I’m drinking water to force it through the band every mouthful. I’m doing this with virtually everything that I eat, because I feel that I need to do, although I’m aware it’s probably cheating the system a bit.
But what I also think it’s doing is not allowing the digestive juices to do their work, so because of this the food isn’t digested properly, the ‘goodness’ isn’t used/distributed appropriately and it all just turns to fat or into the bowel (to be nice). This would also marry up with my tiredness and lethargy that I mentioned in my initial post.
What do you think Amelia, am I clutching at straws??.
Thanks again for your help.
Paul
Amelia,
I am 5′4″ and 205lbs and 40% body fat! I have been working with a trainer for 6 weeks and have only lost 5lbs, 1.5% body fat, 1inch around hips & waist each. I feel like I’m gaining more bulk than losing fat, could this be because of the protein shakes I drink? The protein shakes are pure protein and fiber made with water and no fruit or flavored syrup, just vanilla protein; could the protein bring on the bulk? Also, my trainer suggests that I eat protein at every meal, is this really necessary? (I’m eating 1000 – 1300 calories a day) Can you please help me and give me advice on what I should eat?
Thank you! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Hi Amelia,
I am having issues losing weight after my 3rd baby. I exercise 5 days a week and theses incluse 1 PT session, spin classes and weight training. I am 100 kgs and 162cms. I am also breastfeedsing so I am having issues with my calorie intake. I have no idea how many i should be consuming. I am current eating 1700 cals. Any ideas?
Thanks Bree.
Hi
I am 28 yrs old/ f / 137lbs/ 5′1″
I gained a few lbs last year and lost some tone, so I have been trying to get my shape back for a few months now. For the past 7 weeks I have really been working hard at it. I have a calorie counter on my phone that I use religiously. Average 1200/ day. I live a pretty active life style but I increased my work outs. ( burn average of 600 calories/ day. I eat right, exercise more & more…but nothing! Not a lb, inch, or dress size. Nothing. I don’t want to loose motivation, but why keep trying when I look the same as I did when I ate whatever I want? Lol . Please help!
Hi there
I wondered if you have any specific exercise and weight loss tips for me in relation to the fact that I have been
diagnosed as insulin resistant. I am 99kg and have been walking every day for at least an hour on the treadmill at brisk walking speed, I go swimming for an hour once a week and attend 2 aquafit sessions per week. I have been doing this for 2 weeks now and I have put a pound on!! I’d really like to see results from my hard work. I have also watched my food intake and begun to have breakfast (something I never did before) even if it is only a slice of wholemeal toast.
Any feedback is very much appreciated.
Kind regards
Fiona (aged 44)
Hi, I am a 5′5” female18 year old student. This summer i’ve recently lost around 18 pounds by barely doing anything, I now weigh 175 pounds. I workout a lot more now then when I actually lost weight. I do about 45 minutes of zumba 3-4 days a week and eat healthy thing such as salads, eggs and lots of fruit. But in the past month and a half I havnt lost anything. help please
-Chantal
[...] Reasons Why You Are Exercising But Not Losing Weight. Simple but still smart read. [...]
Hi thanks for an interesting article. I am very new to all this internet stuff and appreciate any information i can get on helping me to get my site ranked.
HEYAMELIA.
ME HERE SATISFIED WID UR RESEACHS BUT INEED UR HELP FURTHER FOR THE LEENING OF BODY WIILL U HELP ME?
PLZ REPLY
HEY AMELIA
I NEED UR HELP FOR THE LEEENING OF BODY WIILL U HELP ME PLZ REPLY
[...] Once you realize this, it won't seem so challenging because it's not a task, it's now who you are. If you've ever been overweight, you've probably tried many different weight loss diets and programs,…your own worst enemy. Before we get started on that, let's look at the fact that accomplishing any [...]
Great article. Its true everyone’s body is different, for me I don’t have a weight problem and can eat just about anything I want. I did notice though, that when I eat healthy I do put on some weight, but when I eat junk I loss weight.
Anyway thanks for your great posts keep them coming.
Everybody loves the things you guys usually are in place also. These types of wise function as well as confirming! Continue the terrific performs folks I had included people guys to our blogroll.
Hi! Thanks for the great blog post! I found it really interesting and truly interactive. This is exactly what I was looking for.