So, you’re on a weight loss plan and yet you don’t seem to be losing any actual weight no matter “how hard you try.”
We’re here to help:
We’re going to outline some of the bullshit you’re most likely telling yourself…
…and then smack some sense into you (a good workout for us) by telling you why you’re actually not losing any weight.
If you’re still relying purely on Spanx to be skinny, you’re in for some news.
Ready?
Here we go…
I’m Only Drinking Vodka and You’re Not Supposed to Gain Weight with Vodka.
You read on someone’s blog that if you only consume vodka drinks you can’t gain weight on them.
Did you also read that bats have the ability to hypnotize chickens and get them to reenact scenes from “Driving Miss Daisy?”
Because that isn’t true either, though we wish very much it were.
The Real Reason You’re Not Losing Weight
Here’s the deal:
One shot of vodka contains 97 calories.
Now, go ahead and add cranberry juice or orange juice to that and you’re looking at swigging back close to 200 calories for one mixed drink.
Have two or three of those mixed drinks on a Saturday night and you’ve just consumed… do the math with us… 400 to 600 calories.
Every alcohol known to man contains calories and WILL prevent you from losing weight, if not help you gain some.
1 glass of white wine: 121 calories 1 shot of tequila: 96 calories 1 pint of Guinness: 176 calories 1 margarita: 153 calories 1 glass of sangria: 150 calories
Now, are we saying that you absolutely can’t drink while on a diet?
No, we’re not.
What we are saying is, give up this pipe dream that certain alcohols magically contain no calories and you can drink all you want.
It is simply not true.
If you know you’re going to have a couple of mimosas with brunch, then adjust your dinner so you consume less calories.
If you know you’re going out and having a few beers Friday night, spend an extra half hour on the treadmill that day to account for those extra calories.
We’re not advocating that you start getting most of your calories through alcohol, but you get the idea.
I don’t get it, I’m working out all the time!
Like a good dieter, you are going to the gym three times a week as recommended by Dr. Oz, Jillian Michaels, and that article you read in Cosmo.
The Real Reason You’re Not Losing Weight
You may be going to the gym, but what are you doing when you get there?
If you’re spending 20 minutes socializing in the locker room and 10 minutes on the elliptical, chances are you’re not really working out as hard as you should.
If you’re hanging out at the juice bar sipping a fruit smoothie and discussing the latest Taylor Swift video, chances are you’re taking in more calories than you’re burning.
Are you actually doing a good 30 to 40 minutes of cardio while you’re there?
Are you incorporating weight training as well, which will give your metabolism a boost and help you burn even more calories?
If you can honestly say you’re going to the gym at least three times a week and actually working out hard but still not losing any weight, read on.
I’ve cut out all the garbage in my diet but I’m still not losing any weight.
You’ve completely overhauled your diet and have cut out all the processed garbage.
No more Little Debbie’s snack cakes, no more soda for breakfast.
No more Doritos while binge-watching “The Walking Dead.”
So…
You can’t for the life of you understand why you’re not only not losing weight but have gained 2 pounds this week.
The Real Reason You’re Not Losing Weight
Here’s the thing:
Even good clean wholesome foods have calories, and if you want to lose weight, you’re going to have to really pay attention to how many calories you are eating as opposed to how many you are burning every day.
You read somewhere that avocado is a healthy kind of fat so you’ve been putting an entire avocado on your salad for lunch every day.
Okay, but did you know that a cup of avocado has 234 calories?
You’ve replaced your beloved Doritos with air-popped popcorn which is great, but did you know 1 ounce of popcorn contains 106 calories?
If you’re sitting there polishing off huge bowls of popcorn, you could be eating 300 calories.
Maybe you think it’s okay if your portion sizes are bigger because at least you’re eating whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta, but that kind of thinking is going to land you (or keep you) in the plus size section.
If you want to eat more of anything, eat more veggies.
They are low in calories and full of fiber which will fill you up.
Just make sure your veggies are raw or steamed and not cooked in a ton of olive oil (incredibly high in calories) or smothered in Ranch dressing (even higher in calories).
Remember, just because strawberries are healthier than cookies doesn’t mean they are magical berries containing zero calories.
Eat enough of them and you can actually gain weight.
Counting calories really isn’t that hard and if you actually want to lose weight, guess what… you’re gonna have to do it.
No matter what I do, I just can’t lose any weight!
Just like with everything else in your life, you can’t seem to catch a break with your weight loss goals.
The Real Reason You Can’t Seem to Lose Weight
You’re not really trying and instead, you’re sabotaging yourself.
That’s it.
That’s the reason.
There is no reason other than that one.
Maybe you’re doing it subconsciously and don’t realize it, but the only thing standing in the way of you losing weight is you.
Here’s another truth:
Losing weight isn’t hard.
It’s a very simple math equation.
To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you eat.
The easiest way to do that is to eat fewer calories.
Period.
That’s it.
That’s the big, shocking secret formula.
It doesn’t matter if you eat chicken breasts or meatballs.
It doesn’t matter if you jog or take kickboxing classes.
It doesn’t matter if you wear ratty sweatpants or celebrity-endorsed yoga tights.
It doesn’t matter if you drink kale smoothies or never juice a f*cking thing.
All that matters is that you understand HOW to lose weight (once again, more calories burned than consumed equals weight loss) and that you give enough of a damn about yourself, health and happiness to do it.