Are you…

Struggling to lose weight? 

Tired of looking in the mirror and disliking what you see? 

Fed up of feeling this way? 

If you said YES…

I’m sorry to hear this. I feel your pain, and I know how frustrating this can be. I know you want to lose weight, and guess what… you can. You just need a new approach, one thats going to get you results (and help you keep them for years to come)…

Sound good? 

If you said YES, please read on…

Now, I’m sure you’ve tried dieting in the past? 

It probably worked, but then you gained back the weight (maybe more?) and now you’re doubting that you can do it again. 

Dieting is often painful, not only physically (as the hunger kicks in) but mentally too – every other thought is about counting calories, or dreaming about all of the foods you can’t eat while on your diet. 

In this article, I want to help you. 

I’ll be going through 4 reasons why you’re not losing weight, and I will also be giving you a solution to fix the areas that are negatively impacting your weight. 

Let’s jump right in….

#1 Calories in Vs Calories Out

You’ve heard the word ‘calories’ a thousand times? When you hear this dreaded word… it sends shivers up your spine doesn’t it? It brings back memories of all the bland diets you’ve tried in the past. 

Now I’m not going to bore you with the science of weight loss (I don’t want you to fall asleep!) But I do need to cover this topic quickly…

The long on short of weight loss is that you need to create a calorie deficit to lose weight. The equation is simple…

If you consume fewer calories than your body needs, then it has no choice but to burn stored fuel for energy. This then leads to weight loss. So the most essential physical component of weight loss is creating a calorie deficit. You can do this through diet and exercise.

Solution:

Now I know this may not be what you want to hear… but the most accurate way to monitor your calories is to weigh and log your food, using apps such as MyFitnessPal. 

I understand this isn’t for everybody. It takes time and effort. Who wants to spend 5-10 mins logging food each day? But like monitoring your finances…the only way to know where you stand is to check your bank statements. It may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but at least you know where you stand. 

#2 Yo-Yo Dieting & Binging 

Does this sound like you…

One moment you’re eating chicken salads, but then the next…you’re stuffing your face with pizza, chocolate, and devouring all of the things that contain a gazillion calories. Then you go back on your diet, and the vicious cycle continues.

It’s like groundhog day where you end up taking two steps forward…but then two steps back. Then eventually enough is enough… you throw in the towel, give up and gain more weight. Then a few months pass… and you go back to the same method that didn’t work for you in the first place! 

It sounds kind of insane doesn’t it? But it’s what lots of people do. 

This type of behaviour can often lead to developing a poor relationship with food such as binging…

Binging on food is more common than you think, it’s just the people don’t want to admit it, especially publicly. There’s a lot of shame about binging, but there’s nothing to be ashamed about. 

When you binge, it’s often a mindset issue. Maybe you binge because you’re bored? Or happy? Sad? You use food to pick you up, and prevent yourself from feeling your real emotions? There can be lots of reasons for why we binge. 

I know all too well the negative impact it has. I’ve been a binger myself, I know this sounds odd, especially considering I’m a personal trainer…

Nobody would guess, but it’s true. I used to binge on 10-20 chocolate bars all in one go. I would eat so much I couldn’t move. I would then lie in bed, punishing myself for being so weak. I hid my behavior from everyone. I was embarrassed. It wasn’t until I opened up and started talking that I learned how to cope. 

Solution:

There isn’t always a quick fix for this. For some people, the penny drops, something significant happens…and then that’s it…done. Enough is enough. 

For other people, it takes time. It’s a journey. Don’t worry about how long it takes; just start. I would recommend reading the book feeding the hungry heart. This book helped me, and I’m confident it will help you too. 

#3 Negative Relationships 

Are you able to take a moment and think about all of the negative relationships you have in your life? 

I know it’s difficult to admit at times, but who in your life is serving you, and who is dragging you down? 

Are your friends snipping at you for dieting? Teasing you for ordering a fruit smoothie while they eat a slice of cake? 

These negative relationships can be with your friends, work colleagues, and even your own family (very common), and they can often lead to unhappiness and therefore lead to weight gain…

The weight gain is usually because of the extra food consumed to fill the void of the relationship. Also…if you’re stressed, your body will be more likely to gain weight. So that’s why relationships play such a huge part in your weight loss journey. 

Client Case Study (2019): 

I worked with a married couple last year who trained together and were always arguing and bringing their relationship issues into training sessions…

I had to stop their group personal training, and instead train them individually. Because they were both stressed, it was also preventing them from losing weight. 

I advised them to consider talking with a marriage counselor, which they both agreed on. It wasn’t an overnight fix, but after two months after counseling their relationship started to improve, and guess what happened to their weight? It dropped. 

They both became happier and started working together as a team rather than against one another. If your marriage is suffering like this, I’d recommend checking out this article for some free tips.

If you are suffering from negative relationships, it’s worth reassessing who you spend your time with. Who are the people having a positive impact on your life? And who is dragging you down? Then you can remove (or at least distance) yourself from those who are dragging you down and spend more time with people who lift your spirits and support your goals.

#4 Psychological Issues 

I know this is a tough thing to admit and deal with, but you are responsible for creating our own reality. You have to take ownership of your behaviour. Nobody can help you…unless you want to help yourself.

It’s much easier to ignore our psychological wounds and to hop on another diet, or invest in yet another weight loss pill…

Especially compared to looking into your own psyche and exploring your vulnerabilities, insecurities, and fears that are negatively affecting you and not just your weight.. but your life!  

Solution: 

Do not be afraid to reach out for help. Whether that’s reaching out to a trusted friend or family member, or whether it’s hiring a counselor, life coach, personal trainer, or psychologist… be brave and hire a person who can help you. 

Yes, it will cost money, but see it as an investment. If you could guarantee a happier future, and life-changing weight loss, how much would that mean to you? And how much would you be prepared to spend if you knew the outcome was certain? 

I bet you would be happy to spend a fortune. So maybe it’s time to put your trust into somebody and ask for help? Have a think about it, but if you are struggling to do this alone, then please reach out and get some support.

If you need any help along the way, please reach out to me.

Nick Screeton