Best Way to Lose a Stone

So, you’ve set yourself a goal to lose a stone in a month. You’ve spent countless hours every day in the gym and followed the strictest diet plan imaginable only to find out at your monthly weigh-in that you’ve lost little to no weight at all.

You may be asking yourself “Why can’t I lose weight?”. Well, you’re not alone. There are a few factors that many dieters overlook or simply don’t know about that could be causing them to hold on to those extra pounds despite all the effort. Here are 5 of the top reasons why you could be struggling to lose weight:

Lack of Sleep

Many of the nutrients that your body needs to eliminate fat are absorbed during sleep. Furthermore, a lack of solid sleep can actually prevent your body from processing these substances. This is another common cause of frustrating diet plans. Whether from hunger pains or simply due to a craving for food, sleep can indeed become a commodity. If this is the case, there are specially designed vitamins that will help to promote adequate sleep. These are a healthy and natural alternative that should be looked into if you suspect that this may be a problem.

Stress

It is no secret that diets can be very stressful. This can be a problem, for stress produces a hormone known as cortisol within the body. Coincidentally, cortisol is also responsible for causing your system to retain fat (especially around the midsection). This is one of the most pervasive reasons that weight loss can be tough for some individuals. If you feel that you are stressed, try to find ways to alleviate the tension through meditation or another relaxing activity.

Improper Exercise Routines?

It is an absolute fact that many individuals will exercise at the gym for hours at a time. However, they may very well be following the wrong routine. It is important to remember that the entire purpose of exercising (from a dieting point of view) is to speed up your metabolism enough so that the body is forced to burn its excess stores of fat for energy. In simpler terms, those asking themselves “Why can’t I lose weight?” need to look at their programme very carefully. Are there any mass-building exercises involved? If there are, these may very well be counteracting your efforts. Instead, emphasize cardiovascular activities such as running, stationary bicycles, or attending a spinning class. You will undoubtedly see weight loss results much faster.

Muscle versus Fat

Muscle is much denser than fat. This is a fact that few dieters are aware of. When performing any exercise, your body will naturally build muscle to adapt to increased physical stress. How does this affect perceived weight loss?

The answer is simple. If you build muscle and simultaneously lose fat, your weight may not “appear” to drop as much as you would like. However, it is likely that you are still losing your body’s fat stores. This is one of the reasons that a scale can be quite deceiving. So, it is always better to examine yourself in a mirror as opposed to relying upon what may very well be a deceptive reading on a scale. A great way to compensate for this if it is an issue is to have a specialist to test your body fat index from time to time. This will tell you if your fat percentages have dropped significantly.

Supplements?

If you are still struggling to lose weight and are taking meal supplements, these may also be the culprit. We need to note a significant fact regarding many supplements. Firstly, some substances may contain gluten and/or other ingredients that may actually inhibit weight loss in certain individuals.

Also, there is a big difference between a normal protein shake (that contains extra calories, sweeteners, and carbohydrates) and a drink that is comprised of nothing more than whey protein isolate. Artificial substances have been proven to pack on excess weight over time. You will need to carefully check the ingredients found within any drink or snack bar. The last thing you want is for your supplements to counteract your hard work and dedication.

So, we can now see that there is much more involved with a successful weight loss plan than merely dieting and exercising alone. What you have just read are perfect examples of five rather insidious factors that can limit your overall weight loss. In fact, more than one may likely be to blame. So, take a look at each of these variables in detail. In this case, a little knowledge can indeed go a long way!