7 Reasons You Might Not Be Losing Weight

Bodybuilding - 7 Reasons You Might Not Be Losing Weight

1. You Starve Yourself Only To Compensate Later - Some people often think that by having a light breakfast and lunch they will be doing themselves a favor since their total daily calorie intake will be lower.

If anything you should reverse the meals so that breakfast is your biggest meal of the day since you will have lots of time throughout the day to utilize the energy you consume at this meal. If you must have a late night snack, simply calculate that into your day so you have planned for it. Obviously it likely cannot contain 500 calories but in most diets there is definitely room for 100-200 calories before bed.

2. You Don't Have A Set Place To Eat - It's that easy for the weight to add up if you are not careful. So choose one place in your house to eat and eat there and only there (this will likely be the table). Doing so will force you to pay more attention to what you are eating and prevent you from eating for reasons other than hunger.

3. You Aren't Getting Enough Protein - Protein is essential for proper functioning. What some people forget to realize though is that eating slightly higher protein diets can actually aid in weight loss. The reason behind this is because the body uses energy whenever it digests food.

Protein happens to require the most energy for the digestion process so your total net calories will be lower. Because of this, assuming you are eating the same amount of food, when you eat more protein over carbohydrates and fat, your body will actually be taking in fewer calories.

4. You Are Afraid Of Fat - You must get fat into your diet, not only to maintain healthy skin, hair and body functioning but also because it keeps you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. Staying full means less eating later on, less calories consumed and more weight loss for you! All because you decided fat really wasn't all that evil.

5. You Can't Remember What You've Eaten - Similar to the concept about not having a designated place where you are going to eat, forgetting what you have eaten earlier that day can also lead to weight gain. Furthermore, often people do not "remember" any of the beverage calories they have consumed and in this day and age, beverages can add up.

6. You Don't Have A Set Eating Schedule - Generally speaking, most people are going to do better on a diet when they have a set schedule that they eat around. This means planning out what times of the day you are going to eat and hopefully even going as far as planning out the exact foods. If you can do that and are also able to track how many calories are in the food you are consuming, dieting is an easy game.

7. You Associate Eating With Other Activities - Breaking this connection is a very hard process once the habit is made. For some people it won't be the TV but might be surfing the Internet or reading a book. Whatever you love to do, if you associate food with this hobby, you are in for trouble. This is yet another reason why it is good to have one designated area for eating (preferably NOT your couch) and stick to it.

Interval Training for Weight Loss

Bodybuilding - Interval Training for Weight Loss

The theory behind interval training is this: By mixing bursts of high intensity work with low intensity periods of recovery, you're overloading both the aerobic and anaerobic systems at the same time, getting the benefits of both aspects of training simultaneously. You can realistically get a complete workout in thirty minutes with interval training.

How Is It Done?
Begin as you would on any other day. Start at an easy pace and gradually increase your heart rate for at least five minutes. You can monitor this by taking your pulse for fifteen seconds and multiplying it by four or using a heart rate monitor. When you're sufficiently warmed up, you're ready for a burst of high intensity work. If you're on a treadmill, break into a jog or a sprint, depending on what "high intensity" means to you. During the high intensity periods, you're decreasing your body's ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.

You begin to feel the "burn" as your body eliminates lactic acid (a toxic by-product) and your muscles begin to lose their ability to contract. You wouldn't physically be able to maintain this level of intensity for long.

When you begin to wear your muscles out, decrease the intensity level to something that you could maintain for a longer period. Don't slow down so much that your pulse dips too low, though, or you will lose the aerobic effect completely. Now, you're in the "active recovery period". Your body's ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide increases and it can deliver nutrients to your muscles. The burn goes away and your breathing and heart rate slow down slightly. You have completed one cycle.

Repeat this process of maxing out and recovering your anaerobic system for at least thirty minutes. The high intensity periods should be shorter than the active recovery periods, especially at first. You might walk for five minutes and then run for one when you begin to introduce your body to this type of training. As you become more adept, increase the time you spend in high intensity periods. Forcing yourself to sustain long periods of high intensity activity is dangerous, so do use caution and work yourself up gradually.

No Weight Loss

No Weight Loss Dear Michel,

By: Natasha Turner The inability to lose weight while following a seemingly perfect nutrition, exercise and supplement program is very frustrating and unmotivating. This inability to lose weight can arise from a number of different causes, but two main causes contributing to this problem include: * Medications - antidepressants, high blood pressure pills, corticosteroid medications, hormone replacement or birth control pills, cancer treatments and many other medications. * Hormonal imbalance and medical conditions associated with hormonal imbalance - hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, Cushing's disease and other conditions. Hormonal Balance Fat loss is so dependant upon healthy hormonal balance, that unless we are well and in hormonal balance, it can be unattainable. Our hormones influence all of our cells - the brain, skin, hair, bones and more. They control growth, development, metabolism and reproduction. Hormones also influence where we store fat and our ability to lose it. PMS, hypoglycemia, cravings, fatigue, mood changes or sleep disruption are subtle signs of hormonal imbalance. We should thank our body for these clues because they tell us we need to take necessary steps to get back in balance -through nutrition, exercise, supplements, lifestyle changes and even altering the way we think. Yet, since these symptoms are so common, they are often ignored or accepted as normal. It's only after a more serious health concern arises are we forced to pay attention to what our body is telling us. Many different types of hormones impact our wellness and body composition. Becoming familiar with these hormones and their associated symptoms of imbalance allows us to alter our habits sooner, achieve optimal health and maintain fat loss. Let's discuss a few of the major players. Insulin We now know obesity is preceded by high insulin in the fasting state. Insulin instructs the body to store sugars as fat if they are not consumed as fuel. When insulin levels are too high, weight accumulates in the "love handles". Cravings, chronic hunger, high blood pressure or high cholesterol can also indicate insulin imbalance. Abdominal fat related to insulin excess is not only unsightly; it also poses a serious long-term health for metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease. TrueCoQPlus, TrueLean/ABS and TrueLeanExtreme can be particularly useful in this case. To determine if insulin is the cause of your weight loss problems or for more information about insulin, refer to the trouble-shooting sheet on insulin resistance and fat loss. Thyroid Hormone Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism. If your metabolism slows down, weight gain may result - sometimes even with proper diet and exercise. It is important to note that not all individuals experience weight gain when an insufficiency of thyroid hormone exists. Symptoms can vary and may include: * Cold intolerance, feeling cold * Dry skin * Lack of or diminished ability to sweat during exercise * Hair loss * Irregular menses or heavy menstrual bleeding * Constipation * Unexplained fatigue or lethargy, depression, poor concentration * Unexplained weight gain or an inability to lose weight This is a very common cause of weight gain and weight loss problems. Three tests must be completed by your doctor for thorough assessment of your thyroid function - not just the TSH. TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 should be measured in all cases of a suspected thyroid condition. TSH levels should be less than 2, while T3 and T4 levels are fine if they measure in the middle range. Cortisol Cortisol allows us to cope with long-term stress, whereas adrenalin is the hormone involved in the immediate response to stress. Chronically elevated levels of cortisol destroy muscle fibers, suppress immunity, affect memory and concentration, weaken bone mineral density and contribute to cancer. Stress kills your "mojo" and if all this is not incentive enough to address your daily stressors, stress also causes increased abdominal fat and interferes with thyroid hormone. If you suspect stress to be a cause, add TrueStress Support and visit the coping stress page in the Attitude section of Truestar.com. Estrogen and Testosterone Pre-menopausal women suffering from PMS, uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breast, abnormal pap smears, ovarian cysts or stress may have abnormally high estrogen levels compared to progesterone, a condition called estrogen dominance. It is essential to address this abnormal level of estrogen early, otherwise menopause can be problematic and the risk of estrogen-related cancers (breast, uterine) is increased. When estrogen levels are high during the pre-menopausal years, more body fat is common, particularly around the hips and thighs, but the right balance of progesterone relative to estrogen can prevent this pattern of weight gain. At menopause, many women accumulate weight around the waist rather than the hips. This "apple shape" over the "pear shape" is a result of hormonal changes at menopause, including a drop in estrogen and progesterone often coupled with an increase in cortisol and insulin. Men tend to possess more estrogen as they age which can lead to an accumulation of abdominal fat and an increased risk of heart disease. Testosterone naturally lessens in both sexes with aging and stress. This contributes to muscle loss, decreased bone mass, increased body fat, decreased energy and lack of libido. Growth Hormone Human growth hormone is released after strenuous exercise and during deep sleep following the release of melatonin. Growth hormone orchestrates the process of repair, rebuilds lean body mass and bone and influences body composition. Without enough sleep, the body will not repair as effectively and as a result, this leads to premature aging and weight gain. Not sleeping enough or in complete darkness will decrease our production of melatonin, therefore altering growth hormone release. Fortunately, growth hormone levels can be replenished by improving sleep habits, stress management and by taking the right supplements including TrueRENEW. This product contains amino acids known to stimulate GH production. Serotonin Our "happy hormone", serotonin, controls appetite and cravings. If levels are low, cravings for carbohydrates become stronger, making it difficult to avoid unhealthy carbohydrate choices such as cookies, pastries or muffins. Simply taking chromium or supplements containing 5 HTP that increase serotonin production can prevent cravings and reduce weight gain. Look for TrueCRAVING Control, it has both of these beneficial ingredients and it is safe for long-term use. By paying close attention to subtle signs, hormonal imbalances that may alter body composition can be recognized and treated. Once hormonal balances are identified, a harmonious blend of nutrition, sleep, supplements, exercise and, more importantly, a positive mental attitude can contribute to the perfect balance for weight loss and wellness. NutriSearch Comparative Guide