Are you eating well, working out regularly and tracking your calorie intake/expenditure but still finding it difficult to lose weight? You are not alone! One of the most frequent questions we hear as trainers is why despite doing all the necessary things, you still struggle to see a change on the scales.
We look at 3 simple factors to consider:
Caloric Balance
One of the reasons exercise is great is that it allows you to burn extra calories helping you control control your caloric balance (calories in - calories out). However, lots of us overestimate how much we burn and would even use the "I worked out today" reason to overeat, overdrink booze or overindulge later. How often have you faced a food temptation and thought, "Well, I worked out today, therefore it is appropriate this time?" Or even, "I will have this now, but work out extra hard tomorrow to burn it away." If this seems all too-familiar, then this is could be one important reason you are not losing weight.
Top tip: Exercise is a great tool when you are utilizing it to burn extra calories, avoid using it as an excuse to consume more.
Consistency
When you are fighting to lose those final 5-10 pounds or to win one over a plateau, consistency on your part is much more significant. Lots of us vigorously follow diet and fitness plans for weeks or days at a time, but after a while, consistency starts to wane affecting your long term results. Ever eat "flawlessly" and work out "religiously" for an entire week and then step on the scale that weekend only to see that you haven’t lost a pound? "What is the point!" you may subconsciously reason as you go for an all-out eating fest and sideline the gym for several days. Sometimes it’s less than a week, a day or two perhaps, during which you eat right for one day, but then fall off the wagon the next?
Working out once every couple of weeks is not going to give you much in the way of noticeable changes. You might feel good once you've done it, but you will struggle to lose any weight, gain any muscle definition or get healthier.
Don’t be disheartened if you do not see results straight away. Whilst it varies between individuals, on an average it takes 6-8 weeks to see changes in your weight and body appearance.
Top tip: Eat right and work out 3 to 5 times a week consistently as required. Apply both moderation and portion control when it comes to indulging.
Intensity
If your workouts lack a reasonable level of intensity, you could eat well and visit the gym 5 times a week but still see a lack of noticeable results. Intensity can be lost by not challenging yourself or doing the same routine at the same pace / resistance and duration over a long period of time. Gradual progressions and a review of your workout plan at least every 8 weeks is one of the best way to ensure you are consistently challenging your body to adapt and change. This does not mean you have to be in pain or struggling to move but you should feel like you could not have done any more at the end of a workout.
A great tool to measure your current level of intensity for aerobic and interval workouts is the Borg Scale (see below) which is used to identify your rate of perceived exertion (RPE). It’s simple but you would be surprised by what you can do if you progressively challenge yourself.
Top tip: Increase your workout intensity by progressions such as raising the incline on a treadmill or adding extra resistance to a movement and challenge yourself.
If you would like to receive a free review of your exercise routine, speak to a Synergy mentor on your next visit to the gym.
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