If you ever thought losing weight was easy, then it’s time to be schooled by reality. Getting rid of that extra pound proves more difficult for many people. If you belong to this section, then we saved you a seat. There’s more method to the madness of weight loss than exercise and food starvation.

 

(P.S. starving yourself is only you harming yourself.)

 

The fact is, the concept of weight loss is simple: burn more calories than you take in. There is an average of 3,594 calories in one pound of body fat. So, people try to reduce their calorie intake to reduce the pounds.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way because the body needs the calories. When you reduce your calorie intake, your metabolism also slows down, which causes you to lose fewer calories.

 

In addition, muscles help you burn fat, so when you go on a diet, you lose muscles along with the fat. Therefore, when you exercise and diet, you notice the pounds drop at the initial stage, but they suddenly slow down. At this stage, it seems like you aren’t doing enough and can get frustrated.

 

The weight loss commercials make it seem so easy. They tell you about a certain pill, a piece of equipment or diet that works, and then you try it and it’s like your body hates you. You wonder why that fupa is taking a long vacation on your belly. Your thighs are constantly smooching and it feels uncomfortable.

 

Staring at yourself before a mirror, you probably don’t like what you see. The reason is you’re not where you want to be in your weight loss journey.

 

Losing weight isn’t so easy, but you have to go through all the requirements to see a result. It goes beyond the diet and exercise to your mindfulness. Losing weight is halted by more reasons than that. Here are some reasons the pounds refuse to break up with you.

 

Reasons why losing weight is so difficult

 

1. Setting unrealistic goals

Okay, you want to lose 100 pounds in a week — that’s awesome. But when you wake up from that dream, then you can set a more realistic goal. When you do the most, you get more disappointed because you haven’t met it. Then you could be tempted to give up. Therefore, it’s wiser to begin with a more realistic goal for yourself. Success motivates, and not failure. So, set yourself up for success from the onset.

2. Lack of motivation

Starting the weight loss journey is easy — for the first few days, anyway. Countdown to a few pounds lost, and then you experience the struggle of losing more. Without the right motivation, you could get tempted to stop. People lose weight for many reasons. It could be because their boyfriend doesn’t like that extra pounds, for health reasons, or just a personal decision. Your weight loss could be short term (for that wedding slaying) or long term (for your health and a better lifestyle). Your motivation determines how long you can push for. As long as your motivation is solid, you can persevere.

 

3. Dieting

Truth is, dieting is actually not the best way to lose weight. If you lose weight by dieting, then you need to consult your doctor on your health status first. Furthermore, you need to get yourself the perfect meal plan. Don’t forgo the carbs completely because your body needs the energy. Rather than start a Yo-Yo (in and out) diet, focus more on eating mindfully. Instead of eating processed food laden with sugar, salt and fat, add vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods to your meal. Also, work on the portions of food you eat by keeping a food journal for what and how much you eat. This is you making better choices, not dieting.

4. Not working out

Hello! You want to lose weight but can’t work out? How else will you burn your calories without being more active? This is one reason people don’t lose weight because they don’t put in the work. If you don’t fancy going to the gym, you can work out in may other ways. Find something you enjoy doing that’s active and do it often. It could be walking, cycling, dancing or yoga, among others. What’s great about this is that you don’t have to be at the gym.

 

 

5. Keeping up with bad habits

Everyone has bad habits (some worse than others). When you keep up with these bad habits, your goal to lose weight may be in vain. If you’re fond of sleeping for too long or eating while you binge-watch a show like “Keeping up with the Kardashians“, you can manipulate this by eating something healthier.

 

6. Lack of support

You can be prepared for everything else, but when you arrive home to a tempting unhealthy meal on the table or a friend that keeps telling you you’re wasting your time, it can get discouraging. You need support on your journey to losing weight. Therefore, look out for a better support group and even a workout buddy.