3 reasons your workout is not making you lose weight

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With everyone getting more conscious about diet and fitness, most of us are no stranger to working out and working towards a weight loss goal. If you’ve ever stuck with a weight loss plan long enough to see results, you’ve probably experienced something called weight loss plateau.

Quite simply, weight loss plateau is when you stop losing weight after a period of working out. If you’re stuck in a plateau, here are some things you should take note of and why you shouldn’t lose hope: 

#1 You’re losing fat but gaining muscle 

There is a probability that you are gaining muscle while burning fat, which can appear (on the scales) as stalled weight loss. Not only does the rate of weight loss slow down over time (you have less excess fat to burn), but your body works harder to hold onto your fat stores the leaner you get. 

#2 You aren’t adjusting your workout routine

Doing the same weights or same number of reps as you were a couple of months ago? Chances are your body isn’t being pushed enough physically. If the circuit that was killing you at the gym months ago is now a breeze, it’s time to up the intensity. Likewise, if you’ve got the cardio down pat, it’s time to focus on building your strength. 

Keeping to one mode of exercise is likely to result in a plateau at some point. It might be a good idea to take up a new fitness class or figure out if there are more advanced modes of a particular exercise.

#3 Consider your diet

The more weight you lose, the slower your metabolism is likely to get. There is also the fact that cutting calories over extended periods of time leads to a slower metabolism. The more we settle into our diet and exercise regime, the easier it is to give in to an occasional snack. 

Things like eating out more can make it difficult to control your calorie intake or track what you eat. If you find your weight loss at a standstill, consider keeping a food journal for a few weeks to pinpoint which snacks might be holding back your weight loss.

Sometimes it just takes a couple of small changes, like switching out any processed meats for lean chicken or fish and keeping to whole grains and complex carbs instead of the refined stuff like pasta and bread.

If switching up your workout and keeping a closer eye on your diet don’t get you out of the weight-loss rut, it might be time to talk to a professional!