People sometimes have unrealistic expectations regarding what they can achieve with just dieting. Unless you combine a healthy diet with an intense workout routine, it will take you much longer to get the results you desire. It’s not uncommon to see people put on some weight if they are exercising and building muscle. However, if your main goal was to lose weight and you are actually putting on the pounds – you are probably doing something wrong. Here are 7 reasons why you’re regaining weight.
7 reasons why you're regaining weight....
1. The initial weight loss was water
Everyone knows that it’s important to stay hydrated when you are working out. Unfortunately, some people underestimate how much water they should be drinking and end up starving their bodies. Although it may seem like you are making progress in your weight loss if you only go by what the scale tells you, the truth is that your body is mostly made up of water. When you start dieting and exercising, most of the initial weight loss will be your body shedding water. Although it can represent a lot of net weight loss, those pounds will immediately bounce back as soon as your body starts recovering.
2. After your diet is over, you return to old habits
Fitness should be a lifelong goal. If you are only exercising and dieting to ‘lose a few pounds’, or get that ‘beach body for your vacation’ – we’ve got some bad news for you. One of the reasons why you’re regaining weight is likely that you stopped your strict adherence to dieting and working out once you achieved your goals. Sadly, going back to your old habits usually means regaining weight as well. Most people will only stick to a diet to get to a certain weight goal. Once they achieve their desired weight, they think their body will just magically stay that way forever. Realistically, old habits die hard, and they might be preventing your permanent weight loss.
3. Poor choice of diets
Instead of thinking of diets as a way to lose weight, try to think of them as a healthy nutrition plan you will adopt to gain an overall healthier lifestyle. Yo-yo diets get their name from the weight that just comes back to you as soon as the diet is over. Instead of picking a diet that will only starve you, you should find something sustainable that you can stick to in the long run. A proper weight loss diet will help you get rid of the pounds, as well as give you enough nutrients and energy to build muscle. Don’t pick a fad diet that promises miracle solutions, and be realistic that you can only achieve results if you put in the work.
4. Misjudged calories
Some people decide they want to stick to a strict calorie-controlled diet plan. However, even if you are counting your calories, there may be some things that are setting the equation off balance and ruining your plan. While there’s nothing wrong with reducing your caloric intake, a few miscalculations and rounded numbers could be the reasons why you’re regaining weight. The most common mistake people make is that they only count calories from the food they eat and forget about all of the drinks they have during the day. Sugary drinks are loaded with calories, much more than you’d think. Another common setback is that people use apps that estimate the calories of their meals instead of doing the accurate math themselves. You could be eating larger portions while counting calories for a smaller serving.
5. The wrong approach to exercise
Finding the time and motivation to exercise is always hard, but unless you are determined to stick to your workout routine, it’s very easy to slip up and start skipping your training. Couple that with a lack of knowledge on nutrition and how your body’s metabolism functions, and you’ll probably regain the weight you’ve lost and struggle to put on muscle. When it comes to finding the time to exercise, perhaps you can set up a gym you can use whenever you want in your home. You can also find a buddy to work out with in your home gym or a personal trainer to help you stay motivated.
Besides finding ways to stay motivated, you also need to keep in mind that muscles are naturally heavier than fat, and some exercises can actually cause you to gain weight. If you are cutting your calories too much and not resting enough, you’ll quickly be caught in a vicious cycle of constantly feeling exhausted – and that can lead to poor food choices that can undo all the hard work you have put in.
6. Choice of food
Your food choices can have a significant impact on your weight loss. Even if you know which foods to avoid, it’s still easy to gain back some of the weight you’ve lost due to slight changes in your diet. Here is how some less than obvious food choices can cause you to gain weight:
● Seasonal food. People often think that seasonal and fresh food is healthy and leads to weight loss. Following that logic, they sometimes let themselves go a bit too far with seasonal fruit, which can be full of natural sugar even if you bought it at the local farmer’s market.
● Winter fatty food. During the colder months of the year, your body will naturally crave more calories and more substantial food. Your metabolism has a natural rhythm, and it’s perfectly natural to eat more during the winter and less during the summer.
● Not enough fiber and protein in your diet. Sticking to a weight loss diet isn’t only about calories. Fiber will help your digestion and make you feel fuller for a longer time, while protein will fuel your muscles and give you enough strength to exercise.
7. Eating without noticing
For many people, eating all day long is an ingrained habit they don’t even notice anymore. Be careful if you are constantly snacking due to:
● Social situations. People tend to eat more when they are with friends.
● Stress eating. If you are facing a lot of stress, it’s common to turn to comfort food.
● Snacking while working. Desk jobs which require a lot of focus often cause people to snack on junk food while they work.
In conclusion
In this article, we’ve gone over 7 reasons why you’re regaining weight. If you’ve recognized yourself in any of the above, it may be time to find a personal trainer who can get you into shape and help you stay fit and healthy.