10 reasons why you might be gaining weight when you’re trying to lose it

Women sometimes complain that they’re not losing weight no matter how much they stick to a healthy eating regime or exercise. We have put together the top 10 possible reasons why the weight’s not coming off.

Why You Might Be Gaining Weight When You’re Trying to Lose It

It can be frustrating to put in all the hard work, but not see any results. While some reasons you aren’t losing weight may be health-related, other reasons could be that you may need to switch up your routine a bit. Try these tips and see if you notice a difference.

Weighing yourself too often

Your weight fluctuates on a daily basis and for women, it is also based on your monthly cycle. Continuously stepping on the scale will result in weight fluctuations.

Don’t forget to MEASURE and take progress pictures and you may find a huge difference compared to the scales.

Snacking too much throughout the day

You think a few little bites here and there won’t matter? WRONG! Mindless snacking, even on healthy foods like nuts, can rack up over 1000 extra calories per day that you may not be accounting for. If you feel hungry have a big glass of water first before grabbing a snack or make yourself a nutritious Healthy Mummy Smoothie.

Not doing enough exercise

If you’ve just started walking a bit great, keep it up! Incidental exercise is good but in order to lose weight and see more results, you need to work hard to reach the recommended amount of time you exercise. Plus it will release some major endorphins and make you feel pumped.

Check out the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for lots of great exercise ideas.

Lack of Sleep

According to research women who don’t get enough sleep (less than 5 hours per night) are 32 per cent more likely to experience major weight gain compared to women who slept at least 7 hours a night.

Weekend splurging

You work hard on your healthy eating all week, but weekends are often sabotaged by takeout, cocktails and unlimited snacking. All these little treats add up. Don’t let the weekend be your weakness!

Overindulging on healthy foods

Olive oil, nuts, brown rice, whole wheat bread and avocado are all very healthy foods. But every food has a calorie amount and a proper portion for your body. It’s easy to think just because it’s healthy. You can eat lots of it – not so. Make sure you check your calorie intake before going overboard.

Rewarding yourself with food

The classic mistake of saying “I just exercised for an hour and deserve an ice cream sundae” won’t reap you any rewards. That 600-plus calorie treat has many more calories than you’ve just burned off with exercise.

Not eating enough!

When you’re trying to lose weight, what you eat rather than how much exercise you do has the biggest impact on weight loss. That said, it is possible that if you exercise too much, it can prevent you from losing weight as it can stop your body from burning fat. Remember, calories in versus calories out.

Don’t forget to check the number of calories you should consume each day to help with weight loss.

You’ve gained muscle

Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue. So as you gain more muscle and lose fat, you change your overall body composition, which can result in a higher weight, but a smaller figure and better health. Don’t just rely on the scales – take measurements to track progress.

You have a medical condition

Some medical conditions and medications can contribute to weight gain.

A couple of health conditions known to affect weight is PCOS and thyroid disease. A thyroid deficiency can cause a decrease in metabolism and may lead to weight gain.

There are also a number of drugs that may have weight gain as a side effect for some people. Some common ones include hormonal medications for birth control or menopause, oral steroids, some anti-depressants, diabetes medications, and antipsychotic medications.

Too much stress

Another reason could be that you’re under stress and your body is producing too much cortisol, which is causing you to retain extra kilos. Try ensuring you are getting enough rest, sleep and downtime to relax and unwind.

Read more:

• 8 reasons why you’re having no luck losing belly fat
• 10 reasons why you might not have lost weight

If you’re starting a weight loss journey, why not book an online consultation with one of Moshy’s expert Aussie doctors? Moshy provides expert support from Australian doctors and dietitians where and whenever you’re free. 

Join Moshy today and become part of a community of thousands of women supporting each other on their journey to look and feel their best.

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