WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?!
WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?!
No, I am not talking about me this time! 😂
But I hear this question ALL THE TIME.
“I’m eating healthy.”“I’m exercising.”“I’ve been really good.”“Why am I not losing weight?!”
And my first response is usually:
Let’s take a look.
Not because I don't believe you.
Not because you need another crazy diet.
And certainly not because I think you need to eat 900 calories a day and exercise for two hours.
But sometimes what we think we are doing and what we are actually doing are two different things.
That's where awareness comes in.
Before deciding that “nothing works,” let's look at a few areas that may be getting in your way.
PORTIONS: HOW MUCH ARE YOU REALLY EATING?
Healthy food still has calories.
Nuts are healthy.Avocados are healthy.Olive oil is healthy.Cheese is healthy.Whole grains are healthy.
But portions still matter.
A drizzle of olive oil can turn into several tablespoons pretty quickly. A handful of nuts can become three handfuls. A little cheese can become a lot of cheese.
And then there are the bites, licks and tastes we don't think count.
They count.
This is exactly why I sometimes go back to weighing and measuring my food. Not forever. Not because I want food to become a math problem.
I do it to recalibrate my eyeballs.
Remember Power of 13 #1:
Cut your portion in half.
You can always have more if you're truly hungry.
QUALITY: WHAT ARE THOSE CALORIES MADE OF?
Calories matter, but so does what you're getting for those calories.
Five hundred calories of highly processed food is going to affect your hunger, satisfaction and nutrition very differently than a balanced meal containing protein, vegetables, fiber and healthy fat.
One of my favorite rules right now is:
LEAD WITH PROTEIN.
Then build around it.
Add vegetables.
Add some healthy fat.
Add a quality carbohydrate or fiber source when it fits your needs.
It doesn't need to be complicated.
Chicken + roasted vegetables + potato.
Eggs + vegetables + avocado.
Cottage cheese + fruit + nuts.
Steak + salad + roasted vegetables.
Simple food works!
MEAL PAIRING: ARE YOUR MEALS ACTUALLY SATISFYING YOU?
This is one people overlook.
You can eat something that fits perfectly into your calorie budget and be starving an hour later.
That's not particularly helpful.
Protein helps with fullness and supports muscle.
Healthy fats add satisfaction.
Fiber helps slow digestion and keeps you fuller longer.
Put them together and suddenly that meal has some staying power.
Instead of asking only:
“How many calories is this?”
Try asking:
“What is this meal going to do FOR me?”
ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH?
YES. I said enough.
Eating less and less isn't always the answer.
If you're constantly hungry, tired, thinking about food and struggling to get through your workouts, we need to look at whether you're adequately fueling yourself.
Trying to survive all day on tiny meals can also lead to a very predictable outcome:
You get ravenous later and overeat.
I'd rather see you eat enough of the RIGHT foods throughout the day than white-knuckle your way through hunger and end up standing in the kitchen at 9:00 PM looking for anything that isn't nailed down.
TIMING: WHEN ARE YOU EATING?
There isn't one magical eating schedule that works for everyone.
You know I don't believe in ONE right way.
But your timing should work for you.
Are you skipping breakfast even though it leaves you starving at lunch?
Are you barely eating during the day and consuming most of your calories at night?
Are you grazing from dinner until bedtime?
Are long stretches without food causing you to make choices you wouldn't normally make?
Look at the pattern.
The best meal timing is the one that helps YOU manage hunger, energy and portions.
EXERCISE: ARE YOU REALLY WORKING AS HARD AS YOU THINK?
This one may sting a little.
Walking is wonderful.
Yoga is wonderful.
Strength training is wonderful.
Movement of ANY kind matters.
But if you've been doing the exact same workout at the exact same intensity for months or years, your body may have become very efficient at it.
Ask yourself:
Can I walk a little faster?
Can I go a little farther?
Can I increase my weights?
Can I add another strength day?
Am I challenging myself—or simply checking the exercise box?
You don't need to destroy yourself in the gym.
But some challenge is a good thing.
And strength training becomes especially important as we age because maintaining muscle matters far beyond what the scale says.
AND ARE YOU EATING BACK YOUR EXERCISE?
Ohhhh, this is a big one.
“I walked three miles, so I earned this.”
Be careful.
Exercise is fantastic for your health, but it doesn't always burn as many calories as we think it does—and trackers can only estimate calorie burn.
A workout also doesn't mean we have an unlimited food allowance afterward.
And exercise can make some people hungrier.
So pay attention.
Are you exercising more…and accidentally eating more too?
STRESS: WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
Weight loss isn't just about what's on your plate.
How is your stress?
Are you constantly running?
Are you taking care of everyone except yourself?
Are you emotionally exhausted?
Stress can affect appetite, cravings, sleep and our ability to make thoughtful choices.
This is where some of the things people think have “nothing to do with weight loss” become incredibly important.
Journal.
Write down what you're feeling—not just what you're eating.
Meditate.
It doesn't need to be 30 minutes. Start with five.
Deep breathe.
Give your nervous system a chance to settle.
Get outside.
Create boundaries.
Make time for yourself.
Managing stress isn't an extra.
It's part of taking care of your health.
AND PLEASE…SLEEP!
Are you getting close to 7–9 hours of quality sleep most nights?
If not, don't ignore it.
Sleep affects hunger, energy, recovery, mood and decision-making.
Think about the day after a terrible night's sleep.
Are you craving vegetables and excited to exercise?
Probably not.
You're tired.
You want quick energy.
You may want sugar.
You may want more caffeine.
And your workout may suddenly sound much less appealing.
Sleep is part of the plan.
NOW FOR THE BIG ONE: CONSISTENCY
This might be the most important question of all.
How often are you actually doing what you say you're doing?
Eating beautifully Monday through Thursday and going off the rails Friday through Sunday can erase a lot of progress.
One healthy meal doesn't create weight loss.
One indulgent meal doesn't destroy it either.
It's the pattern.
Your body doesn't know that Saturday “doesn't count.”
It all counts.
And that isn't meant to make you feel guilty.
It's meant to give you information.
SO…WHY AREN'T YOU LOSING WEIGHT?
Instead of immediately cutting more food or adding another workout, do a little investigating.
Look at:
Your portions
Your food quality
Your protein
Your healthy fats
Your fiber
Your meal combinations
Your meal timing
Whether you're eating enough
Your exercise intensity
Whether exercise is causing you to eat more
Your stress
Your sleep
And your CONSISTENCY
And here's where my favorite tool comes in:
JOURNAL IT.
For one week, write it down.
What did you eat?
How much?
When?
Were you hungry?
Were you satisfied?
How did you sleep?
Did you exercise?
How was your stress?
How were you feeling?
Don't journal to prove that you're doing something wrong.
Journal to discover what's actually happening.
Because very often, the answer to “WHY AM I NOT LOSING WEIGHT?!” isn't that you need some new diet.
You don't need perfect.
You don't need extreme.
You may simply need to find the one or two places where your actions aren't quite matching your goals yet.
Awareness gives you information.
Information gives you choices.
And those little choices, made consistently, are what move you forward.
That's common sense.
And THAT is what the Power of 13 is all about.
Ready for Support?
If you’re ready to simplify your routine, clean things up, and finally build habits that stick…
💜 Visit AlwaysOnYourSideCoaching.com or book a consultation here: https://www.alwaysonyoursidecoaching.com/service-page/1-1-coaching-consultation
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I am Always On Your Side,
Coach Paris 💜💚
Helping you find your easiest way to health—because there is no one right way.
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