1. Portion Sizes Are Too Large
I was raised to eat everything on my plate. My mom used to always say, "There are people in Africa who are starving! Eat all your food." I swear to you that's what she used to always say. I don't know why she felt a burden for the starving people in Africa versus any other starving people in any other nation! And for that matter, I don't know how me eating all my food solves the world hunger problem! Anyway, I digress... If you're eating prepacked foods such as cereals, juice, etc. read the label. You may find you are actually consuming up to 2-3 servings! Get a food scale and measure your food for a week. You may be surprised... maybe even horrified at the amount of food you under estimated you are actually eating!
2. Calories From Beverages
There are a lot of beverages which contain hidden calories. You may think you're drinking "all natural" fruit or vegetable juice but when you read the label may find more calories than expected. Many juices contain high sugar content in various different forms. I blogged in the past, when drinking fruit and veggie drinks, the fiber is removed which causes an insulin spike. Fiber binds to sugar molecules and helps minimize the insulin spike. You may be adding calories to your daily coffee and tea as well. Adding cream, sugar and flavour shots can cause the calorie count to skyrocket! Think you're doing good with diet drinks such as Diet Coke? These beverages contain artificial sweeteners which tend to increase hunger.
3. Eating High Fat, High Calorie "Health" Foods
The label may say it's healthy. We all know foods such as yogurt are "healthy". Guacamole is healthy as well because it contains unsaturated fats. However, these foods tend to also be high in calories, natural fats and sugars such as fructose. Foods with high sugar content and sugar substitutes create a chemical reaction in the body which stimulate our hunger response. The label may advertise high fiber, high protein or diet, but this doesn't necessarily mean low calories or low sugar! CHECK OUT MY BLOG FROM LAST WEEK CALLED "SYNTHETIC FOOD - A New Way Of Life?" for "Tricks Of The Trade" used to disguise high calorie, high fat foods as healthy.
4. Alcohol
Even when consumed in moderation, you may be consuming more calories than you'd suspect. Drinking low/no calorie drinks such as vodka and water or diet soda can still come with pitfalls. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, alcohol and artificial sugars can stimulate hunger. We usually pair alcohol with foods. Adding foods such as cheese and crackers, pasta, pizza, dips, wings etc. can pack on the calories and fat in no time! Wine and many other alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories. We tend to lose track of our portion control as well.
5. Cheat Meal Becomes a Cheat Day Or Weekend
ONE bad meal here and there won't destroy all your hard work and meal planning. But, when you string a couple together, all your hard work in the gym and conscientious nutrient intake can go out the window! If you find your cravings are too great, perhaps eliminate the cheat meal for a while until you are more structured and focused. Don't let the "cheat meal" become an excuse to eat anything you want with reckless abandonment!
6. Thinking You Can Out Work A Bad Diet
I used to tell people I workout so I can eat whatever I want. As I got older and my metabolism has slowed down, I soon realized you can't outwork a bad diet! "ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN" Even if you burn 600 calories in spin, Zumba or one of my Kickfit classes, you may have just replaced those calories or more with your next meal! I have seen people coming to the gym for years who workout hard for an hour or more every day yet look no different or even worse! You can't outwork a bad diet. Nutrient intake is responsible for up to 80% of your fitness progress!
So there you have it... half a dozen reasons you may find you're not reaching your weight loss goals. Take a look at these areas of your fitness routine and see if you aren't guilty of one or more. Make the necessary changes and you should start to see your body changing for the better!