We all want to lose weight fast; in fact, the sooner we get rid of those additional pounds and unwanted fat, the better we feel about ourselves and the easier it is to stick to our diet and exercise plan. But weight loss is a tricky proposition because it works differently for each of us. So you may see your spouse or buddy losing weight faster than you even though they’re doing pretty much the same workout and eating the same kind of food. But that’s no cause to worry, because when you find out why you’re not losing weight fast, it’s easy enough to rectify the problem. A few reasons your weight loss program is slower than you would like it to be are:
- Your metabolism is slow: If you lead an inactive and sedentary life – if your job requires you to sit for the better part of the day at one location – your metabolism is likely to be on the slower side. Also, if you adopt the same attitude when you get home and plop yourself on the couch in front of the television with a bottle of beer and a bag of chips to keep you company, you’re pushing it further down and reducing your chances of losing weight fast. The higher your metabolism, the faster it is to lose weight even when you’re sedentary.
- You don’t have enough muscle mass: The more muscles you have, the easier it is to lose weight because your metabolism gets a boost. So add a few strength training exercises to your workout routine to tone your muscles and also get your metabolism going. When you work out with weights, you look and feel much better and also lose weight faster.
- Your age: The older you are, the harder it is to lose weight, especially around your waist and hips (if you’re a woman) and around your stomach (if you’re a man). So if you’re above 35, you need to put in extra effort and work out more and/or eat less. Your body doesn’t need as many calories as it used to when you were young, and it becomes harder to lose extra flab.
- You’re skipping meals: You may think this reduces your calorie count and that you’ll be able to lose weight faster, but when you starve or skip meals, especially breakfast, you’re slowing down your metabolism and decreasing your chances of losing weight. So the best option is to eat small meals, more often, throughout the day. Also, choose foods that are healthy and nutritious.
- You’re stressed out: And finally, even if strenuous exercise and a lean diet are not enough to enable weight loss, you need to get your hormone levels checked. Stress is the main culprit when it comes to making your hormones go haywire and adding to your weight problems. Also, you may have other hormonal imbalances like a thyroid issue. So check with your doctor and also find ways to de-stress and relax. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re able to lose weight once your hormones are back to normal levels.
