Why Am I Not Losing Weight?

7 Changes to Make in Your Daily Routine

There are many reasons people have such a hard time losing weight. Every choice you make with your life will either impact your health in a positive way, leaving you energetic and vibrant, or in a negative way, leading to illness, disease, and pain. I want people to understand that optimal health is reached through a full lifestyle change. Changing patterns and habits is the hardest thing we can do, but it is necessary if you want to reach your goals. Here are 7 reasons you may not be losing weight and what you can do to get healthier.

1. Stop judging yourself!

You are way too hard on yourself. Seriously. I have seen it over and over again through the years. Many women and men won't look at themselves in the mirror, and if they do, they say awful things about themselves. This is learned behavior. We have learned these behaviors from watching our parents, friends, TV, movies, and reading books and magazines. Change the words you say to yourself in the mirror. Find only the positive things you see in yourself. 

2. Happiness in your life, job, spirituality, and relationships is very important.

If you are not happy with any aspect of your life, know you have complete control of it. As hard as it is to leave a job or a relationship after many years, know that it is possible. It is never easy to change, but I wouldn't be writing this article if I hadn’t taken so many risks myself. It’s so worth it, every failure along the way is a lesson. All the lessons make you smarter and stronger. It will lead to increased confidence in yourself and happiness in decisions that you made all on your own. 

3. Stress leads to increased cortisol levels followed by weight gain.

I have never seen people so stressed in my life. People are overworked at their jobs. After work, your attention goes to the children. People are constantly going all day long without taking a break to relax their bodies and minds. The best way to simply relax is by deep breathing to a count of ten. Find at least a couple of hours per week to do something that brings joy to your life.

4. If you are not exercising, you will have a harder time losing weight.

It is good to incorporate a good mix of strength training and cardio throughout your week to help increase your metabolism. Find the types of exercises that keep you motivated. Here's an example of my weekly routine that consists of strength training at least four days per week and some type of cardio at least five days per week. 

5. Poor diet is the number one factor why people have a hard time losing weight.

I personally have struggled many times in my life with keeping weight off. I have learned through the years you have to create a plan that works for you. Everyone has different food sensitivities, metabolisms, health issues, and medications that impact their bodies. One key to my success has been implementing limits, and not eliminating foods completely unless necessary. Here's some of what I do:

• Limit sugar. I only eat dessert a couple of times per month. No added table sugar to anything. I add local raw unpasteurized honey to my tea daily for health benefits. Pure maple syrup is what I put into my coffee every morning.

• No processed food, fast food, or fried food. There is more processed food than ever before in this country. Every aisle of the grocery store has some type of product that has been processed. It is optimal for the body to eat whole, natural foods from the earth. 

• Limit Alcohol. This is a very hard one for most people. We live in a day in age where breweries, gastropubs, and wineries are popping up everywhere. The biggest lesson I have learned about my body is that alcohol most definitely hinders weight loss. I have limits on myself of about four drinks per month. If I have a drink, it's usually a mojito with fresh mint, a glass of red wine, or vodka straight up with mottled fruit in it.  

• Intermittent Fasting. The first time I was asked my opinion about it I immediately said I despised it because I was taught to eat every 3-4 hours to keep my metabolism going.  After hitting menopause my body changed. I realized I needed to try something different. I researched a lot about intermittent fasting and was intrigued by it. Some aspects of it I like, and some I don't like. If I implement intermittent fasting into my routine, I usually have my eight-hour window between eight in the morning and four in the afternoon. My body feels energetic and strong after following this regimen. Not to mention I usually sleep well.

6. Confronting past tragedies and dealing with grief from loss can lead to depression which in turn can lead to weight gain. 

Our emotions are so tied to the connectedness and health of our bodies.  Emotions set off hormones in our body that make us feel out of control at times.  Some people don't cope well with their emotions and end up creating unhealthy habits that can lead to many more health issues.  I have conquered so many hurdles and failures in my life to get where I am now.  Facing the past was the hardest, but the most necessary for healing. 

7. Ingredients in body care items can impact your weight.

I am talking about shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, deodorant, perfumes, hair color and products, and lotions. I could go on.  We put so many chemicals in and on our bodies daily. Many of these products we use absorb through our skin and into our bloodstream. The ingredients in many popular products contain endocrine disruptors that can lead to weight gain, cancerous tumors, and developmental disorders. Here is a list of endocrine disruptor ingredients to watch for are:

• PCBs & Dioxins in pesticides; pesticides are found in our food.

• Dioxins are found in meat.

• Phytoestrogens are found in soy and other food.

• Phthalates "fragrance" & "perfume"

• BPA in plastics

• UV filters in sunscreens

• Triclosan in personal care products

• Parabens in skincare products

I've made many changes over the years in all these areas I listed. They have made a huge difference in how my body feels. Healthy mind, healthy body. Try to be more mindful of everything you are doing. Your body will communicate with you if it doesn't like something, you just must listen to it. Being healthy is a lifestyle. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes years of trial and error to figure out what works for you. It also takes breaking old habits once and for all.

Originally published for Longboat News