Why don't the extra pounds go away? Several reasons why your weight is worth

The “plateau” effect in action: why weight stays the same when losing weight

The first reason why strange weight loss occurs after numerous attempts to get rid of extra pounds is hormonal changes that occur in the second phase of the cycle. It is at this time that progesterone levels increase, accompanied by fluid retention in the body. We often “accumulate” up to 3 liters of water in ourselves.

Should you panic in this case? No, because after completing the cycle, the weight will begin to decrease - provided that you adhere to the correct method, which involves following the advice of a nutritionist, regular meals, a balanced and healthy diet. Otherwise, the extra pounds will not be slow to return - however, already in double the volume.

Cardio training and weight loss

Sometimes fitness activities do not lead to weight loss with maximum effort. And even with an increase in cardio loads, body weight remains unchanged or, worse, increases. Experts can explain such processes by one of the following reasons:

• The number of calories consumed exceeds the number burned during exercise. A half-hour run in the gym on a treadmill can burn up to three hundred calories. The same amount can be easily returned by eating a hamburger after a fitness class or drinking coffee and dessert. In this case, the psychological factor that the calories have been spent, and therefore you can relax and allow yourself to eat high-calorie food, plays a paramount role. Therefore, it is very important to learn to control yourself and not go beyond the required calorie intake.
• Fluid retention in the body. Salty foods can provoke this process, and body weight can easily increase by a couple of kilograms.
• Disturbances of the endocrine system. With such a serious problem, neither diet nor exercise will lead to weight loss, no matter how much effort is put in. Hormonal disruptions disrupt the entire functioning of the body, and therefore, in case of endocrine diseases, weight loss is possible only under the supervision and control of a doctor.
• Low glucose levels. The lack of a proper snack after performing fitness exercises provokes a decrease in glucose levels and causes an acute feeling of hunger, which leads to overeating.
• Excessive consumption of sports supplements. Popular isotonic cocktails are quite high in calories and are recommended for athletes who actively spend time in the gym for a long time. And for those who exercise 1-1.5 hours twice or thrice a week, such drinks can hinder weight loss.

If you are experiencing difficulties with weight loss and the process is not as active as you would like, you can try to correct it using the following tips:

• Change your fitness exercises. You can replace one workout in the gym with swimming in the pool or jogging outside. A new type of exercise usually forces the body to spend energy more intensively and burn fat deposits more actively.
• Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep deprives the body of the opportunity to recover, and without recovery, subsequent fitness exercises become useless.
• Get more rest. Intense training, especially for beginners, is a lot of stress, which, combined with overwork, can negatively affect weight loss. To correct the situation, it is enough to take a week's break from intense sports activities, but continue to eat right and do light exercises.
• Exercise regularly. Only systematic training with increasing load can lead to effective weight loss.
• Give up bad habits and adjust your diet and regimen. Drinking alcohol and high-calorie junk food makes fitness ineffective.

So you have chosen a healthy lifestyle, follow a diet, sleep and rest schedule, signed up for a gym and are actively loading your body with physical exercise. And all of you are so easy, successful and purposeful. And then we decided to weigh ourselves... and oops... and the weight increases. It seems that according to all the rules, training should reduce it, but the weight has increased. What is the reason?

Girls often complain about this reaction of the body. Men also have this effect, but the fact is that for the most part, men go to the gym in order to gain this same muscle mass, and this does not bother them. Girls go to the gym mainly with the goal of losing weight, that is, reducing weight due to additional energy consumption during training. And the weight does not decrease.

So, there are several reasons why the weight after training did not decrease, but rather increased.

Muscle swelling

The most likely cause of weight gain after exercise is muscle swelling. In the first 2-4 weeks after unusual loads, water begins to be retained in the muscles, and they increase in volume and, accordingly, in weight.

This phenomenon is often confused with muscle growth

. Due to her genetic characteristics, it is very difficult for a girl to gain even a kilogram of muscle. All pumped-up athletes, whose photos they love to post on social networks, take male hormones and use drugs that accelerate muscle growth. Their hormonal balance is shifted towards the male, and therefore it is very naive to believe that two or three workouts for a beginner will lead to muscle growth by a kilogram and a half. There will be virtually no muscle growth during normal training, so there is no need to worry about this. At the most, you will tone them up and make your body more prominent.

The weight of the human body is the sum of the weight of all its components: muscles, fat, bones, brain, nerve fibers, connective tissue, blood, lymph, intestinal gases, urine, and the air that we carry in our lungs.

Immediately after a normal workout, the ratio of all the components listed above can change by as much as 15 percent! Intense workouts are bound to cause your scale to fluctuate. Factors such as hydration, muscle inflammation from fiber breaks (sores), even the amount of byproduct or urine, as well as the volume of circulating blood will definitely affect the change in overall body weight.

What to do about it?

Doing nothing, this is a natural process in the body, there is no escape from it. Wait 2-3 weeks, the muscles will adapt to the load, and the weight will automatically go down.

The main thing here is not to be afraid of the numbers and to systematically continue training, not paying attention to the scales.

Exceeding daily caloric intake

Compensatory nutrition is also a common cause of primary weight gain. An average workout burns 300-500 kcal at best, and that's just a slice of your favorite cake. If you eat more than your body can absorb, it will not lead to weight loss, but to weight gain, even if you train hard.

The same applies to compensation under the motto, I need strength to lift weights. This is a very popular excuse along with “I’ll work off my morning sweets in the evening training.” Undoubtedly, strength is needed for exercise, but balance must be maintained everywhere. If you want, the amount of food consumed should be less than the energy expended. It doesn’t matter whether you train or not. This is a dogma rule. Despite the fact that we tend to underestimate the number of calories and overestimate the effort expended. I'm not afraid of this word, the error reaches 50%.

What to do about it?

Control your diet, or better yet, start counting calories. Successful weight loss is 80% a well-established diet and only 20% physical activity.

Lead, count calories, avoid fast carbohydrates and minimize fat. Unfortunately, sports alone without nutritional correction will not lead you to an ideal body.

• Don't panic about the numbers on the scale;
• always control your diet;
• do a good stretch after training;
• don’t be afraid to exercise:
  even if the weight increases at first after training, your body will be closer to its ideal shape;
• measure volumes and look at changes in body quality by taking photographs.

Did you experience weight gain when you started training? Tell us!

Why doesn't weight loss occur during fasting and dieting?

For those who deny themselves breakfast and dinner and eat selectively, crossing out healthy foods along with unprofitable ones, the news is disappointing - losing weight cannot be effective when restrictions and prohibitions are used. And that's why.

Imagine that you will eat several apples a day and wash them down with kefir, cut down on morning portions, and most importantly, completely refuse to eat after six. How will the body respond to this? He will perceive such a “hunger strike” as stress and a challenge, and will begin to produce much less energy - therefore, he will burn calories more slowly. And this is fraught with metabolic disorders.

When does our body begin to process incoming food into energy? That's right - in the early hours. Alas, most of us say “no” to him and forget about breakfast. As a result, he gets everything he needs and even more at lunch, and it is at this time that excess calories are not burned, but are deposited straight into the “fat depot”.

Why does dieting cause weight gain?

There are several reasons why extra pounds are in no hurry to leave us despite strict prohibitions and a meager diet:

• Activation of austerity mode - the less you give to the body, the less it spends and stores more. You feel dizzy, lose strength, your stomach is empty, but the weight is not decreasing - which means it’s time to change tactics and stop torturing yourself.

• Breakdowns under strict restrictions - if you forbid yourself something without finding a worthy replacement, later this forbidden fruit will be picked by you at the first opportunity - you will simply get tired of systematically depriving yourself of what brought joy and pleasure.

• With a lack of protein foods and sources of unsaturated fats, your appetite increases - the feeling of hunger will drive you crazy until you drown it out with something sweet. However, the way out of this situation is fundamentally different - a transition to a balanced diet, expanding the diet and including in it what is vital for the proper functioning of the body and normalization of metabolism.

The less we feed ourselves, the slower our metabolism. It turns out to be a dead end: if I eat, I gain weight; if I don’t eat, I also quickly gain extra pounds. Why, while on a diet, do we watch with despair as the weight does not go away, but increases? The point is the wrong strategy - you won't get far on fasting. And less than 600 kcal per day for women and 800 for men, monotonous, meager and irregular nutrition (for example, once a day) is a deliberate harm to one’s health, threatening hospitalization. Draw conclusions and switch to a balanced diet and safe methods - for your own good.

What is weight

After measuring the volumes, we will evaluate such a quantity as weight. Doctors say that this is an important indicator of the degree of physical development of a person. From the point of view of the average person, it is always superfluous, especially if the weight does not go away when losing weight, but stops. At home, you can weigh yourself using floor scales.

There are many methods and formulas for calculating the normal body weight of a person. A common calculation method is the Broca anthropometric index. It is very easy to use. In order to correctly determine your weight norm in kg, you need to subtract from your height in cm:

• 100 – for people up to 165 cm tall;
• 105 – with height from 165 to 175 cm;
• 110 – if a person is taller than 175 cm.

Why does weight stay the same when dieting and doesn’t go down: workout until you break a sweat

For some, the situation is a little different - they add a visit to a fitness club or other intense physical activity to their mononutrition. The mistake of those who hope to lose excess weight through training and long sessions in the gym is the inadequacy of the efforts made. Think about it: sweatshops only allow you to get rid of water, but not the weight of extra pounds. Even with grueling exercises performed daily, calorie consumption per day does not exceed 900 per hour. And this is only 100 g of fat.

And the state after a workout does not contribute to weight loss - you are tired, physical activity slows down sharply, but your appetite increases. So it’s not far from a breakdown.

Everything is good in moderation. Do you want to keep yourself in good shape? Then choose options that are safe for your health and gentle - swimming or yoga. If you decide to go all the way and every day, barely breathing, you return from training in the gym, do not be surprised that the weight does not go away - it stands still or inexorably grows.

Possible reasons why weight may have increased after training

Muscle swelling

The most likely cause of weight gain after exercise is muscle swelling. After unusual loads, water begins to be retained in the muscles, and they increase in volume. This phenomenon is temporary and has nothing to do with muscle growth. In just a couple of weeks they will return to normal, and your weight will go down.

What to do about it?

Doing nothing, this is a natural process in the body, there is no escape from it. Wait 2-3 weeks, the muscles will adapt to the load and the weight will go down.

The main thing here is not to be afraid of the numbers and to systematically continue training, not paying attention to the scales. Also, do not forget to do a good stretch after exercise: high-quality stretching workouts perfectly tone your muscles and help create a beautiful relief.

Exceeding daily caloric intake

Don’t think that if you play sports, you can eat in unlimited quantities. This is wrong. An average workout can help you burn between 300 and 500 calories in an hour, and that's just a slice of your favorite layer cake. If you eat more than your body can absorb, then not only will you not lose weight, but you will also gain weight after training.

What to do about it?

Stick to a moderate diet, or better yet, start counting calories. Successful weight loss is 70% a well-established diet and only 30% regular exercise.

Keep a food diary, count calories, avoid sweets and fast food. Sports will not lead you to an ideal body if you do not change your eating habits. Alas, this is true.

Popular misconception why weight may increase after exercise

Many people believe that weight gain after exercise is a consequence of muscle growth. If we are not talking about strength training with heavy weights and protein nutrition, then this is an absolute misconception! Even if you really want to, it is very difficult for girls to build up muscles: the gain in muscle mass per month, at best, will be no more than 500 g. With regular training, there will be no muscle growth, so there is no need to worry about it. At the most, you will tone them up and make your body more toned and sculpted.

Four important tips to make your workouts effective:

• don’t step on the scale every day and don’t panic about the numbers;
• control your diet;
• do a good stretch after training;
• don’t be afraid to play sports:
  even if the weight increases during the first time after training, your body will be closer to its ideal shape;
• measure volumes and look at changes in body quality by taking photographs.

Weight gain with stops or “plateau” on the contrary

So, we have already dealt with the problem that poisons the lives of many who are losing weight - when the number on the scale does not change and does not even think about decreasing. However, there is also a completely opposite phenomenon - such stops can occur not only while getting rid of extra pounds, but also when gaining them.

How does this happen? The fact is that fat deposits are formed gradually. And the increase scheme is as follows: weight gain (even if insignificant) – pause – increase again.

What happens during stops? The person slowly gets used to his “new” body, considers it absolutely normal and natural for himself. In this way, you can unnoticed gain excess weight and only then feel that your figure is far from ideal and your health has deteriorated.

How to avoid such an epiphany? There are several simple but effective tips:

• Be sure to weigh yourself - you need to do this at least once a month. It is especially important to follow this rule if you know that you are prone to obesity. It is good to set a limit for yourself - a certain number, overcoming which (in the direction of increasing body weight) will be considered critical. It’s even better if you get help from a nutritionist who can find a way to change your diet and help you stay on track to avoid disappointing consequences.

• Pay attention to those alarm bells that indicate you are gaining extra pounds - listen to your body more often. The simplest thing is that if your clothes become too small, you need to do something. You can buy a T-shirt and trousers of the size that you consider ideal for yourself (without fanaticism, be sure to discuss what is considered normal with a professional), and check monthly whether such new clothes fit you well.

We have given you 2 rules that everyone can follow. Is it really dangerous to stop in the process of getting rid of extra pounds? Let’s find out further.

Why did you stop losing weight? Top 15 reasons.

Eat right11/23/2017

Why did you stop losing weight? Top 15 reasons.

Almost every person who loses weight has encountered the problem of stopping the weight loss process. Let's look at the reasons for this behavior of the body.

One of the first reasons is that you are a beginner.

in this case. You may have gotten back on track by eating right and exercising, but your body is in shock. Due to physical activity, muscles learn to retain glycogen. Don't worry, this phenomenon will pass in a couple of weeks. Believe that you are on the right path and continue in the same spirit.

The second reason may be lack of patience

. After a month, you have lost only 2 kilograms? This may seem unimportant to you, but it is not. Patience and a little effort. Once you see better results in another two months, you definitely won’t be able to stop.

The next probable reason is that you don’t eat enough.

! A lack of calories is just as dangerous as too many. There is a high chance that you have stopped losing weight because of this. The body needs nutrients and a certain amount of calories. Without getting enough calories, your body experiences stress and is reluctant to give up its reserves. Due to the imbalance of hormones that are responsible for weight loss and appetite control, the desire to eat something does not leave you. As soon as this happens, the body will definitely store even more than it had.

Reason four – you are obsessed with kilograms!

Are you doing everything right, eating well and exercising, but the scale doesn’t change or shows more? Pay attention to the quality of your body, most likely you have become fitter and more athletic. The body fat percentage measurement option is not for you. Start measuring your body size. As you know, muscle is much heavier than fat. By losing a kilogram of fat, but pumping up a kilogram of muscle, your waist will become several centimeters smaller.

Reason five - you don't do strength exercises.

It is a mistake to think that only cardio training helps you lose weight. In fact, you can burn fat through strength training. That is why you only need to do comprehensive training, and you should devote more time to strength training.

Another reason may be a passive lifestyle.

Do you have a monotonous job, do you sit at the computer all day? Short breaks to warm up and go for a walk after work will definitely not hurt you. Use a pedometer, your minimum should be 5000 steps!

The seventh reason is lack of sleep.

Think about it, do you sleep 7-9 hours? Do you go to bed on time? Do you have a routine? We are accustomed to thinking that proper nutrition and exercise are enough to lose weight. But the key factor for the proper functioning of the body is sleep. Lack of sleep increases your appetite. To somehow compensate for this, you choose high-calorie foods. You need to plan your time correctly, because lack of sleep affects not only extra pounds, but also your health.

The eighth reason is that you are constantly nervous.

During times of stress, the risk of overeating is very high. This is especially true for women. Stress increases the synthesis of cortisol, which retains fluid in the body and triggers the process of fat accumulation.

Reason nine – you don’t have a routine.

Chaotic workouts won't help you lose weight. We didn’t have time to eat and had a snack on the go - plus extra pounds. The regime is your opportunity to lose weight.

Reason ten is the plateau effect.

The body has become accustomed to your diet and exercise routine. You should change the exercises and review the menu. Perhaps you need to increase your daily calorie intake for a while, to pump up your body, so to speak.

The eleventh and not unimportant reason is that you no longer need to lose weight!

Look in the mirror, perhaps you have already lost excess weight and it’s time to stop. Now you just need to maintain your weight and don’t forget about physical activity.

The twelfth reason is ineffective training.

Do your workouts always take place in “light” mode? You must always give 100%, otherwise the meaning of training is lost. You'll just be wasting your time. Don't expect easy workouts to be effective. To lose weight, you need to create a small calorie deficit by using them in training. Give your body a reason to use your fat reserves.

The thirteenth reason is health problems

. Excess weight and the thyroid gland are continuously linked. If you think you have problems with your endocrine system, consult your doctor. Most often, health problems are a consequence of your lifestyle. It is worth noting that some hormonal medications can cause weight gain.

Reason fourteen - metabolism has adapted

. A long-term calorie deficit can disrupt your metabolism. The body adjusts by reducing the production of most thyroid hormones. To avoid such a process, you need to change the caloric content of your diet (do a “zigzag”), get full sleep and change your workouts.

The fifteenth reason is that you are not changing anything in your life.

If you constantly change diets, torture yourself with hunger, you will certainly break down, and so on in a circle. It happens that you manage to lose weight, but later you gain even more weight. This is not an option! Proper nutrition is not a diet, but a lifestyle. Change your life for the better!

• Arina
  Very cool written! Everything is together and connected! :) I would also add - non-acceptance of oneself))) and dissatisfaction with oneself).
  Marina Kovalkova

  Yes, Arina, you are right and this is the 16th reason from the top why we are not losing weight.?

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Should you be afraid of a plateau?

Experts advise not to panic: it turns out that this phenomenon is not as scary as it is described. It also has its positive sides. For example, recording the achieved result that occurs during a sudden break in weight loss. There may be several such pauses, but you should be wary of them only if they were caused by an incorrect diet, insufficient water consumption, or excessively active physical activity.

Some nutritionists seriously say that you can and even need to stay in such a “frozen” state for a week or two. As an argument, they cite the following statement: the longer you keep the weight at one level, the more difficult it will be to cross this line and return to your previous body weight. Even if you recover, it will be easier to get rid of extra pounds - for those who lead a healthy lifestyle, do not overeat, follow a healthy diet and do not exhaust themselves with strength training.

Therefore, if you are confident that you are acting in accordance with the advice of a nutrition specialist, you should not be upset at such a stop. We'll tell you what to do with the rest.

I don't have time to recover

Why am I not losing weight? This is possible if you set out to lose weight with special zeal. Give your body a chance to rest between workouts. Fanaticism will lead to the body accumulating even more fat. You can't exercise every day! You can't study for 3 hours straight! Choose the optimal schedule to restore strength and not slow down your metabolism. Fat melts while resting between workouts.