Why Can't I Lose Weight?

Why Can't I Lose Weight?

This is a question I get asked over and over again.

"Why can't I lose weight? I eat healthily and I'm walking to work..."
"Why can't I lose weight? I eat so much less than my friends and I drink a lot of water..."
"Why can't I lose weight? I don't overeat and I go to the gym three times a week..."

The fact is that if you're not losing weight then you are probably eating too many calories or not moving enough.

If you take in more calories than you use you will gain weight.

If you take in as many calories as you use you will maintain weight.

And if you take in fewer calories than you use you will lose weight.

It's simple to say of course but not so simple to do. But that's the size and shape of it. Although there's one more factor that counts.

You see, all that any weight loss program consists of is a strategy for eating fewer calories and/or using up more of them. You can use my weight loss program or devise your own but until you do that you won't lose weight.

But even if you have 101 strategies you have to actually use them. You have to change what you eat (or how much or both). You have to make the extra effort to exercise.

Are you?

And if you are, are you doing enough? often enough?

If you're not losing weight, you're not! It's simple as that. The missing factor? Motivation!

More on that in my next post.

Comments

[Cory]

Good post. It sounds so easy and simple, doesn't it... Not always so simple in practice. Can't wait to hear what you have to say on motivation, which tends to be my weak spot!

[Louis "Healthy Weight Loss"]

Cory,

This is simple and true. Eat less and Move more. That is the key to weight loss. No fad diet or supplement can replace the fact that you need to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight.

[leslie]

no, the question in itself..."why can't i lose weight?" lends itself to mean that the person asking the question has already tried the obvious. I have been exercising regularly for 3 months and semi regular before that. I am not an unmotivated person. I eat healthy. I eat low calorie, high protein, low carbs. No junk food, except very very occasionally. So now, why can't i lose weight? I look the same as i always have. No weight loss, no more energy. I may have gained some muscle mass but you cannot see it under the fat. Why wont it go away?

[Carmen]

I have the same problem as Leslie. I've been hitting the gym 3 times a week, each time burning around 700 calories. Weekdays, I take only salad for dinner. Weekends, I don't overeat. This has been ongoing for 3 months. Yet, instead of losing weight, my weight has even increased! This is extremely frustrating. And to make matters worse, I don't feel that clothes fit me better after all these effort. Appreciate if anyone can shed some light on possible reasons.

[me]

1st who r u to judge? Do u wake up with me 5 days a week, and go walking with me? I walk 2.5 to 5.5 miles 5 days a week and eat 1500 caolries a day, so like my husband says to ask you, are u able to count my metabolism, are u able to take care of my hypothyroidism? No the simple fact is, you just wanted to get on here an make a blog to basically say fat people are lazy, and I'm pretty sure I move more in a day then you do. So maybe you should check your resources before making judgment. If you were truly a "fat girl" at 1 time in your life then you would not be saying such horrible things to or about people. You should be ashamed!