Follow a diet and not lose weight? Here are 10 habits that prevent weight loss

 The inability to lose weight despite dieting and exercising is frustrating, but science has a logical explanation for this dilemma.

In this report, the Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported that the ideal and healthy weight loss program helps to lose between 1 and 1.5 kilograms per week. But sometimes, the results are disappointing.

And if a person does not have physical diseases such as hypothyroidism and Cushing's syndrome, the difficulty in losing weight may be caused by some bad habits, which are the subject of our report.

The desired results in losing weight can only be achieved by following a healthy diet and being physically active. It is also necessary to stick to a healthy diet, and avoid falling into episodes of "emotional eating" or related to stress.

If the person suffers from physical diseases such as hypothyroidism, then it must be treated by a doctor. As for habits, nutritionist and dietician Elif Gezim Ariburnu Oguz points out 10 habits that explain the difficulty of losing weight:

10 habits that prevent weight loss

Misunderstanding the word "diet"

The reason you're having a hard time losing weight may be that you misunderstand the word "diet." You might think that dieting means starving yourself, and that staying hungry for 24 hours is enough to notice weight loss. But this is not a real weight loss, but rather, according to the nutritionist, “the body loses water and muscle mass decreases, while fat does not dissolve.”

She adds that the body at this stage converts the muscles into energy in order to obtain the energy it needs. Instead, it is best to follow an appropriate and balanced diet that is suitable for your needs and lifestyle, and that you can stick to in the long term.

Sitting where you are all day long

When you sit still all day, your body has a hard time burning calories. In this case, you will burn fewer calories than you eat. Therefore, exercising appropriate to your body is a must in order to lose weight in a healthy way.

Exercising regularly has many benefits such as maintaining an ideal weight, increasing flexibility and endurance. And don't forget that 70% of weight loss is through diet, and 30% through exercise.

Pay attention to everything but the food

If you're trying to finish your plate while chatting with your friends or watching TV, you're making a huge mistake, as not focusing on food may be responsible for your problem with not losing weight.

The "intuitive eating" technique - which involves eating slowly, without distraction, enjoying every bite, and listening to your brain's natural cues when you are full - is one of the most effective weight-loss techniques.

Several studies show that "intuitive eating" can contribute to weight loss and reduced cravings. When you consume your food by chewing slowly without any distraction, and when you stop eating the moment you realize you are full, you are applying the optimal weight loss technique.

Forgetting to drink water

When the body becomes dehydrated, the rhythm of the work of digestive and intestinal enzymes slows down. A slowing down of the digestive system will lead to a lower rate of burning calories, a slower burning of fat, and consequently weight gain or the inability to lose weight.

According to the general guidelines of scientific organizations, a healthy adult should drink approximately 35 milliliters of water per kilogram of weight per day. This means that a person weighing 50 kilograms drinks at least 1.7 liters of water per day.

 

Follow the same diet for a long time

Long-term dieting may also prevent you from losing weight. After you've been losing weight for several months, you may have reached the point of resistance. In this case, you may need to take a break from dieting.

During sedentary periods, you can try increasing a few hundred calories a day, sleeping more, and lifting weights to increase your strength and gain more muscle. During the rest period, try to maintain your body fat level for one to two months before you start your weight loss journey again.

Preference for large meals

You should control the number of calories by adjusting the size of the meals you eat, which may contain portions larger than the recommended healthy amount.

Don't try to finish your meal completely, eat slowly, and replace potatoes or pasta with healthy alternatives such as salad.

Not getting enough sleep

Sleep disturbances increase the level of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite, while suppressing the hormone leptin, which has the opposite effect. As a result, the risk of obesity increases.

In order to get rid of the sleep obstacle that prevents you from losing weight, eat eggs, fish, and unroasted and unsalted nuts, which get rid of insomnia, and are an important source of the hormone melatonin, which will help you sleep longer.

Excessive exercise

According to research, when you do a lot of physical activity, the body responds by stopping burning calories. This means visibly losing weight in the short term, versus not being able to continue to burn more. In order to lose weight, you must follow a diet along with exercise.

In particular, walking is recommended as a light exercise and one of the most effective in losing weight. It is able to accelerate fat burning without causing stress to the body. By walking at least 45 minutes a day, you can accelerate weight loss and take an important step toward a healthy life.

Eating too close to bedtime

Eating late at night can raise your body temperature and raise your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can lead to hoarding of what you're eating and making it difficult to lose weight. Try to finish your food at least 3 hours before bed. And be careful about snacking after dinner while watching TV or using the computer.

Exposure to stress

Stress causes the release of the hormone cortisol, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release glucose into the blood, and this hormone does not return to normal levels until the stress is gone.

Try to take some time to meditate and relax.