6 Factors That Are Blocking Your Weight Loss Without You Knowing It

When we want to lose weight, many times we make the mistake of trying the wrong diets and exercises. These methods can prevent weight loss or even gain weight. Calories are a unit of measurement that indicates the amount of energy contained in food and beverages. The body needs a certain number of calories to function. It will convert any excess calories to fat, which will increase your overall weight. The body can only lose weight when it burns more calories than it takes in. You can lose weight by following a low-calorie diet and exercising regularly. However, many factors can prevent weight loss.

1. Relying on physical exercise without addressing diet.

The body must burn more calories than it consumes for a person to lose weight. Being in a calorie deficit is essential to losing weight. This implies that the body burns more calories than it receives from food. Exercise is an effective way to burn calories. But to lose weight significantly, you need to combine physical exercise and reducing calorie intake.
Research suggests that without sufficient dietary changes, exercise alone is unlikely to cause substantial weight loss for most people.
A person can lose weight with extremely high levels of exercise, but even then it is unlikely to lose more than 2 kilograms.

Research also suggests that people tend to eat more when they exercise regularly. This can make it more difficult to maintain a calorie deficit and lose weight. The best way to lose weight is to combine physical exercise with a hypocaloric diet.

2. Follow a fad diet

Many fad diets are not based on scientific evidence and can be counterproductive to weight loss. The vast amounts of money people make by creating weight loss diets has given rise to an overwhelming variety. Many of these diets are very restrictive and can cause health problems. Also, these diets can be difficult to follow, and most people regain the weight they lost soon after coming off the diet.
The most effective and healthy diets are very varied and balanced. Eating fewer calories is important, but it shouldn’t be the result of extreme restrictions on major food groups. However, it is beneficial to reduce the consumption of sugar and unhealthy fats, such as trans fats.

3. Not getting enough exercise

Some researchers recommend exercising 225 to 420 minutes per week for effective weight loss.
Regular exercise is essential for weight loss. A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests getting at least 225 to 420 minutes of physical activity per week to lose weight effectively. It is important to maintain this level for a long period of time.
Doing different types of exercise can also affect weight loss. The two main types of exercise are aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic or resistance exercise involves continuous and repetitive use of large muscle groups, such as the arms and legs. Jogging and bicycling are examples of aerobic exercise.

Anaerobic exercise involves short, intense bursts of activity. Weight training or sprinting are examples of anaerobic exercise.
While aerobic exercise relies on a continuous supply of oxygen to provide energy, anaerobic exercise receives all of its energy from glucose stored in the muscles.

Both forms of exercise have various general health benefits, but there is some debate about which is more helpful for weight loss.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, aerobic exercise has a direct effect on weight loss, but anaerobic exercise alone does not. Anaerobic exercise can build muscle and burn fat, but since muscle weighs more than fat, there will be no weight loss. In contrast, anaerobic exercise can convert body fat into lean muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat, this probably explains the lack of weight loss with anaerobic exercise.
Anaerobic exercise, such as weight training, can also increase the body’s basal metabolic rate. This means that they can have a longer lasting effect. A combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is probably the best method of exercise for weight loss.

4. Sugary drinks

Consuming too many sugary drinks can prevent weight loss.
Research shows that the amount of sugar in the diet influences weight gain. But much of this phenomenon could be related specifically to the consumption of sugary drinks. It’s easy to forget that beverages are part of the diet. But many sugary drinks are high in calories. Unlike many high-calorie foods, these drinks do not satisfy hunger and provide the body with an insufficient amount of energy. Therefore, it is easier to consume too many sugary drinks without realizing it. Research suggests that sugary drinks may play a role in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Limiting or eliminating the consumption of sugary drinks can help improve weight loss.

5. Poor quality sleep

Poor quality or insufficient sleep can affect weight loss. Studies show that poor sleep can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. It’s also possible that lack of sleep could impair the body’s ability to regulate hunger.
In a study of 472 obese adults, time spent sleeping was a strong predictor of success in an intensive weight loss program. Stress was the other significant predictor. Adults ages 18 to 65 should aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Older adults should aim for 7-8 hours.

6. Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can prevent weight loss because it is high in calories. Alcohol is a high calorie drink. For example, a 33 cl beer contains about 153 calories, and a glass of red wine 125 calories, on average. Drinking four beers in one night can increase the body’s daily caloric intake by 612 calories. The data suggests that light drinking is not likely to cause an increase in body fat, but heavier drinking will.
In most cases, it is not necessary to completely avoid alcohol to lose weight. It is still possible to lose weight by consuming two to three alcoholic beverages per week. It may be helpful to stick to a low-calorie type of alcohol (beer and red wine).