Dietitians Say This Could Be Why You're Not Losing Weight
Dietitians Say This Could Be Why You're Not Losing Weight
A whopping 45 million Americans diet and spend $33 billion on weight loss products each year, according to Boston Medical Center. No matter which way you lose weight, dropping the pounds for good comes down to developing a healthy relationship with food and adopting positive habits. That said, we know that losing weight isn't easy. In fact, not losing weight when you've been trying to for a while can be extremely frustrating. That's why we asked some of the top dietitians to explain why your diet isn't working and why you're having trouble dropping the pounds. Learn what surprising mistakes you might be making and how to get on a sustainable path to weight loss success.
You're focusing too much on the scale
What is your definition of success?
“By taking the focus away from weight, a lot of my clients find that they can finally make peace with food and have a better understanding and appreciation for their bodies,” says Wendy Lopez, MS, RD, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and the co-founder of Food Heaven Made Easy. “The scale can be very anxiety-inducing, and sometimes, your 'goal weight' is unattainable without deprivation and disordered eating.”
If you’re eating better and trending toward more nutritious choices, you’ll probably feel the results much quicker than you’ll see them on the scale, adds Jenna A. Werner, RD, creator of Happy Slim Healthy. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling better, even if you're not losing weight.
“Tune in to your mood, sleep, digestion, energy and fitness performance first. How do your dietary changes impact these areas? These non-scale factors make a big difference in your quality of life,” Werner says.
You're getting healthier without realizing it
Some of the strongest athletes are classified as overweight or obese on the body mass index (BMI) scale since their frames are filled with so much muscle.
With a lifestyle change that includes a different eating strategy and more strength workouts, the reason you're not losing weight might be simple: “You may be putting on muscle, while simultaneously losing fat. This may result in a shift of composition that is not reflected by the number on the scale,” says Bari Stricoff, RD, a registered dietitian in New York City.
For an overall wellness win, strive for more muscle versus lower LBs. “According to a 2018 review published in Annals of Medicine, muscle mass matters. It can impact a person’s strength, energy and mobility. Instead of only focusing on your weight, aim to build and maintain muscle. This is especially important for women age 40 and older, who can start to lose up to eight percent of muscle mass each decade,” says Abby Sauer, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian at Abbott.
Your motivation starts with shame
“Make choices from a place of love and self compassion rather than body shame. You'll be a lot happier, be more likely to make choices that are best for your body and have a higher chance of sticking with it if you do,” Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN, a registered dietitian and the author of Body Kindness, says.
Before you begin a new diet, examine your life holistically: Think about how much you’re sleeping, how your body feels throughout the day, what emotions you’re experiencing and more, suggests Rania Batayneh, MPH, the author of The One One One Diet: The Simple 1:1:1 Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss.
“This will help you identify areas of change that will complement your strategy for weight loss. The goal should be achieving a healthier lifestyle, not just losing the weight,” Batayneh says. “Everything we do in life is about our mindset. Ideas become a thoughts, thoughts lead to action and action leads to results. When you're making choices with wellness in mind, weight loss will happen naturally,” Batayneh says.
You're setting a dead person's goal
Speaking of goals, are yours reasonable? “Instead of saying ‘I'll never eat chocolate again,’ which I call a ‘dead person's goal’ because it's something only a dead person could do, start to describe the ways you want to enjoy chocolate or any other food you feel you need to avoid forever,” Scritchfield says.
For example, tell yourself: “I will savor one square of chocolate after dinner three times each week and enjoy it completely. And if I’m at a birthday party or special celebration with homemade baked goods, I’ll appreciate three bites, then pass on the rest.”
“Refuse to repeat the same mistakes you've done over and over again for in recent years and in your lifetime. That means to give up the game of dieting if you refuse to play it can't win. You'll be open to the challenges of behavior change when you focus on creating lasting changes that you feel good about,” Scritchfield says.
You're on a fuel roller coaster
Feeling hungry every so often is fine, but starving yourself won't help you lose weight; it just sets you up for overeating when you finally dig in. So don’t skip meals, Lopez advises, and add a snack or two (such as a serving of almonds) when you’re in need of extra fuel. Your metabolism slows when your body isn’t getting the nourishment it needs, she says.
“Making small changes such as cutting back on added sugars and saturated fat, and increasing fiber are great places to start! Small changes lead to bigger lifestyle shifts and more positive long-term outcomes,” Stricoff says.
You're trying to do too much too soon
It’s probably clear now that you don’t have to (and shouldn’t!) cut out all carbs or eat only during a six-hour window of time if you want your diet to be a lifelong change. You also shouldn’t expect to shed 15 pounds in one week.
“Extreme restriction on the type of food, how much and when to eat may inadvertently result in excess calorie consumption, especially for individuals with a long-standing history of dieting. Instead, focus on practicing a flexible and realistic diet and moving your body,” Stricoff says.
Batayneh recommends small, sustainable steps. Start with one change per month. Master it and add a new one four weeks later. Ideas include:
● Drink one less soda per day
● Add 10 minutes extra of cardio to your workout three times each week
● Drink your coffee black instead of adding cream and sugar
● Use half as much dressing on your salad
“Dieters are always looking for the fastest and easiest way to lose weight. And then for some reason, they lose that weight, maintain it for a few days, then regain that weight—plus a few more. Slow and steady is more effective and results in sustainable weight loss,” Batayneh says.
You're building an unhealthy relationship with food
The most sustainable strategy starts with a focus on what’s going on in your mind, not what’s going on your menu.“Giving yourself permission to 'undiet' is the first step to a healthier relationship with food, which goes hand-in-hand with a healthy lifestyle,” says Rachel Fine, MS, RD, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the nutrition counseling firm To The Pointe Nutrition.
“I have a sweet tooth. But rather than avoiding my sweet cravings, I face them head on! Enjoying some chocolate every night helps to curb my sweet tooth when presented with more indulgent options,” Fine says.
So when Fine is at a restaurant and facing the dessert menu filled with so-so options, she's less likely to order up (since that square of chocolate awaits and her sweet tooth has been satisfied all week). “There’s no feeling of ‘I have to pack it all in now because I won’t have the chance for awhile,’” Fine says. Consider this, Batayneh adds: It seems like more people than ever are following a “no this, no that” diet. Yet at the same time, more people than ever are obese. “If all that restriction worked, would we have such high rates of obesity in this country? I don’t think so,” she explains.
You're eating too little fiber
Adjusting your eats may lead to a few more hungry moments. Aiming for 35 grams or more of fiber can help you feel fuller longer, says Maya F. Bach, MPH, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Chicago, Illinois.
“Dietary fiber promotes positive digestive health by helping to keep us regular. Plus, since fiber-rich take longer to be processed by the body, it will be easier to moderate your appetite and calorie intake,” Bach says.
To amp up your intake, consider:
● Choose produce with a skin (berries) over produce you peel (banana)
● Eat a piece of fruit rather than sipping on a juice or smoothie
● Ask for double veggies at a restaurant instead of veggies and fries
● Stash oatmeal packets at work for a fast-fix breakfast or snack
You're surrounded by food pushers
Birthdays, retirements and “Bagel Fridays” abound if you work in an office environment. In fact, the average person consumes 1,277 calories each week by way of free work snacks alone, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That adds up to an extra pound every three weeks, or a bonus 17 pounds for the year.
Once you set your get-fit goal, place a visible reminder at your desk. Then, share your wishes with a pal and ask them to be your accomplice. When a craving comes on, you can split that bagel or go for a walk instead of biting into another brownie.
“Find a friend or co-worker to be your ally and hold you accountable. You shouldn’t be alone in changing your habits. Find a squad to support you and do it together,” Werner says.
You're suffering from portion distortion
Are you overdoing that avocado toast? “There is such a thing as eating too much of a good thing. Just because it is considered a ‘healthy food,’ it doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want,” Werner warns.
While measuring food prepared at home—at least in the beginning—is a solid place to start, according to Fine. Restaurant and cookbook portions are likely larger, per an analysis in the journal Current Obesity Reports. And when you’re presented with a double-sized portion, you’ll consume 35 percent more calories than the standard size, Australian researchers found.
Ask for a box when your meal arrives at a restaurant and box up what goes beyond the portion that fits your eating plan.
You're eating too many diet foods
When food manufacturers remove fat and sugar, they often substitute in sugar alcohols and other additives to adjust the flavor.
“‘Diet Food’ is not synonymous with ‘healthier.’ Instead, eat the original version, and pay more attention to portion size,” says Stricoff.
When indulging in the real thing, eating less will likely satisfy (consider a half-cup of full-fat ice cream compared to a fat-free frozen dessert). “When I splurge, I do so mindfully and tune in to my feelings and how satisfied I’m getting,” Fine says. “It often doesn’t take much.
You're not giving yourself kudos for the small wins
No one is perfect. What is the definition of “perfect” anyway?
“Think progress—not perfection! It might feel like you're either ‘on a diet’ or ‘off a diet,’ but you shouldn’t beat yourself up when you’re inching in the right direction. Progress is about moving forward. If you’re aware of a change you can make, work towards it. Contemplation can lead to preparation which will lead to action,” Batayneh says.
We all have behaviors that may not be conducive to weight loss (like that extra glass of wine after dinner or the two donut holes you snagged in the office kitchen), but as long as you’re making smarter choices overall, you’re progressing on a healthier path.
Plus, you can eat too healthfully. Orthorexia is a condition that presents as an obsession with eating only what is perceive as the healthiest foods. "Orthorexics may limit their diet so much so that they are setting themselves up for malnutrition, brittle bones and other medical problems,” Batayneh adds.
You're eating your feelings
Respond, don’t react to your emotions. “Even the most balanced person you know experiences stress. What makes us all different is how we respond to it,” Batayneh says. “Responding means deciding what you want to do, like planning your indulgences. Reacting is instantaneous: You might do something you’ll regret, like downing a pint of ice cream without thinking about how you’ll feel afterward.”
While reacting may seem like the quickest and easiest way to feel better, take a moment and respond with a thought. “Think about what will help you manage your feelings. As one of my client’s says, ‘Pick up the phone, not the peanut butter,’ Batayneh says.
Your salad is overloaded
Ordering a salad is a smart way to sneak in more vegetables, true. But that bowl can be hiding sources of extra fat and calories, according to Mike Roussell, PhD, a nutrition consultant in Rochester, New York.
“People will order salads because they think they’re low in calories, but if it has creamy dressing, cheese, bacon, croutons and nuts, then you’re getting a lot more calories than you’d guess,” Roussell says. Ask for the dressing on the side to control the quantity, then choose just two indulgent additions (for example, nuts and cheese).
Your DNA is working against you
The reason your diet may not be working may just be hidden in your DNA.
“There are so many complicated factors that influences someone's natural weight range, and the body works hard to defend a certain set point. How much weight someone loses and keeps off is more influenced by biology than personal choices,” Strichfield says.
Most people expect immediate and lasting changes in their weight when dieting. Plan for a few bumps in the road, Strichfield says, and set a course of action that works with—not against—your body.
“If weight loss is meant to happen in individuals, it will be easy to maintain and still have a flexible, happy life. For example, you go to bed on time to be well-rested for your morning workout. You enjoy balanced eating, but don't obsess over going out for pizza. Our species is naturally diverse in size, and there are no good studies that prove how we all can lose weight and keep it off. You can't always control your weight, but you can always control your choices,” she says.
Skipping dessert isn't doing you any favors.