“I’ve tried everything to lose weight!”

Have you ever tried to lose weight?

Have you tried to lose weight multiple times?

Maybe you have tried to lose weight so many times that you finally gave up and said, “That’s it! I’ve tried everything—nothing works!” 

Many people find themselves in a vicious cycle of trying to control what they eat, feeling like a failure because the number on the scale won’t budge, punishing themselves for not being “more in control,” and then manifesting a huge amount of internal stress that causes further havoc on their bodies. Then, they binge or take their diet to an extreme level of unhealthiness and the cycle continues… 

Does this sound like you?

If so, I am here to tell you—do not give up! Try one of the strategies below if your weight loss endeavors have plateaued.

Be Kind to Yourself

I know, this isn’t what you would expect to be the first item on a list about losing weight, but I promise— it’s powerful. You must look at your dieting efforts not as a way to simply lose weight, but as a way to take care of your body and do what’s best for you. When you practice positive thinking, your body will start to work in your favor, and the weight will eventually come off. I promise—there is a way to live without constantly worrying about your weight and watching every single thing that goes into your mouth. Once you have the skills in place to find happiness and psychological well-being, healthy eating habits will follow.  

Be Patient

Are you frustrated that you’ve only lost 3 pounds in one month? Before freaking out and changing your plan or even switching over to another fad diet, think about whether your goal is just to lose as much weight as possible right this second, or to slim down healthily over time, so that you can keep the weight off permanently. America does not have a weight loss problem—we have a weight maintenance problem. 

Eat More

Yes, when it comes to dieting, the obvious thing to do is eat less. Extremely low-calorie diets will lead to quick initial weight loss, but they are never sustainable in the long run. Moreover, when you give your body minimal food, it will go into “starvation mode,” slowing down a lot of the functions that are necessary to burn calories — including your thyroid, metabolism, and blood pressure. These low-calorie diets lead to an inevitable period of overeating (or even binging) that causes the weight to come right back on—potentially even more weight than before—putting your dieting efforts to waste and making each successive diet harder and harder.  

Optimize Your Hormones

If you are finding it hard to lose weight, feeling fatigued, suffering from PMS, or feeling depressed or anxious, you may have a hormonal imbalance. The foods we eat heavily influence the production of hormones in our body. Our hormones essentially dictate how our body functions as a unit. A hormonal imbalance such as insulin resistance, thyroid abnormalities, estrogen dominance, or polycystic ovary syndrome could absolutely be hindering your dieting efforts. Focus on eating healthy fats, as fats promote hormone secretion. You may also consider getting your hormones checked by a doctor and utilizing medications if necessary. 

Change Up Your Exercise Routine

Interestingly enough, the people that over-exercise tend to be the ones that put-on weight easily… We must recognize that exercise is a stressor, so if you’re constantly doing high-intensity activities, your body may be stuck in a chronic state of stress. Consider changing up your routine and substituting some of the high-intensity exercise for activities such as yoga, Pilates, or weight training. 

Improve Your Gut Health

You are not what you eat, you are what you digest and absorb! Your gut health determines your overall well-being. If your digestion is out of whack, your body is not going to want to lose weight. If you constantly have the rumbles, gas, and bloating after meals, there’s a good chance you have some gut dysbiosis going on. Consider an elimination diet to figure out which foods are triggering the gut issues. Dairy, gluten, sugar, and alcohol are common culprits. You might also consider supplementing with digestive enzymes. 

Reduce Stress

Stress impacts us in so many ways. Between being overworked, dealing with dysfunctional relationships, the current state of our world, and a lack of sleep, we are more stressed now than ever. As stress goes up, your body releases more cortisol—often referred to as the “stress hormone.” High levels of cortisol have been linked to blood sugar imbalances and weight gain around the midsection. Find ways to de-stress, such as meditation, prayer, yoga, journaling, leisurely walks in nature, and spending time with loved ones.

Drink More Water

Many studies have found links between water consumption and weight loss results. You should be drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water every day. For example, if you weigh 150-lbs, you should be drinking at least 75-oz of water every day. 

Cut Down on Alcohol

No, you do not have to cut out alcohol entirely to achieve the body of your dreams, but you may need to cut down a bit. Alcohol contains empty calories—it does not have any vitamins or minerals that are important for our health. Moreover, the caloric intake of alcohol can grow astronomically high when you start drinking cocktails. Alcohol also changes your relationship with food—people typically eat more when they drink because their appetite is increased, and they stop paying close attention to calorie consumption. I generally recommend drinking alcohol no more than once per week. Personally, my rule is that I never drink alcohol unless I’m in a social situation, such as an occasional dinner with friends. 

Sleep More

Sleep is the ultimate drug. A bunch of wonderful magic happens when you are sleeping. When the body gets the rest it needs, it is able to repair itself and perform as it should. If you are not sleeping at least 7 hours per night, it’s going to be very difficult to see weight loss.

Take Progress Pictures

If you’ve been strength training and the number on the scale isn’t moving, there’s a good chance you’re building muscle while simultaneously losing body fat. If so, your weight will likely remain about the same, but your body is definitely changing for the better! However, you see yourself every day, so you likely are not noticing these subtle changes. Take progress pictures every two weeks to see the changes occurring in your body.

Move More

You may be going to the gym on a regular basis, but in all likelihood, this amounts to just 1-2 hours out the entire day. If you work a desk job and tend to sit for most of the day, your body is really not moving that much in the grand scheme of things. We can drastically increase our caloric burn throughout the day by adding in more movement. If you work at a desk, consider standing for a portion of the day, and maybe even start going for a 5-minute walk every hour.

Eat Less

There’s a reason this item and “move more” are the last two items on this list. Weight loss is much more complex than simply eating less and moving more. However, at the end of the day, the quantity of food you’re consuming absolutely matters. You cannot eat as much healthy food as you like. We must learn to listen to our bodies and stop eating when we are full. If you’re always feeling hungry, consider adding more protein and fiber to your diet, as they will help you to feel fuller. If you aren’t tracking your food, try it out for a few weeks to get a clear picture of how much you are actually eating—most people grossly underestimate the amount of food they’re consuming. 

The only way you lose is if you give up. You can absolutely lose the weight for good—believe in yourself! Make one small change for the better at a time, and I promise the results will come. 

If you need more guidance, please reach out to me!