1. You are not consuming enough calories for your body to even sustain itself
We have all been there. You need to eat less and consume less calories to lose the weight. So, we take in about 1000 calories a day which in turn does the opposite for us. It stalls our metabolism and holds on to fat. There is such a thing as "Skinny Fat". Your body needs a certain amount of calories to sustain life everyday, if you are not getting at least that, you are putting your body in a worse position.
2. Stress
I don't know about you but I hate stress. Stress can completely ruin your day but how can we adjust so that we know how to handle stress. Have you heard of Cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates a wide range of processes throughout the body, including metabolism and the immune response. It also has a very important role in helping the body respond to stress. The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body's processes. We are constantly in fight or flight when Cortisol is elevated. You may not be able to change your current situation but you can start to take steps to manage it.
Stress management strategies include:
- Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise and plenty of sleep
- Practicing relaxation techniques such as trying yoga, practicing deep breathing, getting a massage or learning to meditate
- Taking time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to musicFostering healthy friendships
- Having a sense of humor
- Volunteering in your communitySeeking professional counseling when needed
The payoff for learning to manage stress is peace of mind and — perhaps — a longer, healthier life.
Notice the first thing on that list! It all starts with eating healthy and regular exercise.
3. Over Exercising
We tell you it is better for you to exercise and then we tell you too much exercise can be harmful. Initially will you drop weight, possibly but what kind of weight is it? Is it muscle weight or is it fat weight and how do you know? Ultimately our goal is to burn fat and keep muscle so that we stay "toned". Can you get enough out of 1 hr of exercise 3 to 4 times a week? The answer is YES. The key to exercise and body composition stems from nutrition so "You can't out train a bad diet". Stop trying to and get the help you need to succeed for the long term.
Questions like: What should I be fueling my body with before I workout and throughout the day? Should I recover with a protein shake 30 minutes after working out. Those are questions you need answered not spending 2 and 3 hours in a gym, seven days a week. Your body will perform better if you allow it to rest. You will also see more gains.
4. Lying to yourself
Your mind is a powerful thing. If you do not look into the mirror and really be transparent about yourself, what you are doing, and how you are going to do it, then you will continue to lie to yourself and in return, hinder your progress.
Why do we lie to ourselves?
-It’s comfortable – you don’t have to face the hard truth
-It’s convenient – you can keep doing the same thing without having to change anything
-It makes you feel better about yourself (preserves self-esteem)
-It helps you to avoid self-responsibility for your actions
5. Excuses about time
Today, nobody seems to have time. They do not have time to sit down and eat, to meal prep, to exercise, the list goes on and on. What do you have time for? Have you blocked out time on your schedule to do certain things? You need YOU time and that is important. Change all of your "I can't" to "I will" and see what happens. Prioritize what is important and go from there. Stop saying you can't do something because you can always find time to go out to eat, drink alcohol, watch netflix, hulu, amazon, and play video games....
When you make your time meaningful then the stress all of a sudden is gone. You get to blow off steam at the gym. You prep food so that you have healthy options for the week and weekend. You all of a sudden are in a place that you never thought you could get to but once you prioritized what was important, the stars aligned and you had time.
“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” ―George Washington Carver
