Top 5 reasons you AREN’T losing weight

I know most of you are already hard working, disciplined people who make sure to get your workouts in and stick with a pretty healthy diet.  But when it comes to knocking off that last 5-20 pounds, it’s like nothing gives.

Well, I hear your pain.  Despite being active in sports and dance since I was 3 years old, I was def a fat kid growing up.  I weighed 106 pounds in 3rd grade…yeah it’s true.  I also struggled with my weight throughout middle school.  In high school I discovered Slim Fast and dropped about 15 pounds, but then after college I “fluffed up” again after I quit playing basketball.  Now, I’ve finally gotten to a place where I’ve figured out my body enough to really be able to drop weight and keep it off.

Even though I worked out a lot and ate relatively healthy, I identified 5 key reasons why I wasn’t losing weight.  See if any of these habits apply to you…

  1. I tried to be perfect – I have a super Type A (slightly neurotic) personality and would get really pumped up about a new diet plan or workout regimen.  However, if I slipped up even once, I’d beat myself up and end up quitting the plan altogether.  Now, I’ve learned to be nicer to myself.  Look, there will always be good days and bad days, but weight management is all about balance.  If I smash a burger and fries at lunch, that’s cool.  It just means I’ll have a small side salad for dinner followed by an extra 30 minutes of cardio.  Don’t take everything so seriously!  Just keep a mental note of what you are consuming and make sure that you always match your intake with calorie burn.
  2. I needed a reality check – They ONLY way I’m truly able to manage my weight is by weighing myself on a DAILY basis – yes daily!  Sometimes, you just need to see the numbers on the scale to give you a reality check.  If you actually see that you have gained 5 pounds, you will be more mindful of what you eat.  I challenge you to go to Wal-Mart, by a digital scale and weigh yourself every morning.  You will thank me later 🙂
  3. I ate too much – Even though I ate healthy food, I ate too much of it.  Therefore, it was really hard to burn more calories than I consumed, which is the ONLY way to legitimately lose weight.  You’ve heard it before, “eat until you’re satisfied, not until you’re full.”  Well it’s true – portion control is just as, if not more, important than food choice.
  4. I ate too late – Unless you are doing a hardcore cardio workout at 8:00pm, your body really doesn’t need that much fuel late at night.  Try to eat most of your calories early in the day so that you have all day to burn them off!  Think about it this way, everything you eat in the evening just kind of sits on you…not cute.  One of my favorite quotes is, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.”
  5. I didn’t drink enough water – So check this, most of the time you think you are “hungry” you are really “thirsty” due to dehydration.  Many of us get tricked into eating when our bodies really want WATER!  Your metabolism slows down when you are dehydrated.  Also dehydration makes you feel lethargic so you crave sugar and other simple carbs that make you fat.  Drink up, water is your weight loss friend!
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2-week plan to nix 10 pounds

I put this plan together to help me get ready for a wedding, during which I wore a very curve hugging bridesmaid dress.  I had great results, so I thought I’d share with you guys.  If you need to lean up really quickly, below is  my official 14 day plan to get it right and tight.  I like it because each element is actually a healthy habit as opposed to starving myself or taking diet pills.  It worked for me, see if it works for you!

EACH DAY DO THE FOLLOWING 5 THINGS:

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Studio Review: American Power Yoga (APY) – Power Yoga for “Spiritual Gangstas”

Brit sneaking a pic before class 🙂
  • Name: American Power Yoga (APY)
  • Duration: 1 class = 1 hour
  • Calories Burned: 150-350
  • Focus: Flexibility, mind/body connectivity
  • Location:  Local power yoga studio in your community; Dallas APY Studio – 5400 E Mockingbird Lane
    Dallas, Texas 75206; APY DVDs for sale online here!
  • What is power yoga? This yoga method includes Kung Fu, Tai Chi and athletic movements to really challenge your body and mind.  The studio is warm (about 85 degrees) so that your muscles have the heat necessary to quickly get deep into the poses.  Throughout the class you flow continuously through various yoga poses and exercises.
  • Commentary: If you are like me and have an attention span of about 30 seconds, the thought getting through a Bikram yoga class is as appealing as watching paint dry.  Late last year I got a Groupon for APY, so I checked it out and have been going at least 2X per week ever since.  I like power yoga because it’s like “yoga for athletes” – the warm room and challenging moves give me a good sweat.  APY is definitely a “GRIT Worthy” workout!
  • The Facts: A person’s level of physical fitness is determined by 3 key factors: 1) Muscular Strength 2) Cardiovascular Endurance 3) Flexibility.  You need to have an adequate level of each in order to be “fit.”  Yoga is great way to ensure that you spend time focusing your flexibility.  However, according to my standards, yoga DOES NOT count as one of your cardio or strength workouts – you still need to get these in separately!
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Basic Body Burn

  • Name: Basic Body Burn by Brit
  • Duration: 1 – 1.25 hours
  • Calories Burned: 300 – 500
  • Focus: Moderate cardio + total body light resistance training
  • Location: Hotel gym (any gym you want)
  • Commentary: Last week was crazy with work travel, leaving me pretty burnt out and lacking motivation to go to the gym and hit it hard.  So, I made this workout to do in my little hotel gym.  It gave me a low/moderate intensity total body workout that kept me active but didn’t wear me out.   At the end of the day, I felt really proud for not skipping my workout altogether 🙂  Now, this isn’t a workout you should stick with if you’re really trying to “get it in.”  BUT, it’s a good option for those days when you aren’t really feeling it or maybe traveling …enjoy!

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2-Hour Saturday Detox Workout

Me after my 2 hour Saturday detox!

For the past year, I’ve committed my Saturday mornings to detoxing my body and catching up on missed workouts.  My personal detox routine = 1 hour TurboKick class + 1 hour weight lifting class (Barbell, Body Pump, Power Sculpt, etc.)  I like doing my detox in group fitness classes because of the music and positive vibe of working out with other people.  However, you can do your detox routine however you like.  For example, go running outside for an hour and follow it with a 1 hour weights circuit.

Here are the details of my 2-Hour Saturday Detox Workout Regimen:

  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Formula: 1 hour of high intensity cardio (breathing heavy) + 1 hour of total body resistance training (lifting weights)
  • Calories Burned:800-1200
  • Location: Preferably a gym or fitness club with Group exercise classes
  • The Facts: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times per week and 30 minutes of muscular strength training 2-3 times per week.  Check this, if you do a 2 hour cardio + weights detox routine, you’ve knocked out over 50% of your weekly exercise needs.  So, try the 2 hour detox  and your Saturday’s suddenly get sweeter 🙂

What’s your “detox workout’ formula?

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Sweat Sesh

  • Name: Sweat Sesh by Brit
  • Duration: 1 – 1.5 hours
  • Focus: Moderate/high intensity cardio, max calorie burn
  • Calories Burned: 600 – 800
  • Location: Any gym with cardio machines
  • Commentary: I made this workout for my friend/colleague who’s just starting to get back into the gym.  We did it on Tuesday and our booties were burning on Wednesday morning!  I like it because it provides a TON of cardiovascular training by incorporating basic cardio machines and body weight drills. You can easily do it at the gym with a good play list going on your iPod.   If you’re trying to drop a few pounds for summer, throw this workout into your routine and you’ll be turning heads…or at least losing water weight 🙂
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