If you are working out but not losing weight, there may be many reasons for that. (Image via Pexels/Ketut Subiyanto)

Working out but not losing weight? This could be why

Modified Mar 17, 2023 21:50 GMT

If you're eating healthy and working out but not losing weight, there could be a reason behind it. Weight loss efforts are met with resistance from the body, so adjusting your approach may be necessary.

It's possible to lose a significant amount of weight quickly and easily when you first start dieting. However, the rate at which weight is lost may decrease or even stop after a certain period. At this point, you will need to tweak your approach to keep losing weight.

In this article, we will discuss the reasons why working out but not losing weight can happen.

Reasons for working out but not losing weight

Losing weight is not just about working out.(Image via Pexels/Karolina Grabowska)

Check out the following reasons for working out but not losing weight:

1) Not tracking your diet

Weight loss requires a great deal of self-awareness. Many are completely oblivious to the quantity of food they consume daily.

Keeping a food diary or taking pictures of meals can aid in weight loss. However, there's a potential drawback to tracking food intake, especially when doing so with the aim of weight loss. Calorie counting and food tracking have been linked to a worsening of negative symptoms in people with eating disorders.

It's important, though, to strike a balance. Consuming the wrong kinds of foods may be the reason you're working out but not losing weight.

2) Not having enough protein

Consuming calories from unhealthy foods could mean not losing weight. (Image via Pexels/Andres Ayrton)

Consuming 25–30% of your calories as protein can increase metabolism by 80–100 calories daily and cause you to consume hundreds of fewer calories without even trying.

As a bonus, it can make you much less hungry and less interested in eating between meals. Protein's effects on hunger hormones like ghrelin and others play a mediating role in this phenomenon.

Take advantage of breakfast by having a lot of protein-rich foods. Those who consume a high-protein breakfast report fewer hunger pangs and cravings throughout the day.

High protein intake is also helpful in warding off metabolic slowdown, which can occur during weight loss. Furthermore, it aids in the avoidance of gaining weight again. Not eating enough protein can be one of the reasons you're working out but not losing weight.

3) Having too many calories

Include enough high quality protein in diet to lose weight. (Image via Pexels/Antoni Shkraba)

Not counting your calories can contribute to a situation of working out but not losing weight.

Many who struggle to slim down do so, as their caloric intake is too high. You might not think that it's relevant for you, but research shows that most people significantly underestimate how many calories they consume daily.

Keeping track of your food intake and weight loss progress through weighing and measuring can help. If you have a specific nutrient goal in mind, like obtaining 30% of your calories from protein, tracking is essential. Failure to keep accurate records can make this goal impossible to reach.

It's not realistic to spend your entire life weighing and measuring everything you eat. Do the opposite, and give the aforementioned methods a try for a few days every few months to get a handle on your eating habits.

4) Not having whole foods

Consuming empty calories can mean not losing weight.(Image via Pexels/Alena Shekhovtcova)

It's not just about how much food you eat, but how good it is. Having a diet rich in whole foods has been shown to boost health and aid in appetite control. These foods are typically more filling than their highly processed counterparts.

It's important to remember that many packaged foods marketed as 'health foods' are quite unhealthy. Take note of their carbohydrate content in the label. Not including whole foods in your diet can contribute to working out but not losing weight.

5) Not doing cardio exercises

Any physical activity that causes a rise in heart rate is considered a cardiovascular exercise. Fitness activities can range from jogging and cycling to swimming and water aerobics.

It's a great way to boost health and well-being. It's also great for getting rid of the disease-causing visceral fat that accumulates in the abdominal cavity and around the organs. Not doing cardio exercises can contribute to working out but not losing weight.

6) Not lifting weights

Not doing cardio exercises can lead to not losing weight, (Image via Pexels/Savvas Stavrinos)

Weight lifting or other forms of resistance training are great for burning calories and helping you feel full longer. Not doing strength exercises can contribute to working out but not losing weight.

Muscle is often lost along with fat if you don't engage in any physical activity, so strength workouts can help you keep your hard-earned muscles. Weight training has additional benefits, including reduced risk of metabolic slowdown and maintenance of muscle tone and mass.

7) Not getting proper sleep

One of the most important things you can do for your mental and physical health, as well as weight, is to get a good night's sleep every night.

Lack of sleep has been identified as a major contributor to the development of obesity. Insufficient sleep increases risk of becoming overweight by 55% in adults and 89% in children.

Exercising but not losing weight can be due to many reasons. Losing weight isn't always simple, and there're a lot of things that can stop you in your tracks. It's pretty simple math: if you take in the same number of calories that you burn off, you won't lose weight.

Mindful eating, keeping a food diary, increasing protein intake and doing strength training are good options to lose weight. Eventually, you need patience, dedication, perseverance and resilience to lose weight and have lasting lifestyle changes.

Edited by
Bhargav