The journey to losing weight is never an easy one, especially when you focus on what you’re eating. Cutting out sugar and limiting carbohydrates is always a difficult choice, but one your body will thank you for in the long run.
With the diet industry estimated at over $900 billion, the concept of healthy eating is one we can’t turn away from. But opting for healthy foods over junk doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to lose weight. There are many factors that could be the reason you’re not able to shift the pounds.
With the following nutrition hacks, you’ll find several ways to prevent this issue. Keep reading to find out more.
Portion Control
One of the main concerns when losing weight is portion size. The portion sizes you’re consuming may be too big, regardless of whether it’s full of vegetables and lean protein. Every food type has calories, eating more than your recommended amount will prevent weight loss.
On the other hand, eating too little can also be a concern. Your body needs to eat, especially if you’re exercising regularly. Without enough food, you’ll go into starvation mode and the body holds onto the calories it has.
There’s a difference between men and women when it comes to weight loss. Women genetically have more body fat than men to prime them for childbearing, meaning it’s harder to burn fat. After the age of 40, we develop a slow metabolism and it becomes much harder to lose weight.
Stress
Surprisingly, stress and weight gain go hand in hand. Even if you’re eating the right food in smaller portions, if you’re under a lot of stress you’ll struggle to lose weight.
More often than not, we turn to junk food when we’re feeling low or have had a rough day. However, even if you picked carrots over carbs, your body releases cortisol when you’re under stress. This hormone when released promotes overeating and weight gain.
Take a look at the best foods to eat every day, and implement a relaxation routine. Try diving into the latest book or participating in guided meditation.
Water Retention
If you’re still finding it hard to lose weight, it could be because your body is holding onto excess water. As you limit your calorie intake, your body naturally begins to break down your carb and protein stores which hold water. Once you introduce calories again, your body stops breaking down those stores and instead holds onto the water.
Reducing your salt intake helps the body release water from your cells, and avoiding alcohol is a smart choice too as it’s a diuretic.
Ready to Put These Nutrition Hacks to the Test?
With these nutrition hacks, you’ll be able to start losing weight again whilst enjoying those healthy foods.
A healthy diet doesn’t have to be a complicated one. Once you have an understanding of how much you’re eating, you’ll notice all that hard work paying off. Nothing worth having comes easy.
For more related articles, check out our other blog posts.
