It can be frustrating to not see any kind of progress when you are on your journey to become healthier and you seem to be doing everything just right.
You are working out, you are eating better and less - but there are still no results to show for it.
This is the most common reason why most will give up and only about 30% stick with their plans. The other 70% will give up within the first year, then try again later.
Let's make sure this is not you.
1. Time
First and foremost, you need to allow your body the time to change.
No results in the first 1-2 weeks? DON'T SWEAT IT! Seriously...
Your body is going through a lot of changes that it is not used to. You will usually be sore, tired, have cravings, and so on.
Give your body grace and give it time to catch on that this is going to be a new and long-term thing for you.
2. Consistency
This goes without saying that you also need to be consistent over time.
It's not what you do in one day, it's what you do every single day that will add up over time.
If you are inconsistent, then your results with inconsistent as well.
Have a plan that works for you, then stick to it. Results add up whether they are the results that you want or not.
Related Read: Why your Diet Fails and Habits Succeed
3. Sleep
Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep in order to function properly.
It helps to give your body time to recover, reset, and get through the next day without relying on caffeine.
I can usually get away with 7 hours as I get up early to write blogs like this and to work on other things before I even go into work.
My dad always did good with 6 hours. SO, it really just depends on your body.
Listen to it.
4. Accountability & Support
If you have no one helping to keep you accountable and helping to support you on your journey, you will find no reason to stick to it when you are not feeling it that day.
This also means keeping yourself accountable.
Everyone finds different ways to do this, whether that means having a fitness page or group with others. Maybe just writing down your goals every single day. Even having just 1 friend that is doing the same program as you.
It's important to have someone who knows your goals inside and out so they can ask your questions or your can talk to about your journey.
5. Eating too much or too little
If you are only eating 1200 calories a day and you are a grown adult.... I hate to break it to you that is not enough per day.
Many I have talked to are not eating enough and are afraid to eat more because they have this perception that they need to just keep cutting calories in order to loose if they are not seeing the results they want.
While this works initially, it won't work long-term and you will eventually plateau on your journey wondering why you can't loose anymore.
The opposite side of this is where you are eating too much and no matter what you are doing for working out, you still keep gaining little by little.
You need to first figure out what your maintenance calories are and then adjust according to your goals.
6. Hormones
This is more specific to women, but hormones will make you fluctuate in weight all of the time.
Women can fluctuate in weight by up to 5 pounds per day and this is due to everything else that I have mentioned in this blog.
Stress, sleep, thyroid, PMS, etc.... it all matters.
If you are struggling to see any results and have everything down to a science, it might be appropriate to see a doctor to have your levels looked at to see what is going on.
Related Read: 7 Way on How to Set Goals and Achieve Them
7. Water
More than 70% of Americans in the United States are dehydrated.
This leads to feeling hungry when you are really just thirsty, feeling sluggish, and prolonged recovery time.
These are just a few examples. However, your body is made up of more than 50% water, so it's an essential part of your day in making sure that it get's enough.
Drinking half of your body weight (lbs) in ounces per day is sufficient.
8. Stress
If you have stressors in your life, it can hinder your progress.
One thing is that this can lead to emotional eating, but on the flip side, it raises your cortisol levels.
The body wants to protect you from predators, and other aggressors.
When there are always stressors present, your body is constantly feeling under attack and that fight-or-flight response is always on.
This puts you at risk for other things like:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive problems
- Headaches
- Heart disease
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Memory and concentration impairment
9. Not eating the right balance
It's true. Having the right balance of what you eat matters too.
If you have too much protein and fats, then your body craves carbs.
If you have too many carbs and protein, then your body craves fats.
It's to help make sure that your body is functioning properly.
If you have the right balance between everything, then you will reduce your cravings as your body is getting more of all of the nutrients that it craves.
10. Excuses
Best for last? Well this one hits home for me as I can sometimes be the master at excuses.
If you continue to make excuses for yourself as to why you can't eat healthy, or can't workout, then it is more about why do you keep making them and what you can do each day to make sure that you ultimately can't make that excuse anymore.
For me, that was waking up a few hours earlier each day so I would have the time to do what I needed to at home to prepare for the day. Including having time to workout because I knew I would never get it done at the end of the day when I am already tired and ready to relax before going to bed.
You must find what works for you and make a plan of action to combat those excuses.
All in all these are the top 10 reasons that you won't see results...
Hi, I'm Sarah and I know you don't know me just quite yet, but it's a pleasure that you are here.
I started my journey struggling... depressed, overweight, no support, and emotionally eating my day away.
All of it was exhausting, but I finally made the decision to take control of my life which lead me to get healthier. Then later on to become a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and Behavior Change Extraordinaire.
It's my passion here to help women in creating more balance and confidence through Top Knot Strong's training, nutrition, and coaching to have life-long results and not just until you reach your goals.
I share plenty on here on the blog, but my bread and butter to help women are through my free transformation sessions to dive deeper into what is stopping you and what you can do going forward.
