Here are 4 reasons you could be struggling with your weight loss goals:
Reason 1 Stress: I’m not just talking about the big stresses but the micro stresses that constantly get you through the day, your alarm jolts you out of deep sleep =stress, you check your emails and have received an email from your boss = stress, your children won’t eat the breakfast that you have cooked = stress. All of these micro stresses build up through the day ultimately affecting your stress tolerance baseline, playing havoc with your hormones, upsetting your gut microbiome and maybe even causing you to emotional eat. Find ways to manage your stress that work for you, whether that is mindfulness, exercises, going for a walk, or chatting to a friend. DO something daily to help reduce your stress levels. Remember Prevention is better than cure
Reason 2 – Sleep: How often do you get between 6-9 hours of unbroken sleep per night? Lack of sleep affects everything from your hormones to your ability to make good healthy decisions. When you are tired you are less likely to exercise and more likely to choose unhealthy foods. Working on your sleep hygiene could be a game changer for you. Go to bed at a regular time, reduce screen time before bed, make sure the room is the correct temperature and that there is no light disturbing you and the limit the amount of caffeine after midday!
Reason 3 – Mindless snacking: Do you feel you eat healthy meals throughout the day? But how often are you snacking mindlessly in between meals and nighttime nibbling? All of this could add up to an extra 500kcal per day and might be contributing to extra pounds piling on. Try and stick to 3 balanced meals per day and STOP the nighttime nibbling.
Reason 4 – Not finding time to exercise: You can’t out train a bad diet but making sure that you find time to exercise as well as eating a healthy balance diet will definitely help. Exercise increases your metabolism and really helps with stress and anxiety (which could help with reasons 1 and 3). No time for the gym? Why not do 10 mins home workout, or go for a 30min walk at lunch time, take the stairs instead of the lift, cycle to work instead of drive where possible. Just try to find ways to fit more movement into your day.