How to change things that are stopping you from losing weight?
“Weight loss can change your whole character. That always amazed me: Shedding pounds does change your personality. It changes your philosophy of life because you recognize that you are capable of using your mind to change your body.” – Jean Nidetch
Losing weight can be a difficult task, more so as you get older and you’ve always had those few extra pounds weighing you down. But diet and exercise are not enough to get you down to your ideal weight.
More than just the physical changes that you are making, weight loss also involves a change in your mindset and lifestyle. Gaining weight is always easy but losing it is definitely not.
8 things stopping you from losing weight and how to change that
1) Stress and anxiety
We all live extremely fast-paced lives which are often complicated. Be it at home or at work or with friends, there are numerous problems and annoyances we all have to deal with.
Constant emotional pressure and tension not only cause your hormone levels to fluctuate, they can also drive you to eat unhealthy amounts of food. This makes the exercise you do completely redundant.
Try not to succumb to the stress by concentrating on relaxing practices like meditation and yoga. Regular exercise will stimulate your brain to release endorphins which will make you feel happier.
You can also store some healthy snacks, fruits, for example, to fulfill cravings so that you can eat comfort food without ruining your health.
2) Erratic sleep cycle
When you don’t get at least six hours of sleep every night, your metabolism slows down and your body doesn’t burn calories at the rate it ideally should.
Staying up really late past dinner can also make you hungry and you’ll find yourself reaching into your pantry for a midnight snack, effectively regaining any weight you lost during the day.
You will also end up feeling tired and lethargic all the time. This will only demotivate you working out or performing any physical activity. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Your life will begin to change.
3) Exposure to light pollution
Research shows that when animals are constantly under any source of light, without increasing their food or lowering their exercise, they can still put on weight. Sadly, our world is always lit.
Cars, lights from the city, TVs, all contribute to the light pollution around us. Even the blue lights emitted by devices like phones and tabs can make it difficult to go to sleep.
Make sure that very little light enters your room when you’re about to turn in so that your body knows it’s time to shut down. Switch off all your devices at least an hour before you settle in for the night.
4) Pills
Some medicines have the nasty side effect of making your metabolism work at a sluggish pace. Some also induce cravings for food at odd hours. Weight gain is a very common side effect.
Talk to your physician and find out what other medicines you can take that will keep you healthy without affecting your weight adversely.
5) Lack of confidence
You’ll quickly lose the will to the gym and eat healthy if you don’t believe that you can. Many people tend to think about themselves so negatively that they firmly believe they are weak even if they are not.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes and lose a day or two of exercise occasionally. This will make it harder to pick up where you left off.
Believe in yourself and be kind to yourself. Remember that you are strong and determined, that you can work-out harder tomorrow. This will work wonders for your motivation.
6) Go organic
Throughout our lives, we are exposed to a variety of artificial chemicals. They’re everywhere, in the wind, the soil, and even in our houses.
