Ever wonder why your diet isn’t working as well as it did at first? Well, you aren’t alone, as this is pretty common, and 65% of people on diets return to their original weight. But why is this? There are a lot of things at play here. From meal times to working out wrong, here’s why.
You’re Hungry All the Time
Feeling hungry all the time isn’t because you didn’t have enough to eat. You get hungry because you don’t take in the nutrients your body needs. It can be all too tempting to eat a low-fat meal when trying to lose weight, but that’s not really how it works, and you find yourself becoming hungry soon after. Then you reach for snacks. Your overall health is dependent on losing weight the right way. And for your meals, this means high protein meals with healthy fats to feel fuller.
Your Diet Isn’t Working Because You Eat Less Often
So you know what to eat. But how often should you eat? Breakfast, lunch, dinner? Maybe. But this doesn’t work well for everyone. In fact, dietitians recommend you eat in between meal times. Oh my! That sounds too good to be true. The idea is that you will eat less during your main meals because you don’t feel as hungry, and you aren’t tempted to reach for unhealthy snacks when your body craves energy, usually in the form of sugar and complex carbohydrates.
The Woes of Daily Stress
If you have ever gained a lot of weight in a short space of time, then you know it probably has more to do with emotions than anything else. Food does provide comfort because it releases dopamine and serotonin when we eat the things we really enjoy, which is really bad for us most of the time. Daily stress is a common contributor to emotional eating, which helps lower cortisol. If you do this, try some yoga, meditation and replacing your food with healthier options.
Feeling Tired After Work
Feeling tired after work is normal and expected. But what about when it’s real fatigue and every day? This indicates there is an issue, and it could be how you are eating at work, so try these:
- Under no circumstances reach for a so-called “energy” drink full of caffeine and sugar.
- Replace your go-to chocolate bar with a healthy protein bar full of nuts and seeds.
- Nibble some trail mix, yes, like a bunny, in between your main work meals.
- Start eating low-carb, high-protein meals for your lunch at work.
- Go for a walk to get some air and exercise whenever you have a break.
It’s easy to reach for quick calories when you are tired at work. But these are typically empty and provide zero nutrition. Try to eat a healthier diet that sustains your energy all day long.
You’re Eating the Wrong Food
Further to food, it could be that you are eating the wrong foods. There are many foods that you can think are healthy and indeed provide benefits but are wrong for you. For example, nibbling carrots all day instead of chocolate bars might seem like a healthy alternative. But carrots are dense with carbs. So what you’re really doing is getting energy from carbs instead of fat, so no fat is burned from your body for general energy sustenance or even when you exercise.
Your Diet Isn’t Working Because of Training
Of course, you are exercising and getting nowhere. Often you can get to a certain point where your weight just stays the same no matter how long you train. But it could be that you are doing the wrong kind of training. You see, training routines like Crossfit are excellent for getting ripped, but they aren’t really designed for weight loss. Sure, you will lose some weight because it is exercise, after all. But you also need time to recover, and you are not exercising during this.
Your Overall Wellness is Poor
Do you live under that rock? No? Then you, of course, know about wellness. Wellness is everywhere these days, and you need to improve yours for a better overall enjoyment of life and to help with diet and weight loss goals. Poor wellness leads to emotional issues, and this is when you begin unhealthy habits. For better wellness, make sure you get enough quality sleep, take time for yourself at least three times per week, and go outside and enjoy nature.
Summary
Being hungry all the time is a tell-tale sign that your diet isn’t working anymore. Eating balanced meals helps, but you also need to eat more protein more often. Yet even using the wrong training routine contributes to weight gain, and you also need to improve your own wellness.
