Whether for the beach, the wedding or for self-confidence. A lot of people know it: they wish they weighed a little less. Instead, many struggle through unhealthy diets and try everything possible to lower the number on the scale.
Unfortunately, the well-known diets from the magazines rarely work or do not work at all, or the well-known yo-yo effect occurs. Losing weight in a healthy way is easier than you think. You only have to pay attention to a few things, which we want to explain to you in more detail below. So it will be easy for you to lose weight.
the essentials in brief
- A calorie deficit is very important when losing weight. You should burn more calories than you take in from your diet each day.
- Regular exercise and sport about 3 times a week have a positive effect on your weight loss success
- Be patient! Every body is different. Every body is built differently and takes less or more time to lose weight.
Background: What you should know about losing weight
There can be many reasons why you are not losing weight. We would like to explain the most common causes to you below.
Why am I not losing weight despite dieting?
It always depends on the form of the diet. The well-known diets that appear in magazines like the broccoli diet, where you only eat broccoli, are not a good solution. This quickly leads to malnutrition, since you cannot get all the nutrients from a single food. The more diverse, the better. In addition, these diets quickly have a yo-yo effect when you end the diet.
However, if the diet is one in which you eat a healthy and balanced diet and pay attention to your calorie requirements, there may be other reasons why you are not losing weight. For example through stress. The body goes into a phase where the metabolism is disturbed because the organs that are needed during stress are supplied first.(2)
Plus, your gut health can also be a reason you're not losing weight. With an unbalanced diet, too little fiber is often consumed, which has a positive effect on intestinal health and digestion. (10)
Why am I not losing weight on my stomach?
Everyone has a different body type. There are some people who always gain weight in their legs first, but their stomach stays totally flat. Then there are people who always gain weight on their stomach first. The distribution of fat on the body is different for many people. That's why when it comes to losing weight, some people always lose weight first on their legs and others first on their stomach.
If you're not losing belly fat, it may just be your fat distribution type. Then you can't do anything for it and not much either. You could reduce your calorie intake even further, and eventually the fat cells in your stomach will melt away as well.
However, too little body fat is not healthy either, since body fat has various functions in the body, such as heat cushioning, hormone production and organ protection. (6)
Why am I not losing weight despite low carb?
The low-carb diet is a type of diet in which only a few carbohydrates are consumed. However, many people make mistakes here that can have a negative impact on health and metabolism.
It can happen that too little or too much fat is absorbed. We have long been told that fat is unhealthy and makes you fat. However, attention must be paid to the type of fat. The unsaturated fats found in oils and seeds are healthy and the saturated fats found in meat are unhealthy. This means that the right amount of fat and the type of fat should be taken into account.
Remember: You should eat at least 3 handfuls of vegetables a day!
Unfortunately, vegetables are often forgotten in the low-carb diet. Vegetables should be included in every meal. Because vegetables have a high nutrient density. This means that only a small amount of it has to be eaten in order to absorb many nutrients. Vegetables also keep you full for longer and your body is evenly supplied with nutrients.
In the low-carb diet, people often consume too much protein to meet their calorie needs. The proteins have as many calories as carbohydrates per 1 g. Of course, getting enough protein is important, but don't overdo it. Eating too much protein can lead to food cravings and may increase inflammation levels.(3)
Why am I not losing weight with intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting involves fasting for a set amount of time during the day.(7) The most popular form is the 16:8 fast, which involves not eating for 16 hours and then eating two meals during the 8 hours.
The reason why you don't lose weight with intermittent fasting may be that you overeat during the period. This then negates the benefit of fasting. Make sure you eat enough during the two meals, but not more than usual.
Why am I not losing weight despite exercising and eating healthy?
If you are not losing weight despite exercising and eating healthily, it may be because you are not drinking enough. Drinking a lot is very, very important. If you don't drink enough, your metabolism will slow down. Especially when doing sports, the need for liquid is increased. This is because sweating removes water from the body. Drink at least 1.5 - 2 liters of water or unsweetened tea a day.
Why am I not losing weight despite low calories?
There are a few reasons why you don't lose weight despite being in a calorie deficit. In the following article you will find tips on how to lose weight properly. If you are not losing weight despite these tips, it may be due to one of the following reasons:
- water retention
- hormonal fluctuations
- stress
- lack of sleep
- bowel problems
- Calorie deficit too high
All of these points can be a reason why you are not losing weight. Check these points and talk to your doctor about them if necessary. (4)
Lose weight: The best tips & tricks
We've talked enough about why you're not losing weight now. Now we are going to tell you some tips that will make it easier for you to lose weight.
Note calorie intake
The most important rule when it comes to losing weight is that you shouldn't eat more than you take in. Calorie intake should be less than expenditure. A number of factors go into calculating your calorie needs, such as your age, gender, and height. You can easily calculate this requirement.(5)
| nutrient | Energy content to 1g |
|---|---|
| carbohydrates | 4 kcal or 17 kJ |
| protein | 4 kcal or 17 kJ |
| Fat | 9 kcal or 37 kJ |
| alcohol | 7 kcal or 29 kJ |
| fiber | 2 kcal or 8 kJ |
To get an overview of how many calories you are consuming, there are some apps that can help. You can simply enter what and how much you ate during the day. The app then calculates the calories you have consumed and how many you can still consume per day. It does take a little time to enter all the food into the app, but this gives you a perfect overview of consumption and needs.
Healthy eating
Without a healthy diet, you will experience little success in losing weight. No matter how much exercise you can do, if you don't eat healthily, you'll only lose a few pounds. With a healthy diet, you will notice that you feel fitter and less tired.
Vegetables are not only very healthy, but in most cases they are also very inexpensive. (Image Source: Shelley Pauls / Unsplash)
Be sure to eat lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. (9)Reduce fast food, meat and high-fat foods like cheese. Vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins. Legumes and whole grain products are very high in fiber and therefore great for your digestion. Healthy digestion is also important for healthy weight loss.
Drink enough water
It is very important that you drink enough water throughout the day. Roughly speaking, it should always be at least 1.5 - 2 liters a day. To calculate your exact water needs, there is a conversion factor. Here 30-40 ml per kg of body weight are calculated. That means, for example, that a person who weighs 75 kg would need 2.25 - 3 liters of water a day. (8th)
You should avoid sweetened beverages such as soft drinks as much as possible. If the taste of water is not enough for you, you can use unsweetened teas or heavily diluted juice spritzers.
Movement
You should move at least 30 minutes a day. Many here are also familiar with the 10,000 step goal. That means a brisk walk a day is enough. Also, riding a bike or swimming are good ways to get some exercise.(1)
A walk in the woods with the family is a great way to enjoy nature and tranquility. (Image Source: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash)
However, 3-4 sports units should be introduced per week. Here we can recommend jogging or a home workout. There are also great sports like tennis or volleyball that you can play with friends. In community, it is easier for many to do sports and to motivate themselves.
patience
Also very important: be patient! Losing weight requires perseverance. You may lose 1kg per week for the first few weeks and then down to 300g per week from week three. It's also possible that you "only" lose 400 g per week from the start. Don't let that discourage you. The body goes through different phases.
If you lose too much weight per week, the yo-yo effect can quickly set in.
It may even be that you weigh a little more in between. As you exercise more, your muscles grow and naturally get heavier. Hormones and water retention can also be reasons if you weigh a few grams more in between. This is normal and will go away. So just don't give up!
Conclusion
As you can see, losing some weight is not that difficult. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet are the key points. Make sure you eat enough vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
Stop torturing yourself with any diets. If you follow our tips, you may reach your goals a little more slowly but healthily and in the long term. Hang in there and don't be too impatient. Don't compare yourself to others and be proud of yourself.
References
- mylife.de: Healthy weight loss, Isabel Kirchhof and Eva Rudolf-Müller, June 6, 2019 Source
- eatsmarter.de: Big blockages: Why am I not losing weight? May 20, 2021 Source
- Foodpunk.de: Why am I not losing weight despite low-carb, February 1st, 2016 Source
- Vital.de: 13 reasons why nothing changes on the scale despite a calorie deficit! Christina Liersch, May 19, 2021 Source
- Informedhealthonline.org:What are calories? Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), January 10, 2018 Source
- Landeszentrum-bw.de: Fats in food - a question of quality, Dr. Claudia Müller, Bonn, March 6, 2019 Source
- Ndr.de: Intermittent fasting: lose weight healthily, February 1, 2021 Source
- Gesundheit.gv.at: How much liquid does the body need? Univ.-Prof. dr Juergen Koenig, July 15, 2020 Source
- Dge.de: Eating and drinking whole foods according to the 10 rules of the DGE, 2017 Source
- Geo.de: How gut bacteria affect our body weight, Christopher Piltz Source
