So you’ve started an exercise program. Congratulations! Whether you’ve signed up for a ClassPass, hit your local gym, or committed to daily movement in our Wellthy Boss Facebook Group, you’ve taken the initiative to start moving. Just getting into a routine is half the battle. Unfortunately, as you may be discovering, it’s not always the whole battle.
Does it feel like you’re putting in a lot of effort and not seeing results as quickly as you’d like? While it’s impossible to diagnose your unique disconnect without one-on-one interaction, here are the three common explanations I’ve frequently come across in clients at Elevate Mobile Fitness:
Reason #1 Because you’re busy building muscle. A large majority of people who are starting out on a new exercise program have not had much prior strength training for some time. The old adage is true that muscle is indeed heavier than fat. For the first month of strength training, I advise clients to gauge their progress not by the number on the scale, but by the way their clothes fit. If you’re losing inches but not pounds, that’s a surefire indicator that you’re swapping that old fat weight with lean, metabolic-boosting muscle fibers. After about a month or so, the number on the scale should more closely match the actual results you’re getting. If not, you may need to consider the following possibilities.
Reason #2 You’re underestimating your calorie intake. Even if you don’t reduce your calorie intake at all, by simple math you should at least be losing some weight by the extra calories expended in exercise. Unfortunately, exercising tends to carry with it a halo effect that often makes us feel justified to eat even more than we did before. Have you ever told yourself, “It’s okay if I swing through the drive-through today. I went to the gym the last two nights.”? Looking at the numbers is essential, though. Sure, you may have burned 400 calories over the course of two evenings by spending a half-hour on the elliptical each night. But a McDonald’s Angus Bacon and Cheese Burger with medium fries and a Coke will set you back 1,380 calories. That equals weight gain, friends, not weight loss.
Reason #3 Your hormones are to blame. A lot of today’s busy, artificial lifestyle factors can wreak havoc with the messages the body sends and receives through hormones. Medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism can also throw the body’s metabolic rate off. While you should always consult a medical professional to determine whether hormone levels are something that need to be assessed and treated, there are a few things everyone can do to optimize their hormones. Avoid as many chemicals as possible (including those in cosmetics, hygiene items, and household cleaners). Keep a regular sleep schedule. Avoid simple, refined carbs. (You may even experiment with restricting carbs to a narrow window of time throughout the day). Exercise, of course. But also be careful not to overexert without any rest periods. Limit intense workouts of 60 minutes or more duration to about once per week.
I debated adding a fourth reason, which is having unrealistic expectations, but that’s really not a reason you’re NOT losing weight. It does, however, need to be understood that losing weight is a slow-going process. You may not be losing weight as quickly as you like, but if you are losing, keep it up. Stick with it. You can safely expect to lose one to two pounds per week if you add an hour of exercise per day and cut about 500 calories from your daily intake. That can take some time to get you to your goal weight, so celebrate the small successes and use that success to encourage you towards your goal.
Keep in mind, too, that while weight loss is a great benefit of exercise, it’s not the only benefit. Even if you never lost a pound by working out, you’d still come out ahead. Mental acuity, emotional happiness, improved circulation, decreased likelihood of disease, improved range of motion—those are all reasons enough to stick with it as you ride out a weight-loss plateau. Keep on keeping on!
You may also be interested in this post: Why Your Personal Trainer May Not Help You Lose Weight
